I’ve always thought of Petrified Forest National Park as a place of overlooks and quick trails – no way to get down into the Painted Desert or other areas of the park for a nice, long hike with interesting or…
Scrambling Caramel Canyon & the Goblin’s Lair
The very first hike I took in Goblin Valley State Park was Caramel Canyon to the Goblin’s Lair, with the Three Sisters and the Goblette’s Lair thrown in for good measure. It seemed like a good idea to check out…
Ice Lake & Little Gibbon Falls
If you’re looking for a quiet little loop hike not too far from the main attractions of Yellowstone National Park, Ice Lake (with Little Gibbon Falls) is a good choice. You’ll get a pretty little lake, peaceful forests, and a…
Hiking Gold Bar Arch (Jeep Arch)
Gold Bar Arch has a colloquial name – Jeep Arch. It’s not hard to figure out why; the opening looks like a jeep, all ready for an adventure! With such a cool arch to see as well as some nice…
Death Valley’s Hole in the Rock Spring
On our way down into the valley from Daylight Peak last fall, I stopped at the Corkscrew Peak Viewpoint to hike to Hole in the Rock Spring. I wasn’t expecting much – desert springs are more often jungles of brush…
Climbing up Observation Rock
One of the most beautiful (and adventurous!) hikes we took in the Maze District in Canyonlands was the scramble up Observation Rock. No trail leads to the summit; there’s not even a cairned route to its base. But the views…
South Rim Trail Loop above Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
In general, I prefer the north rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone to the south rim (the views are just plain better from the north rim IMO). But the south rim offers a loop that blows the north…
Steep but Beautiful Hike to Silver Lake
The trail to Silver Lake is quite a bit more than meets the eye. It’s only a little over 6 miles RT, but the elevation gain means the trail is much steeper than you might think. It was harder than…
Spectacular Views from the Loafer Mountain Trail to Santaquin Peak
Santaquin Peak in the Wasatch Mountain Range isn’t the loftiest of peaks nor is it the most famous. Even the trail to the top takes on the name of another peak, which (granted) is 2 feet taller. But it does…
A Wheelchair Accessible Guide to Death Valley National Park
Death Valley is known for its rugged landscape, extreme heat, and desert beauty. What it’s not known for is its accessibility. I’ve read that there is only one fully wheelchair accessible trail in the park (and, at the time of…