Exploring the Appalachian Highlands and Beyond
Exploring the Appalachian Highlands and Beyond
Pinnacle Natural Area Preserve is SW VA’s best kept secret. A park with multiple waterfalls, stunning rock formations, and a swinging bridge.
While Indian Grave Gap is most well known for the hike on the AT up to Beauty Spot, there’s more to explore in the other direction that deserves a visit. If you want the views of Beauty Spot, but want complete seclusion, this is the hike for you.
Olympic National Park is on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. There is so much variety in scenery, from beaches to mountains to rainforests, Olympic truly has it all!
Little Rock Knob is Andy’s favorite local hike. It’s a 4.5 mile roundtrip hike on the Appalachian Trail leading to a rocky overlook of the valley below.
I had never heard of “Rails to Trails” until I moved to Tennessee. Rails to Trails or Rail-Trails are paths created from abandoned railways which are cleared of their tracks and converted to multiuse paths. They are generally flat or gently sloping making it accessible to people of all ages and abilities.
On a busy weekend, we often only have a few hours to do a hike. When we’re pressed for time, we like to go to Warriors’ Path State Park. Warriors’ Path is located on the South Holston River in east Kingsport. It’s very accessible, only a 5 minute drive from 81.
On Saturday, we got a big rainstorm. The first thought we have after a storm is “what waterfall should we do tomorrow?”. I love to do waterfalls after a rain, you’re almost guaranteed to have good flow, but you don’t have to worry about a slippery trail or flash flooding like you would the same day as a storm. Lower Higgins Creek Falls is a 60 foot waterfall and the short hike makes this one worth a visit.
Mount Rainier was the 14th National Park we have visited together, and WOW, did it surprise us! I love a park with prominent mountains, hard hikes, and constant views; Mount Rainier certainly delivered.
Sometimes I take for granted how lucky we are to have the Appalachian Trail right in our backyard. I often default to the same couple of AT hikes, but with hundreds of miles accessible within an hour or so, I’ve been trying to explore some new sections! Sam’s Gap to Big Bald is a section I have heard about a couple times over the years.