United States

This unique hike on the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park is 2.4 miles round trip with an 835' elevation gain, and leads you to two viewpoints as well as a cool rock outcrop.Access this hike from the Compton Gap parking area (elevation 2,145') on the Skyline Drive at Mile 10.4. Cross ...

La Jolla Cove is one of the most photographed beaches in San Diego, located on the coast just south of Torrey Pines Natural Reserve. La Jolla Cove is also one of the best spots in San Diego for snorkeling and scuba diving. This calm cove is ecologically protected with many animals making their ho...

The trail switchbacks up the mountain before reaching the first historic marker, in 3 miles. These are the remains of the Mount Lowe Railroad, which brought customers to Echo Mountain Resort, also in ruins, nearby. Explore the historic sites, then head up Castle Canyon Trail. A steep climb will ...

Soaking in Terwilliger (otherwise known as "Cougar") hot springs is a great way to relax and wind back while exploring the Cascades. A spring flows from a small cave and cascades into multiple pools leading down a small gully, creating pools which have varying temperatures from hot (closer to the...

Robin Lakes have been coined "The Little Enchantments", and once you visit, you'll realize the nickname is strikingly accurate. But while the hike up is no Aasgard Pass, it's far from a walk in the park. When you leave the car at the end of the pothole-ridden Salmon La Sac forest service road, y...

If you plan to hike to this beach on the weekend, arrive early because the parking lot fills up fast. From the trailhead, hike down through an old forest along a stream to reach Meadowdale Beach Park. Take in the sounds of birds, wildlife, and the stream adjacent to the trail. At one mile you wil...

The "River Bottoms" is an unofficial network of single track, double track and service roads just south of Minneapolis along the Minnesota River flood plane. Flat, fast and easy to navigate, the 11-mile trail system is a popular spot for mountain bikers, trail runners and hikers looking to do lon...

This is somewhat of a hidden gem in South Mountain Park, the largest municipal park in the United States, even though it's right there for all to see. The best way to take advantage of this trail is to attack the ridgeline with an intense hiking pace or trail run, connecting it to the National Tr...

Starting from the oddly poorly marked Guanella Pass Trailhead (Google maps directions to Guanella Campground and then drive about two miles past it to the south), the trail heads southeast toward Bierstadt, and much of your route to the first summit is visible from the parking lot. The trail to ...

Catch the trailhead down to the falls at the parking lot. The trail quickly approaches the rim of the river gorge to provide hikers with a great bird's eye view of the falls. After snapping a few photos of the falls from above, follow the clearly marked trail down to the river's edge. From there,...

The adventure starts taking a boat shuttle over between the north and south ends of Redfish Lake. The boat ride has a fee and is approximately 7 minutes each way. You can learn more on the Redfish Lake blog. Once across the lake at its southern end (Redfish Inlet Transfer Camp), hike the Redfish...

The Mount Sutro Open Space hike is one of those gems that's just hiding in plain site. Most people live in San Francisco for years without ever knowing this hike even exists - which is totally fine with us. This 2+ mile loop is an easy, quick way to get back in touch with nature after a long day....

The Columbia River Gorge is absolutely full of incredible hikes - that said, this is one of the best and requires less time and energy than some of the others. Starting at a paved parking lot right off the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway (note: it's a very popular trail so arrive early or ...

Locomotion is a great spot to set up for the day and enjoy the world class climbing that Joshua Tree has to offer. Camp at the nearby and coveted Hidden Valley Campground and you'll be within walking distance to Locomotion and a dozen other quality climbing spots. Joshua Tree really is a camping/...

Directions: The trail leaves from the Christmas Meadows Trailhead. From Mirror Lake Scenic Byway (US 150) turn on Christmas Meadows Rd. The campground and trailhead are around 3.5 miles down the road dirt road. The road is suitable for low clearance vehicles. Trip Length: 6 miles each way + opt...

Drive north from Napa following Rt 29, through Calistoga and up into the forest. After passing the sign for Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, and just over the crest, there is a parking area on the right side of the road, opposite the trailhead on the left. Parking fills up by mid-morning so get...