Elyse ClarkExplorer

To get to the trailhead parking lot: take Mineral Springs Road towards the community of Dune Acres. Just before you get to the guard shack for the community, turn onto the gravel road to the right - there will be signs indicating Cowles Bog Trail parking. Once parked, walk back towards the Dune Acres guard shack, then cross the road to begin the hike.  You will walk by a marsh for about 0.2 mi...

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 the Skyline Drive and take the white-blazed Appalachian Trail south for a moderate but rocky 0.8 mil...

Park at the Mount Marshall parking area at ~MP 15.6 on the Skyline Drive.  From the back of the parking lot, take the white-blazed Appalachian Trail north for a short 0.4 miles to a large rock outcrop with views south.  After finished exploring this outcrop, continue on the AT for another 0.1 miles to reach a second rocky outcrop with views to the northwest. This would be a perfect spot to watc...

This trail in Burren National Park traverses the limestone pavement typical of the Burren and summits Mullaghmore Mountain with a beautiful view of the unique geology of the area. This loop climbs 140 m (460 ft), is 7.5 km (4.7 mi), will take about 3 hours, and is difficult due to the rocky and pitted nature of the landscape.Burren National Park is in northern Co. Clare. To get to the lay-by f...

Located on Queer Creek in Hocking Hills State Park, the popular 50 ft-Cedar Falls still tends to be less crowded than Old Man's Cave. There are scenic views to be had year-round off of the stream-lined path, starting from the lower parking lot off of SR 374. For quicker access to the falls, start at the upper parking lot, nearby. A section of stairs, called the Democracy Steps, lead down to th...

Starting at the Torc Waterfall parking lot off of the N71 road, follow the trail to the waterfall, which is only about a 4-5 minute walk from the road. This 70+ waterfall is surrounded by lush green vegetation as it tumbles over a few cascades. Continuing up the stairs to the side of the waterfall, you will walk through the forest until you come to a view of Muckross Lake in the middle of a swi...

If visiting Magnolia Plantation and Gardens for the day, consider paying the extra $8 admission to walk around the Audubon Swamp Garden.  Parking for these gardens is on the way out of Magnolia Plantation on the left side.  The trail begins to the left side of the parking area, and you will have to enter the code given to you at the admissions office to open the gate and enter the swamp.  Immed...

The top of Apple Orchard Mountain is easily accessible via the Appalachian Trail. Access the trail at the Sunset Field Overlook at MP 78.4 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The concrete path will end shortly and turn into a blue blazed trail. Follow this for 0.25 miles until it intersects the Appalachian Trail. Turn right on the AT, and cross over the forest road. From here it is only a few switchback...

Park in the boat ramp lot by Hawks Nest Lake. Note that the road to get down to this parking lot is a one lane (two-way traffic) steep gravel road, but it is passable with low-clearance vehicles.  From the parking area take the path towards the Hawks Nest Dam, also labeled the "Fisherman's Trail" on the state park maps. This flat trail skirts the lake's shoreline, and you will have to maneuver...

From the parking area which is adjacent to where the Ferry Baldur loading area is, walk up the hill and shortly after you'll see the brightly-colored lighthouse.  It gets very windy here and there are birds everywhere.  From the lighthouse you can look out over some islands between the Snæfellsnes peninsula and the Westfjords, as well as look back over the town. Once finished, take a stroll ar...

From the main parking lot at Grandview's visitor center, follow the well marked paved trail about 0.1 miles to the Main Overlook. There is a large platform for viewing the New River here. A wide angle lens is best to photograph this large bend in the river.  There is another overlook in the park, the North Overlook, which also offers a panoramic view of the horseshoe bend in the New River. The...

Brush Creek Falls is a beautiful 25' waterfall that spans across Brush Creek. It is accessed via a short 0.5 mile hike with minimal elevation gain. From the parking area on Brush Creek Falls Road, take the trail to the right of the picnic shelter. This easy and relatively-flat trail through rhododendron winds 0.5 miles to a fenced overlook of the falls. Take in the view of the falls from the ...

The Murray's Mill Historic District features Murray's Mill (constructed in 1913) with its 28 ft. waterwheel, a general store constructed in the 1890's, Wheathouse Exhibit gallery, and the John Murray House.  Free and open to the public to visit, this is a great place to stop and stretch your legs if traveling.  It is also a great place for a picnic as there are stream-side picnic tables on the ...

There are many trails in the area so here is a map to start out because it can get confusing:http://gilescounty.org/images2/Map-Town%20Farm-Hiking%20Trails%20%282010%29.pdf.From the parking area, keep to the left side of the stream and head up the gravel road. You'll soon come to the Mill Creek dam, which has a shelter and picnic area. Continue to stay to the left of the stream, as the gravel ...

From the parking lot, take the trail to the left of the bathrooms.  This trail will wind down past a unique rock feature with a hole in it and ends at the black sand beach.  Sprawled out along the beach are remnants of a shipwreck.  The British trawler Epine wrecked here in 1948 and many oxidized pieces of the ship still remain on the beach today.  On the right side of Djúpalónssandur a trail b...

From the parking area just off the Ring Road (Highway 1) near the town of Bifröst, the trail starts to the left.  It is a very short, steep hike up to the top of the crater, but there are stairs and boardwalks to aid the ascent.  At the top, there are wonderful views of the surrounding area and you can walk around the entire rim.  Exploring the crater takes about 15-20 minutes, so you could als...

Right off interstate I-77, Camp Creek State Park has two waterfalls that you can easily access: Mash Fork Falls and Campbell Falls. These falls can both have very low flows in late summer, so try to plan your visit for times of higher flows (early spring or after a rain). Mash Fork Falls is in the southwest part of the park and there is a parking lot with a viewing platform next to the falls. A...

From Hampton, Tennessee, take US-321S for about 3.5 miles. Turn right onto Dennis Cove Road and travel for 4 miles on this steep and very curvy mountain road.  The trailhead is where the Appalachian Trail (AT) crosses the road at a small gravel lot on the left.  Take the AT north on the trail leading out the left side of the gravel parking area.  For about a mile the trail will follow an old ra...

With the George P. Coleman bridge spanning the width of the York River, a fishing pier, and numerous rock jetties, Yorktown Beach is a great location for photographing sunrises or sunsets. There is a nice brick riverwalk path to walk along, or sandy areas to sit.To get the full Coleman Bridge in your photo, head out to the edge of the fishing pier and use a wide angle lens and slow shutter spee...

This 10.8 mile loop is a very demanding, but very rewarding hike that will take most of the day to complete. The hike can be started from many different locations but in this write-up it starts at the Saddle Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway and the loop is in the counter-clockwise direction.From the Saddle Overlook take the trail to the right of the parking area, which ascends quickly into th...

Maryland Heights is at the convergence of Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia, as well as the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. The Appalachian Trail and C&O Canal Towpath are also easily accessible from the trailhead parking lot. The parking lot holds about 16 cars and is between Locks 33 and 34, or approximately mile 61 of the C & O Canal Towpath. The hike starts on the opposite side of...

There are numerous parking lots and street parking available around Smale Riverfront Park. Start your walk on the side closest to Paul Brown Stadium (where the Cincinnati Bengals play).  From here you can take a minute to sit on the large swings that look out over the river.  Continuing along the river, walk up the stairs to the Roebling suspension bridge. You can walk all the way across the br...

This 6 mile drive is a great way to spend a scenic day in the Smokies. The road is open to cars only (no trucks or RVs) and runs one-way. There are no visitors centers after you head out, so be sure to bring everything you need along. The drive begins at the historic Ogle farmstead, which is also the location of the Rainbow Falls Trailhead (5.4 miles). Further along you will find the Trillium ...

A short distance from downtown Richmond, this park contains over 450,000 azalea plants in 76 different beds that are usually in peak bloom around mid-April every year. When the plants are in full bloom, you can drive (or walk) the 1 mile loop and there are various places to park and get out and walk along the way.  If the gates to the road are closed, simply park at the soccer fields parking lo...