The trail to Silver Lake is quite a bit more than meets the eye. It’s only a little over 6 miles RT, but the elevation gain means the trail is much steeper than you might think. It was harder than…
Spectacular Views from the Loafer Mountain Trail to Santaquin Peak
Santaquin Peak in the Wasatch Mountain Range isn’t the loftiest of peaks nor is it the most famous. Even the trail to the top takes on the name of another peak, which (granted) is 2 feet taller. But it does…
West Thumb Geyser Basin – So Unique!
The West Thumb Geyser Basin was one of the most surprising (and yet beautiful!) things I found in Yellowstone National Park. It’s a geyser basin, so I was expecting the typical mix of colorful pools, a small geyser or two,…
Cuyahoga Valley’s Blue Hen Falls
If you’re looking for a classic hike (with quite a bit of elevation gain) in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, you might be interested in the path to Blue Hen Falls. The waterfall is a favorite with families, couples, singles, and…
Upper Salt Creek Views from the Big Pocket Overlooks
If you’re looking for an easy hike with a long, scenic drive on a dirt road to get there, the Big Pocket Overlooks to Cathedral Point is a good option. Located near the trailhead for Upper Salt Creek just outside…
Great Allegheny Passage: Salisbury Viaduct to the Mason-Dixon Line
The Great Allegheny Passage is most famous as a rails-to-trails – and it deserves its fame. By connecting seamlessly into the C&O Canal Path, bikers can travel all of the way from Pittsburg, PA to Washington, D.C. pretty much without…
Sheepeater Cliff, the Chute, and Exploring!
I decided to hike Sheepeater Cliff because it sounded different. So many hikes in Yellowstone are to geothermal features, with a few mountains and waterfalls thrown into the mix. Sheepeater Cliff seemed like it might be a break from the…
Greenwater Valley Road – Rough but Pretty
The Greenwater Valley Road is somewhere between quite busy and totally overlooked. It’s popular in that it’s near the main attractions of Death Valley National Park – Dante’s View, Zabriskie Point, Furnace Creek, Badwater, etc. However, since it goes to…
Strolling through the Crystal Forest
I was very pleasantly surprised by the Crystal Forest Trail in Petrified Forest National Park. I’d already toured most of the park (including the Wilderness Loop), so I wasn’t exactly enamored with seeing chunks of wood-turned-rock. But the specimens here…
Spectacular Views from Anticline Overlook
Anticline Overlook is probably my favorite overlook of all the viewpoints in Canyon Rims National Recreation Area (other favorites are the Needles Overlook, Minor Overlook, and Canyonlands Overlook). It offers several views of spectacular scenery, from canyons and rock formations…