Door Trail, Badlands National Park, August 2024 One of a trio of short trails starting from the same parking lot in eastern Badlands National Park, the Door Trail veers gently through a break in the Badlands Wall. After a wheelchair-accessible overlook, a more rugged path continues onward amidst the wild ravines, hoodoos, and outcrops, culminating …
Tower Trail, Devils Tower National Monument, August 2024 From the Bighorn Canyon area, I set out across the Bighorn Mountains and visited Little Bighorn Battlefield before leaving the Rockies behind. Traversing a whole lot of nothing between Buffalo, Wyoming and the Black Hills, I made it to Devils Tower National Monument in the late afternoon. …
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Barry's Island Trail, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, August 2024 Barry’s Island Trail, situated at the end of the paved road in Bighorn Canyon, was my third hike of the day and second in the park. I added a foray into the Medicine Creek/Davis Creek drainage, which was terrific but not recommended for those without …
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Rangers Delight Trail, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, August 2024 After the disappointing failed trek up to Pine Creek Lake, yours truly was in a bit of a rotten mood, but spirits were lifted after reaching Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, a charming and uncrowded park on the Montana-Wyoming border. Here I did a couple …
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Pine Creek Falls, Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, August 2024 The real reason for my foray into Yellowstone National Park the previous day was to eventually end up at Pine Creek Campground in the Absaroka Mountains. Here I planned to spend the hike and take on the challenging 9.5-mile hike to Pine Creek Lake the following morning. But …
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Wraith Falls, Yellowstone National Park, August 2024 After spending much of the afternoon on the nearby Bunsen Peak Loop, I had a little time left in the day for a short walk. After recharging at Mammoth Hot Springs, I ventured partway east on Grand Loop Road and settled on this brief jaunt. In a park …
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Upper Two Medicine Lake, Glacier National Park, August 2024 After a change of plans that required us to leave Glacier National Park a day early, we were left with only ½ day in the Two Medicine area, a lesser-visited alternative to very popular Many Glacier. Unlike in Many Glacier, we opted for the boat tour …
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Wahclella Falls, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, August 2024 On the morning of day six of the cross-country trip, we were still in northern Oregon an popped in for a short hike in the Columbia River Gorge before tracking eastward… Not to be confused with nearby Wahkeena Falls, the stem-and-loop hike described here features …
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Founders' Grove Nature Trail, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, June 2024 A scenic centerpiece of Humboldt Redwoods State Park, Founders’ Grove is the most popular redwood stand in the park and easily explored on a well-trodden ½-mile loop trail. The most famous attraction is, of course, the 364-foot Founders’ Tree, which was once thought to be …
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Drury-Chaney Loop, Humboldt Redwoods State Park, June 2024 Situated in the northern reaches of California’s Humboldt Redwoods State Park, the level and easy Drury-Chaney Loop spends its entirety in a beautiful old growth redwood forest adorned with ferns and redwood sorrel. These are not the largest coastal redwoods in the area (those are found further …
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Live and Let Hike 