Trail Map: The Hike: Belle Isle State Park in Lancaster (not be confused with Belle Isle in Richmond) is located on the banks of the Rappahannock River in Virginia’s Northern Neck. This area is a bird watcher’s paradise. We spotted several blue herons, osprey, and hawks. Bald eagles nest in this area but we didn’t […]
Belle Isle State Park Loop Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: Umstead State Park is located about ten miles from downtown Raleigh. Despite its close proximity to the airport and Interstate 40, the park offers secluded hiking on over 30 miles of trails. Rest rooms, water, and a picnic area are located at the trailhead. The trails were well marked and well
Company Mill Trail Read More »
Hoppy New Year!! We hiked in six states (and a few foreign countries) in 2024. Selecting our top 10 list was difficult as we had many amazing hikes to consider. After much deliberation, we finally arrived at our top 10 favorite hikes and top 10 breweries for 2024. Consider adding these hikes and breweries to
2024 Favorite Hikes and Breweries Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: Our friends Jim and Betsy are big fans of Lost River State Park. Located near Mathias WV, this park is a bit off the beaten path but is well worth a visit. Cranny Crow is the most popular hiking destination in the park. The trails are well marked and well maintained.
Cranny Crow Overlook Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: The North Fork Mountain Trail (NFMT), Trail 501, is over 24 miles of great views as it passes along a ridge from US 33 at Harmon Rocks to Chimney Top. NFMT has been called the trail of relentless views, and it’s true. A short bushwhack to the west leads to impressive
North Fork Mountain Section Hike Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This is our third visit to Dolly Sods Wilderness. The unique ecosystem of Dolly Sods consists of rocky plains, upland bogs, heaths, and sweeping vistas. This area seems more like Canada than West Virginia. Dolly Sods is famous for great views, mud, and rocks. The trails are unmarked and downloading a trail
Dolly Sods: Lion’s Head Rocks Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: On our recent trip to Spain, we had an opportunity to visit Gibraltar and we jumped at the chance to hike “the Rock”. The classic view of the Rock is the sheer rock face of the northern end of this monolithic limestone mountain. The northern tip is too steep for a
Rock of Gibraltar-Mediterranean Steps Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This was our first visit to Hanging Rock State Park and we are already planning to return. We hiked on a cloudy day and some of the views were partially covered with clouds. Hanging Rock is famous for waterfalls and amazing views. The park has five vistas and this hike visits
Hanging Rock, Wolf Rock, and Cook’s Wall Loop Read More »
Trail Map: The Hike: This hike crosses the North River 9 times each way—and only one is traversed by a bridge.We hiked in early September and water levels were low so all river crossings were easy. We parked in the Wild Oak trailhead parking area on Forest Road 95. AllTrails and the US Forest Service
Trail Map: The Hike: There are many hikes named Chimney Rock. This one is in the George Washington National Forest, about 8 miles northeast of Warm Springs VA. Much of the trail is also known as the Tower Hill Mountain Trail. This little-known gem of a hike isn’t well marked or well maintained—but it’s worth
Chimney Rock (GW National Forest) Read More »
