Hiking Trails and Trips

What started out intending to be a trek up to Emerald Lake had to be cut short because of an impending front blowing through the range...I was able to add a short little trek around Bear Lake at the end to at least make a 2 mile hike, but I figured a hike in a white out or a shortened trek?  I decided for the shortened trek.....

Rounding out a Great Weekend of Camping at jenny Jump Jump State Park with Family and Friends.  We hiked the nearby Summit Trail for a little Geocaching and some great Vistas along the way.  While a fairly easy Trail overall, the Dad's did complete the loop by walking back State Park Road to the cars and going back to pick-up the well-fed hikers. 

After reviewing the host of literature on the key hikes to do in Kauai, we decided on this loop trail that provided breathtaking views of the Napali Coast.  In researching, we came across a great website that offered great resources on hikes throughout the Islands.  Strongly recommend checking out http://www.kauaiexplorer.com/hiking_kauai/ for up-to-date information and a great forum section with comments and questions from hikers.  We hoped to get on the trail by 7:30am...

While a few weeks of advance pestering, I finally convinced my Best Friend to take me on a Fourteener while visiting for his Daughter's Baptism. Now here is the problem....one of the closest 14er in 2 hours away and since you usually want to hit the Trailhead as quickly as possible (aka 6:00am) you do the math. Needless to say we ventured off at 4am to Guanella Pass and start...

A beautiful morning hike on Father's Day in complete solitude. After leaving the house at 5am while everyone slept, I headed for the Gap to ascend Mt. Tammany on a Hazy, Hot and humid morning. Taking the Red Trail to the Blue Trail and back along Dunnfield Creek to the Parking Lot offers an awesome vista of the gap during the aggressive ascent up Mt. Tammany. While a bit humid,...

While Mommy and KJ played on the beach with their kite, bucket and shovel, Daddy decided to take the quick stroll over to the Beehive (Located just across Park Loop Road from Sand Beach) While listed as a 1.5 mile hike in the book, this short trek offered some of the most incredible views after the harrowing climb up the Beehive. With over 473 feet of elevation gain in the...

Well, here is the deal...when you decide to take the short, easy, stroll along trail at Little Long Pond that is recommended in one fo the guidebooks, it would be a really good idea to confirm what that trail actually exists of. Had you done that, you would have quickly realized that it does not loop the pond, but rather takes you along a trail on the Eastern Shore past the...

While J decided at 8:45am that it would be time to take a nap, K and Daddy took a short trek around the Jordan Pond Nature Trail. With the self-guided booklet in hand, we learned about Wetlands, Woodpeckers, Granite Formation, The Bubbles, the differences between the Hardwoods and Softwoods forests, and a whole bunch more!

Setting off on our second shore trail in the Bass Harbor Head area, we immediately fell in love with this trail, or should I say the final destination. Here a perfect blend of Ocean, Granite, Seashell Beach and Harbor combine to proivde an incredible final destination for a sunset and ultimately the end of great day in the Park. With tide pools to explore, shells to collect and of course...

Parking at the Sandy Beach upper parking lot we started our 2 miles hike on the Ocean Trail. What an amazing hike with absolutely incredible views. Adding to the beauty was the complete isolation in the park. We saw a total of six people during the entire trek. With gorgeous views of Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Monument Cove, Otter Cliffs and the culmination at Otter Point the hike...