Trail guides, day hikes, backpacking routes, and national park adventures across the US.
Topographic maps are the most powerful navigation tool available — and most hikers can barely read one. This complete guide teaches contour lines, scale, map symbols, compass use, and terrain association from the ground up.
19.0 · 3000 gain
<p>The Rancherias Loop is the premier multi-day backcountry route in Big Bend Ranch State Park, traversing nearly 19 miles of remote Chihuahuan Desert and volcanic mountain terrain in one of the most ...
0.5 · 20 gain
<p>The Laguna Point Seal Watch loop is one of the most rewarding short wildlife viewing routes on the Northern California coast, circling a rocky headland at MacKerricher State Park where harbor seals...
1.5 · 200 gain
<p>The Hoodoos Trail explores a surreal volcanic landscape within Big Bend Ranch State Park, leading to an otherworldly collection of eroded tuff formations rising from the Chihuahuan Desert floor in ...
9.0 · 50 gain
<p>The Haul Road Trail follows an abandoned coastal logging railroad grade converted to a multi-use path, extending nine miles along the Mendocino coast through a spectacular sequence of rocky coves, ...
want to tell you about my first real hike, because it's instructive in the worst possible way. It was a Saturday morning in late spring. A friend had suggested we do a "short hike" in the mountains — maybe five miles, nothing crazy, bring some water. I wore khaki pants.
1.4 ·
<p>Closed Canyon Trail ventures into one of the most dramatic slot canyons in Texas, a narrow passage carved by water through layered volcanic tuff in the remote western reaches of Big Bend Ranch Stat...
2.0 · 300 gain
<p>The Lava Bluffs Trail at Calaveras Big Trees State Park explores a geologically distinct section of the park where ancient lava flows have created dramatic columnar basalt cliffs above the North Fo...
4.0 · 900 gain
<p>The Eagle Eye Shelter Trail leads to one of the most charming and historically significant rest stops in Jefferson County Open Space, a beautifully crafted stone shelter built in 1919 and still sta...
5.0 · 400 gain
<p>The South Grove Trail leads to the largest and most remote concentration of giant sequoias at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, requiring a five-mile round-trip journey through mixed conifer forest t...
Hiking safety is not about fear — it is about preparation. This complete guide covers the Ten Essentials, navigation, weather, wildlife encounters, common trail injuries, and how to call for help when you need it.
6.0 · 1400 gain
<p>The hike to the summit of Mount Falcon delivers exceptional panoramic views of the Denver metropolitan area and Front Range from a summit elevation of 7,851 feet, all within easy driving distance o...
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