It’s official: I’ve released another book about day hiking! This time it’s to Wyoming – mountains and rivers, lakes and geysers! It’s by far the longest book I’ve written to date – there’s almost 50 trails featured, let alone suggestions…
Discovering Williams Falls
After arriving at Williams Lake, we thought we would hike a bit further before ascending Mount Walter and Wheeler Peak (our actual destination for the day). Like most alpine lakes, there are a number of social trails leading hither, thither,…
Hiking to Williams Lake, New Mexico
I wanted to climb Wheeler Peak. It’s not just that I liked the pictures others had taken from the top – I figured climbing the highest point in New Mexico would be fun. It would be an accomplishment. It would…
The Best Day Hikes in Yosemite National Park (to beat the crowds)
I love the scenery of Yosemite: Towering waterfalls, towering trees, sheer cliffs, rocky domes, and the peaks of the High Sierras. It’s a view junkie’s paradise. But I don’t like the crowds. There’s no place to park, no…
Point Arena Lighthouse Overlook
I’ll admit it, I didn’t pay to see the Point Arena Lighthouse. I’m sure it cool, but I didn’t feel like shelling out $25 (or $7.50/person) to drive in, walk around, maybe climb the tower, and leave. It wasn’t worth…
Driving (Part of) the Whitmore Trail
I read about a 2 mile trail – round trip – to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The pictures were epic. The trail didn’t even look that steep. The only thing standing between me and the trail was a…
Yosemite’s Bridal Veil Falls in Midsummer
One of the great things about Bridal Veil Falls in Yosemite is that it flows all year (unlike Yosemite Falls, which turns into Yosemite Fell about the middle of July or early August). Another great thing about Bridal Veil Falls…
Pueblos, Lizards, and More on the Pueblo Alto Loop
There are members of my group who have wanted to hike the Pueblo Alto Loop for about 23 years. That was when they saw a photo of Pueblo Bonito on the cover of their AAA road map and decided to…
7 Best Day Hikes in Colorado’s Flat Tops Wilderness
Colorado’s Flat Tops Wilderness is an overlooked gem. Overshadowed by more prominent mountains to the east (Rocky Mountain National Park) and south (Rockies; think Aspen, Glenwood Springs, etc.), the “busy” parts of the wilderness see several hundred visitors each year.…
Solitude at Manchester Beach State Park
Manchester State Park, just north of Point Arena along the California Coast, is so deserted that it’s nearly been shut down – twice. But somehow it lives on, quiet and secluded, a beach with an overabundance of driftwood and excellent…