The Top 15 Pages on Anne’s Travels in 2017

Views from the String Lake Outlet Bridge en route to Cascade Canyon in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

The 12 Best Day Hikes in Grand Teton National Park. Grand Teton National Park does happen to be one of my favorite parks of the west: craggy, alp-like mountains, blue lakes, sheer cliffs, quiet meadows, hidden canyons – what’s not to like? The crowds, and that’s easily dealt with by going to the western side of the mountains.

Evening on the Highline Trail beside Lower Green River Lake in the Wind Rivers of Wyoming

9 Terrific Day Hikes in the Wind Rivers. Another favorite mountain range, the Wind Rivers are sheer-cliffed, lake-filled, meadow-rich, and so remote that it’s hard to find day hikes. Still, what day hikes exist are well worth their 10 or even 15 mile length to see the almost untouched beauty.

Hiking the Echo Canyon Trail in Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona

Hiking Hairstyles that are Pretty & Practical. When you’re out hiking, some of us still like to look pretty, especially since most of the pictures for our Christmas cards, etc., come from those hikes. One of my group members decided to save humanity from ugly Christmas card photos by writing this post. Or something like that.

Views from Cape Perpetua’s Stone Shelter, Oregon

Cape Perpetua’s Stone Shelter. An easy hike with a spectacular view, the historic stone shelter atop a headland on Cape Perpetua looks down on old lava flows and the famed Thor’s Well. We even saw whales breaching!

Views across Jackson Lake to Mt. Moran from the Lakeshore Trail in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

The Lakeshore Trail on Jackson Lake. We found this little hike on a whim, since we happened to be driving through the park on our way between Oregon and New York (funny how things like that happen). Pain for gain, it’s got to be one of the best in the park.

Meadows on Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, Washington

The 9 Best Hikes Olympic National Park. Olympic is unique – classic mountains and classic Western sea coast, complete with rocky or sandy beaches, sea stacks, headlands, meadows, waterfalls, and more. Add to this rain forests swathed with mosses and ferns, and you have a park not likely to disappoint (especially since the rain forests are even nicer to visit in the rain!)

View of (up to) 7 sea arches from a headland in Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor, Oregon

The Natural Bridges of Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor. I’d consider Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor one of the prettier, more interesting sections of the Oregon Coast, simply because of its wealth of sea stacks and sea arches. This walk through headland rain forests takes you to several viewpoints of arches, far, far below… especially if you don’t mind some rather interesting social trails.

The scenery is stunning on a day hiking road trip to southern Utah

Epic Day Hiking Road Trip to Southern Utah. For unique scenery, southern Utah may very well take the cake. Uniquely shaped rock formations in fantastic reds, yellows, oranges, whites, and even purples mesh with mesas, buttes, cliffs, badlands, and numerous arches and natural bridges. You really can’t go wrong, but you can also be sure to see the best of the best with this suggested itinerary!

Do It Yourself Adult-size Seat Belt Pillow

DIY Adult Seat Belt Pillow. I’ll often catch up on sleep while we’re driving from place to place on road trips. A seat belt pillow is a neck saver, and much more comfortable than a rolled up jacket. They’re not even that hard to make – just a couple rectangles of fabric, some ribbon, and some polyester fiberfill.

Hiking through Chesler Park in Canyonlands National Park, Utah

Epic Hikes in the Western United States (Part 3). Otherwise titled “12 Dayhikes You Should Take with your Kids Before They’re Grown”, this is the oldest member of my group’s take on the best of the best places he has ever hiked… and is thankful he took his own kids to.

Views over Ecola State park from the Clatsop Loop Trail, Oregon

Clatsop Loop Trail. Rainforests, coastal mountain views, historic lighthouses, and an old WWII-era bunker make this trail quite memorable. For more hikes in the area, check out…

Hiking Cannon Beach toward Haystack Rock in the early morning mist, Oregon

Cannon Beach to Haystack Rock. …the nearby Cannon Beach, where you can walk the sandy shoreline to the monolith sea stack, aka Haystack Rock, to see more sea stacks, tide pools, and numerous sea birds. (I saw my first puffin, thanks to a volunteer group with a scope focused on a puffin nest!)

Climbing Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park, Utah

Terrifying Trails of the Western United States. There are trails that you hike, and then there are trails that you… hike, once you get through the mud, sheer slickrock slopes, creep along the edge of a 200ft. drop, or cross a swinging bridge over a swollen river. Just another day in the great, wide, and beautiful world of the Western US…

Views from the West Tetons Overlook in Targhee National Forest, Wyoming

West Tetons Overlook. While the east side of the Teton Range is the best known – and certainly the most popular – the west side range is a different variation on scenic, totally beautiful, but also almost totally unknown. You can nearly drive to this overlook of the western side of the range, making it a great option for those who want a slightly more rustic, but not too invigorating, experience of the west side of the Teton Range.

Waterfall at Hug Point, Oregon

Hug Point. A coastal viewpoint on the Oregon Coast with a headland, a sea cave, and a pretty little waterfall? Sounds good to me, especially since it’s free to visit – no permit required.

Bust of Abraham Lincoln that once celebrated the high point of the Lincoln Highway. It now rests at the I-80 High Point at the Summit Rest Area, Wyoming

I-80 High Point / Summit Rest Area. I wouldn’t have called the Lincoln Rest Stop all that exciting – except when you desperately need a rest area, and the rest areas in Wyoming are often spaced at least 150 miles apart – but it is pretty cool to say that you’ve been at the highest point on I-80!

Click here to visit the Top 15 Pages in 2016, the Top 15 Pages in 2015, and the Top 10 Pages in 2014!