It is perhaps slightly misleading to list Cold Spring Gap as a destination. There is no direct route there that doesn’t entail at least 10 miles of fairly rigorous hiking, which implies an overnight stay somewhere in the park. Therein lies one of the appealing factors. There is an inverse law that the farther one …
Lake Champlain Area
Lake Champlain is vast. Well not like Lake Baikal in Siberia or Lake Superior along the US-Canadian border, but large enough to provide outdoor activities for all levels of outdoor enthusiasts. If you are more interested in the resort feel of the Adirondacks then come north on I-87, eventually peeling off on highway 9N at …
Smugglers Notch
Receiving its name from the practice of running goods to and from Canada, most notably alcohol during the 1920s, Smugglers Notch is a much more civilized and well-travelled area these days. Get there by taking highway 108 from either highway 15 in the north or highway 100 in the south. Take Toll Road off of …
Bradley Fork and Chasteen Creek
For a surreal experience, head to Chasteen Creek in June. This entire area is noted for its firefly population that explodes in early summer. However, I saw the biggest concentration along Chasteen Creek. Sit outside in the middle of the night and watch the woods literally light up—it feels as if you were suddenly thrust …
Lake Winnipesaukee
One can easily spend a week in the Lake Winnipesaukee region. First of all, let me suggest motorcycles as your primary means of transport. They are ubiquitous in the region, the winding roads are conducive to their use, and they are available for rent at several location in Manchester, NH. Regardless of your mode of …
Nolan Creek
Nolan Creek is absolutely gorgeous in the fall. Of course this can be said of many areas of the Smoky Mountain National Park. Nolan Creek combines an idyllic setting of frolicking stream, thick deciduous canopy and wide curving trail, almost more of a country road than a hiking trail. Considering its nearness to the road …
Altamaha River
The Altamaha River runs for 137 miles from its conception at the confluence of the Oconee and Ocmulgee rivers, to its expiration at the Atlantic Coast. There are a series of 29 landings along the waterway, loosely maintained by the Altamaha River Partnership. In many ways, you can treat this like a long distance hiking …
Okefenokee Swamp
While it is unlikely you will run into Okefenokee Joe, it is very likely that you will see several alligators. It may be unnerving to float by in a canoe not much bigger than some of these giants, but they are studiedly indifferent to your presence, especially if you are there in early spring when …
Cumberland Island
The relatively high cost of transport out to Cumberland Island, $24 for a day visit, is worth every penny. Reservations are recommended as the National Park Service limits the number of people on the island at any one time, although one can legally land on the island via private craft. You catch the ferry from …
Vesper Peak
I think the first thought that pops into the head of a hiker who knows the history of the Sunrise Trail is, how did a miner ever get anything out of the mountains? Mules are notoriously capable of carrying heavy loads through treacherous terrain, but after fording the South Fork Stillaguamish and emerging from the …