Brynn SchmidtExplorer

This trail is a staff favorite at Big Sur. This family-friendly waterfall trail provides only a moderate challenge for young children and older family members. There are two starting points for this hike depending on where you stashed the car. If you’re parked near the gift shop, the head up the road to the east – away from highway one and into the redwood forest. Just a short way up on the rig...

While this is a more of a photography adventure and a fall drive to take through Colorado, there are also many areas to hike along the way. The drive can start from really anywhere in the general area. From the front range area of Colorado, head up I70 and get off toward Twin Lakes around Copper. The drive to Twin Lakes and on up over the pass is incredibly gorgeous from mid-September through t...

This is a great hike/trail run in Boulder County. It is located between Longmont and Lyons and is part of Boulder County Open Space. Rabbit Mountain has over 5 miles of trails and 2,733 acres of beautiful open space. The views are incredible as most of your hike you are looking out at the entire Indian Peaks Wilderness area. This area is known for rattlesnakes and they have been spotted right o...

This is a great spot for beginner climbers, as long as you have an experienced climber with you to anchor the top rope and belay you. It is in a beautiful state park, Eldorado Canyon, in Boulder, Colorado. This canyon is famous for rock climbing and attracts climbers from around the country. Many of the routes are highly technical, but this is a great beginner/intermediate spot to set up top ro...

If you are looking for great reflections, color and mountain peaks for your photos, this lake is a great place to start. The Brainard Lake Recreational Area has so much to do, but this is a stop not to miss.It seems that everyone drives on by this little gem to get to Brainard Lake and the hiking trails. This is definitely worth the stop and great for sunrise or sunset shots. Check out all the ...

This adventure is a little harder to pinpoint on a map because the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone encompasses a large area of the park. Also, the premier wildlife photography can be found on either end of what is officially "Lamar Valley" so you want to pay attention for a good part of the drive. You can easily find Lamar Valley on the Yellowstone Park Map. The best areas to spot wildlife are from...

This is an excellent place to take your family backpacking. It is a fairly easy trail and definitely a great one for kids. Take in the beautiful scenery while hiking through meadows, aspen and pine with incredible mountain views in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. 6.4 miles to Red Deer Lake with an elevation gain of 1900 feet.Starts out a couple miles down the Middle St. Vrain Road off of Peak to P...

This is a great trail if you are in the Boulder area and want something fairly easy or quick. This 3.75 loop can be hiked in about an hour and a half since it is fairly flat. The elevation gain is minimal. You start out at the Eagle Trailhead located west of the Boulder Reservoir. Start out at the Eagle Trailhead and head about .5 miles down the trail and then branch off onto the Sage Trail. Y...

While Old Faithful is familiar to many, winter there is an entirely different experience. If you are interested in less crowds, a once in a lifetime experience and an area accessible only by snow coach, this area in winter is for you.There are ski and snowshoe trails all over the area and you can ski up to and around most of the thermal features. At the lodge, you can also arrange to take short...

Moab's Wall Street is exactly what it sounds like, but nothing like the "Wall Street" you're familiar with. Several miles off Highway 279, it hugs the Colorado River on one side and a towering 500ft sandstone wall littered with climbing routes on the other. There is easy access to all of the climbing here and plenty of parking right along the routes. Bring your camp chairs to sit in while other...

Lembert Dome stands out clearly as it is right along the road with a fairly large parking lot, about 1/4 mile past the Toulumne Store. There are multiple routes on this dome and for detail on all climbs, pick up the Tuolumne Free Climbs climbing guide. The area around this dome is gorogeous with views of various peaks, the river below and the meadows of Tuolumne. Most climbs on Lembert Dome are...

This is a great spot for an easy/moderate hike or trail run. The trail is accessible year round and can often be hiked in winter as well as other seasons. You start out at the Mesa Trailhead parking lot off of Hwy 170. There is a parking lot here but this is a starting spot for several hikes into the Flatirons, so plan ahead for a spot on weekends. This is a great trail if you only have a coupl...

This is a great spot for bouldering in Newport Beach, CA with really easy access from the parking lot at Big Corona Beach or street parking above on Ocean Blvd. There are not clear signs to follow, but it is easy to find from the parking lot at Big Corona - it is on the far west side toward the harbor entrance. There is a picture included here to show where the path starts to head over the rock...

Teklanika campground offers a place to camp where you really get to experience Denali with very few people around. The campground sits right along the Teklanika River with incredible hikes and views of the park. Vehicles are not allowed past Mile 15 at the Savage River point, but if you are camping at Teklanika, you may bring your own vehicle all the way to the campground which sits at Mile 29 ...

The Caribou Ranch Open Space is about two miles north of the town of Nederland. From Nederland, at the town’s roundabout, head west on CO 72 for about two miles. Turn left onto CO 126 at the sign for Caribou Ranch Open Space. Follow the dirt road for about .8 miles until you see the large parking lot.The trail starts at the parking lot for Caribou Ranch Open Space. Start out on the DeLonde trai...

This is a great hike that is just a few minutes from Wilson, WY. This trail is used more by locals than visitors to the area, but is a great one to check out if you are nearby. The views are incredible and the lake at the top is pretty cool, too.There is easy access from Teton Village and Jackson Hole, and it is also accessible also from the Moose Wilson Road if you are in the Tetons.The trail ...

Aspenglen is one of the four main campgrounds within the park boundaries. The campground is for car camping and there are areas just for tents and then broader areas for tents and campers. There are 53 sites at this campground and it fills up quickly each year. Reservations are available six months in advance of dates to book and they are gone quickly for all of summer, so plan ahead and click ...

To find this climb, park on the east side loop of the Ryan Campground in the park. There are several parking spots here next to a bathroom. From here, take the trail straight out about 100 yards to Headstone Rock. It is clearly visible from where you park. One of the hardest parts about this climb can be finding the access to it. It requires some third class approach over some large boulders ho...

If you are looking for a location in the Tetons to take some photos that is a little different, this is a great spot. So many people go to Jenny Lake to hike, take the boat or canoes out and do photography, but not many people spend time along this small stream. The wildflowers around this area are usually beautiful in early summer, so it could be great for photography then too. This is a great...

If you are looking for one of the most scenic trail runs in the country, check out the trail at Schwabacher Landing. The trail starts at the parking lot with an elevation of 6,545 feet and is flat. It is an easy trail with no elevation gain, but the altitude may be higher than what you are used to so take that into consideration. This trail is out and back and at most is a four-mile run if you ...

This is an awesome place to stand up paddle - whether you are an experienced paddleboarder or a beginner. The bay is generally calm and protected and easy to board in. Beginners can stay closer to shore and feel comfortable in the calm, clear water. More advanced boarders have the option of going out further and paddling to the bays on each side of Napili as well. It is a perfect summer activit...

This is one of the most epic short hikes that you can do in Yosemite. Highly recommend it for anyone staying in the valley or visiting with enough time for a 2-3 hour hike. While the distance isn't long, you will stop a lot along the way to take in the beauty and also spend time at the top of the falls. The hike starts from Happy Isles (shuttle stop #16).  You can also hike from Half Dome Vill...