Category Archives: Moderate Hikes

Fire Wave Trail – Seven Wonders Loop (Valley of Fire State Park, NV)

Posted on April 29, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

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. … Continue reading →

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White Domes Trail (Valley of Fire State Park, NV)

Posted on April 2, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

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 … Continue reading →

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Anniversary Narrows (Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV)

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

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 … Continue reading →

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Saratoga Gap – Ridge Trail Loop, including Castle Rock Falls (Castle Rock State Park, CA)

Posted on March 12, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

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 … Continue reading →

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Phantom Falls Loop (North Table Mountain Ecological Reserve, CA)

Posted on March 11, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

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: … Continue reading →

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Coronado Peak Trail (Coronado National Monument, AZ)

Posted on February 14, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

Gaining 300 feet in elevation, the Coronado Peak Trail tackles a summit at the southern end of Arizona’s Huachuca Mountains, one of many “sky islands” in the area. Named for famed Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, this is the … Continue reading →

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Fort Bowie Trail Loop (Fort Bowie National Historic Site, AZ)

Posted on February 7, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

– Civil War Series – At a time when most eyes were on the major battlefields of the Civil War out east, the Union Army was engaged in 1962 in a series of smaller skirmishes in the American Southwest with … Continue reading →

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Eagle Lake Trail (Desolation Wilderness, CA)

Posted on January 10, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

Nestled in a scenic drainage nearly 800 feet above Emerald Bay, the pristine Eagle Lake is one of the most popular day hike destinations in the Lake Tahoe area. Less than a mile’s walk into the Desolation Wilderness, the lake … Continue reading →

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Top 10 Hikes in 2022

Posted on January 1, 2023 by Andrew Wojtanik

As 2022 draws to an end, it is—as per tradition—time to look back on the year at Live and Let Hike. This is the ninth year of the blog—the tenth anniversary coming in 2023—and there was no let-up in content, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, Big Sur, California, Colorado, Dinosaur National Monument, Illinois, Moderate Hikes, Pinnacles National Park, Sinkyone Wilderness State Park, Starved Rock State Park, Strenuous Hikes, Utah, Wyoming, Yosemite National Park | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Mexican Canyon Trail Loop, inc. Scenic View Trail (Fort Robinson State Park, NE)

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Andrew Wojtanik

Fort Robinson, a former U.S. Army base dating to the late 19th century, may be the most popular destination in the state park that bears its name—but the natural highlights lie beyond to the north and west in the sedimentary … Continue reading →

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