The weather really can make or break a trip or a hike. Last year, visiting Mt. Hood, the weather went from socked in to quite cloudy, to totally cloudy and misty and rainy. The last day we decided to do…
Hiking the Virginia Lakes to K19 Viewpoint
The Virginia Lakes! They are beautiful, especially early in the season when they are surrounded by snow. But at any time of the summer or fall they are a destination well worth visiting – near enough to Yosemite National Park…
Hiking the Clatsop Loop in Ecola State Park
The Clatsop Loop Trail in Ecola State Park, Oregon, is certainly a trail of diversity. Starting out are views of surfers on the nearby beach, with sea stacks a short distance away. Then the hike winds upward through a true…
Fun at the Days of ’47 Pioneer Day Parade
Coming up next month on July 24 is a Utah state holiday, Pioneer Day, celebrating the coming of the pioneers into Utah and the surrounding area. It officially marks the day the first Mormons arrived in the Salt Valley, but…
Visiting Redwood’s WWII-era Klamath River Radar Station
Back in 1999, on my first visit to the Pacific Northwest, we stopped in Redwood National Park. In general, I was a bit disappointed with the park overall, but one part of the park left a lasting impression on me. …
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…
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…
Visting the I-80 High Point at the Summit Rest Area
So it’s not hard to get to, easy to miss, and maybe not even that impressive. But the I-80 High Point – also known as the Summit Rest Area or the Lincoln Rest Area at Exit 323 between Cheyenne and…
Incredible Coastal Views from Cape Perpetua’s Stone Shelter
Cape Perpetua is a great place to visit. Thor’s Well and the surrounding volcanic tide pools and other oddities make it a must-do stop on a US-101 road trip. But I found the most remarkable – or at least the…
10 of the Best Free Historical Sites in America
I don’t necessarily seek out historical places to visit – it’s often an outcome of being in the area and on a whim stopping by (like the Flume Trail or Warren Peak, both in Wyoming). Other times we do go…