United States

Shelf Road is secluded, rural, and has great climbing. There are so many areas to choose from and it has a great diversity of route levels (mostly sport routes). My personal favorite area is "The Gallery" and "The Bank." Everyone is friendly and gives each other a hand.Sand Gulch Campground, righ...

This amazing 11 mile hike with 2,300 feet of vertial gain begins behind the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn cabins. If you start early enough you can park by the trailhead, but if you get a little later start you may need to park in the main lot of the Motor Inn. As you begin your hike, you will pass the...

Clear Lake State Park is only two hours from downtown San Francisco and Sacramento. The state park offers amazing opportunities to photograph deer in the area and pick blackberries for breakfast on a morning stroll. On my visit I saw over 15 deer and one buck in full velvet. The sunrise and sunse...

Sand Beach is located off the Park Loop Road on the east side of Mt. Desert Island. Signs for the beach will make it difficult to miss.  Once there you can park your car and walk down some steps to the beach. There are restrooms and changing areas close by. On the beach you will be able...

Springwater Corridor is a 40-mile paved trail that stretches from downtown Portland all the way to Boring. This trail is wide, virtually flat, and yes, paved - but there is a clear manmade path on the dirt shoulders that's friendlier to knees. Any given day, you'll see dozens of cyclists and pede...

Starting from the visitors center or the parks restaurant, depending on where you parked. If you were forced to park by the restaurant because of a busy day, you will start the trail head with a map of the park. You will follow the tallest stairs of the park down to the visitors center where the ...

Altogether this is about a 1.5 mile walk from one end to the other, 3 miles there and back. It's often full of interesting people. Typically around sunset in the warmer months, you can find a man somewhere along the Lakefront playing his violin. The music is beautiful. I have no idea who he is bu...

Starting at approx. 900' in elevation, this 5 mile out and back hike ascends 700' in elevation to 1,400 at the highest point- The Eye of The Needle. The trail head is located next to the Buffalo River sign at Kyles Landing on the West side of the campground. You will follow the trail less than ...

Ragged Mountain main loop is approximately 5.5 miles long, and is known for its expansive bare-rock vistas, vertical cliff faces, and scenic views overlooking cliff-side reservoirs and ponds.  The trail is rated moderate, with some flat stretches among the trees, mixed with some uneven rocky foot...

From the Fern Creek Trailhead this is a 2.0 mile out and back hike to Diamond Point. The trail is relatively flat with minimal elevation gain and has a bridge stream crossing. When you arrive at the sign stating "Climber's Access", take a short side trip here to see the views of the gorge. Contin...

This cove at Tuttle Creek Lake is not in an official park, but it is open to the public. It is a place I have come to again and again. Be here an hour before sunrise on a partly cloudy morning and watch as nature puts forth its finest firework show. Don't be late and don't leave too early. Golden...

Olympic National Park plays host to some incredible things, including the Hoh Rainforest. Known for its long hanging moss and crystal clear waters, it's easy to see why this is a popular destination. Spring is the perfect time of the year to visit, the weather is mild and the park is almost empty...

Located just outside of Tillamook, Oregon, Munson Creek Falls is a must do if you're in the area. Standing at almost 320 feet tall, Munson Creek Falls is one of few waterfalls in Oregon that is over 300ft tall. Because of heavy storms in the area there has been a build up of fallen trees around ...

Park in the lot (see map) and follow signage for the loop trail. This is not a highly trafficked trail so there may be sections that need some maintenance, but that won't get in the way of completing the hike. 

The North Menan Butte, or "R" Mountain is a well-known landmark in southeast Idaho for its size and uniqueness. The mountain is known as “R” Mountain by locals because of the large “R” painted on its side for Rexburg, Idaho. "R" Mountain, however, is not actually a mountain but rather an extinct ...

At the Christman Trailhead, hike a quick, flat 2.5 miles following the yellow trail markers through farm meadows and birch forests to the Falls Trail loop/intersection. Here hike the Falls trail which is a 0.5 mile loop that links back to the 2.5 mile section back to the parking area. Bridges and...