United States

Originally used as a wildfire outpost, Lilly Lookout was donated in 1942 and moved to the State Park to serve as a radio communications tower. It also serves as a public observation tower where visitors can climb most of the way up, though the booth at the top is usually locked. The tower is loc...

...Just off Highway 40 in-between Flagstaff and Winslow Arizona, sits an abandoned ghost town called "Two Guns". I can't tell you how many times I've driven on the 40 (East or West) and had no idea this was here. This time around I made it a priority to stop and check this place out. For anyone t...

The Ed Winkel Memorial Trail is located in Sibley, Iowa. It spans over 8 miles and includes a paved section that covers the first mile. Along the trail, you'll pass a golf course, cornfields, prairies, and many wildflowers. Dogs are allowed as long as they are leashed. This trail is great for hik...

Hood Mountain Summit via the Lower Johnson and Upper Johnson Ridge Trails is a 6 mile out-and-back trek located in Santa Rosa, CA. The trailhead starts at the Pythian Road parking lot, accessed from Highway 12. The hike takes 3.5 to 4 hours to complete and is considered strenuous. All trails are...

Pleasant Grove Park has miles and miles of trails and you could easily hike a ten-mile loop if you linked everything together. This particular trail, Heritage Trail and Beach Grove Loop, is a 4.6 mile loop in the southern part of Pleasant Grove, which takes a little under two hours to complete de...

Spirit Mound Historic Prairie is located outside Vermillion, South Dakota and consists of a 1.4 mile hike up to the top of a prairie mound. Lewis and Clark made the trek years ago, making it a historical marker to visit and see. Beautiful wildflowers line the trail, mixed in with acres of prairie...

The Martin Luther King Jr Park includes a large multi-purpose field as well as a playground that's great for kids. It's the perfect place to go solo to clear your head and chill with a book or with family and friends for an outdoor game.  Right at the entrance to the Park stands a statue of Mart...

The Greenbelt used to be the right-of-way for the long lost Pacific Electric Red Car, an amazing system of public transportation that connected Long Beach, LA, Orange Coutny, and even San Bernardino. The pathways are landscaped with plants typical of the area and plenty of native flowers for the...

Lake Alvin is a beautiful lake outside Sioux Falls that is surrounded by pines and prairies. Its proximity outside the city means it is very quiet and very calm. The water is perfect for kayaking or canoeing, and there are multiple trails leading to shore to carry them in easily.   The park itsel...

Leaders Park Trail is located in Leaders Park in Sioux Falls. Park on the street at the "Leaders Park" sign and head to the right, where you will find the start of the mountain biking trail. The trail consist of a 1.6 mile loop full of slopes, inclines, prairie grasses, and forests. The park is c...

Close to downtown and in between several bed and breakfasts in Montford, NC, you'll find Montford Park. Though you may not expect it, the park boasts a couple of tennis courts, a basketball court, and some green space for picnicking, relaxing with friends, or getting lost in a good book.  People...

The Cardiff/Encinitas Coastal Rail Trail (part of the longer, ongoing project to eventually run 44 miles between Oceanside and San Diego) is a beautiful, mellow, and well-maintained pathway that runs from the corner of Chesterfield Dr. & San Elijo Ave. (right across the street from the Patago...

The Sulphur Creek trail in Heber Springs is a multi-use trail that is approximately 9.1 miles point-to-point. The trail primarily follows the Right of Way of the old M&NA railroad lines through the community of Heber Springs.The majority of the trail is a 10-foot wide paved asphalt trail that...

This is one of my favorite places inside Topeka city limits! It is typically not very crowded unless you visit during lunch hours, there tends to be local workers etc. who take their lunch break in the parking lot. There are 2 or 3 picnic tables and a bench as well to relax or have lunch on. Ther...

Stonesteps Beach is incredibly scenic during every season. In the winter this beach is usually fairly rocky, and in the spring/summer the sand returns.  If you're looking to hang out on this beach just be sure to set up your towel or chair a good ways away from the cliffside as there is a lot of...