United States

The trail leads from the parking area across the Mosquito Creek road and heads uphill north through an open pine forest with manzanita growing on dry slopes. The trail provides access to Alder Creek Falls a hidden gem within Yosemite's Wawona wilderness. I did the trail towards the end of February a...

To get to this trailhead, you are going to have to take the Denali Park shuttle bus to the Eielson Visitor Center. The shuttle system is great, but it's also the only way you're going into the park in the summer months. Once you're on the bus, you can get out at any point, go for a hike, and catch a...

Elkhorn Slough is located in Moss Landing, which is in the dead center of Monterey Bay, California. Elkhorn Slough is one of California's largest wetlands and part of a National Estuarine Reserve located in central Monterey Bay, California, just a short trip from the Monterey Peninsula and the Santa...

Elk Mountain is one of the tallest granite peaks in the beautiful Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. Its summit is at 2,270 feet, and the Elk Mountain Trail allows hikers to be able to view the Charon Garden Wilderness and the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge from the top. This hike is perfect prac...

This is a strenuous 4.5 mile hike beginning from the Lower Parking Lot in Stone Mountain State Park (for a 5.2 mile hike, begin at the Upper Parking Lot). From the lot, take the trail by the bathroom. Keep right at the first trail intersection, then left at the second trail intersection to stay on t...

While it is only accessible by boat or plane, Isle Royale National Park is well worth the added travel arrangements. We took the Ranger III Ferry out of Houghton, MI, but there are a few other options depending on where you depart from ( www.nps.gov ). Upon arrival at Rock Harbor, the first day is a...

The Yankee Horse Ridge Parking Area is located at milepost 34.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. From the parking area, follow the rock steps to the railroad tracks and turn right. Follow the tracks the stream and turn left. Proceed on the path to the bridge in front of the 30 ft. waterfall.

While there are many ways to access the Peconic Bay, I have found the best direction to explore is north west after launching and during the sunset. If you head to the public beach on Towd Point Rd. you can launch from there and make your way out toward Robins Island. Like most places the water is c...

Every year, more or less around the second week of June, the village of Sugar Hill boasts a magnificent show of lupines. There are several concentrations of lupines in fields along the road, but the highlight of a visit to Sugar Hill is the small hillside near St. Matthew's Church. The vistas toward...

Considered the Eighth Wonder of the World when it was built, the Kinzua Viaduct is truly amazing and a must see. The Kinzua Viaduct or Kinzua Bridge was built in 1881 and rebuilt in 1990 where it served as the world's tallest and longest railroad structure for a few years. In 2003 an F1 tornado stru...

Great River Bluffs State Park follows a series of impressive bluffs along the Mississippi River just south of Winona. For those of you who think Minnesota is as flat as a pancake (and I'm not saying there aren't places in the state that are), Great River Bluffs will be a surprise. King's and Queen's...

I think all explorers agree there is nothing more serene than being surrounded by nothing but wilderness. If you are one of these said explorers, a trip to Calpine's fire lookout is a must. Calpine is a forest fire lookout tower that was constructed in 1934 and is one of 3 remaining examples of the ...

Waterwheel Falls may be the most unique waterfall in Yosemite. During high waterflow an extraordinary phenomenon appears as the raging water hits a series of ledges creating a plume, this coupled with strong gust blowing upward create cyclical "waterwheel" effect hence the name. On a good day these ...

To get to Lazy Bear Falls, take Bacon Creek Road off the North Cascade Highway for 5 miles. At the 3-way fork, take the left road, which will lead you down and over a bridge crossing Bacon Creek. From here, the road will require 4x4 and high clearance. From here, continue up the road for about 0.5 m...

If you like beaches, headlands, scenic landscapes, wildflowers, and tons of wildlife viewing, you should give this hike a try. Although it only takes about an hour to complete the out-and-back, the vibe surrounding this area is just begging you to slow down and enjoy your natural surroundings. The w...

For this adventure you'll want to make your way to Oak Creek Canyon off highway 89 in Arizona. The GPS should get you there no problemo, my recommendation would be to look for a swimming hole upstream of Slide Rock State Park. Now this adventure is a little bit of a hunt, as you're driving the canyo...