Before I headed out on the Canyon Vista Trail in Worlds End State Park, I noticed a sign across the road from the parking area (Loyalsock Canyon Vista) that pointed toward the Rock Garden. Curious, I walked over to see…
Strolling around Gibbon Falls
Gibbon Falls isn’t exactly a famous destination in Yellowstone National Park. Most people drive right by it while traveling between Madison and Norris. Plenty of people do stop – it’s unlikely you’ll have the viewpoint to yourself. But if you…
The South Kaibab Trail
I finally did it: I hiked the South Kaibab Trail rim to river to rim! It’s been a dream for so many years that it’s hard to imagine that it’s now a memory, too. And it was everything I hoped…
Hidden Falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon
Hidden Falls is one of the famous unknown waterfalls in Big Cottonwood Canyon just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. There is a trail, but since most of the way you’re either crossing roads or hiking up a riverbed, it’s…
Castle Rock above Lake Tahoe
Castle Rock is a great view of Lake Tahoe on the border of California and Nevada. It’s a hot, forested hike on a summer day (guess when I hiked?), but the views at the end make it worth the effort…
Rock Art at the Puerco Pueblo
Petrified Forest is known for the Painted Desert and its petrified wood. However, beyond those worthy features are a few other things to see. Puerco Pueblo is the remains of an ancient civilization that once lived in the area, and…
Exploring to Ribbon Arch
Ribbon Arch was one of the destinations I didn’t quite get to find in Arches National Park back when I visited on a gorgeous November day in 2020. That was the trip where I finally visited Canyonlands and Arches after…
Adventures on the Fossil Forest Route
The Fossil Forest is a hidden gem of Yellowstone National Park. Located in the Lamar Valley, it’s not marked, nor is it especially official. But I was able to follow a trail all of the way up, so I can’t…
Grandview, Castle, and Tunnel Trails
The Grand View area of New River Gorge National Park is best known for its two spectacular views of the gorge – the Main Overlook and the Turkey Spur Overlook. It also boasts five hiking trails. When I visited, the…
Exploring Fern Canyon
In Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, there is a very famous trail known as Fern Canyon. It’s so popular, in fact, that you need a permit to park in the parking area May 15-September 15. It’s worth it: Fern-covered walls,…