Valley of Fire State Park, Moapa Valley, Nevada
You may have heard of The Wave, in the Coyote Buttes North region in the southwest, on the Utah/Arizona border. It is not a hiking trail, but it is a huge rock formation in the shape of – you guessed it – waves. It is beautiful shades of reds and corals with strands of white […]
Red Rocks Canyon National Conservation Area, Las Vegas, Nevada
Solo travel is essential. For me. If it is not essential for you…I probably cannot trust you. International Women’s Day is coming up, which means it is time to revisit Kanab, Utah with Dreamland Safari Tours. Each year they award a few women the Women’s Adventure Award – I was fortunate to win it the […]
James T. Slavin Conservation Area, Spokane, Washington
Winter is often pretty lame in the Inland Northwest. Although the lack of snow makes life easier in many ways, it also makes the gray days seem more gray and the cold seem colder. So, when the clouds part for a day, it feels like you might have died and surprisingly landed in heaven. Even […]
The Center of the Universe, Wallace, Idaho
Wallace, Idaho is one of my favorite places ever. It is a tiny, old mining town in North Idaho, about an hour east of Coeur d’Alene. It is a town with a population of 800 that has had to restart many times. In the late 1800’s, miners discovered one of the largest silver deposits in […]
Snow Lake Trail, Snoqualmie Pass, Washington
Described as the best hike near Seattle, Snow Lake Trail is the most frequented hike in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. Located in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, in the Central Cascades Mountains, it is well worth the long drive from Coeur d’Alene. I have a habit of needing to just leave. To not be at […]
The Enchantments, Central Cascades Mountains, Chelan County, Washington
The Enchantments, in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, is exactly as magical as its name suggests. It is a rugged alpine backcountry paradise for trail runners, hikers, and backpackers. There are over 700 alpine lakes here. Depending upon side quests and your GPS, it is approximately 20-miles point-to-point, with nearly 5,000′ elevation gain. You can access […]
Dry Gulch Preserve Trails, Wenatchee, Washington
I have said it before – give me all the sunshine. And of course, adventure. Wenatchee, Washington provides that for me. It is a few hours from Coeur d’Alene. An easy drive. Clear roads and loud music are the perfect setup for a solo weekend getaway to spend a couple days on exposed trails. The […]
Blue Creek Bay Recreation Site and Trail, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Time spent among trees is never wasted time. – Katrina Mayer We have had a strange winter. The Inland Northwest has received less than half the amount of snow that it usually gets, and honestly, what it needs. The region counts on snow melt in the spring and summer so that our wild areas are […]
Ben Burr Nature Trail, Spokane, WA
Between Liberty Park and Underhill Park, in Spokane, is the Ben Burr Nature Trail. Part of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, it is a paved trail that connects to the Centennial Trail, which I have written about a few times, and also has many access points to the named parks. IT IS ALSO THE TRAIL WHERE I […]
Brush Canyon Trail and Mount Bell Loop, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California
The boys and I have been to nearly every state in the continental United States, with the exception of the entire southwest. Go figure Barbarian Scientist is from southern Cali! As I have said before, when I went to Las Vegas, I run Spartan Races. So, when we had the opportunity for me to participate […]