United States

Just nine miles east of Aspen on Highway 82, Independence Pass, are grottos. A grotto is a geological term for a cave or cavern. The Grottos near Aspen were formed by rushing water of the Roaring Fork River. There is only an elevation gain of 300 feet on the three-quarters of a mile loop making...

The trail first takes you to Upper Blue Reservoir, about 1.4 miles in. Past this point, it can be somewhat tricky to find the trail, but for experienced hikers, the upper valley holds a number of lakes, a waterfall, and open tundra for exploring. Mountain goat sightings are also common in this ar...

Day 1: After pulling into the Middle Fork parking lot, there will be two trailheads. Sign in at either one, but I started at TH 28 to head directly to Johnson Lake. A gradual climb passes beautiful waterfalls and recovering burn scars dotted with flowers. To Johnson Lake is 5.2 miles with an ele...

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. The...

Crabbing is just one of those things everyone should do along the Oregon Coast. Its fun, fairly straightforward, and then you get to eat them! Total win-win. We were taking our time along the Oregon Coast and had heard that Kelly's Brighton Marina was a great place to learn to crab. For $100/hour...

After arriving at the Whitaker Point/Hawksbill Crag trailhead, start going down the path for about 1/8th of a mile. You’ll cross a small stream, and here is where you’ll turn off the trail. Using Whitaker Creek as your guide, follow it like a handrail as it descends down into the confluence with ...

Just 25 minutes outside of Charlottesville, this is a great spot to take the family for the day and get some sunshine. If you are into mountain biking, you're in the right place. There are 13 miles of mountain bike trails that circle the lake. At the end of your ride, there are 2 beaches to stre...

This beautiful, calm lake is ideal for those who prefer seclusion out on the water.Start out on the north side of the lake, and kayak or canoe towards the golf course - there are a number of bays to explore, along the way. Then head over to the eastern shore, which offers lots of scenic spots. On...

Starting at the Wild Basin trailhead on the south side of Rocky Mountain National Park, hike through a wet forest towards upper and lower Copeland Falls, located 0.45 miles from the trailhead. From here, continue on the main trail along the North Fork of the Saint Vrain River to Calypso Cascades,...

The Signal Mountain campground is my personal favorite campground in Grand Teton National Park as it is exceptionally scenic. It is right on Jackson Lake and has sites located on the lakeshore. Even if you don't score one of these sites, many of the others have great views of the Teton range. Mos...

The Castle Rock Bay is a bit out of the beaten path, making it a quiet place to relax on Lake Havasu. The parking lot can be found off a dirt road off of Vista Dr. You will see the Castle Rock sign to the left heading towards the lake on Vista Dr. Drive along the dirt road for 150 yards or so bef...

The Lakes Trail to Pear Lake can be done as either an overnight stay or a day hike.  For overnight, you'll need to get a permit but there are beautiful camping spots available at both Emerald Lake and Pear Lake.  As a day hike, plan to spend all day since you'll undoubtedly pause at each lake for...

Spending a day on the lower Deschutes is as rewarding as it gets for a fly-fisherman. The canyon is incredibly beautiful, and the fish are some of the most colorful and athletic you can catch.The mighty Deschutes River is a stunning, blue-ribbon river where people come to fly-fish from around the...

The Crow’s Nest sits just above Glimpse Lake in the Winds. It is best accessed from the most infrequently used trailhead in the range. To access the remote trailhead from Pinedale, take Jackson Street north toward Soda Lake Wildlife Management Area. It becomes an improved dirt road about a mile i...

The West Rosebud Trail functions as one of the major routes to Granite Peak, the highest point in Montana. The trailhead (6,558') is located approximately 80 miles south of Billings in the Beartooth Absaroka Wilderness. The road to the trail passes Emerald and West Rosebud Lakes just before arriv...

Elkhart Park Trailhead; Wind River Range, WY. Pole Creek Trail->Seneca Lake Trail->Highline Trail->Elbow Lake This is an advanced 4 day out and back trip departing from the Elkhart Park Trailhead with two days of travel to Elbow Lake. As one of the most remote ranges in the country, th...