Colorado, Colorado Hikes, Rocky Mountain National Park, US National Parks

Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes: Bierstadt Lake

The first time we did this hike, I hated it. In retrospect, I may have overreacted. It’s not my favorite hike in Rocky, but it’s still pretty nice. I’m sure the fact that I was asking my tired legs – which had hiked 10 miles (16 km) the day before – to climb a bunch… Continue reading Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes: Bierstadt Lake

Colorado, Colorado Hikes

Colorado Day Hikes: Helms Lake

I feel very fortunate to be a member of the Colorado branch of Women Who Hike, as it’s the most active one. There are always people looking for hiking buddies and, because there are multiple ambassadors, hosted group hikes occur very frequently. I’ve been lucky enough to secure spots in a few of these hikes,… Continue reading Colorado Day Hikes: Helms Lake

Colorado, Colorado Hikes

Colorado Day Hikes: Square Top Lakes

Fall arrived late to Colorado in 2019, thanks to the fact that winter persisted in the mountains until early July. Typically, fall colors peak in the mountains in mid-September, but this year they didn’t arrive until the end of the month. And then it promptly snowed all over everything, putting an abrupt end to the… Continue reading Colorado Day Hikes: Square Top Lakes

Colorado, Midwestern US

Fifty Lakes and a 12,000 Foot Summit – Snowy Range Scenic Byway, Wyoming

If you read the title of this post and assumed the “fifty lakes” is an exaggeration, let me begin by assuring you that it's not. If anything, it’s an underestimation. At one point, from where I was standing on the Medicine Bow Peak trail, I could see 32 lakes! At an elevation of 12,013 feet… Continue reading Fifty Lakes and a 12,000 Foot Summit – Snowy Range Scenic Byway, Wyoming

Colorado, Colorado Hikes, Rocky Mountain National Park, US National Parks

Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes: Mills, Jewel, and Black Lakes

What strange times these are. I don't know about you all, but I'm definitely missing the mountains and my usual weekend warrior adventure schedule. I know I'm doing a lot of vicarious living right now through everyone else's adventure posts, and I hope that I can provide the same for all of you. I have… Continue reading Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes: Mills, Jewel, and Black Lakes

Colorado, Colorado Hikes, Rocky Mountain National Park, US National Parks

Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes: Lake Haiyaha

This is one of the few hikes in Rocky that I actually completed in the winter first, and this experience really emphasized the fact that everything looks so different beneath the summer sun than it does covered in snow. I’d never done much winter hiking before moving to Colorado but I learned quickly that winter […]

Colorado, Colorado Hikes, Rocky Mountain National Park, US National Parks

Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes: Bear Lake to Fern Lake Trailhead

Welcome to hike #2 in my Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes series! Rocky Mountain operates a free shuttle system from May to October that allows you to leave your car in Estes Park or at the Park-n-Ride inside the park boundary and take the bus to the trailheads, eliminating the stress of arriving at 6:00am… Continue reading Rocky Mountain National Park Hikes: Bear Lake to Fern Lake Trailhead

East Coast US, New England, Northeastern US, US High Points

On Top of Massachusetts: Mount Greylock

Today, we return to the “On Top of” series I began a while back as I recount our hike up the highest point in Massachusetts: Mount Greylock! With an elevation of 3491 feet (1064 m), Mount Greylock is much taller than either of the previous state high points we’d visited (Connecticut and Rhode Island). It… Continue reading On Top of Massachusetts: Mount Greylock

Northeastern US, US National Parks

It’s Raining Caterpillars – Delaware Water Gap National Rec Area (part II)

On our final day at Delaware Water Gap, we headed back over to the New Jersey side of the river. We’d seen waterfalls, the river, and mountains – now it was time for some lakes! The New Jersey side of the park is accessed via winding back roads that aren’t always well-marked. At one point,… Continue reading It’s Raining Caterpillars – Delaware Water Gap National Rec Area (part II)

Canada, Canadian Rockies

Crypt Lake – Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

If you’ve ever hiked to Crypt Lake, you’ll understand why it’s on my All-Time Favorite Hikes list. If you haven’t, you should definitely add it to your to-do list. It’s also high on the list of the most challenging hikes I've ever done. It’s incredibly difficult but also incredibly – well – incredible. It’s the entire reason my… Continue reading Crypt Lake – Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta