News

Desert hikes offer unexpected health benefits

Posted by on Sep 12, 2014 @ 10:54 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

During his two years confined in harsh imprisonment for the crime of homosexuality, British playwright Oscar Wilde wrote: “Nature, whose sweet rains fall on unjust and just alike, will have clefts in the rocks where I may hide, and secret valleys in whose silence I may weep undisturbed … She will cleanse me in the great waters, and with bitter herbs make me whole.” Philip Ferranti, founder of the Coachella Valley, CA Hiking Club and author of “140 Hikes In and Near Palm Springs,”echoes Wilde’s thoughts:...

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Latinos Love Hiking – Here’s Why

Posted by on Sep 12, 2014 @ 6:27 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

Latinos Love Hiking – Here’s Why

by Rod Torrez for Huffington Post Just over a year ago, The New Republic ran a story with a catchy, but slightly insulting title: “White People Love Hiking. Minorities Don’t. Here’s Why.” I took the bait and read the piece, and found it to be well-intentioned, but overgeneralized. Toward the end the author wondered why a Hispanic teenager from Denver would grow up to enjoy the outdoors if his or her “parents had neither the means nor the interest” in visiting, say, Rocky Mountain National Park. I laughed...

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High Peaks to Lead Hike Over Roan Mountain

Posted by on Sep 12, 2014 @ 4:18 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Join the High Peaks Trail Association for a jaunt over spectacular Roan Mountain on Sept. 20, 2014. This difficult 6.3-mile trek will reward hikers with great views from the top of one of the region’s signature peaks. Hikers should assemble on the Burnsville, NC Town Square at 8:30 a.m. Transportation will be provided by a Yancey County van for a fee of $5 per person. Leashed dogs are welcome on the hike but are not allowed on the county vans, so if you plan to bring your pet you must arrange your own transportation. The hike will start at...

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Revealing a Geological Gem at Linville Falls

Posted by on Sep 11, 2014 @ 5:34 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

Revealing a Geological Gem at Linville Falls

Wondering about all the activity going on at Linville Falls? Thanks to the generosity of community stewards, the Upper Falls Overlook at Linville Falls (milepost 316.4 Blue Ridge Parkway) will welcome more visitors with a larger viewing area, taking them closer to a geological gem, the Linville Falls Thrust Line. A new boardwalk and railing tied together with rock-clad columns create the enlarged vista point. With the expansion come educational opportunities for students, geologists, and the public to see this section of rock that jutted up...

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Ten favorite West Michigan trails to explore this fall

Posted by on Sep 11, 2014 @ 12:55 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

The days are getting shorter, but don’t resign yourself to settling in for a long, lazy season inside. One of West Michigan’s greatest assets is the natural beauty that surrounds the area, with amenities that you won’t even find in many big cities. From small pocket parks to epic-sized Lake Michigan, you’re never far away from a wooded trail, a mountain bike path, or a gorgeous beach. As summer turns to fall, Rapid Growth rounded up ten of West Michigan’s best hikes, with hidden urban hiking trails mixed in with...

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Be Safe During Hunting Season

Posted by on Sep 11, 2014 @ 11:53 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Be Safe During Hunting Season

The deer season for bow hunters begins September 13 across North Carolina for 2014, and the U.S. Forest Service reminds hunters and non-hunters to practice safety when visiting the four national forests. Dates are likely to be similar in other states. The following are just a few tips hunters should follow to ensure they return home safely from the Croatan, Uwharrie, Pisgah, or Nantahala: Check weather reports before visiting the forest. Tell someone where you will be hunting and when you will return. During certain seasons, hunters must wear...

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Texas state park starts women’s hiking group

Posted by on Sep 10, 2014 @ 8:00 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Women will soon be able to hike Palo Duro Canyon State Park with like-minded women who want to enjoy the outdoors. “This is not a ‘get-fit, extreme hiking group,’” according to a news release. The hikes will start at 10 a.m. and end by noon. “The first one is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 17 and will be once a month on Wednesdays, weather permitting,” said Bernice Blasingame, park education director and interpreter. “We will learn about the beautiful natural resource that is Palo Duro Canyon and at the same time share our love of nature.”...

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Web App Features Trails for Leaf Viewing

Posted by on Sep 8, 2014 @ 2:54 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

The U.S. Forest Service invites national forest visitors to use the new NCtrails.org web application for planning their fall foliage adventures. Unveiled in May 2014, the searchable web application (web app) offers details on three popular trail systems in western North Carolina, as well as state-of-the-science information on the region’s forests. The Browse Trails section of the web app includes information on trails in the Tsali (pronounced “SAH-lee”) Recreation Area, located in the Nantahala National Forest, Cheoah Ranger...

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Spain Vacation: Fascinating Hiking Trails in Cuenca Province

Posted by on Sep 7, 2014 @ 7:20 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

When visiting Spain on vacation, there are a multitude of fascinating hiking trails available throughout the country, but some of the most unusual and beautiful trails and landscapes can be found in the province of Cuenca in central Spain. Some of these landscapes, however, are not completely natural, as in the case of the “Ruta de las Caras” or Route of the Faces, located next to the dam at Buendía. This hiking path is unlike any other in the world. Along the path, sculpted into the rock itself and dotted throughout the landscape, is a...

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Huzzah for Hiking Festival kicks off new club at Kings Mountain National Military Park

Posted by on Sep 6, 2014 @ 10:17 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

“Huzzah” is a colonial-era way of saying “hurrah,” but the antique word will soon take on new meaning at the Kings Mountain National Military Park. On Sept. 6, 2014, the park near Blacksburg, S.C., will host a festival to call attention to a group called the Huzzah Hiking Club. Representatives from local outdoor attractions, along with hospital and public health professionals will be on hand to talk about activities that promote healthy lifestyles. The hiking club is being organized in advance of the two-year celebration of the National Park...

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National Scenic Trails Added to Revised Michigan Topo Maps

Posted by on Sep 5, 2014 @ 8:26 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Newly released US Topo maps for Michigan now feature segments of the North Country National Scenic Trail. Several of the 1,290 new US Topo quadrangles for the state now display parts of the Trail along with other improved data layers. “USGS maps are excellent planning and navigation tools for hikers and other trail users” said Mark Weaver, Superintendent of the Trail. “The North Country Trail is a truly special recreational resource and we are quite thrilled to have the trail incorporated onto the maps.” The North Country Trail is one...

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D.C.-area Civil War battlefields offer history and hiking

Posted by on Sep 4, 2014 @ 9:07 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Tracing the footfalls of Ulysses S. Grant and visiting the room where Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson breathed his last can be experienced within a day’s drive of the nation’s capital, ringed by battlefields where thousands of soldiers fought and bled and died in the Civil War. Protected by the National Park Service, these hallowed grounds still echo the conflict they once contained — Yankee vs. rebel, brother vs. brother — and call to following generations to never forget. A tour could well begin at the site of the war’s first major battle —...

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12 Job Ideas For Thru Hikers

Posted by on Sep 3, 2014 @ 1:05 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Culmination season is ramping up as northbound thru hikers are reaching the end of their journeys. Every hiker knows the grim reality behind that glorious moment at the end of their 2,000 mile trail. Once the photos have been snapped and descent has been made, there is only one place to go for most hikers: Home. This is wonderful at first (not at all the grim part). Sleeping in a bed, eating all the foods you missed and, maybe best of all, returning to friends and family. But for most, after a short time of rest this leads to the necessity of...

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Rhode Island Hiking Club explores state’s natural beauty

Posted by on Sep 2, 2014 @ 8:22 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Rhode Island Hiking Club explores state’s natural beauty

Hiking has grown in popularity in recent years. The number of participants in the U.S. hiking has risen from 29.9 million in 2006 to 34.6 million in 2012. Members of the baby boom generation, who are now in their 50s and 60s, are particularly drawn to the sport. Hikes can range from backcountry hikes, where people spend days camping in the wild, to luxury hikes, where gear is transported by car to the next overnight destination — often a hotel or hostel — while the hiker carries a daypack to day hikes, which are ranked according to...

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Finding Minnesota: Superior Hiking Trail

Posted by on Sep 1, 2014 @ 12:41 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

Finding Minnesota: Superior Hiking Trail

Before you know it, the trees in Minnesota will be turning bright shades of yellow, orange and red. Some of the most spectacular views in the state can be found along the Superior Hiking Trail in the Arrowhead region. “It’s a whole different world out here,” said Dan Carr of Two Harbors, who hikes the trail regularly. “You just have to get off Highway 61.” The Superior Hiking Trail follows the ridge line of Lake Superior’s north shore, through eight state parks along with inland forests and lakes. There are two distinct bursts of fall color...

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Hikes you must do in Marin County, CA

Posted by on Sep 1, 2014 @ 12:31 pm in Hiking News | 2 comments

While you can’t go wrong with when it comes to hiking in Marin County, California, there are some areas you undoubtedly must visit at least once. Considering Marin’s seemingly endless selection of open space and trails, creating a list of the best hikes the county has to offer is no easy feat. But here’s a shot, with a mix of cardio-pumping routes and easy flat trails that are kid friendly. These hikes range from more intense all-day treks to little half-day loops. They also encompass a range of scenery, including...

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Hike into hell: Testing your limits in the mountains

Posted by on Aug 31, 2014 @ 9:26 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Hike into hell: Testing your limits in the mountains

The past winter was so brutal that only the thought of a week-long hike through hell could keep Scott Gauvin warm. Gauvin, 37, of Springfield, IL, is one of 14 outdoor bloggers from all over the country to undertake the six-day Hell Hike and Raft — named for the trip through the Seven Devils mountain range and the Snake River running through Hell’s Canyon in Idaho. It begins Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014. Planning began during one of the bleakest winters in recent memory. “This is what we were discussing last winter when it was too cold to do...

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Olympic National Park is a gem, rain or shine

Posted by on Aug 31, 2014 @ 8:12 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

The far side of the Olympic National Park, on the west coast of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, is indeed rain forest. Its Hoh River Valley is drenched with a dozen feet of rain a year. Think 50 shades of green in a wondrous tangle of trees, moss, ferns. Yet Olympic National Park is so vast – almost 1 million acres of mountains, forest and ocean beaches – that you can find drier sides and your own natural haven, rain or shine. At Hurricane Ridge, in the park’s northeast corner, drive up the winding road to the 5,242-foot viewpoint on a...

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Crooked River Ranch trails of central Oregon become more fun to hike as summer’s heat wanes

Posted by on Aug 30, 2014 @ 11:18 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

The heat is slowly on its way out, so the time is on hand to experience the many trails that leave from the edge of the Crooked River Ranch in Central Oregon. Actually, summer was a good time to go, too, because the trails lead to the cool waters of the Deschutes and Crooked rivers. Hiking early or late in the day helps beat the heat. The Crooked River Ranch is a recreation/housing development, in southern Jefferson County (with a small part of northern Deschutes County) in central Oregon. Public facilities on the ranch include an 18-hole...

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A 500-mile solo hike to cure loneliness

Posted by on Aug 30, 2014 @ 8:35 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

A 500-mile solo hike to cure loneliness

The plan was to hike the Colorado Trail, a 500-mile path through the Rockies that links Denver with Durango. It crosses eight mountain ranges, travels through remote wilderness areas, and climbs nearly three times the height of Mt. Everest. Most of the trail is above 10,000 ft., so the air is thin, the danger of lightning strikes is severe, and nighttime temperatures often dip below freezing. Of the estimated 400 people who attempt the trail a given year, only about 150 finish. A friend said, “I think you’re nuts. Traveling alone in the...

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Grand Canyon to limit rim-to-rim hiking-group size

Posted by on Aug 29, 2014 @ 12:02 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

Grand Canyon National Park is trying to fight overcrowding and the accumulation of clothing, food and even human waste along trails by requiring permits for organized groups and limiting them to 30 people. Starting Sept. 15, 2014, any group taking organized, rim-to-rim or extended day-hiking and running trips in the inner Canyon will have to pay $175 for a permit. Super-crowded trails are a problem only about three weekends every spring and three every fall, but the frustrations, impact and behaviors can be “extreme” said Peter...

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Girl Scouts save boys hiking Pikes Peak

Posted by on Aug 29, 2014 @ 11:57 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Three teenagers said the survival skills they learned during Girl Scouts saved two high school boys trying to hike Pikes Peak. Rebecca Clark, Jordan Wilson and Tristina Altman set out on Pikes Peak last weekend. They thought their toughest challenge would be summitting Pikes Peak. “We packed sleeping bags, tents, fire building stuff, water, toilet paper, necessities,” said Altman. However, on the way down they came across two high school boys who were ill-prepared for the trip. “One of them had altitude sickness so he was...

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You Should Spend Money on Experiences, Not Things

Posted by on Aug 28, 2014 @ 7:30 pm in Hiking News | 1 comment

It’s been over a decade since American psychologists Leaf Van Boven and Thomas Gilovich concluded that doing things makes people happier than having things. “To Do or to Have? That Is the Question” was the title of the study they published in 2003, and it’s been cited hundreds of times since. Many people now recognize that spending money on, say, a plane ticket for a vacation is more satisfying in the long run than purchasing a new television for the same price. But happiness studies keep evolving, and social scientists continue to find new...

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Hickory Nut Gorge celebrates waterfall access, trailhead into park

Posted by on Aug 28, 2014 @ 1:28 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

Hickory Nut Gorge celebrates waterfall access, trailhead into park

An impromptu appearance of a dozen hikers was affirmation for the 50 people sitting at a ceremony on folding chairs that Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy had succeeded in their goal of expanding access to the Hickory Nut Gorge’s growing trail network. The ceremony along Highway 74-A was hosted by CMLC and Henderson County Parks and Recreation to celebrate several milestones: the development of a trailhead at the foot of the Florence Nature Preserve, which is now a county park, and the grand opening of 1.1 miles of trail up to Little...

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The Cradle of Forestry Hosts Afternoon Tea with Llamas

Posted by on Aug 28, 2014 @ 12:26 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

The Cradle of Forestry in America will offer “Afternoon Tea with Llamas” on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. The llamas will carry your lunches or snacks on this easy walk along the Forest Discovery Trail at the Cradle of Forestry. Organizers will provide ice tea and cups. As the group walks the Forest Discovery Trail, children can take turns leading the llamas. The group will stop and picnic along the trail. This moderate, two-mile walk travels through scenic woods and by the 1914 Climax logging locomotive....

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Hiking Kanarra Creek Trail is a family affair

Posted by on Aug 27, 2014 @ 9:52 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

If you want to experience a beautiful slot canyon with the family, Kanarra Creek, Utah is slow-moving and not too difficult to access. Hikers of Kanarra Falls Trail can expect to encounter multiple waterfalls, including two that are 8 feet or taller, and breathtaking sandstone colors throughout the slot canyon. While it’s not something for small children or those new to hiking, the trail is appropriate for kids with some hiking experience. Hikers should know how to navigate tripping hazards like tree roots and narrow trails, be comfortable...

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Trace Ridge Trails and Roads Reopened in Pisgah

Posted by on Aug 25, 2014 @ 11:32 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

The U.S. Forest Service has reopened all trails and roads in the Trace Ridge and Wash Creek Area after completing an ecosystem improvement project in the Pisgah Ranger District, Pisgah National Forest. All roads and trails have been reopened to their designated use, including Wash Creek Road, which restores motorized access to the Trace Ridge Trailhead. The roads and trails were closed during the project to help ensure public safety during timber harvesting activities. The evidence of implementing this project will be obvious as timber...

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Retracing the Mullan Road: A once-vital route across the Continental Divide

Posted by on Aug 25, 2014 @ 8:14 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Wagon wheel ruts remain in sun-baked soil atop the mountain pass named for the man who left his mark there. John Mullan was an Army first lieutenant in the 1850s and tasked with building a road that would connect two outposts and help speed the travel of troops, travelers and commercial freight across the Continental Divide. He was to construct a road across plains and mountains to link forts Benton and Walla Walla. Fort Benton, which preceded the town that’s located there now and was a trading post at that time, was the farthest steamboats...

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A walk on the woolly side: sheep trekking in Wales

Posted by on Aug 25, 2014 @ 8:08 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

It’s the tour for those who like to follow. Visitors to Wales can now enjoy sheep trekking; roaming the Brecon Beacons national park in the company of wooly farmyard friends. The concept – which is new to the region – is being offered by Good Day Out along with Aberhyddnant Farm, who have trained a flock of Jacob sheep for the purpose. Visitors can select their own sheep, which will then accompany them (with the help of a rope halter), on a two-and-a-half-hour trek towards the Black Mountains with views towards Pen y Fan. Although the sheep...

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Taking a trip of exotic hiking in Iceland

Posted by on Aug 24, 2014 @ 2:44 pm in Hiking News | 0 comments

You have to walk quite a few miles, climb your share of hills and wear out an army’s stock of shoe leather before getting to the point of considering backpacking in Iceland. Sixty-one-year-old Jim Foster, who refers to himself as a reformed attorney, has walked Patagonia, climbed Kilimanjaro, trekked New Zealand, backpacked the American west, and in 2007, hiked the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. Consider him qualified to stand, and walk, on his own two feet anywhere he wants. Foster and his friend, Paul Shaw, are just back from nine...

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Wildfire shuts down 25 miles of Pacific Crest Trail

Posted by on Aug 23, 2014 @ 8:03 am in Hiking News | 0 comments

Wildfire shuts down 25 miles of Pacific Crest Trail

A large swath of the Pacific Crest Trail in the Southern Cascades will be shut down beginning August 23, due to the growing activity of the 790 Fire. The closure covers roughly 25 miles from Oregon Highway 140 north to the boundary of Crater Lake National Park, the U.S. Forest Service said. The closure includes most trails in the popular Seven Lakes Basin of the Sky Lakes Wilderness, where the fire is located, near Hemlock Lake. The fire has recently crossed the trail and there are numerous down and burning snags making the trail unsafe. Fire...

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