Kim Baker

The hike to Notch Lake begins at the Bald Mountain trailhead. You'll need to display a recreation pass in your vehicle to park at the trailhead. You can purchase a pass for $6 at the fee station entering the forest boundary (east of Kamas) or at the Forest Service office right in Kamas. Take the trail on the left side with the sign for "Notch Mountain Trail." The downhill trail leads you throug...

Dierkes Lake is located in the same park as Shoshone Falls so the $3 per carload entrance fee allows you to see both amazing locations.  Just after the ticket booth in the park take a right at the fork in the road that will take you directly to Dierkes Lake, where you will find ample parking in the lot.  The cool, refreshing lake includes a designated area for swimming that is monitored by life...

The Timpooneke Campground sits at 7,400 ft. elevation with views of Mount Timpanogos and campsites surrounded by beautiful aspen, fir and spruce trees. The leaves in the fall put on a show you will not want to miss. Within the campground there are 9 equestrian sites, 1 large group site and 20 standard campsites. You can reserve your campsite in advance or pay with cash when you get there (reser...

We launched the canoe from the Signal Mountain boat ramp. Right away you have incredible views of the Teton's and as the sun was setting we had the lake to ourselves. There are small nearby islands to explore or surrounding beaches for your enjoyment.Camping with the Canoe: around the lake there are 11 backcountry campsites; a permit is required. You can also store your canoe on the beach along...

We launched our kayaks from Speelyi Beach right into Cle Elum Lake. Surrounded with views of the beautiful Cascades and the Cle Elum Dam on the northwest side, exploring is endless.  Parking: There is a small parking lot at the top of Speelyi Beach or you can drive right onto the beach to launch your kayak. No fee is required to park at either location.  Renting the Kayak: Just 5 minutes from t...

The extraordinary Panther Falls can be found along the Columbia Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, Alberta. This 0.3 mile long trail requires a little scrambling and extreme caution. It leads to a breathtaking view of the falls from the top where Nigel Creek descends out from a rock canyon and drops 218 ft. and then takes you back into an alcove behind the falls.  In the winter, Panther ...

Kayak camping right on the beaches of Lake Powell and then paddling out into the stillness of the morning to hike antelope canyon is one of my all time favorite memories.  Just across from the Antelope Point Launch Ramp is a fantastic beach with several flat areas that are perfect for tent camping.  We rented our kayaks (info below) and while one paddled across the lake to the launch to load ou...

This 3.7 mile roundtrip hike begins at the center of Tuolumne Meadows (shuttle stop #2) at the Lembert Dome/Glen Aulin trailhead parking lot. There are restrooms and picnic tables at the east side of the lot, there you will also find the trailhead to Dog Lake.  The trail begins at 8,500 ft and continues upward on a fairly steep incline for the first .75 miles (bring extra water) where you will...

This location turned out to be one of our favorite unplanned stops in the Yosemite Valley to photograph and explore.Stoneman Bridge was constructed in 1933 and spans 72 feet long. The Merced River flows under this classic stone bridge providing very photogenic reflections, with Half Dome in the background. We explored the bridge in the fall season and the leaves on the trees surrounding this ar...

McGowan Peak in the Sawtooths is breathtaking and the Stanley Lake Overlook is by far one of the best locations to photograph it at sunrise in the summer.  The Stanley Lake Overlook is located inside the Stanley Lake Campground. There is a separate parking lot (with bathrooms) at the overlook and two sets of stairs that lead you down to the beach where you can get a clear view of McGowan Peak a...

Ediz Hook or as locals call it, "the Spit" is a 3 mile long sand spit that extends out from Port Angeles along the Juan De Fuca. The views of the surrounding mountains and Vancouver Island, the marine life, beaches, and picnic areas make this a prime spot for a memorable run.  We parked at the lot for the Sail and Paddle Park at the beginning of the road but there is even more parking all along...