When her marriage ended in divorce after 10 years, Carol Schaffer wasn’t eager for a fresh start. Still shaken up by the split, Schaffer said she held tight to the people and pastimes she loved and only introduced new things into her life (hiking, “Seinfeld” binge-fests) if they helped her heal in some way. “You can’t change everything about...
Learn MoreThe rescue of a hiker stranded overnight on Alum Cave in the Great Smoky Mountains ended with a helicopter and began when two Knoxville hikers heard her cries for help. David Roy, 32, and Mat Merten 36, were hiking Saturday evening, June 27, on the Alum Cave Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park when they stopped at the bluffs to eat. At 7 p.m. they heard a voice...
Learn MoreThe average American boy or girl spends as few as 30 minutes in unstructured outdoor play each day. Only 6% of children nine to 13 play outside on their own in a typical week. But if you’re reading this, you probably already know that outdoor play is essential for children’s health and well-being. Here are several science-backed reasons that prove you’re right. Better...
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As a U.S. Marine tank commander, Sean Gobin endured many harrowing experiences: the invasion of Iraq, counterinsurgency missions in Fallujah and the training of Afghan army recruits. But he never had a chance to process any of it. In 2012, Gobin left the military and convinced a war buddy to hike the 2,168-mile Appalachian Trail with him. They used their journey to raise...
Learn MoreHiking author Mickey Eisenberg still treks eight to 10 miles on weekends at age 69, often with his buddy Gene Yore, a young 76. Their knees aren’t that creaky, and they still can tread some serious miles, so why not, Eisenberg said. “When people think of Mount Rainier National Park, they typically think of Mount Rainier itself,” said Eisenberg, a physician. Most don’t...
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Outdoor enthusiasts have several new trails that the Tennessee Valley Authority has opened in North Alabama this summer, including one that brings hikers to an old saltpeter mine. And while explaining the new trails and playgrounds near Guntersville Dam, Athens and Muscle Shoals, David Brewster, TVA’s natural resources manager for west operations, also listed the...
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In its ninth summer, the Idaho Conservation League Adventure Series in North Idaho features day hikes of varying difficulty, paddle trips on both Lake Pend Oreille and Lake Coeur d’Alene and campsite and trail maintenance volunteer opportunities. Whether you are new or native to the Panhandle, this adventure series is a great way to explore and gain new...
Learn MoreGreat Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced the temporary closure of the Cosby entrance road due to flood damage. On June 22, 2015 at approximately 4 p.m., flash flooding along Rock Creek spilled over the banks, damaging road shoulders along 1,500 linear feet of the Cosby entrance road. Underground electric and phone lines were exposed along most of the road...
Learn MoreIf you’re going to fake it as a paid-up member of the jet set, then Monterosso, at the northern end of the Cinque Terre, is the perfect place. Pinned to the cliffs above the Gulf of Genoa on the shin of the Italian boot, the Cinque Terre – the five lands – is the sort of landscape that causes hearts to beat a little faster. This is one of the scenic...
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CDT Montana, a branch of the Montana Wilderness Association that focuses on maintaining and supporting the Continental Divide Trail, had no problem filling most of its volunteer slots for this summer’s trail projects. That was until a longtime partner had to cancel leaving an entire project without any volunteers. The trail maintenance project runs July 5-10, 2015 in the...
Learn MoreIn just a mile on level ground, you can reach a spot that can change the way you feel about things for a long time. From the trailhead for the Pacific Crest Trail near Tuolumne Meadows, you can amble north for 20 minutes or so to a pristine meadow sprinkled with lodgepole pine, where a high mountain rim frames your moment in time. Unicorn Peak (10,910 feet), Cathedral...
Learn MoreIf you can surround yourself with anyone, surround yourself with hikers. They are the most down to earth, adventurous folks you’ll ever meet. They are the definition of pure, good vibes. They’re all different, but they all have similar characteristics that make them simply irresistible. If you don’t hike, you should strongly reconsider. Here’s why: They’re optimistic,...
Learn MoreThe Palomar Mountain Observatory Trail is one of only four National Recreation Trails in San Diego County, California. From the tree-shaded, well-maintained trail there are bucolic vistas of grassy meadows with grazing cattle. It also provides a chance to visit the Hale Telescope and the world-class Palomar Observatory. It is easily accessible and is a rewarding hike...
Learn MoreMore than 100 years after legislation was introduced to build a bridge over the Winooski River, hikers on the Long Trail will have a safe place to cross the river and head north. The Green Mountain Club opened a new 224-foot Long Trail suspension bridge as part of the Winooski Valley Long Trail relocation. The bridge, located just off of U.S. 2 in Bolton, Vermont saves...
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Thanks to a new partnership between Albemarle County and the Kids in Parks program, there’s a new family hiking trail in Crozet, Virginia. Kids in Parks is a national program designed to get kids outside and exploring. The new trailhead at Mint Springs Park is open with a kiosk stocked with interactive maps. Kids in Parks calls it a track trail, it has free guides...
Learn MoreThe mental game is huge when you’re in the woods. Alone, the ante is upped considerably. You’re more alert. More cautious. More in tune with what’s going on around you and inside of you. These are all good things, but there’s a downside: There’s no one to commiserate with about aches and pains, no one to consult the map with, or share a...
Learn MoreNever been hiking with your kids? Great Smoky Mountains National Park is presenting a series of programs this summer to help introduce families to hiking in the park. These ranger led programs will give parents advice on how to prepare for a hike, what to take, what to watch out for, and some fun activities that you can do with children while hiking. Not sure about...
Learn MoreHere’s another powerful benefit to walking. When your brain is completely overloaded and you need to take a life time-out and hit the reset button, nothing will accomplish that better than logging some cleansing miles on foot, solo. No phone, no headphones, just you and your feet. The long walk is a therapeutic tool to not only power up your mind but also to recharge its...
Learn MoreIt’s a sound Camelback Mountain regulars have come to expect. Amid the Spotify, busy chatter of teenagers and welcome breezes, the chop of rescue helicopters cuts through the air, its occupants combing the terrain for the latest broken ankle or victim of Valley heat. Phoenix, Arizona mountain rescues spiked by more than 30 percent in 2014 over the previous year,...
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Many travelers are familiar with the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage walk, but there is a new journey that seems to be gaining traction with everyone from history buffs and outdoorsy types to those looking for a creative way to disconnect from email and cell phones for several weeks in the European countryside. The inaugural European Peace Walk (EPW) took place last...
Learn MoreThe Zagori region in north west Greece is little known among visitors heading to Athens and the islands. But amid its mountains, canyons and ancient villages are superb hiking trails, delicious local fare and top places to stay. Forested mountains stretch into the distance – the craggy peaks still topped with snow – and the clear waters of the Voidomatis River whoosh by...
Learn MoreWith more than 4,000 miles of hiking trails, it’s not too hard to get away from it all in New Hampshire. But if you want to get even further away, you could head out on the Cohos Trail, one of the wildest, most remote trails in New England. The Cohos Trail is a 165 miles long approximately. It utilizes new trail, moose paths, existing trails, old ways, old rail...
Learn MoreNearly 5 million people visit Grand Canyon National Park each year, but many do not get far below its limestone rim. Even fewer head to the bottom. Why? The simple answer is: It’s hard. The hike down to the banks of the chalky green Colorado River, and especially back up, is challenging, even grueling. Even if you’ve trained on stair climbers and hills with a 30-pound...
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Backpacker Magazine is throwing a 2,180-mile party from Georgia to Maine! Join in on June 20, 2015 for a record-setting attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail in 24 hours. Bring on the thru-hikers, the section hikers, the weekend warriors. Bring on the dayhikers with sneakers on their feet and baby carriers on their backs. Bring on the AT lifers and those who have never...
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The Cradle of Forestry in America will celebrate National Get Outdoors Day, June 13, 2015, with outdoor skills demonstrations, activities and crafts. Admission to the site and all activities are free. The USDA Forest Service is a National Get Outdoors Day partner. The campaign encourages Americans, especially youth, to seek out healthy, active outdoor lifestyles, connect...
Learn MoreIf you’ve been coming to this site for awhile and paying attention to the sidebar, I’ve been running a poll for the past several months. The poll had to do with carrying a gun when you hike. The specific question was: I was surprised to learn how many people apparently carry a gun when they hike. How about you? Do you carry when hiking? Well, the poll reached...
Learn MoreHaven’t explored Georgia outside of the metro Atlanta area? There’s a whole lot more to Georgia than you’d think. Georgia’s landscapes are beautiful and staggering in variety, from southern sandy Atlantic coast to lush, green, rolling Appalachian Mountains in the north. Moss and fern-filled forests, breezy mountaintops with stunning views, barrier islands where wild...
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Well known Smoky Mountains author and off-trail hiker Jenny Bennett is missing. She was scheduled to move to Vermont on June 1, 2015, but has not been seen. She evidently went for one last hike in the Smokies on Saturday, May 30 or Sunday, May 31 and did not return. The movers arrived at her house on Monday, June 1 and she was not there. She has not been seen or heard...
Learn MoreSeveral trails have been closed today, June 7, 2015, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park after a bear attack. The trails are closed in the Hazel Creek section of the park. Park officials say last night at about 10:30 p.m. a 16-year-old male from Ohio was pulled from his hammock by a bear. The incident happened at campsite 84 approximately four and a half miles...
Learn MoreA gnarled old oak tree sits atop Bly Gap at 3,800 feet on the Appalachian Trail, famously marking the boundary between Georgia and North Carolina. The Tar Heel State, the second on the northbound thru-hiker’s agenda, wastes no time with fancy introductions, putting a couple of brutally steep 4,000-footers directly ahead: Courthouse Bald and the aptly named Sharp Top....
Learn MoreJocelyn Hebert needs no encouragement from Hollywood to hit the hiking trail all by herself. For years, she’s ventured deep into the woods with only her backpack for company. Animals, accidents and creepy strangers aren’t worries for her, although occasionally the whisper of the wind gives her the shivers. “Seriously, the wind can be eerie,”...
Learn MoreKatherine Gividen greets most people wearing hiking clothes and a big smile. Her passion is hiking, which she promotes as an instructor of the LSU leisure backpacking class, president of the Louisiana Hiking Club and through her job as an outdoor specialist at a local retail store. But it wasn’t hiking trails that brought her to Louisiana. It was food. Following her...
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I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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