I’ll admit it, I didn’t pay to see the Point Arena Lighthouse. I’m sure it cool, but I didn’t feel like shelling out $25 (or $7.50/person) to drive in, walk around, maybe climb the tower, and leave. It wasn’t worth…
Driving (Part of) the Whitmore Trail
I read about a 2 mile trail – round trip – to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The pictures were epic. The trail didn’t even look that steep. The only thing standing between me and the trail was a…
Yosemite’s Bridal Veil Falls in Midsummer
One of the great things about Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite is that it flows all year (unlike Yosemite Falls, which turns into Yosemite Fell about the middle of July or early August). Another great thing about Bridal Veil Falls…
Pueblos, Lizards, and More on the Pueblo Alto Loop
There are members of my group who have wanted to hike the Pueblo Alto Loop for about 23 years. That was when they saw a photo of Pueblo Bonito on the cover of their AAA road map and decided to…
7 Best Day Hikes in Colorado’s Flat Tops Wilderness
Colorado’s Flat Tops Wilderness is an overlooked gem. Overshadowed by more prominent mountains to the east (Rocky Mountain National Park) and south (Rockies; think Aspen, Glenwood Springs, etc.), the “busy” parts of the wilderness see several hundred visitors each year.…
Solitude at Manchester Beach State Park
Manchester State Park, just north of Point Arena along the California Coast, is so deserted that it’s nearly been shut down – twice. But somehow it lives on, quiet and secluded, a beach with an overabundance of driftwood and excellent…
Hiking the (Shorter) South Slopes up Mt. Agassiz
On visiting the Uinta Mountains last June, we decided on our last day to take a bit of a risk. The risk wasn’t in scenery – it’s hard not to have a good view from the top of a rocky…
A Shorter Path to Sentinel Dome
Sentinel Dome is one of my favorite places in Yosemite to view Yosemite Falls. You’re above the falls, but across the valley, so it’s easy to see, and the hike isn’t exactly arduous – if you use the real parking…
Honan Point: Best Views on Grand Canyon’s North Rim
I’ve always thought the views from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to be better than the views from the North Rim. Part of it is that the North Rim is more picturesque, so looking at it from the…
Sneak Peak: Southwestern Variety at its Finest
I just got back from another hiking-adventure trip across the western US! It was different than any before, even as we visited old and new sites across Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and even Utah and Wyoming. There were high…