United States

From the visitors center, start on the Fire Road trail. From there, it's a choose-your-own adventure (choose-your-own ecosystem, actually). Pick the Laurel and Valley Trails to stay in the quiet (and maybe enchanted? It felt enchanted) forest. Goose Pond trail is a short jut to a--yup--pond, wher...

How to Get There: Get your backcountry pass at the St. Mary visitor center and then head over to the hike, which begins from the Jackson Glacier Overlook, located 12.6 miles west of the center on the Going-to-Sun-Road.  The Hike: The first mile of the hike is a downhill, and then the trail is ...

Mayfield Nature Preserve is a 21-acre park located just west of downtown Austin, Texas. This nature preserve is unique from all other parks in Austin in that it that features free-roaming peacocks. It's a beautiful park full of beautiful nature and the trail leads down near the lake. The trail is...

The Castle Rock Bay is a bit out of the beaten path, making it a quiet place to relax on Lake Havasu. The parking lot can be found off a dirt road off of Vista Dr. You will see the Castle Rock sign to the left heading towards the lake on Vista Dr. Drive along the dirt road for 150 yards or so bef...

While not a replica of any known watchtower along the Grand Canyon, the Desert View Watchtower is an art installation to honor the Hopi Native Americans. The watchtower was designed by Mary Colter, the same woman responsible for the Bright Angel Lodge renovations in 1935. Much of the painting wit...

From Crested Butte, drive north on Gothic Road and turn left on Slate River Road. Drive 4.5 miles on the dirt road and look for the Oh-Be-Joyful Campground which will be on your left.  Drive about 0.5 miles to the campground at the bottom of the hill, by a wide river. This trail begins by a quick...

This is one of the easiest, yet scenically rewarding, hikes in the Lost River Range. Traveling only 1.2 miles (3.4 miles round trip) with an elevation gain of about 200 ft. You travel in a canyon surrounded by some of the highest mountains in Idaho. Mt. McCaleb is the giant 11,682 ft peak on the ...

Outside of the national park there are two different companies that can rent sand boards and sleds for your day use at around $20 per board per day. However, If it is raining a lot and the dunes are too wet, or if the dunes are frosted over both companies will not rent out their boards in order t...

This spot may be a little more difficult to reach than others, but the payoff is worth it. You'll start by taking a dirt road that splits off from Fall River Road. It is pretty easy going for the first mile or so, but then you'll want to make sure you have a little higher clearance 4x4 vehicle to...

The "lollipop" hike starts at the "Ranch House" parking lot off of Chiles Pope Valley Road - alternatively, you can access from Conn Valley Road for a shortened 5.6-mile loop. You turn off Chiles Pope Valley Road onto Moore Creek Trail, drive past a private house (you can see it on the map) and t...

This beautiful, calm lake is ideal for those who prefer seclusion out on the water.Start out on the north side of the lake, and kayak or canoe towards the golf course - there are a number of bays to explore, along the way. Then head over to the eastern shore, which offers lots of scenic spots. On...

Escape the bustle of town and head out of Aspen on Maroon Creek Road. Follow the signs to Maroon-Bells Snowmass Wilderness Area. There is a $10 entrance fee (unless you are a national parks pass cardholder) plus an additional fee to camp. Continue down the road to Silver Bell Campground. With a t...

Day 1: We arrived at the Lone Pine Visitors Center at the intersection of HWY 395 and HWY 136 just south of Lone Pine, CA. We issued ourselves our overnight permits to climb Mt. Whitney and picked up our Wag Bags. You can self issue yourself the free permit Nov. 2 through Apr 30. Climbing during ...

There are many boat ramps to access Flathead Lake, but the closest location to Wild Horse Island is Dayton, MT. Dayton offers easy access with only about a 1-hour paddle to the island for the novice kayakers. Unfortunately, the boat ramp in Dayton does not have room for parking, thus it is only a...

This short, 0.6 mile loop hike gives a beautiful view of Lake Dillon and is an easy, family-friendly hike. Dogs are allowed but must be kept on leash. The trail is clear cut and descends a few feet while looping around the side of the mountain to the overlook point.  It is definitely a worthwhil...

Nestled in the Samuel P. Taylor State Park this ten miler was a perfect escape from the chaos of the city. Hikers are able to pay a $10.00 park entry fee that includes plenty of parking spaces and restrooms before you hit the trail. The hike starts along the Cross Marin Trail, a path popular to ...