-
Diamond Head Summit Trail- Oahu, HI
Diamond Head is without a doubt one of the most recognizable volcanic cones in the world. Visible from any point on Waikiki Beach, it’s profile is the very image of paradise. As scenic as it is from the beach, it only gets better from the summit. You must however get to the trailhead by dawn; any later, the trail transforms into a slow moving mass of humanity, and is just about as fun as a subway at rush hour. The trail to the summit was constructed in 1908, for the practical purpose of coastal defense. Batteries were placed along the summit, some with a 360 degree field of fire, to…
-
Watkins Glen State Park- Watkins Glen, NY
I am conflicted about Watkins Glen. Without question, it is absolutely stunning. It is an absolute embarrassment of natural beauty; the geology and hydrology is fascinating. It is also obscenely crowded. Quite possibly the most crowded park I have ever visited, including the big national parks that everyone complains about being overcrowded. We arrived at opening, which did not help much. A crushing river of people, working their way up and down slippery steps, through dark tunnels. It was a very slow moving mass of humanity. That said, the park has 19 waterfalls, and is a geologic wonder, so you should absolutely still visit. The gorge trail is by far…
-
Robert H. Treman State Park- Ithaca, NY
As discussed in previous posts, Ithaca is truly and absolutely gorges. A town filled with seriously beautiful, stunning gorges, and hundreds of waterfalls. No exaggeration. Robert H. Treman State Park is home to a handful of these beauties, as well as some of the most dramatic scenery you will see in the United States. Again, no exaggeration. Robert H. Treman was born into a prominent Ithaca family in 1858, and of course went on to attend Cornell University. After graduation, he joined the family hardware business, growing it from a small regional company to a large corporation. The family also owned several other businesses, including an iron foundry, water works,…
-
Rockport Beach- Rockport, TX
There is nothing quite like a day at the beach. The surf, the sand…the birds! While there are countless options along the Gulf of Mexico, the sheltered shores along Aransas Bay are some of the best beaches around for bird watching. If you are lucky enough to be there in the winter you might even spot a Whooping Crane; the ridiculously rare birds spend the summer in the far reaches of Northwest Canada, then migrate 2500 miles to the Aransas Wildlife refuge for the winter. Even if you don’t see a Whooper, there are a wide variety of other birds that make this area home. With a wide sandy beach,…
-
Spring Mountain Ranch SP- Blue Diamond, NV
History is hard to come by in the greater Las Vegas area, unless you know where to look. Not too far from the crazy is an oasis of calm. An oasis of history. An actual oasis. Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, located adjacent to the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, offers a welcome respite from the surrounding desert, as well as a window into the region’s past.
