Just to the west of Estes Park, CO, is a small pull-off and an even smaller sign that reads, “Lily Mountain Trail”. Although it’s easy to miss, especially if you’re not looking for it, it is harder to miss the…
A “Hidden” Desert Meadow: Hidden Valley, Moab
Located just outside of Moab, Utah, it’s surprising that more people don’t know about Hidden Valley. If this scenic desert meadow was inside of one of the national parks in that area—Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, or even Canyon…
An Awesome 13er: Fitzpatrick Peak
At the end of a recent trip to Colorado, we suddenly realized that we’d climbed mountains that were 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, and 14,000 ft high. We decided that we definitely needed to climb a 13er just to complete our record. …
My First 14er – Grays Peak
In late June, I visited Colorado and decided that we had to do a 14er. I realized only later that we’d never been above 13,000 before in our lives (except in airplanes, and that doesn’t count), and if I’d known,…
Walk in the Footsteps of Indians on the Ute Trail
Think top-of-the-world feelings. Awe-inspiring mountain vistas. Lovely wildflowers. Classic tundra experience. And you hardly have to hike to get to it. This is only a partial listing of the wonders that await visitors who walk part of the Ute…
Awesome Teton Trail: Cascade Canyon
The Grand Tetons are, in my opinion, some of the most beautiful mountains in the US. Especially in the spring and early summer, when they are still flecked with snow, the mountains look like no other, and are beyond describing. …
Stunning Views of Washington’s Famed Mt. Baker: The Ptarmigan Ridge Trail
Imagine magnificent views of Mt. Baker, beautiful vistas of Mt. Shuksan, and amazing flowers and snow (yes, I said snow) to set it all off. You can see all of this and much more from the Ptarmigan Ridge Trail in…
Maroon Bells & Buckskin Pass: Totally Awesome!
So I’m told, one of the most photographed vistas in the US is of the Maroon Bells Mountains in western Colorado. Especially in early summer, when the mountains still snow-covered, the view of the Maroon Bells on a sunny day…
A Bear of a Butte
Bear Butte State Park is a nice little park in the north-west corner of South Dakota. Its main attraction is Bear Butte (what a coincidence!), a butte-shaped mountain that sticks up from the fairly flat land surrounding it, although Bear…
Awesome View of Pikes Peak from Raspberry Mountain
One of the things we’ve found in hiking mountains is that the pretty mountain is nicer from another nearby mountain than from the pretty mountain itself. Pike’s Peak is no exception to this, and Raspberry Mountain is an awesome place…