Hiking vacations...
 

Hi everyone, my friends and I have had the opportunity to hike several states-almost 35-and several countries, and we have put that experience out on the web. Our personal website www.naturalbornhikers.com has tons of photos and a trail description of every trail we have hiked. If you are looking for some ideas this year...especially National Parks..our site might help. Feel free to check it out. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy hiking! :-)

i've come across your site before just surfing the net and it has some fantastic information!!
Thanks for sharing!

Cool! Small world! Thanks for checking out our site...glad you like it :-)THanks for posting. Happy hiking.

Thanks for the info...I just looked at it and it looks wonderful! We will be going to SF in April and needed info about the trails there. Thanks again!

I wish I saw your website before we went to Austria and Germany a few months ago! It looks like a great site. My husband and I like to hike, so I'm going to bookmark your website.

Thanks for sharing!
Tracy

Thanks judyrem and tcreath! Let me know if you have questions on any of the trails...Enjoy! :-)

Wow! Spectacular site....awesome photos and lots of great info.

Thanks for sharing, but now we will all want go with you :D

Man, you guys get around. It was great fun to look at the photos of the comparatively few trails that I've had a chance to hike. Thanks for letting us know about your site. We used to live next to the Chugach State Park. This made me nostalgic.

truhs, hey glad you enjoyed! wow, Chugach would be an excellent place to live...except in winter :-) Beautiful country! Thanks for checking out our site!

veldurt,

Frances at Pensacola Beach, here. Have "talked" with you in the past via your website. Still check it every so often to see what's new.

Thanks to you we got interested in "The Wave." I managed to get 2 of the permits for this May and so went back to your site and re-read your report and printed some pertinent info. Same for a couple of other hikes we'll be doing on this trip.

Thanks for keeping your pages going.

FYI. The National Seashore (Naval Live Oaks)in Gulf Breeze is much more open now than it was pre-Ivan and Dennis. But PegLegs on the Island is back up and going strong.

Happy hiking.

FF

Hey floridafran!!! you have mail :-)

Thank you for jogging my fond memories of many a past hike. I recall those blueberries, rhododendron, skinnydipping in the creek, and a few cold Gennessee Cream Ales after a hike in the Dolly Sods as a teenager. I have done more than couple of the others as well, including the multimile hikes in the dark over the lava flows in Hawaii, guided only by the ant-like flow of the flashlights of fellow hikers. Hiking is a principle component of all my travels. As I am contemplating a trip to St. Lucia, I am glad to know it has a hike to look forward to!

What are some of the best places to take a hiking vacation in the eastern us?

Hey asdaven, northeast or southeast?

Both

velodirt, your site has been bookmarked on my computer favorites for a long time already, over a year an a half. I found it while planning a hiking trip to Utah. Thanks for all the work it takes to keep up a site like that.

emd: Thanks so much! That is really nice to hear ;-)

asdaven: Lets see...you can't go wrong in the Great Smoky Mountains. I would also suggest the Adirondaks for the northeast, and the Dolly Sods Wilderness in West Virginia. Those are few of my favorites. Hope that helps.

I am thinking about going to smokies this summmer and do some hiking. Your website has some useful info on hiking in the smokies. Would you reccomend the chimney tops trail? Is the end part of it scary? It looks really cool (I like scary). Andrews Bald also sounds interesting, I don't know if that one was on your site. What are you top picks for day hiking in the smokies? Are the smokies your favorite in the eastern us?

Hey - thanks for posting your site. I am having a great time reading it and looking at the pictures.

Have you been to the Lakes Basin off of Hwy 49 in California? There is a great hike to the top of the Sierra Buttes there.

asdaven: I sure would recommend the Chimney Tops Trail...one of our absolute favorites!! It was my first major hike and remains one of the most fun...we have hiked it several times! The last part..if you go all the way to the second chimney..is pretty scary. Andrews Bald is on our site...another fun hike. Also check out rainbow falls and ramsay cascades, not to mention Mt LeConte. You will love any trail in the Smokies, and yeas, I would say it is my favorite in the East! :-)

Hey J, Glad you are enjoying the website :-) Thanks for your post.

No, I haven't been to Lakes Basin...sounds like a great hike...I will do some research. Any pointers? We are always looking for new trails! Thanks for the tip.

Thanks for the suggestions! How are the trails in late summer? Are the views still good with the pollution and are there wildflowers on these trails that time of year? I also assume that it is cool in temperature because these hikes are in the higher elevations. Also, one last thing, what in your opinion are the top ten most scaryist trails in the entire U.S? I mean scary because of heights. Hikes that have sheer drops on either side of the trail. Angels Landing in Zion NP with its thousand foot drops on each side would be one I would choose. Chimney Tops looks a little like Angels Landing but green. Do you agree? Again, thanks for all your help. Maybe I reccomend a few hikes in the U.S., that you have not taken. Have you done any hiking in Capitol Reef National Park? In my opinion, (I was only there a day, but did several hikes), the Chimney Rock Trail is a great hikes. You have a great website, lots of good hikes on there.

Hey asdaven, Hiking in the Smokies in late summer will be hot! The elevation isn't enough to really cool the air...most of the time it is hot and humid in summer...but still great. Wildflowers can be seen all through spring and summer...what you see blooming depends on the time and elevation. Views have been obscured a little by pollution..sad..but you also just usually have that haze associated with the "Smoky" mountains...hence the name.

Top trails that scared the beejeezus out of me include: In order of scariest first:
Mooney Falls in Havasu Canyon--couldn't make it..chickened out.
Angel's Landing--almost didn't make it--see my trip report on our website www.naturalbornhikers.com
Longs Peak-Rocky Mountains--serious exposure on "The Narrows"
Chimney Tops--last section
The Beehive-Acadia National Park-Maine--a little scary, but not too bad.

Those are the ones that come to mind. Keep in mind that I have a pretty good fear of heights, so take my opinions with that in mind.

I would love to hear your hiking suggestions...I have been to Capitol Reef, but just a drive through. I might be back there this May..so I will research that trail. Thanks.

velodurt - the Lakes Basin area is really fun - tons of good hiking and as you can probably guess - lots of lakes :) My family used to camp up there every summer and one of our favorite things to do was to just plot a course on a topo map, seeing how many lakes we could reasonably walk to on a day hike. Most of the area is national forest land.

There is a good hike starting at the dock at Salmon Lake. Salmon Lake is really pretty and there is a trail around the lake. On the opposite side of the lake is a lodge and some cabins - accessible only by foot or boat - and beyond that a good trail to some additional lakes. Horse lake is real marshy and Deer Lake is crystal clear, so they make a nice contrast. Deer Lake is about a mile from Salmon Lake, so from the dock and parking area, it is probably 2 miles. Beyond Deer Lake are additional lakes, so you can make the hike as long or as short as you want to.

The Sierra Buttes are a journey, but having climbed Mt Whitney, you guys shouldn't have any trouble with this one :) The route goes past some lakes - I believe Tamarak Lakes, which are small and quite pretty - through the forests, and then climbs up to the Buttes. The last push to the top is steep and open and then there are stairs at the top to a fire lookout. I don't remember exactly how far the hike is, but we always left after breakfast and were back to camp by dinner time, so it isn't terribly far. The view from the top is great though.

One more question- How does the smokies compare to the scenery of the white mountains, maine and Acadia? Do you like the smokies better than any of those? The average high for clingmans dome in august is 64 degrees acording to the NPS site. But, 80-90's in the lower elevations. Are the views still breathtaking even with the haze? Did you do the precipice trail in acadia? Have you done Half Dome in Yosemite? How is Havasu Canyon scary as far as heights?
Thanks-

Well, they are so different it is hard to compare them...both areas are beautiful. I just have a soft spot for the Smokies, and I have never had a bad view in the park..don't worry about the haze. Clingmans might get a little chilly at night, but I have never been anything other than hot in the Smokies in August...just my experience. We didn't get to do the Precipice Trail, it was closed. Yes, I have done Half Dome..loved it! The only part of Havasu that is scary is the descent to Mooney Falls. Hope I answered everything.

Thanks- Would those also rate as "on the edge of a sheer drop hikes"? That is what I was trying to mean. Does the smokies have better hiking opportunities than the white mountains? Also, which hikes that you have done rate as "unusual"? The Narrows in Zion is a good example, you have to hike through the water.

Velodurt, a dream vaction to me, is a wonderful day of fabulous hiking..... a glass(or 2) of wine and a decent dinner.....that is Nirvana IMO.

Judyrem: I agree!

Yes, they would be sheer drops! Hold onto your hat :-)

What hikes would you rate "unusual" and which hikes are your favorite "waterfall hikes"? That is in the U.S., not just the smokies. Would you say hiking in some of the higher elevations of the smokies is "alpine hiking"?

I wouldn't consider any hiking in the Smokies "alpine", because you are never above treeline. I can't say that I have been on an unusual hike. As far as waterfalls go--they are all great, but Havasu Falls is the best.

Have you done Calf Creek Falls in Utah, the narrows in zion,utah, or the cascade canyon trail in the tetons? All great trails, Calf Creek Falls is a great desert waterfall and not as hard to get to as Havasu in Arizona. It is a good flat, sandy 6 mile RT hike. The narrows are neat, all hiking in water with 1,000-2,000 foot cliff walls, I went as far as Orderville Canyon from the end of the scenic drive. 5 miles RT. But, you can do the whole thing 16 miles one-way from a ranch on the north end and there are campsites along the way. Cascade Canyon is great, you have to take a boat ride to the trailhead accross Jenny Lake and there is a waterfall. Then, it continues on into a canyon between two peaks of the tetons. Gets you right up to it! Hike as far as the forks of the canyon for a dayhike, then hike back. Or you can make it a backcountry multiday

Have you done Calf Creek Falls in Utah, the narrows in zion,utah, or the cascade canyon trail in the tetons? All great trails, Calf Creek Falls is a great 120 foot desert waterfall and not as hard to get to as Havasu in Arizona. That is the lower one, there is an upper one that is off the beaten path, but the lower one is the best with the most water volume. It is a good flat, sandy 6 mile RT hike from the road. The narrows are neat, all hiking in water with 1,000-2,000 foot cliff walls, I went as far as Orderville Canyon from the end of the scenic drive. 5 miles RT. But, you can do the whole thing 16 miles one-way from a ranch on the north end and there are campsites along the way. Cascade Canyon is great, you have to take a boat ride to the trailhead accross Jenny Lake and there is a waterfall. Then, it continues on into a canyon between two peaks of the tetons. Gets you right up to it! Hike as far as the forks of the canyon for a dayhike, then hike back (6-7 miles RT). Or you can make it a backcountry multiday hike, and come back through another canyon. Good Wildlife Viewing! I didin't really do any hiking in Yellowstone, but the Uncle Tom's Trail is very neat. A short trail into the canyon, with stairs shackled to the canyon walls, and a close up view of Yellowstone Falls! I don't know if you have done any of these. Just ones I like a lot. Does the smokies have some of your favorite waterfalls? I guess you can consider Andrews Bald an "alpine" hike, since it a bald with no trees. But, that dosen't have to do with elevation, since clingmans is higher and has trees. What are your favorite hikes or most scenic in the U.S.?

Sorry, posted twice, read the second post.

ttt

Hey asdaven, those sound like great hikes...thanks for sharing. The Smokies do have some great waterfalls...a couple are Grotto Falls and Ramsay Cascades. I can't really pick a favorite hike...I love them all, but Mt Whitney and The Wave are high on the list. Thanks again for the hiking info.

How about in the eastern united states? Also, would you consider the smokies area to have the best waterfalls in the eastern us?

velodurt,

Since I know you've hiked/walked our powdery beaches here in the FL Panhandle, and the in-some-places- sandy trail to The Wave - how do they compare? I know you had blisters to contend with that day, but if that hadn't been a factor would say that the sandy parts of The Wave trail are no worse than slogging through dry beach sand here?

I'm curious because I've read several trip reports for The Wave and each of them had comments about the sandy parts and the difficulty thereof. But I have no idea if any of these people have had much experience walking for hours along a beach like I have. Since I know you've done both, figured you could help.

We'll be in Capitol Reef in May and hope to try the Chimney Rock Trail as well as the short hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls just outside the park. The more I read about CR, the more time I wish we had to spend there.

Hey floridafran, I don't remember the sandy parts being any different from a beach...it was just the blisters, like you mentioned, that made it hard. Yeah, we are hoping to spend some time in CR too...looks like a great hiking destination. Did you get my email?