West of Death Valley National Park and east of the town of Ridgecrest, the Trona Pinnacles National Landmark is a very unique place to visit. The signs on-site said that the pinnacles are made of tufa (calcium carbonate), the leftovers…
Waterfall & Sodus Bay Views on the Bentley Bond’s Trail
Small local trails tend to be under the radar in terms of visitors. This isn’t necessarily bad – it means the locals can enjoy it in relative peace and quiet. While searching for trails near the Sodus and Wallington Trail…
Grotto Canyon: Dryfalls And Other Excitement
Probably the most fun canyon I explored in Death Valley last fall was Grotto Canyon. It’s a bit infamous – and for good reason – but it’s also a beautifully formed slot with a lot of fun areas. And by…
Kayaking Black Creek: Churchville to 6.2 Miles
I’m always looking for new places to kayak near Rochester, New York. My oft-kayaking companion had heard about Black Creek for some time (like, when he first moved to the area close to 40 years ago), and so he and…
Historic Hiking on the Keane Wonder Mine Trail
On our last visit to Death Valley National Park, the Keane Wonder Mine Trail was high on my list of “must-do” hikes. I’d hiked it at least three times back in the early 2000s, but then the area was closed…
Lathrop Trail: Rim to White Rim Road
There are several premier trails that take hikers from the mesa of Island in the Sky to the White Rim Road. I’m sure they’re all very nice, but out of them all I chose to hike the Lathrop Trail… and…
The Alabama Hills’ Mobius Arch Loop
On our last trip to California, we mostly stuck to famous parks. But one of our few excursions outside of national parks was to the Alabama Hills to hike the Mobius Arch Loop. I’d read about it online, and it…
Views of Eastern Canyonlands from the Lathrop Canyon Overlook
Island in the Sky has some amazing trails. Murphy Point, Grand View, White Rim Overlook, Mesa Arch, and others offer fantastic views without a whole lot of vertical-gain effort. Others – like the Gooseberry Trail, Wilhite Trail, or Murphy Hogback…
Adventuring up 20 Mule Team Canyon
A few weeks ago, I talked about exploring around 20 Mule Team Scenic Drive in Death Valley National Park. Well, partially by accident, and partially intentionally, I also ended up exploring 20 Mule Team Canyon, also located along the scenic…
Visiting the Overlooked Deckertown Falls
It’s a tiny bit of forest tucked between a neighborhood and farm fields. But within that sheltered glen, Catlin Mill Creek tumbles over three(ish) ledges to create a scene better known as Deckertown Falls. The falls are as beautiful as…