Timpanogos Falls, Mount Timpanogos Wilderness, June 2022 Below the imposing massif of Mount Timpanogos (11,749’)—the second-highest peak in northern Utah’s Wasatch Range—lies a wonderland of aspen groves, cascading streams, and verdant meadows, many of which are a stone’s throw from the popular, 20-mile Alpine Loop Scenic Byway. Ambitious day hikers can set out to tackle …
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Timpanogos Cave, Timpanogos Cave National Monument, June 2022 Nestled high above American Fork Canyon in northern Utah’s Wasatch Range, three limestone caves—connected today by man-made tunnels—are the prime attractions of Timpanogos Cave National Monument, a popular park in the Salt Lake City/Provo area. Discovered around the turn of the 20th century, the three caves were …
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Wheeler Beach from Lost Coast Trail, Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, May 2022 Even as the northern half of the 53-mile Lost Coast Trail has become one of the hottest destinations for California backpacking, the stunning southern half—in Sinkyone Wilderness State Park—is much less visited. This is in part due to the difficulty of access and …
Wheeler Beach, Lost Coast Trail, May 2022 Traversing one of the few stretches of the California coast without a paved road, the Lost Coast Trail has become an enormously popular backpacking destination known for its striking cliffs, black sand beaches, redwood groves, and frequent wildlife sightings (seals, Roosevelt elk, black bears, ospreys, and many others). …
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Chilnualna Falls, Yosemite National Park, May 2022 Yosemite National Park is the land of towering waterfalls—although seeing them often comes with a price: contending with throngs of other visitors for the best look at the majestic drops. Yet this is not the case everywhere: lesser-known waterfalls such as Carlon Falls or Foresta Falls draw fewer …
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Mariposa Grove Trail, Yosemite National Park, May 2022 Though not the tallest, nor the widest, giant sequoias—found only in California’s Sierra Nevada—are the largest trees by volume in the world. The largest of three sequoia stands in Yosemite, Mariposa Grove is a top destination for visitors to California’s most popular national park. As with basically …
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Washburn Trail, Yosemite National Park, May 2022 There are many spectacular hiking trails in California’s Yosemite National Park—but the Washburn Trail is not necessarily one of them. Although the two-mile walk through a coniferous forest with some modest views is nice, the purpose of this trail is primarily utilitarian. From mid-May to late November each …
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Balconies Cave Trail, Pinnacles National Park, March 2022 Talus caves—formed when crashing boulders fall into chasms, flooding the canyon with darkness—are an intriguing feature of central California’s Pinnacles National Park, which boasts two such pseudo-karst caverns. The most popular of the two is Bear Gulch Cave, most easily accessible from the east side of the …
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High Peaks Trail, Pinnacles National Park, March 2022 So jagged, sharp, and forbidding are the towering spires of central California’s Pinnacles National Park that there is no road able to bisect it, leaving visitors to drive up to the base of the breccia wonderland—and then hike the rest. The High Peaks area, easily the centerpiece …
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Panorama Trail, Andrew Molera State Park, March 2022 Traversing a scrubby escarpment above the Pacific Ocean, the Ridge – Panorama – Bluffs Trail is a pleasant 8-mile jaunt in the Big Sur area and one of the best hikes in Andrew Molera State Park. Don’t be fooled by the gads of visitors at the parking …
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Live and Let Hike 