Difficulty Level: 🟢 – Another 100 Feet

August 1, 2026May 3, 2026

Hiking the Kīlauea Iki Trail in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

A trail crosses a volcanic crater at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. — Kīlauea Iki Trail crosses the Kīlauea Iki Crater at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Wow. That’s all I have to say about this hike in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Having never hiked in an environment like this before, I was really impressed by the climate. The trail that went through the rainforest was humid and lush, and by contrast, the Kīlauea Iki crater was exposed, burned out and covered with lava rock where growth emerged through cracks in it where lava flowed in 1959.

Continue reading “Hiking the Kīlauea Iki Trail in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park”

July 1, 2026March 31, 2026

Hiking the Pīpīwai Trail at Haleakalā National Park

Waterfall coming down a 400 foot rock face. — Waimoku Falls on the Pīpīwai Trail at Haleakalā National Park.

The hike to Waimoku Falls on the Pīpīwai Trail is a beautiful lush hike through bamboo forests on the island of Maui. While not a difficult hike, it does offer challenges in the way of heat and humidity. That said, I would do this hike again and again.

Continue reading “Hiking the Pīpīwai Trail at Haleakalā National Park”

June 1, 2026July 11, 2026

Hiking the Rift Zone Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore

A fence separates a hiking trail from a cow pasture. — The Rift Zone Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore follows pastures along forested areas.

The hike on the Rift Zone Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore is a hiker’s minefield.

The trail was loaded with cow pies, steaming horse apples, two hives of bees that swarmed next to the trail, swarms of flies on fresh cow patties, a lavish supply of spider webs that crossed the trail in more places that could be counted but could not be seen as you walked through them. There was overgrowth that reached out to touch you. Most of it was blackberries that looked like poison oak, but then there was actual poison oak that had to be dodged. Then there was mud – both sticky mud and mud that caused your feet to slide out from under you when you stepped on it. And then there was the heavy humidity.

Continue reading “Hiking the Rift Zone Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore”

March 1, 2026May 3, 2026

Hiking to Glen Campground from Bear Valley

Tents in a campsite under canopy. — Some of the campsites at Glen Campground at Point Reyes National Seashore offer shade under the green forested canopy.

The hike to Glen Campground starts out on the Bear Valley Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore, and I’ve written about the Bear Valley Trail a few times. This portion of the hike is an easy family friendly trail along the Bear Valley Creek under lush cool canopy.

After about 3.2 miles, you’ll come to a junction. Go straight, and you’ll go out to the ocean and to the Coast Trail. Go left, and you’ll start an ascent through lush, humid forest that leads to the Glen Campground. After about .6 miles on a point 6.6 percent grade, a fork appears between the Glen Trail we were on and the Glen Camp Loop Trail. We stayed left and went onto the Glen Camp Loop Trail and then hiked up about .9 more miles on an average of a 2.3 percent grade to the campground.

Continue reading “Hiking to Glen Campground from Bear Valley”

June 1, 2025April 4, 2026

Hiking to Hidden Lake in Glacier National Park

Hidden Lake sits below mountains in the background and forest in the foreground at Glacier National Park. — Hidden Lake in Glacier National Park is a sight to behold. From the viewpoint, it can be incredibly breathtaking, and we found it difficult to head back.

Overlooking Hidden Lake in Glacier National Park is awe inspiring, and looking out from here is one of the places where you can see why Montana gets the label “Big Sky Country.” No picture can capture this – it has to be experienced to be understood. The best way to describe it is that the sky above you doesn’t seem to stop, and you can seem to see forever over the horizon.

Continue reading “Hiking to Hidden Lake in Glacier National Park”

August 11, 2023April 4, 2026

Hike to Darwin Falls at Death Valley National Park

Darwin Falls is a spring-fed waterfall at Death Valley National Park.

A waterfall at Death Valley National Park? Yep, there certainly is, and the hike to Darwin Falls is pretty easy for the most part.

The hike starts off from the parking lot and follows a Darwin Wash back to the waterfall. We didn’t start to notice water until about .7 miles from the trailhead that flowed from the waterfall in a stream. As we ventured further back, we went from a dry desert wash to trees, cattails and other greenery, including ferns, fed by the water.

Continue reading “Hike to Darwin Falls at Death Valley National Park”

July 14, 2023April 4, 2026

Hiking the Maze at Joshua Tree National Park

The desert landscape on the Maze hike is full of desert vegetation, trees, and land formations.

I’ve heard for years about The Maze at Joshua Tree National Park, and I finally got the opportunity to hike it. Maybe it was because of the hype I heard that I was expecting more than what it offered, but even with that said, I was in no way disappointed.

Continue reading “Hiking the Maze at Joshua Tree National Park”

June 16, 2023April 4, 2026

Hiking Skull Rock Nature Trail and Split Rock Trail at Joshua Tree National Park

The desert landscape at Joshua Tree National Park is striking, but pictures do not do it justice. It needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated.

This is the hike that made Joshua Tree National Park my favorite park. The Skull Rock Nature Trail/Split Rock Trail for me were over the top with scenery and ease. The video below and pictures do not do it justice. This hike needs to be experienced.

Continue reading “Hiking Skull Rock Nature Trail and Split Rock Trail at Joshua Tree National Park”

March 11, 2022April 4, 2026

Hiking Sunset Trail, Mount Livermore and North Ridge Trail on Angel Island

The views from the top of Angel Island offer a 360 degree view of the San Francisco Bay.

The views from the top of Mount Livermore on Angel Island State Park of the San Francisco Bay are incredible on a clear day. You can see the San Francisco Skyline, the East Bay, the Golden Gate Bridge and the hills of Marin County and much more.

Continue reading “Hiking Sunset Trail, Mount Livermore and North Ridge Trail on Angel Island”

June 19, 2020March 31, 2026

Hiking Bear Valley to Kelham Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore

Sandy Kelham Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore is backed by a cliff wall along its expanse.

Bear Valley Trail is probably the most popular trail at Point Reyes National Seashore, and I’ve hiked it countless times. This family-friendly trail is wide and follows the Bear Valley Creek under lush canopy almost all the way where it intersects with the Coast Trail.

Continue reading “Hiking Bear Valley to Kelham Beach at Point Reyes National Seashore”

May 11, 2019April 4, 2026

Hiking to Bassi Falls

Bassi Falls is at its fullest strength in May from the snowmelt runoff.

Updated May 23, 2021

Bassi Falls is a spectacular show of natural force as it tumbles and crashes 109 feet off granite rocks before the water hits the bottom and flows away. To see the falls at their most powerful, it’s best to go before the end of May while the snowmelt is still good. After May, the flow slows and eventually becomes a trickle. Continue reading “Hiking to Bassi Falls”

August 3, 2018April 1, 2026

Hiking Tomales Point Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore

Tomales Point looks north into Bodega Bay.

Ihave hiked the Tomales Point Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore several times, and depending on the time of year you go, you may or may not actually see the ocean as you move along the cliffed peninsula with the Pacific Ocean below you on the west side, Tomales Bay on the east side and Bodega Bay to the north. Continue reading “Hiking Tomales Point Trail at Point Reyes National Seashore”