Zion National Park

Where: Zion National Park
Trail: Emerald Pools Trails to the Kayenta Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2.6 miles
Adventure Rating: 4 Stars
Pets: no


We took the shuttle from the Visitor Center to the Zion Lodge. Across the from the lodge, we crossed the bridge over the Virgin River and began the Lower Emerald Pool Trail. The Lower Pool was my favorite. The brilliant green of the foliage and the light green of the pools was beautiful.

We continued on up the steep trail (there are many steps carved in the rock) to the Middle Pool, which was very small. It's chained off because it's very dangerous. Foolish people have crossed the chain and stood in the pool, which is very slick, and slipped and slid over the edge, plummeting to the lower pool and their death. There is no swimming in the pools for very good reason.

After yet another steep climb and a bit of rock scrambling, we made it to the Upper Pool. When it's not crowded, it's a great place to sit and relax from the hike. Stop a moment and just listen to nature.

We hiked back down the upper trail and then took the Kayenta Trail. The trail has moderate drop-offs, but overall is less strenuous than the pools trails. There is a more gradual decline down the mountain. It offers spectacular views of the Court of the Patriarchs and the other surrounding peaks.

Whiteoak Canyon at Shenandoah National Park

Where: Shenandoah National Park
Trail: Cedar Run, Cedar Run Link, Whiteoak Canyon Trails
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2 miles (I think)
Adventure Rating: 3 Stars
Pets: Allowed on some trails 

Originally, we planned to hike the Whiteoak Canyon Trail to the Whiteoak  Fire Road to the Cedar Run Trail, beginning at the Whiteoak Canyon parking lot. That hike is 7.9 miles, and after 3 days of hiking in various locations, we decided we weren't really up for that (especially since we thought it was only 6 miles).

Instead, we hiked a short ways on the Cedar Run Trail until we hit the Cedar Run Link Trail, then we took that over to the Whiteoak Canyon Trail. We hiked up that to the Lower Whiteoak Falls and then hiked the Whiteoak Canyon Trail back to the parking lot.

This is where the Cedar Run Link meets up with the Whiteoak Canyon Trail.

Coopers Rock State Forest

Where: Coopers Rock State Forest
Trail: Underlook, Rattlesnake, Rock City, Ridge, Mont Chateau, Clay Run...
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 5.5 miles (I think)
Adventure Rating: 4 Stars
Pets: not sure...

First, let me just say that the trail markers aren't very good. Originally, we were supposed to hike the following trails: Underlook, Rattlesnake, Rock City, Rhododendren, Eagle, then take the road to the stone stairs, and finally to the Overlook Trail. We definitely hiked the first three trails and then I don't know what happened. As far as we can ascertain, we ended up on the Ridge Trail and then on the Mont Chateau Trail. I believe the last trail we were on was the Clay Run Trail, but I don't know for sure. What I do know was that briefly, we were lost in the mountains of West Virginia. So, it was only natural for us to decide to take a short cut--which actually worked out. Unfortunately, the shortcut was across an open area that was hot and sunny, as well as covered with thorn bushes. We got a little scratched up and I fell off a tree, but other than that, it was awesome.

We started out at the Coopers Rock Overlook, where I saw a bald eagle for the first time (in the wild). Then we headed down the Underlook Trail, which went below the overlook. The Rattlesnake Trail and Rock City Trail were very cool, with lots of rock scrambling.

Buttermilk Falls at Cuyahoga Valley NP

Blue Hen Falls

Where: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Trail: Unmarked Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: ?
Adventure Rating: 4 Stars
Pets: Allowed on leash

We parked at Blue Hen Falls, which were very cool. Originally, we were going to hike to them from the Boston Store Visitor Center, but we ended up just parking there. I found a website that mentioned Buttermilk Falls and knew we had to check it out. It's not marked on any maps that I could find, but if you hike downstream from Blue Hen Falls, you'll find it. There is a rough unmarked trail heading that direction, but we spent most of our time walking on the rocks along the stream. The water was shallow enough that we could cross back and forth across it. It was way fun.

Buttermilk Falls

The linked website says that you should visit Brandywine Falls before spending time on this one. If you're judging the falls on size, then sure, I guess they are right. However, I completely disagree with this statement. I found the Brandywine falls so uninteresting that I didn't even take a picture of them. Nor did we bother to do the hike. The Buttermilk Falls might not be amazing, but the adventure of finding them was amazing. I say don't even bother with Brandywine.

Ritchie Ledges at Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Where: Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Trail: Ledges Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2 mile loop
Adventure Rating: 3 Stars
Pets: Allowed on leash

We started at the parking lot and hiked 0.2 miles to the first fork in the trail. We took a right, hiking 0.3 miles to the Ledges Trail, just south of the Ice Box Cave. We hiked past the cave, going north until we came to the steps that cut across the top of the Ledges Trail. After that, we hiked south to the overlook. From there, we hiked north on the connector trail and then cut across the field to the parking lot. I think the whole trip lasted about 2 hours, but probably because we stopped a lot to climb on rocks and explore off trail. It was definitely an awesome short hike.

Red Rock Canyon

Where: Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas, Nevada
Trail: Calico Tanks Trail
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Distance: 2.5 miles round trip
Adventure Rating: 4 Stars
Pets: Allowed on leash

We paid the entrance fee and started the drive back (it's a one-way loop). As we drove past all the beautiful red rock that gives the park its name, I began to wonder if I had selected the right trail for us. And then we parked in the Sandstone Quarry lot and I just knew I had picked the wrong trail. The area was flatter and there was far less rock. Certainly not the mountainous boulders we'd just passed. Thankfully we decided to try it anyway. I am so glad we did. The hike was awesome!

The beginning of the trail is well-marked, but once you get into the rocks, it's harder to find, which makes it more fun. And anyway, there came a point when we quit the trail altogether and just climbed from boulder to boulder. Even though dogs are allowed on the trail, we didn't encounter very many, probably due to the amount of climbing we had to do. Our little dogs loved it. They are adventurous as we are. At the end of the trail, there is a view of the mountains and Las Vegas. If I'm ever in Vegas again, I am definitely hiking Red Rock again.

Pinnacles National Monument

Where: Pinnacles National Monument, California
Trail: Balconies Trail, Balconies Cave, Trail, Balconies Cliff Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 2.4 mile loop
Adventure Rating: 3 Stars
Pets: Not allowed

There is no through road in Pinnacles National Monument. You can hike it, but that's a long trip. Last time we hiked the east side of the park. This time we decided to hike the west side. The Balconies Trail includes the Balconies Cave, which we was fun. We didn't get to see any bats, unfortunately.

Pinnacles National Monument

Where: Pinnacles National Monument, California
Trail: Moses Spring Trail, Bear Gulch Cave Trail, High Peaks Trail, Condor Gulch Trail
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Distance: 6 mile loop
Adventure Rating: 4 Stars
Pets: Not allowed

We hiked the Moses Spring Trail, through the Bear Gulch cave to the High Peaks Trail, and then took the Condor Gulch Trail back to the parking lot. It was a 6-mile hike, varying from easy to strenuous with an elevation gain of almost 1500 feet. The cave involved some crawling (and flashlights) and the High Peaks Trail had some very narrow passages with rock on one side and NOTHING on the other except a low rail. It is by far the most awesome hiking adventure yet. The fact that we got to hike through a cave is just too cool.

El Morro National Monument

Where: El Morro National Monument, New Mexico
Trail: Mesa Top Trail Loop
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Distance: 2 mile loop
Adventure Rating: 4 Stars
Pets: Allowed on leash


The Inscription Trail portion of the hike was very easy. It's paved and flat. The beginning of the Mesa Top Trail is fairly strenuous as it is a 200-foot climb. In the morning, that part of the hike is in the shadow of the sandstone bluffs and was pretty chilly in November. Once we were on top of the bluffs, it was much warmer in the sun. Most of the trail is up on the sandstone bluffs, which is just cool.

See the parallel lines in the sandstone? That's the trail.

El Malpais National Monument

Where: El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico
Trail: Sandstone Bluffs
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: n/a
Adventure Rating: 4 Stars
Pets: Allowed on leash

There isn't a trail per se, but there are plenty of places to climb all over the boulders.

BE VERY CAREFUL, THERE ARE STEEP DROP-OFFS. THIS AREA CAN BE DANGEROUS.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Where: Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Texas
Trail: Lighthouse Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 5.75 miles round trip
Adventure Rating: 3 Stars
Pets: Allowed on leash

The pictures of Palo Duro Canyon on the state park's website show majestic rock formations, which was what drew me to the park in the first place. On the drive from Amarillo, my friends and I kept wondering where the rock formations were because the land was flat as far as the eye could see. It was like driving through Oklahoma--flat nothing. It wasn't long before we soon realized that the reason we couldn't yet see it was that it was a CANYON.

We paid the $5 per person fee in the gift shop and then proceeded to the parking lot at the trail-head for the Lighthouse Trail. Palo Duro is dog-friendly and we were able to bring our little dogs with us. The trail is 5.75 miles round trip, hiking out to the lighthouse and back to the parking lot. The majority of the hike is pretty easy. The trail is hard-packed red dirt and easy to trek.

We started the hike in the afternoon (not taking into account that the sun sets earlier in the winter) and ended up hiking back to our cars in the dark. When we started, it was sunny and 60, but by the time we were done it was dark and 50. We didn't bring our jackets with us, so we were a bit chilly.

As we were hiking up the last bit (which was really climbing) we ran into a man and his son. The man urged us not to continue on, but to turn back because it would be dark in an hour. When we asked how far it was to the end, he said less than a quarter mile. So we said we wanted to continue. He then proceeded to tell us that a lot of people had died at the park this year... because of the heat. The guy meant well, but the info he gave us was completely irrelevant. We did hike to the end and saw the lighthouse formation (and we didn't die even though the last thirty minutes of the hike were in the dark).

Ludington State Park

Where: Ludington State Park
Trail: Lost Lake Trail, Island Trail, and Ridge Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 1.5 miles, 4 miles (both)
Adventure Rating: 2 Stars
Pet: Allowed on leash

Ludington State Park

Where: Ludington State Park
Trail: Lost Lake Trail, Island Trail, and Ridge Trail
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Distance: 1.5 miles, 4 miles (both)
Adventure Rating: 2 Stars
Pet: Allowed on leash

We started at the parking lot near the beach and the boat launch. We started on the Island Trail, which involves boardwalks that span across the Lost Lake onto several tiny islands. The Lost Lake is peaceful and some day I'm going to go back without my dogs and kayak the lake.

We hiked the entire Lost Lake Trail until it ended at the Ridge Trail. Most of the Ridge Trail is on top of sand dunes which makes the trek a little more difficult. But from up there we saw a raccoon in a tree as well as a group of deer down in one of the valleys. We watched a couple of fawns hopping around playing for about ten minutes.

A flight of wooden stairs brought us down from the Ridge Trail and connected us to the Lost Lake Trail, which took us back to the parking lot. Of the three trails, the Island Trail is the most visually interesting. The Lost Lake trail is the easiest and the Ridge Trail is the more strenuous.