United States

Just four miles from the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway, this limited site campground is a great alternative to the larger, busier campgrounds at lower elevations. There are just 11 sites here, a few of which are first-come, first-serve. Amenities include picnic tables, campfire rings, vault toilets, d...

The Shadow of the Giants National Recreation trail is an amazing 1.1 mile self-guided hike through the heart of Nelder Grove.  Take Hwy 41 north from Fresno; continue thru Oakhurst to Sky Ranch Road (6S10 or Forest Road 10) travel approx. 5 miles to Nelder Grove, when you reach the camp area tak...

Starting at 8900 feet of elevation, this 13.25 mile roundtrip hike begins its 5400 foot elevation gain on a dirt road that winds for 3 miles until you break the treeline. If you have 4WD and good clearance you can drive most of the way up this road, shortening your entire hike by about 6 miles. J...

There are three main trails in the park. The Green Loop (2 miles), Blue Loop (2 miles), and Purple Loop (1.5 miles). These all connect at some point so if you are looking for a little longer walk you can do all three at once. This totals a 5.5 mile loop. You can park at the tennis courts and do a...

From the parking lot, the paved handicap-accessible trail switchbacks to a view of the upper falls (20'). The falls are a bit hard to see from the viewpoint, so it's best to continue down the trail.  At the upper falls the trail changes to wooden stairs that descend gradually down. You will cross...

The Big Apple. NYC has arguably the best skyline in the world. So, if you are one of the millions of people visiting wouldn't you want to get some photos of the entire skyline to post on social media and show friend & family? Skip the boat and helicopter tour lines (although a cool experience...

For some time, the trail was eroded above the first falls on Hornbecks Creek, not allowing hikers to access the creek's upper falls if they were coming upstream from Route 209. I am writing this in June 2017 and that is no longer the case! You can hike from Rt. 209 all the way up the creek to Eme...

Park along the road at Bearwallow Gap - this is also the parking area for Bearwallow Mountain. Starting at a little over 3600ft, the Trombatore Trail has been well marked by the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy with red blazes. Parts of the trail border private land, so pay attention to the sig...

Cathedral Valley is a scenic backcountry area in Capitol Reef National Park. It is a remote, stark desert, characterized by amazingly beautiful sandstone monoliths that some say resemble cathedrals. Many of the valleys structures have interesting, highly descriptive names: Temple of the Sun, Temp...

Many thanks to the Climbing Resource Advocates for Greater Sacramento (CRAGS) and the Access Fund for their hard work in re-opening this location to make it climbing-legal. Where to Park:Put in "Parking lot for the Quarry Trail, California 193, Auburn, CA 95603"This is the designated parking lot ...

Hobart Bluff is part of the Western Cascades, a range of weathered volcanic mountains that are much older than the High Cascades that most people think of today, the range of Shasta, Rainier, and Hood. These mountains are shorter as a result of the work of time and usually have summits wrapped in...

This scenic drive is along NC 80 between a small town called Pleasant Gardens and Micaville. It can also be taken in the opposite direction depending on where you are driving from, but the main attraction is Lake Tahoma. Lake Tahoma is a private lake in the Western North Carolina Mountains, but ...

Joyful Journey hot springs offers the full hotel and spa treatment, but in a valley where most people live off the grid, we chose the more rugged experience.The yurts gather together like penguins huddling not far from the springs. The wooden slates offer welcome relief from the frigid valley wea...

This short spur trail is right off Perkins Central Garden Trail. Most people walk by it because the walkway changes from paved to dirt, but it is definitely a must-see if you're exploring the park. It climbs just a short amount before reaching the rocks you can climb on. Make sure you take a mom...

The Black Mountain Crest Trail is legendary among hikers in the southeast. It is the highest trail east of the Mississippi, as it traverses the summit of several peaks over 6,000 feet. It is also widely acknowledged as one of the premier hikes on the east coast. To whit, the trail immediately asc...

The "Stand by Me" bridge is located in Northern California about 20 miles north of Lassen National Forest and two and a half miles (2.4 mi) from Burney Falls at McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park.  The bridge is approximately 7.5 miles north of Burney, CA. From the town of Burney, take Hw...