Trail reports and gear guides for hikers
Nestled in the hills of Brown County, Indiana, is this lovely forest hiking trail loop at Laura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill, one of nearly 20 protected sites governed by the Sycamore Land Trust.
Continue reading “Laura Hare Nature Preserve at Downey Hill Hiking Trail”
I’d never skied a day in my life, but who needs lessons, right?
Apparently I do.
Continue reading “Snowshoeing In Breckenridge for the Skiing Challenged”
A couple years ago when I fell down a flight of stairs and broke my back, I was terrified.
Questions swirled in my mind. Would I recover from the major surgery to repair the unstable burst fracture of my L2 lumbar spine vertebra?
Would I ever be the same, and how long would the journey be before I regained a sense of normalcy?
Continue reading “Recovering From a Broken Back: A Timeline”
Nestled among the planate farmlands of west central Indiana lies an alien landscape where time stopped 12,000 years ago. About an hour outside of Indianapolis, Turkey Run State Park is an easily-accessed popular Midwest treasure for hiking an ecosystem normally found in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan.
Continue reading “Step Back In Time Hiking Turkey Run State Park”
The sacred Iao Valley State Park in Maui is short on “official” hiking trails to explore, but a quick hop over a railing to an ancient Hawaiian trail is all that lies between you and adventure.
Continue reading “Hiking Iao Tableland Trail – A Forbidden Journey”
The Road to Hana is a long, twisting and slow (and sometimes white-knuckle) drive along Maui’s northern shore, but the experience is well worth it if you hit the pavement early and plan ahead. There are lots of interesting stops along the way, but there is one in particular that you shouldn’t miss. Unfortunately, by the time most travelers get to this destination, it’s time to head back.
Continue reading “Waianapanapa State Park: Road to Hana Must-See Destination”
Dear Rocky, we need to talk. I love you, but you’re a bit of a hot mess …
Poor Rocky Mountain National Park has a problem: it may be too beautiful for its own good.
In July, the nation’s fourth most popular park is inundated with visitors who want to experience the majesty and tranquility of the Rockies, and who can blame them?
Continue reading “Navigating the Crowds and Summer Snow at Rocky Mountain National Park”
A beloved cousin of mine finally convinced the woman he’s been smitten with for years to marry him, so we were off to a mid-June destination wedding in Charleston, South Carolina. We stayed South of Broad in a historic home bed and breakfast. This area is a prime location if you like being able to walk everywhere downtown, and we arrived a few days early so we could explore.
Continue reading “15 Awesome Things To Do On a Short Visit To Charleston, SC”
Before I met Andrew, I’d gotten comfortable taking long day hikes solo — partly to enjoy the peace and quiet of my own experience and partly because I had a hard time finding others who were willing to hike more than 2 miles at a time (thank you German thighs). I’d head off on my own for hours, typically sending my friend Foz a “127 Hours text” saying where I was heading off to hike — a couple bread crumbs in case something went wrong. Other than that text, my preparation was extremely minimal. I’d bring my cell phone and PERHAPS a bottle of water.
Continue reading “An Unintentional Solo Hike In the Dark”
Driving nonstop from Paia Town to Hana in Maui can take two and a half hours one way. After diverting on short detours for Auntie Sandy’s divine banana bread, crawling through funky lava tubes and posing for photos next to glorious rainbow trees, there’s hardly enough time left in the day to do a proper hike at Waiʻānapanapa State Park. That is, if you intend to turn around and head back the same day. Some people might like that breakneck pace. We had other plans in mind.