Ludlowville Falls, Ludlowville Park, June 2023 Ludlowville Falls (a.k.a. Salmon Creek Falls) is less impressive for its height (35-40 feet) than its width, falling in multiple chutes (or one mega-drop after snowmelt or heavy rains). The waterfall—less than a 20-minute drive from Ithaca, New York—is also notable for its residential setting: it must be a …
Carpenter Falls, Carpenter Falls Unique Area, June 2023 Situated in a gorge just west of Skaneateles Lake, Carpenter Falls tumbles 90 feet in one drop, making this one of the more impressive waterfalls within an hour’s drive from both Syracuse and Ithaca, New York. A wooden boardwalk, which is wheelchair accessible, extends for 1/10 mile …
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Gorge Trail, Chittenango Falls State Park, June 2023 Chittenango Falls—situated roughly 20 miles southeast of Syracuse, New York—tumbles an impressive 167 feet into a limestone gorge and is easily viewed on a short, ½-mile loop hike. The best views are from a pedestrian bridge below the waterfall along the Gorge Trail, the premier walk in …
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Cataract Falls Trail, Marin Municipal Water District, Mount Tamalpais Watershed, April 2023 Described as “very rugged and demanding,” the stair-master challenge that is the Cataract Trail is nonetheless one of the most popular and rewarding hikes in the Bay Area’s Marin County. The well-trodden path follows the rumbling waters of Cataract Creek, which originates on …
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Seven Wonders Loop, Valley of Fire State Park, February 2023 In a hike combining Valley of Fire State Park’s most Instagram-famous spot with the wilder and more adventurous Seven Wonders route, this scenic loop traverses some of the park’s most spectacular scenery, from narrow slot canyons to vibrantly-hued sandstone knobs. The wonderful diversity makes this …
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White Domes Trail, Valley of Fire State Park, February 2023 There is perhaps no other place in the American Southwest where the sandstone erupts in such a range of color—from pastel pink to orange, cream, gold, and deep red—as Valley of Fire State Park in southeast Nevada. As one enters the Las Vegas-area park, the …
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Anniversary Narrows, Muddy Mountains Wilderness, February 2023 Anniversary Narrows is Nevada’s best answer to the challenge laid down by neighboring Utah: give us your best, most picturesque slot canyon. Better yet, extend the slot for more than 1/3 mile, place the trailhead less than an hour’s drive from the state’s largest metropolis (Las Vegas), and …
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Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, February 2023 Most visitors flock to Lake Mead National Recreation Area—straddling the Arizona-Nevada border, a short drive from Las Vegas—for water-related activities on the United States’ largest reservoir by volume. However, adventure-seekers of the land-bound sort are also treated to a fair amount of challenging and …
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Saratoga Gap Trail, Castle Rock State Park, February 2023 Situated in the Santa Cruz Mountains just south of Silicon Valley in the South Bay, Castle Rock State Park is known primarily for its rock climbing—but the 34 miles of hiking trails are worthwhile as well. To avoid the tech bro crowd, visit on a weekday …
Phantoms View, Phantom Falls Loop, North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, January 2023 Each year, for a brief period—after recent rains in winter and early spring—the usually dry and dreary landscape of northern California’s North Table Mountain comes alive with color, flowing streams, and stunning seasonal waterfalls. And these are no run-of-the-mill cascades: as the flattops …
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