I needed a short hike on a rainy day south of Salt Lake City that didn’t have an entry fee. That’s a lot of specifics for a single hike, but three different waterfalls hit the spot: Gloria Falls, Hidden Falls,…
Day Hiking the Famous McAfee Knob
They say that McAfee Knob is the most-photographed point of the Appalachian Trail. Even thru-hikers stop to get their picture taken on the little point of rock that hangs over the edge of the cliff face – it’s almost a…
The Best Hikes in Canyonlands National Park
At this point, Canyonlands ranks as one of my favorite national parks to visit in Utah. I love the variety of long-ranging canyon views, rock formations, arches, slot canyons, mountain views, and exploration opportunities. There are also hikes for every…
Lake Tahoe from the Basalt Overlook
To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure if the trail I took from Skyland to the Basalt Overlook (just off the Tahoe Rim Trail) is all that official. But I found it on AllTrails, so that counts for something, right? …
Spectacular Sierra Views from Piute Pass
Piute Pass was one of my favorite trails in the High Sierra. (A few of the other contenders were Saddlebag Lake (20 Lakes Basin), Kearsarge Pass, and San Joaquin Mountain.) The sheer beauty along the path up to the saddle…
French Spring above the Maze District
French Spring is one of the minimal number of attractions to see along NP-633 (the road between Hans Flat and the top of the Flint Trail) in the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park.* It’s one of the more difficult…
118 Miles on the Pacific Coast, Mount Hood, and Mount Rainier!
Last time, I wrote about my adventures in the High Sierras of California. Here’s the rest of the trip – including volcanoes in the Cascade Range! From Yosemite, we drove north through Sacramento and Redding and up to McCloud Falls. …
81 Miles in the High Sierras!
I’m back!! I know I’ve taken off quite a few weeks on the blog, but I’ll be back to regular posting soon. For now, here’s what I’ve been up to for the last five or so weeks as my van…
Hiking to Elephant Arch
I sometimes imagine that it must be hard for explorers to come up with original names for the features they discover. How many Beacon Rocks, Twin Peaks, Old Baldies, Haystack Mountains, Sugarloaf Peaks, and Flat Top Mountains are there in…
Photos from Rochester’s Lilac Festival
It’s almost time for the annual Lilac Festival in Rochester, New York! The 2024 dates are May 10-May 19, and at least at this point, it seems like the forecasters have been about right for the lilac blooms. If you…