Christin HealeyExplorer

From the parking area at Reids Gap, start off on the white-blazed A.T heading south as the trail begins on the left side of a clearing. You will begin climbing Meadow Mountain shortly and in .8 miles arrive at the top of the ridge, where you will continue on downhill for another .8 miles until you reach the first intersection with the Mau-Har Trail. The Maupin Field Shelter is just down to yo...

The hike is part of the George Washington National Forest, and can easily be combined with nearby Crabtree Falls (300ft cascading waterfall with a hike to the top). The entire trip is 5.7 miles, and there are nice campsites at the base of the summit (no water source) if you want to add on this pretty overlook to a nearby longer hike. This is definitely a hike for locals, so it's never too crow...

Begin at the Bear Lake Trailhead, located at the end of Bear Lake Road, 9 miles from the entrance on Highway 36. Follow the signs to Dream Lake, passing Nymph Lake about halfway through. At 1.1 miles you will reach Dream Lake. The views of 12,713-foot Hallett Peak and 12,324-foot Flattop Mountain from the east shore of this subalpine lake are incredible, and the perfect backdrop for this aptly ...

Skyline Drive is a winding highway that cuts straight through Shenandoah National Park. Being that we are in the south, you will find that the road is closed for the majority of the winter, and usually at the very mention of snow. The first few years of living here it was incredibly frustrating, then I realized that walking the road is one of the most scenic, peaceful hikes around. It's total...

The trailhead begins directly behind the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge on km 37 of the Icefields Highway. The trail is well marked and winds along the shore of Bow Lake for the first 1.2km of the hike. Eventually you will lead up to a narrow gorge and onto the crest of a glacial moraine. There are only a few spots where the trail is not as obvious, but just make sure to follow the cairns and you will be fi...

This DIY bike & brews tour is perfect for combining a relaxing day with some activity. There are also wineries along this route if folks in your group want a break from the hops. You can start at any of the three breweries, but I would recommend this itinerary: Park at Blue Mountain Brewery and ride on to Wild Wolf where you will do your first tasting, then continue down 151 until you reac...

Take highway 89 out of Jackson, headed north, and turn on to Gros Ventre Rd. This will take you right past the campground, wild rivers, and ample hiking. Keep driving for about 20 miles as views of the Tetons appear behind you, and ample backcountry camping options become available.

Spirit Island in Maligne Lake, is only accessible via canoe, kayak, or boat tour. As it's a 14km paddle to the island with sometimes strong winds, most people opt for the boat tour. If you are an experienced paddler, you can get rent a canoe from here. There is a campsite as well here, if you are interested in check out this adventure.If you are serious about photographing Spirit Island, you wi...

From El Chalten, the trail starts Avenida San Martín, where El Chaltén town ends. There you can park your vehicle in a designated parking area, or just walk from your hotel. The slope is steep to begin with, but levels off after the first kilometer. In about 4 hours (with pack), you will reach the Poincenot campsite. It's a free campsite with no reservations, just note that there are no fires a...

The trailhead is accessed at the Takakkaw Falls parking lot, and then you walk to the Whiskey Jack Hostel where the trail officially begins (you can not park here unless you are a guest). The well marked trail then begins its very steep ascent through the forest where you will catch glimpses of the 284 m high Takakkaw Falls along the way. Once you reach the treelike, you will have a clear vie...

There are quite a few companies that offer guided tours of ice caves throughout the country, but Extreme Iceland has the most options, as well as very experienced guides. Every fall the guides scout out the best caves, and they change weekly due to weather conditions. Although I have seen people doing this on their own, it's not recommended. A lot of the caves are not stable due to water flow a...

This is a great opportunity to see two historic cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park within a relatively short period of time. Schedule your day around getting tickets to Long House, then taking a bit of a side trek to the Step House when you have the time. The tour begins at the Weatherhill Mesa information kiosk, and is a two hour ranger-guided excursion. You will learn all about the h...

This two mile round-trip trail leaves from the information kiosk near Long House and Step House, and leads through and area severely burned by the 2000 Pony Fire.  There's no shade on this trail, so if you are doing it during the hotter months, be sure to bring a lot of water and sun protection. The trail is very straightforward out and back, well marked and easy to follow. From the information...

The Park Point Trail is the highest point in Mesa Verde National Park, and being close to the four corners, you can see for hundreds of miles in every direction on a clear day. It's a very short walk from the car, and there are several nice lookouts along the way, but be sure to walk all the way to the top for the most spectacular lookout of them all.  Go for sunrise and sunset for the gorgeous...

This little lake close to Charlottesville is my favorite place for an after work kayak, SUP, or just picnic by the water. It's a 20min drive from town, and the perfect place to watch the sunset over the Blue Ridge with water views. No gasoline powered motors allowed, but anything else you can get in the water is fair game.On the weekends there is SUP yoga, and plenty of places to have an impr...

There are great fat bike trails leaving directly from the town of Telluride, CO with picture-perfect views of the San Juan Mountains. You can leave directly from where the main gondola takes off and go towards Bridal Veil, to the Valley Floor, or combine both for a perfect day of adventure. If you don't have a fat bike handy, you can rent from either Boot Doctors or Telluride Gravity Works. Th...

Along the hike, there are four "official" swimming holes to jump in, but you can make your own at any time. Go in the springtime for a great waterfall at the end the feeds into a swimming hole, and in the fall for a wonderland of foliage. The official name of this hike is Moorman's River, but anyone local simply calls it "Sugar Hollow".You will pass Sugar Hollow Reservoir on the left, and dead...

Catch the trailhead to these falls at mile 50.7 on Skyline Drive, just north of Big Meadows Lodge and Campground and the trailhead is just to the left of the parking lot. This is an easy 1.4 mile roundtrip hike, straight down to get to the falls, and straight up to arrive back at your car. Many people don't know there are actually two places to view different drops of the falls, so keep going...

This cozy little overlook is very simple to get to. If you are coming from I 64, after taking exit 99 towards Shenandoah National Park, turn right onto the Blue Ridge Parkway when the exit comes to a "T-stop". From there, it's 10 miles down the Parkway on your right. You will see a clearly marked sign for Ravens Roost Overlook. There is plenty of parking, a few picnic benches, and lots of spot...

Riverview park has tons of options for getting outside around Charlottesville, VA. Part of the Rivanna Trail runs through here, so if you are really ambitious, this trail goes around the entire city. There are paved trails right along the river, so you can choose your activity. Running, biking, and fishing are some of the favorites around here. It's also super dog-friendly and the pups love to ...

The trail begin 0.1 miles north of Two Mile Run Overlook at milepost 76.2 on Skyline Drive. You can park at this overlook for the night, just make sure you fill out a (free) wilderness permit and walk the short way on Skyline Drive to the trailhead. Immediately climb a wooded knoll before heading northeast on a ridgeline. Reach a trail junction at 2.2 miles and take a left towards the summit o...

First, you need kayaks to get on the river. I bring my Oru Kayak with me everywhere, but we did have to rent one additional, and there are rentals everywhere - a quick Google search will get you tons of options. You can launch your boat from directly across the Wailua River Marina where you see the small cement ramp, plenty of parking and bathrooms (if you are renting a kayak, they will point y...

The trailhead begins on Rt 88 just past Kirkwood Resort or Silver Lake - depending on which way you are headed. There is plenty of parking but no other amenities. The trail begins at 7,900 ft and climbs steadily up Two Sentinels then along the ridge to Martins Point, ending at the 9,408ft summit of Thunder Mountain. The trail is very easy to follow even in the dark, so it's a perfect sunrise hi...

Starting right at Mt. Assiniboine Lodge, there is very clear signage for this hike. The arrows will lead you over a wooden walkway right before you begin a gentle assent through the woods,gaining elevation the further you go, and then arrive at The Nublet which is before the peak. The Nublet has outstanding views, and in my opinion makes for even better images. Continue to follow the signs and ...