Taughannock Falls Overlook, North Rim Trail, Taughannock Falls State Park, June 2023 At 215 feet tall, Taughannock Falls in central New York is the tallest single-drop waterfall in the northeast United States, boasting a height that exceeds even the nearby—but much more-famous—Niagara Falls. Taughannock Falls is the centerpiece of a state park bearing its name …
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Gorge Trail, Buttermilk Falls State Park, June 2023 A quick glance at this and my previous blog from Ithaca’s Robert H. Treman State Park suggests this post may be merely a duplicate. But a closer look reveals that there is indeed also a Gorge Trail and Rim Trail combination in nearby Buttermilk Falls State Park, …
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Lucifer Falls, Rim Trail, Robert H. Treman State Park, June 2023 Uplift, receding glaciers, and subsequent erosion have blessed central New York with terrific stone gorges, many containing rushing waters and dramatic waterfalls that drain into the 11 Finger Lakes. Enfield Glen, one such canyon, is the centerpiece of Ithaca’s Robert H. Treman State Park—an …
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Emilie Jonas Falls, Emilie Jonas Falls Nature Preserve, June 2023 Waterfalls abound in the narrow gorges in and around Ithaca, New York, with some drawing regular crowds while others attracting only hearty falls-seeking sleuths keen on novelty and solitude. Emilie Jonas Falls is a gem for the latter group: it is not the tallest, widest, …
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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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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 …
Continue reading Fire Wave Trail – Seven Wonders Loop (Valley of Fire State Park, NV)
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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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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Live and Let Hike 