For Rochester locals, the Erie Canal Path is one of “the” places to go biking, running, and hiking. I even knew some kids who would hitch up their dog to a sled and go for a ride on the canal…
Death Valley Oasis at Darwin Falls!
A perennial waterfall? In Death Valley? You’ve got to be kidding! But really – blazing hot summer, parched autumn, or during the (slightly less arid) winter/spring, Darwin Falls in the far west of Death Valley National Park is a beautiful…
Biking the Catharine Valley Trail
One day at the library, I got out a book about hikes and rail trails in western New York State. There were quite a few great trails there (including many I’d hiked or biked before), but one that intrigued me…
Canyonland Views from Murphy Point
The Murphy Trail in Canyonlands National Park can be a little bit confusing – not because hiking it is all that difficult (it’s a trail and it’s pretty hard to get off of it), but because the name is actually…
Hiking up to the Big Bell Extension Mine
Quite a few weeks ago, I posted about visiting the Keane Wonder Spring and John Cyty’s Mill. Well, that’s a great hike. But for a truly spectacular hike, you can continue up the steep old mining trail behind the mill…
Fun Hike to Indian Pass & Summit Rock
The last few weeks have been a fun whirl of work and adventures! We never left New York, but we hiked and biked and kayaked old and new trails and routes. One of the new routes was a somewhat random…
Keane Spring & John Cyty’s Cabin
Most people who drive to the Keane Wonder Trailhead do so to walk up to the ruins of the Keane Wonder Mill. Many also climb the steep trail up to the old workings of the Keane Wonder Mine and the…
Paddling Black Creek: Churchville to the Genesee River
A couple of weeks ago, we did a very long kayak trip –Black Creek all the way from Churchville to the Genesee River. The section between Churchville and Black Creek Park was quite nice; open water and pretty easy paddling…
The Slots of Sidewinder Canyon
A family favorite from our trip to Death Valley last fall was Sidewinder Canyon. There’s something just so fun about exploring multiple slot canyons and discovering arches, caves, rock formations, and so much more. Plus we got some great views…
Off-trail Hike to Ring Arch
Ring Arch is a lesser-known arch near Courthouse Wash in Arches National Park. No official trail leads to it, but it’s often combined with (and is easier to find than) The Tunnel. The span is very thin and narrow, so…