Category: Day Hikes (Page 1 of 13)

It’s been several years since I’ve been to Grand Park at Mt. Rainier. We decided to brave the crazy amount of bridge/road closures and venture out there anyway. (I won’t talk about the ridiculous amount of time it took us to get home because of detours, bridge closures, and traffic – suffice it to say it’s a darn good thing Grand Park is so beautiful to make up for it.)

Grand Park is accessible from the Sunrise area of Mt Rainier, or via forest service roads near Lake Eleanor. It’s a long and not-fun slog from Sunrise, the Lake Eleanor route is my favorite. This place is notorious for mosquitoes in summer, so fall is my favorite time once they’re gone for the year.

The views from Grand Park are stunning: Mt. Fremont Fire Lookout, Skyscraper Mountain, Little T, Willis Wall, Steamboat Prow, and Tahoma/Rainier herself, with a massive flat meadow as the backdrop.

This is a place where we choose to spend time just being: not hike > see the view > turn and go back. It’s a place for solitude, quiet, and contemplation. It’s a place for sitting, drinking tea/coffee, having a leisurely lunch, and sometimes reading (though let’s be real, the views are such that I bring a book but never actually keep my eyes on the pages).

Like many areas at Mt Rainier, there’s more than one way to get there. It’s possible to get to Upper Crystal Lake via Highway 410 near the White River entrance, a steep 3-mile uphill slog through unattractive scrubby forest with virtually no views for the first 2.5 miles. Though longer, I much prefer starting from Chinook Pass on Hwy 410, going past Sheep Lake, up and over Sourdough Gap, to an incredible viewpoint above Upper Crystal Lake. This route is much more scenic, and easier on the knees by a long shot.

We were fortunate to have done this hike before the bridge closure on Highway 410, which now requires a 38-mile detour to bypass and is a traffic nightmare. From Chinook Pass, it’s an easy walk to Sheep Lake, and wildflowers were in full bloom. We also found several spots with ripe huckleberries – bonus breakfast!

From Sheep Lake it’s a gradual climb up to Sourdough Gap, stopping to look behind at Naches Peak, down to Sheep Lake from above, and Mt Adams in the distance.

From the Gap, it’s a short hike along the PCT to the side trail that leads to a beautiful view above Upper Crystal Lake, with one small spot just big enough to fit 2 backpacking chairs for 2 people with tea and coffee.

The return hike to Sourdough Gap, down to Sheep Lake, and back out at Chinook Pass is so much easier on my knees than the shorter and steeper route. If it’s not hazy, there is a spot near Sourdough Gap where it’s possible to see Mt Adams, Mt St Helens, and Mt Hood (in Oregon). If the weather cooperates, this is a 4-volcano hike! We had a bonus marmot on the return to the car as well.

The Black Hills area of South Dakota is a gem!  There is so much to see and do here: Hikes, bison and other wildlife, rocks and minerals, beautiful scenic drives, national monuments, and world-class caves to explore. This area definitely requires more than 1-2 days. It’s also a rock-hounder’s heaven! Custer State Park, in my humble opinion, could easily be a national park. It has multiple lodges and campgrounds, and is massive. This is another place to see bison.

The trail around Legion Lake is an easy 1-mile walk, perfect for a short movement break after a long car ride.

Sylvan Lake can be crowded, with a lodge, gift shop, restaurant, kayak rentals, and many many tourists. The walk around Sylvan Lake is beautiful, with views in every direction. This is a wonderful place to see the rock formations that are so unique to the Black Hills area. Unfortunately part of the trail was closed for repairs and construction while I was there, but I was able to do a short walk around part of it.

Black Elk Peak – I wasn’t able to hike to Black Elk Peak and the Harney fire lookout tower on my previous trip, so that was first on my agenda. It’s the highest point in South Dakota. Fortunately the day I hiked it was not too hot, it would be miserable and unforgiving in heat. On long hikes I believe in starting ridiculously early in the morning to avoid crowds, I’m so glad I did! There are multiple ways to get to Black Elk Peak, from the Sylvan Lake area or the Cathedral Spires area. From Sylvan Lake, the first part of the trail is not very steep, but it gradually climbs higher. At the base of the peak, the trail gets creative, climbing up metal stairs and tunnels to reach the top.

The wind was so strong that I had a hard time standing upright to take photos. After exploring the tower itself, I found the small water pool behind it and almost got blown off my feet by wind. I managed to find a boulder to tuck behind as a windbreak, with expansive views across the Black Hills area, including the Cathedral Spires and Needles areas. A perfect place for breakfast and a rest.

 On the way back to the car via a different trail, I passed by the Cathedral Spires area but didn’t explore further, it was getting hot and I decided to head back to the campground. I came across a massive piece of rose quartz on the side of the trail, proof that this area is literally a *gem*. So many wildflowers blooming this time of year made me happy, and a glimpse of a juvenile gopher or bull snake made my day (I love reptiles).

         

Cathedral Spires – I had decided to give myself a rest day and take to the road on scenic drives, but of course had to stop and do the short hike to Cathedral Spires along the way. Wow! It’s a short but steep hike, very rocky in places, but once you enter the Spires area, it’s literally 360 degrees of views. It felt like it should be in Lord of the Rings. I can’t begin to say how many times I circled around looking in all directions (see pano photo), not knowing where to sit because of the views all around. This area can be accessed hiking to Black Elk Peak as well, but honestly I’m glad I did it on a separate day as it’s own hike, so I could appreciate it more. Again, photos don’t do it justice, but you get the idea.

Needles Highway and Iron Mountain Road – If you don’t get car sick, it’s possible to do a huge loop of scenic drives within and outside of Custer State Park. The roads are slow and extremely twisty, with several very short and narrow tunnels, not something I’d be comfortable doing in a larger vehicle or truck. Beginning at Custer State Park, the drive along the Needles Highway (Hwy 87) offers spectacular views of the rock formations that make up parts of the Black Hills.

This is also a good time to hike up to Cathedral Spires and be awed, though note that parking at the Cathedral Spires trailhead is very limited. The Needles Eye Tunnel is a fun experience!  Stopping to look through the “needle eye” and wonder at the tall rock columns is a must-do. A stop at Sylvan Lake to wander that area and walk the loop around the lake is also recommended, it’s a beautiful area.

To continue the loop, head east on Highway 244 toward Keystone. This takes you right to the Mount Rushmore National Memorial for another stop if wanted. After Rushmore, head back toward Custer State Park via the Iron Mountain Road (Hwy 16A) through more tunnels and some extremely creative hairpin turns / pigtail bridges. At the top viewpoint, stop and look across to far-off views of Mt. Rushmore. Continuing on, you’ll connect with the east entrance to Custer State Park.

I highly recommend taking a day to make this drive if possible, it’s a stunning area. Note: This loop is not for anyone who tends to get car sick or has problems with long, narrow, winding roads.

Wind and Jewel Caves 2025

I’ve been to Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument before, and was excited to go again and try out some of the other cave tours. All entry to the caves is by guided tour only, and absolutely *fantastic* if you love caves. I had previously done one of the tours at Wind Cave (I can’t remember which one!) and the Historic Lantern Tour (highly recommended if you’re OK with ladders) at Jewel Cave. This time around was about new experiences.

Keep in mind that while I took many photos, these are places that need to be experienced in person. Photos simply cannot convey what it’s like to be hundreds of feet below ground in these incredible chambers.

Wind Cave National Park – the Natural Entrance tour includes the origin story of the Lakota People, which is fascinating. Wind Cave contains 95 percent of the world’s known boxwork, which is a type of surreal formation in many parts of the cave, as well as flowstone and many other otherworldly sights. The Garden of Eden tour covers a different section of the cave, equally as fascinating and beautiful.

This is a barometric cave, with the internal air pressure constantly adjusting to the outside conditions. The wind had picked up during our time on the Natural Entrance tour, so after coming back up to the surface I rushed back to the original cave entrance and was able to hear the sound of wind moving, like a very soft whistle. As of this year, 168 miles of the cave system has been explored, and it’s estimated that is only about 5 percent of the total based on wind and airflow studies.

Jewel Cave – The Scenic tour of Jewel Cave is wonderful (as is the Historic Lantern tour, highly recommended), but be prepared for about 750 stairs, both up and down. Jewel Cave contains a large variety of formations, crystals, columns, and flowstone “bacon” (about 20 feet tall).  Some of it glows in the dark under UV light as well. More information here: https://www.nps.gov/jeca/formations-of-jewel-cave.htm.  Jewel Cave is also barometric, and the original entrance to Jewel Cave was about the size of a softball, which was dynamited in the 1800s to open it up for exploration.

If caves are your thing, add Wind Cave and Jewel Cave to your list. Be sure to reserve your tour tickets well in advance, they sell out very quickly.

I visited Badlands National Park several years ago in late summer, in ridiculous heat, and the trail I really wanted to hike was closed for maintenance. This time was much better weather-wise, and I finally got to hike the Notch Trail.

Even if one doesn’t like hiking or exploring on foot, Badlands National Park is an amazing place to visit. The Badlands Loop Road is incredible, with 360-degree views. I stayed at Cedar Pass Campground inside the park, which has zero privacy and is more like parallel parking than individual campsites, but great views of the cliffs and rock formations from many sites. Sunrise from the campground was wow.

The Yellow Mounds area is quirky, a wonderful color palette of yellows, tans, and reds in layers. Not much hiking here, but plenty of places to pull over along the road and get out to stretch the legs and wander a bit.

The Notch Trail was closed on my previous visit, so that is what I headed to first. This is not a long trail, nor incredibly strenuous, but it’s definitely not for anyone afraid of heights or ladders. After a short walk through a canyon and scrambling up the ladder, the trail winds through more canyon and other-worldly rock formations to the edge of the upper cliffs. From here there are several vantage points to look out what seems like forever across the badlands area. This is an out-and-back trail, meaning you have to go back down the ladder on the return. Fun for me, but not for some.

The Door Trail starts in the same parking area as the Notch Trail, and though it’s quite short it allows you to walk out onto a large area of surreal rocks and formations. This is a great place to sit and just be, preferably with a nice cold iced tea.

This is definitely a place everyone should see at least once in their life.

It is about an hour and a half drive between the North and South Units of TRNP. I spent a day at the North Unit hiking, taking in the views, and exploring.

The day started with a quick stop at the Cannonball Concretions, alien-looking balls of stone embedded in a cliff.

From there I drove to the end of the Scenic Drive to Oxbow Overlook and hiked out to Sperati Point. It’s an easy, rolling, out-and-back hike with beautiful views at the end.

Next was another quick stop at River Bend Overlook, with a beautiful stone structure looking out over the Little Missouri River.

The last part of the day was hiking the loop Caprock Coulee Trail. Unfortunately I didn’t get any photos of this hike because the wind was so fierce it was a struggle just to stay upright in some places, much less stand still and take a picture. The Caprock portion of the trail follows a cliff edge and offers expansive views. The Coulee section meanders through easy open meadow and a juniper forest to complete the loop back to the car.

TRNP has been on my “need to see” list for a long time. I finally planned another road trip to North Dakota and South Dakota so I could re-visit Badlands and the Black Hills, but also see and explore new places. This was springtime before temperatures were too hot, unlike my last trim in the middle of summer.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park has 3 different units: North and South, which are about 1.5 hours of driving apart, and the Elkhorn Ranch area, which is the site of Theodore Roosevelt’s ranch. I camped at Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit. Along the Scenic Loop Drive there are many short hikes, including Peaceful Valley Ranch, Biocourt Trail, Buck Hill, Wind Canyon, and Coal Vein Trail. Twice I saw the herd of wild horses near Biocourt. I love catching early morning light, which I certainly did here.

The Little Missouri River winds its way through part of the park, with some beautiful views down into the river valley. I imagine what it would have been like to see millions of bison roaming these lands, before humans with no morals or integrity killed them for sport and nearly extincted them.

Thankfully, there were many bison, including up close and personal in the campground. On the first morning, groggy from waking, I ran into one very handsome and huge bull between my trailer and the restroom. The next morning I found huge hoof prints just a few feet from my trailer. There were also a few times I had to stop in the road to let a herd cross, which is just fine because it’s a treat to watch these majestic animals. This is their home, we are just the visitors.

Another fun place to visit in the South Unit is a short drive from the main entrance, where there is another visitor center at Painted Canyon. And yes, more bison. I had time so I hiked a couple of miles down into the canyon/valley, with beautiful views, formations, and colors. It’s impossible to capture the light and colors through photographs, just note that it’s well worth a hike if this is your kind of thing.

I’m in love with the southwest corner of Utah in wintertime when it’s dark and gray in the PNW and I’m spiraling into my yearly bout of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Of course, I love the entire lower half of Utah, but in winter the SW corner is my favorite. The winter light in the desert is amazing, and even though it’s often freezing, there is sunshine and blue sky and it fills my heart up to full. While I re-visit many of my favorite places while there every winter, we explored some new places in 2024.

Here are a few new places we discovered in 2024:
Cathedral Gorge State Park, NV
Sandstone Mountain
The Vortex
beyond Scout Lookout on West Rim Trail, Zion NP
new areas of Yant Flat / Candy Cliffs
Elephant Arch
>>> Please see each individual post for more info and photos!

You can also see hikes in this area from previous years HERE.

I highly recommend the book Favorite Hikes In & Around Saint George by Bo Beck and Jeremy J. Gorzalski for exploring this area.

As different as it possibly gets, on the flight from SEA to LAS, we were fortunate to be able to do an extremely close fly-by of my beautiful mountain, Mt. Rainier. Seeing my wilderness love so up close from this perspective took my breath away! The river valley is created by the White River, which flows from the Emmons Glacier below the Sunrise area.

I had hiked to the Vortex the year before, one of those hikes that I love because I didn’t see another person the whole time. That’s my kind of hike! But… apparently the first time I was there I missed the actual Vortex!

The hike begins down an uneven lava rock path to a dry riverbed, then up onto beautiful Navajo Sandstone petrified dunes. After meandering along the trail across easy-to-navigate sandstone, following cairns in some places, we had to do a bit of exploring to figure out where the actual Vortex is. It’s an easy short climb up onto a petrified sand dune and across the top of that to the Vortex.

There are several bowls carved out of the sandstone, some shallow, but one much deeper than the rest. My first time there I came across the first 2 bowls, but didn’t realize the deepest one was just a few dozen yards away. Unfortunately when the winter sun is so low in the sky, it casts deep shadows into the Vortex even at mid-day, so photos don’t do it justice. Regardless of whether or not you like the Vortex, the hike itself is lovely and beautiful. The far off views are stunning, well worth a cup of tea or coffee and a rest.

I’ve wanted to see Cathedral Gorge State Park for a while, finally got there on my 2024 visit to southwest Utah. It’s a long drive from where I was staying, but a good playlist helps.

Cathedral Gorge isn’t very large, at least not the interesting parts of it, so it was more of a meandering than hiking day. I love slot canyons, and though the Moon Slots were short and very easy to walk through, they were so interesting and fun to explore.

The Miller Point Trail is short and beautiful, taking you up a short gorge that seems more suited to a Star Wars movie than planet Earth. We had a lovely coffee and tea break at the gazebo at the top before heading back down and to the car.

I’ve hiked out of Chinook Pass along Highway 410 many times, up to Sheep Lake and Sourdough Gap. I’ve also done the steep hike up to Crystal Lakes many times, but have never connected the two. A good friend and I had a wonderful hike from Chinook Pass to Sheep Lake, up to Sourdough Gap, and to the ridge above Crystal Lakes. Stunning! I’m not sure why I’ve never accessed it this way before, but so glad we did, and it was a perfect way to celebrate my friend’s birthday.

Once we crested the trail looking down on Crystal Lakes, we found a wonderful lunch spot to sit and relax. Just a short hike on from there to the right brings incredible views of Upper Crystal Lake and Mt. Rainier. The kind of view that makes your jaw drop. I’m so thankful for good friends, and for having places like this to go to in order to connect back to what really matters. My recent favorite phrase is: Lose Reception, Gain Perspective. This is one of those places.

It was a 4-volcano day with Rainier up close, and further off Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and way into Oregon Mt. Hood.