Michael WigleExplorer

From Santa Ynez, CA take Armour Rd until it hits Happy Canyon Rd, and make a left. Follow this scenic drive through vineyards and oak shaded pastures into the Angeles National Forest. A half-mile section of asphalt is rough from winter storms, so drive slow. The road becomes Sunset Valley Rd and narrows to 1 lane. Drive 3.8 miles to the first road on the left past the Davy Brown Campground. Thi...

Accessing Covington Flats in Joshua Tree National Park requires a high ground-clearance overland vehicle. In the summer months a standard car might make it to the parking lot after the 7.5 mile off-road drive, but should always be prepared for soft sand. Bring spare water and emergency tools incase of a breakdown.From Route 62 in Yucca Valley, CA take La Contenta Dr. South toward Joshua Tree. T...

When you hear the report about snow in the San Gabriels, it's time to plan this hike!Only a short 90 minute drive is all that separates nearly a third of California's population from high-altitude snowy adventures. This isn't about Yosemite, but Southern California's very own San Gabriel Mountains. About a dozen times a season snow falls on the peaks of this range to stay for a few days which i...

We all know the crowds well at our favorite National Parks, and Bryce Canyon is no exception. When you're looking to get a little further away from the noise, lights, and experience of a National Park campground, you often don't have to go very far off the main road. This adventure is for those who want to sit under incredible heavenly views of the galaxy, while enjoying the quiet forest settin...

From the 210 Freeway in La Cañada, take California Highway 2 north 14 miles up into the San Gabriel Mountains. Make sure you have your National Forest Pass (sold at REI or Ranger Station) or your Interagency Pass because they have started checking parked vehicles. At the Red Box Picnic area, make a right onto Mt. Wilson road. About 1,000 up the road and onto the right is a pull off and dirt par...

If you love ice fishing, you know that waiting until late January can be agonizing. Thankfully, Lake Erie is the most shallow of the Great Lakes, and Presque Island creates the perfect sized bay, for late December ice.From I-90, exit 18 is State Route 832. Head north as the road becomes Peninsula Dr. which runs all the way out into Presque Isle State Park. The road will split in the park and be...

If you live in Los Angeles, Sandstone Peak is a must! The hike to the summit can be done on a 2 mile hike up and back on Sandstone Peak Trail, or a 6.5 mile hike up and back on Backbone Trail. The shorter trail is more popular, yet both are equally rewarding. You won't believe the views from the summit! Centered along Yerba Buena Rd. are the two parking lots for the different trails. The lots...

Few places along the California coast are perfectly suited for a day of sailing. While San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica, Long Beach, San Francisco, and Catalina Island offer sailing adventures, none of them offer wide open Pacific waters without dangerous commercial traffic to navigate. They also don't offer the deep blue waters of Monterey Bay, which are full of some impressive wildlife....

Halfway between the temple city of Angkor Thom and Koh Ker on the old imperial road lies Beng Melea. This is a perfect temple to visit after picking up passes from the park ticket office in Siem Reap. The best time to go is at the end of the day a few hours before closing when the crowds are fewest and the afternoon sun breaks through the jungle canopy in golden rays.Most hotels will connect yo...

Angkor Wat was constructed in the 12th century during the golden years of the Khmer Empire. King Suryavarman II built the Hindu temple to the God Vishnu. The central tower and courtyard represent Mount Meru, home of the gods, which for centuries could only be seen by the elite priests. Centuries later the kingdom would convert to Buddhism, opening the temple up to thereveda monks and lay people...

Take Võ Thị Sáu street north out of Côn Đảo for about 1 kilometer past the old park office on the left. The road will split to the right and fade to the left here. Continue on the left fork which is now Huỳnh Thúc Kháng street for about 50 meters. The road will split off to the right twice with a lower and upper road. The upper road is the main park entrance road and is freshly paved. Head up t...

This trip works best with two cars where the first is dropped off at the Twelvemile Beach Parking Lot, and carpooled over to the Miner's Castle Parking Lot. Both lots can be easily found in the Pictured Rocks National Seashore Map, or on Google Maps. Start your day at Miner's Castle by checking out both the Upper Overlook and Lower Overlooks. In the morning around Golden Hour, the cliffs acros...

If you love the mountains above Santa Barbara but hate the crowds, stick to the canyon trails on the east side. The trails running up Cold Spring canyon offer a variety of experiences without all the noise.To find the West Fork of Cold Spring Trail, take the Olive Mill Rd. exit from the 101 freeway heading north. It becomes Hot Springs road at the top of Montecito. Take a left on East Mountain ...

The trailhead to Roughlock Falls is in the town of Savoy, SD in the Black Hills. From Spearfish on I-90, head south on Route 14 for 15 miles into Savoy. There is only one road to make a right onto in town, Roughlock Falls Road. You can cheat and drive this all the way up to the falls for a quick visit, or you can turn into the first parking lot on the left where the trailhead is at.The trailhea...

Canyon de Chelly has been inhabited for over 6,000 years by both the Navajo peoples and the Anasazi peoples. The ruins through the walls of the canyon are from the Anasazi people date back to almost 7,000 years ago. Due to the significance and sacred nature of this area, hiking and backpacking without a local guide is prohibited except for one area of the canyon maintained by William Storytelle...

Every spring, a few plants and flowers spring up from the driest place in North America, California's Death Valley National Park. Knowing where to go is important, but not as important as knowing when to go. Wildflower season only lasts a few weeks before daytime temps hit 80º and the flowers go to seed.Typically in late February and early March after winter rains, wildflowers begin popping up ...

No visit to Côn Sơn Island is complete without watching a sunset behind the incredible cliffs of Little Côn Lôn Island. The best place to watch this go down is from a calm stretch of white sand called Bãi Nhát Beach.From town, head out along the coastal road south towards the end of the island and wrap around the point heading towards the fishing harbor about 8 kilometers. The road starts to co...

There are only a handful of beaches in Vietnam worth visiting as most are found on the edges of river deltas and steeped in mud. Out of the two tropical islands that offer sandy beaches, Côn Sơn Island is undeveloped and mostly a national park. If timed just right you can spend a few hours or an entire day in remote exclusion while being close to civilization on your own private beach.Protected...

This is one of the most magical and romantic places on the planet to get a good night's rest. You'll find that words will escape you when it comes to describing how this place makes you feel. With the Raging River as a backdrop, the powerful white noise will put you into one of the deepest sleeps you've ever had.TreeHouse Point is only 2 miles from I-90 heading East from Seattle. Take Exit 22 h...

Finding a winter or early spring adventure that won't take you deep into dangerous mountain territory, while still providing epic vistas, is a challenge in Colorado. There are a few 10,000' tall ranges that sometimes escape deep snow, which are inviting for a first step into the alpine wonderland that is the Rocky Mountains. Limestone Ridge in the San Isabel National Forest near Buena Vista, Co...

It should be noted that extreme caution should be practiced when going to the mud volcanoes. While the photographs above appear close, they were taken on a zoom lens from a safe distance. The ground here is soft and misleading. Collapses can occur, where you could be fatally scalded by the boiling pit underneath. Please observe the signs, and keep a safe distance. In the midst of the Inland Em...

Bear Mountain or Mathó Pahá as it's called by the Lakota peoples, is the leftover remnants of an ancient volcanic plug. The mountain weathered away, to leave the harder igneous formation, for which plains tribes have been coming to for sacred communication with their Creator for 10,000 years. This place is akin to Uluru in Australia in terms of sacredness. You can feel that the moment you see t...

Accessing Covington Flats in Joshua Tree National Park requires a high ground-clearance overland vehicle. Bring spare water and emergency tools incase of a breakdown. From Route 62 in Yucca Valley, CA take La Contenta Dr. South toward Joshua Tree. This is a backcountry entrance that does not have a gate, but still requires a park pass. 1 miles south the paved road becomes sand and dirt and 1.9...

The road from the highway to the coast is packed sand and gravel. Fortunately the marine fog keeps the sand in good condition for traveling over. A 4x4 is not needed to make this drive, but a high ground-clearance is a must. The beach road erodes heavily during the winter months, so proper planning is encouraged. From Highway 1 in Baja California at kilometer marker 46 south of San Quintin, is ...