Jake YoungExplorer

There are a multitude of frozen waterfalls throughout Spearfish Canyon. Some require a short hike and others can be seen from the road. This adventure will describe how to access the three largest frozen falls.Take Spearfish Canyon Highway south out of the town of Spearfish SD. After roughly 6 miles, there will be a pullout on your right and a small wooden deck on the other side of the street. ...

This epic day hike to Reef Icefield can be done if you are staying at the Berg Lake Campground. Berg Lake is accessible from the Berg Lake Trailhead just off of Canada Highway 16. Permits to stay at Berg Lake can be purchased at the Visitor Centre near the trailhead.Snowbird Pass is located 7 miles up a glacially carved valley that spills into Berg Lake. The trail follows the Robson River for a...

The Angora Ridge Fire lookout sits above the serene Fallen Leaf Lake with incredible views of Mt. Tallac and Desolation Wilderness. You can hike, bike or drive to the lookout. This is a great spot to photograph the sunset, as the sky will reflect off both Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe. Bring a picnic and some beverages because you will want to spend some time here once you see the view.To get...

This trail begins at the Cowell State Beach parking lot and is only open on the weekends. From the lot, take the short Cowell Ranch Access trail to a scenic overlook. There are steps down to the secluded pocket beach just above the main trail. The trail playfully meanders along the cliffside with views of the ocean on your right and the Santa Cruz Mountains on your left. You will cross three be...

The trail starts 3 km south of Fox Glacier Township. Take the Haast Highway until Thirsty Culvert, which has a small parking lot on the right side of the road. Start early in the morning to miss the almost daily afternoon fog. The trail climbs relentlessly through a lush rain forest. The route is poorly maintained, so it is important to be vigilant. There are parts of this hike where you are cl...

This wonderful alpine lake is a relatively short hike in Desolation Wilderness and is a perfect introduction to off trail exploration. This area lacks the crowds that other lakes in Desolation garner because most maps don't show the trail leading to the lake. Although there is a rough trail, the ability to route find, read a topo and hike off trail are required to do this hike. This trail start...

Although this hike can be done as a day hike, there are incredible camping spots near the lake. The easiest way to start this hike is to start at the Echo Lakes. There is ample parking above the marina and you even have the option of taking a water taxi across the echo lakes to cut off around 2.5 miles of the hike. The taxi costs $12 round trip.If you are doing this as an overnight as opposed t...

This incredibly scenic ride is just out of Zion National Park and is a great place to escape the tourists. The ride starts at the end of Dalton Wash Rd just off of Route 9. High clearance vehicles are recommended and one should not attempt to drive this road in wet conditions. If you are having trouble finding a campsite in the park itself, camping is allowed at the top of the Guacamole Mesa.Fr...

Although this hike can feasibly done in a day, it is highly recommended that you spend more than one day in this area and visit the falls as a side trip on a larger trip. The closest campsites to Ribbon Falls are Cottonwood Campground and the Bright Angel Campground at Phantom Ranch.  Ribbon Falls is on the North Kaibab Trail which has a trailhead at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. The trai...

Although this hike can be done as a day hike, it is an awesome place to camp. There is a lot to explore and you will want to spend as much there time as you can. The easiest way to start this hike is to start at the Echo Lakes. There is ample parking above the marina and you even have the option of taking a water taxi across the echo lakes to cut off around 2.5 miles of the hike. The taxi costs...

To get to the trailhead, take Key's View Road from Park Blvd for around 2.5 miles and turn left onto a dirt road. The trailhead is at the end of this road. From here, you have the option to do the 6.1 mile loop or the 4 mile roundtrip out and back. This trail takes you through a beautiful desert landscape while meandering through Yuccas and Joshua Trees. The trail has a slight uphill grade for ...

This short hike follows Little Butano Creek through a lush redwood forest. The trail crosses the creek multiple times as you walk over redwood pine needles and through pockets of ferns. Dogs can join on this trail, but must be on leash.

This beautiful mountain bike ride can be started at the Purisima Creek Road Trailhead or on Skyline Boulevard. There are many trails in the Purisisma Creek Redwoods, but Whittemore Gulch is by far the most beautiful and fun single track to descend on. If you are starting from Skyline Boulevard, it is often the better option to park at the trailhead near the beginning of the Purisima Creek Trail...

The easiest way to get to Gilmore Lake is to start at the Glen Alpine trailhead. The trail head is southwest of Fallen Leaf Lake. There is a decently sized parking lot at the trailhead, but parking is also available on the road up. Because desolation is a wilderness area, you must fill out a permit before entering the area. The trailhead is right next to Lily Lake which is a great spot to have ...

Montezuma Castle is actually one of the United State's first National Monuments. This five story 50 room cliff dwelling is one of the best preserved in all of North America. There is a short interpretive walk along the cliff in which one can see the many remnants of the previous inhabitants.The Sinagua People inhabited this region over 600 years ago and it is thought that they lived along Beave...

Arch Rock Campground is first come first serve campground in Valley of Fire State Park. It is the more "primitive" of the two campsites in the park. That is, there are far less RVs in this site and it is often easier to get a spot.To get here, take the Valley of Fire Highway to the entrance, which is just off of Interstate 15. After paying the $10 entry fee to the park, keep driving until you s...

This short hike is just off of highway 50 and provides one of the best views of Lake Tahoe. From South Lake Tahoe, head north on Highway 50 past Zephyr cove until you see Cave Rock Drive. Take this road until it dead ends and park in the small gravel lot. After following the trail out of the parking lot, you will have to briefly scramble up the rock itself. You will be rewarded with an almost u...

The Ryan Campground is but one of many beautiful campgrounds in Joshua Tree National Park. It is located just south of the Hidden Valley use area. There are 31 sites as well as a horse camp. This campground does not have water, but does have pit toilets.For weekend trips into Joshua Tree, it is often recommended to check this site first because it is not as popular as the other campgrounds. Kee...

The Cowboy Trails offer a perfect break from climbing in Red Rock Canyon or a night on the Town in Las Vegas. You will need to be as tough as a cowboy (or cowgirl) to ride these trails. It is just as much of a workout going up as it is down. However, this area offers you the chance to hone your technical skills in a beautiful desert arena. You will find yourself cruising through beautiful gard...

From the parking lot, walk down the short but steep incline to the springs (200m). There is also a campsite within 0.25 miles.

Many of the campground in Arches National Park are extremely hard to book and almost impossible to get walk-in spots during the peak season in this area. However, the Colorado River near Moab has an abundance of beautiful campsites along its shore. Highway 128 heads northwest out of Moab following the Colorado River. There are a total of 12 BLM campsites along the river. Each one of them costs ...

This short hike takes you through a red sandstone canyon covered in beautiful Native American rock art. The incredible amount and concentration of petroglyphs on this hike make this a must-see in Valley of Fire State Park.There is a parking lot roughly one mile north of the visitor center where the Petroglyph Canyon Trail starts. There is also a nice covered picnic area across the street from t...

Situated in the northwest portion of Yosemite National Park, Hetch Hetchy is is a not often visited treasure of the Central Sierra Nevada. In 1913, in an extremely controversial move, work on the O’Shaughnessy Dam was started to provide water to the growing population of San Francisco. Today, Hetch Hetchy is an enormous reservoir that offers almost year round hiking without the crowds of the va...

The White Domes Loop Trail is at the end of Mouse's Tank Road. Travel north from the visitor center until you get to the White Domes Parking Lot. This short loop trail wanders through short slot canyons and towering sandstone formations. From the parking lot, head south down the sandstone steps. At the bottom, you will see the remains of the movie set from The Professionals. From here, follow t...