John Sides

For an awesome 2-3 day trip, start hiking at the Massie Gap trailhead, which can be reached from Grayson Highlands State Park. Take the Rhododendron Trail up the ridge to connect with the AT, keeping an eye out for wild ponies in the Massie Gap ar...

Marion Lake is one of Grand Teton National Park’s many spectacular high altitude lakes. The lake sits above Granite Canyon, and next to sweeping meadows that are loaded with colorful wildflowers during July and August. Campsites at the lake may be...

Start hiking at Cheaha Trailhead, located at the far end of a parking area just before you get to Cheaha State Park on Highway 281. Follow the Cave Creek Trail until you reach the Pinhoti connector, and hang a right to take the Pinhoti Trail north...

Coming from the backcountry shelter at the top of Mt. Leconte (add .2 miles if coming from the Lodge), head east on the Boulevard Trail and follow signs to Myrtle Point, 1 mile away. The trail first ascends about 200 feet to the summit (6,594 ft),...

The 2.3 mile Lake Trail runs more than two-thirds of the way around Double Oak Lake, from the South Trailhead to the marina and can easily be made into a 3 mile loop by connecting onto the paved road, Terrace Drive. In comparison to many other hik...

From the park entrance there are several ways to get to Skyhy Tree House, and the trail system allows for loops of varying distances and difficulty. There’s a large map about a quarter mile down the main trail from the park entrance, and paper tra...

During the winter months, from December 1 through March 31, the 7-mile Clingman’s Dome Road that branches off Highway 441 at Newfound Gap, stays closed. This means the usual drive to the parking area located just a half mile below the tower is ina...

The Baiyang Waterfall trailhead is located near Tianxiang village in Taroko National Park. From Tianxiang village, head north on the cross-island highway. After just a couple of winding turns, you’ll drive under a covered section of road. The trai...

The hike to the Golden Grotto begins at San Zhan (三棧) township, the next river valley to the south of Taroko Gorge. San Zhan is a small town where three rivers converge before emptying into the Pacific, on Taiwan’s east coast in Hualien County. Th...

Start your hike at Anthony Creek Trailhead (elevation 1,800 ft), in the Cade’s Cove area. The trailhead is located at the far end of the day-use picnic area near Cade’s Cove campground. There are a few parking spots right at the trailhead, but not...

Sloss Furnace is a historic industrial site in downtown Birmingham. For nearly a hundred years, this blast furnace produced iron for the “Steel City.” The site is now designated as a National Historic Landmark, and is a fun place to explore, wande...

In many ways, Railroad Park has become a symbol for the revitalization of downtown Birmingham, and it’s helping to ignite a new excitement for the city. Opened in 2010, Railroad Park makes reference to the Steel City’s industrial past, and runs pa...

When talking about high mountains, Taiwan probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind for most people. Yet this beautiful island is covered from north to south by prominent mountain ranges. In north central Taiwan, Shei-Pa National Park alon...

Wenshan Hot Spring is accessible via a short hike that branches off the Central Cross Island Highway (Highway 8) in Taroko National Park. Coming from Tianxiang village, you will come to a small parking lot along the road just before you enter a tu...

If you can snag a permit to camp at Death Canyon Shelf, consider yourself lucky. This backcountry camping zone holds some of the best sites in Grand Teton National Park. The shelf is a 3-mile stretch of the Teton Crest trail between Fox Creek Pass...

Jemison Park is a 54-acre green space located in historic Mountain Brook. The main stretch of trail runs alongside Mountain Brook Parkway on one side and Shades Creek on the other, for a total of about 2 miles when connected with the Nature Trail ...

Yushan National Park is located in south central Taiwan, and is home to many of the island’s tallest mountains, with peaks from the Yushan and Central Mountain Ranges. Over 30 peaks within the park stand above 3,000 meters, the pinnacle being Jade...

Boulder Field is a high alpine backcountry site on Longs Peak, and is a popular camp for backpackers attempting to summit Longs Peak via the Keyhole route. At an impressive elevation of 12,760 feet, Boulder Field is a vast wasteland of rocks that ...

Eluanbi lighthouse is located on Eluanbi Cape, within Kenting National Park at the southernmost tip of Taiwan. The lighthouse was originally built in 1883 as a result of frequent shipwrecks, caused by hidden reefs, typhoons, and strong southerly w...

For those who find themselves in the beautiful country of Nepal without the time to devote to a lengthier trek like the Annapurna Base Camp (7-10 days) or Everest Base Camp (12-14 days) treks, the Ghorepani - Ghandruk trek is an excellent option. ...