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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Coronado Peak Trail, Coronado National Memorial, November 2022 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 most-visited peak in Coronado National Memorial, offering …
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Fort Bowie Trail Loop, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, November 2022 - 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 Confederate cavalry and an …
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Eagle Lake Trail, Desolation Wilderness, August 2022 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 sits in a granite bowl surrounded by craggy …
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Medicine Bow Peak Trail, Medicine Bow National Forest, July 2022 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, as I published 68 entries, …
East Mexican Canyon Trail, Fort Robinson State Park, July 2022 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 rock canyons and high bluffs …
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Blackhills Overlook Trail, Chadron State Park, July 2022 Rising suddenly and surprisingly, the scenic Pine Ridge cuts like a furrowed eyebrow across northwest Nebraska, revealing an elevated landscape of thick ponderosa forests and chalk canyons. The 100-mile ridge is a sudden break from the flats of the Great Plains and bears some of the best …
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Cascade Falls, Osceola, July 2022 Osceola, Wisconsin, situated on the St. Croix River and border with Minnesota, is a charming small town that is a popular day trip for Twin Cities residents. It owes its destination status in part to the natural landscapes immediately surrounding it, from the high bluffs to the gentle riverside to …
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Summit Rock Trail, Interstate Park, July 2022 Centuries upon centuries of freezing, thawing, and riverine erosion have carved the Dalles of the St. Croix, a basalt gorge that is one of the main natural attractions on the Minnesota-Wisconsin border and a popular destination for visitors from the Twin Cities and beyond. The St. Croix River …
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