There may be no other trail in the US quite like the one to Hidden Valley, high on the side of Mt. Shasta in California. The trail begins as a fairly normal one, passing through forests up to a stone…
Early Morning at the Mt. Shasta Horse Camp
The Horse Camp on Mt. Shasta is quite the destination. The views are very nice, but beyond the fact that it’s a popular day hiking destination, it’s also a “parting of the ways” for many climbers ascending Mt. Shasta, as…
Arch Rock Picnic Area: Sea Stacks in Oregon
Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor really is unique and beautiful, even among the beauty of the rest of the Oregon coastline. I didn’t do half as much there as I could have; just some exploration around the Natural Bridges…
Terrifying Trails of the Western US
Hiking any trail can have its frightful aspects – walking away from civilization and the comfort of your car and into the unknown wilds of who-knows-where (not to mention scary stuff like spiders, snakes, bears, wolves, and sheer drop-offs). But…
Lock 60 Historic Site: Walk through an Erie Canal Lock Chamber
Through the little town of Macedon, NY runs the reconstructed Erie Canal. The canal is mostly for pleasure crafts these days, paid for by your New York Thruway (I-90) tolls. The canal path is also well-used by cyclists (that would…
Cape Kiwanda: Sand Dunes & Rock Formations
It’s crowded, it’s dangerous, it was cloudy, and it’s about as touristy as the Oregon Coast gets. But somehow I totally enjoyed visiting Cape Kiwanda along the Tree Capes Scenic Loop off of US-101 south of Tillamook, OR. Maybe it’s…
Beverly Beach Hike: Lighthouses, Volcanic Rocks, and More
Have you ever thought how nice it would be to walk along the Oregon Coast? To hike a stretch of beach without high rises and hotels and restaurants and just enjoy its sand, uniquely shaped rocks, sheer cliffs, and an…
Epic Day Hiking Road Trip to Southern Utah
Southern Utah packs so much beauty into a small area. Arches, rock formations, turrets, towers, spires, mountains, canyons, cliffs, meadows – there’s so much to see, and often so little time to do it. So here are some of the…
Exploring the Punchbowl: Above and Within
A highlight along the Oregon coast last summer would be exploring the area around Devil’s Punchbowl State Natural Area north of Newport. The area isn’t really that big, but low tide explorations are exciting (especially with the tide coming back…
12 Best Day Hikes in Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton has to be one of my favorite national parks in the US (along with North Cascades and a whole lot of others!) Those Alp-like jagged peaks, snow-flecked even in August, alpine lakes, lovely meadows, the unique meadows and…