United States

On your way to Proxy Falls from Bend? Stop by the Dee Wright Observatory to take some photos of the gorgeous mountains. The Observatory is at the summit of McKenzie Pass in Oregon's Cascade Mountains. Built right in the middle of a large lava flow, the open structure itself is actually construct...

These are the coolest petroglyphs I have ever visited, but they are very difficult to find. They are located in Snow Canyon State Park; the parking is outside of the park and you enter the boundaries by crossing over a barbed wire fence. Bring a GPS if you have one because the petroglyphs are har...

You will start from the Tony Grove Lake parking lot and start hiking northeast on the White Pine Lake trailhead. The trail is roughly 3.8 miles to the lake through beautiful Quaking Aspens and Pines. The first 2.5 miles are fairly easy with a slight incline. You will then reach the top of a ridge...

Papakolea Beach aka Green Sand Beach is situated in a bay cut into a side of a cinder cone that erupted thousands of years ago. The green sand is created by a silicate deposit (mineral deposit) of lava called, which stays on this beach because it is heavier than the other, lighter components of t...

This canyon is not as popular as some of the others in this park but it is my favorite by far. You can either make this a short hike from the Ottawa Canyon Trailhead on the east side of the park or hike the full 3.9 miles (one-way) from the visitor center. Either way you will not be disappointed...

Drive to Mt. Spokane State Park and park at Selkirk Lodge. This hike can only be accessed before the ski area opens because the trail up to the lookout is along part of the cross country ski area. If heading out during winter months, get there before the ski slopes open. You may need snowshoes ...

The trail begins paved and quickly climbs up into a heavily forested area. Once at a 1/4 of a mile in, you will come to a nice overlook that will give you your first real good view of the surrounding mountains. The trail then continues on, though now unpaved, with great views off to your left as ...

Driving along Paradise Road on the south side of Mount Rainier, provides a couple of opportunities to view gorgeous waterfalls with a short hike. From the West, the first stop is Christine Falls. There is parking on either side side of the bridge, but the east side is closest to the trail. Desce...

This world class hiking route circumnavigates Chesler Park by way of open meadows, slots, subterranean alcoves, stairways and slick rock. Begin at the Elephant Hill Trailhead and head south following signage for the Joint Trail / Chesler Park along the way. Once you arrive at Chesler Park turn l...

Spanning from just north of the small town of Bolinas (about an hour north of San Francisco) across Inverness ridge and to the top of Tomales Point, Point Reyes National Seashore is as stunning park featuring breathtaking ocean views and solitude among the grassy hillsides and forested ridges. Th...

Let’s just start this off by saying,  PREPARE FOR THE HEAT. Death Valley has the highest recorded temperature on earth at over 130 degrees Fahrenheit.  If you are planning to visit in the summer…be ready.  Luckily,  Artist’s Palette is not far from the parking the area and the saving grace of Ai...

Directions: From the Quilcene Ranger Station drive 4.6 miles south on US 101. Watch for the signs for Mount Walker View Point. Turn left onto Mount Walker Road. The trail head is about a quarter mile up the road with pull over parking on the left side of the road. In the winter and early spring, ...

Located in the Pasayten Wilderness and surrounded by Amphitheater Mountain and Cathedral Peak, Cathedral Lakes are a great destination for a multi-day backpacking trip. The shortest route to get Cathedral Lakes (not coming from Canada) is roughly 19 miles. This may be a bit of a "slog" but is def...

I like to describe this waterfall as the "elusive" Corkscrew Falls (aka Robinson Falls). A couple of years ago, only one or two people had blogged on the internet about these falls. They were not super, descriptive details, so most of the time I wandered around till I found the trail. There is no...

From the Mossy Cave trailhead, follow the wide easy trail along the Tropic Ditch stream for .35 miles. At that point, the trail splits. To the left is Mossy Cave and to the right is Water Canyon Falls. The trail is lined with beautiful colored cliffs and hoodoos that Bryce Canyon is famous for. T...

Spooner’s cove is one of those small hidden beaches where you can watch stunning sunsets in a peaceful environment. Located in Montana De Oro State Park, the small gem is surrounded by countless hikes and camping spot. It is also one of the only areas of the park that is dog friendly. If you are ...