Enjoy The Wide Variety Of Nature Found in Natural Parks

March 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The United States has literally millions of acres set aside and designated as National Parks. These offer a wide variety of opportunities to enjoy the natural setting and people are able to commune with nature. Since they are located all over the United States there are many different terrains and natural features for visitors to enjoy.

Many of the National Parks have designated swimming. It may be a lake or a river that runs through the park. Many of them have natural springs. Besides swimming, many have ample room for other water sports like boating, canoeing and water skiing. They are usually stocked well for the fisherman.

Designated hiking trails are a common feature in our natural park system. They have mile markers and resting areas. Maps are usually supplied so that you can easily choose your route and enjoy the hike without losing your way. Depending on the location of the park there may be rock climbing or areas for rappelling.

Some parks close for the evening. But others have ample space designated for camping. Most have rugged areas for setting up a tent. Some also have more modern hookups for the use of travel trailers. And a few have areas with various sizes of cabins that are available to rent. These will be useful for you if you plan to have a safe time, instead of being out in the open.

Whether you enjoy the beach, mountains or forest there is probably a National Forest to meet your need for adventure.  There are military parks and some which contain nature centers. These are useful educational tools for your family to enjoy when you are out in the open.

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Insurance As Part of Your Adventure Plans

February 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Outdoor adventures of all kinds are favorites for many of us. We love to explore the great outdoors. Many of us engage in hiking, biking, hunting or other activities on a regular basis.

We enjoy taking a hike through the mountains for a day trip. Some of us even take on the great peaks and mountaineer, hiking to the top over the course of days or even weeks. We take river-rafting trips down the Grand Canyon or other white water venues. Don’t forget about those people who love to enjoy biking across the broad expanses of our country. And then there are those who love the snow sports — skiing, snowboarding and more.

Most of us, when we set out on our adventures, take precautions against any potential dangers. We make sure we have all the proper gear, food and water when we venture to the backcountry for backpacking or camping adventures. If we are hunters, we make sure we are aware of gun safety, as well as other dangers of the outdoors including wildlife or getting lost in the wilderness.

But how many of us think about our insurance coverage when we are preparing for our outdoor adventures? Do we have adequate medical or health insurance in case of an accident or injuries? Do we have travel insurance coverage in case we fall sick in a foreign country or our trip plans somehow meet difficulties, such as cancellations or political unrest? And overall, do we have life insurance to protect our family’s futures in case of our untimely death?

Insurance should be part of our adventure planning. Insurance is not as expensive as many of us believe and by spending a bit of time getting online insurance quotes, we’ll be able to see just how inexpensive that important layer of protection is.

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Yellowstone National Park Hiking Trails

December 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Yellowstone National Park is one of the largest and most beautiful national parks in America. It has been called one of the premier wilderness areas in America. The size of Yellowstone is enormous-covering 2.2 million acres. Most of this massive land area is considered backcountry and is managed as wilderness. The hiking trails in Yellowstone National Park stretch over 1100 miles!

Within these miles of hiking trails lie many potential dangers. For example, you may encounter a bear or other dangerous wildlife. Depending on the time of year, you may also have to deal with unpredictable weather, like heavy rainfall or even snow in the late fall, winter and into the spring. Other conditions you may come across include lakes with extremely cold waters, and streams that may at times be turbulent. Watch out also for rugged mountains with falling rocks. The bottom line here is that if you hike Yellowstone, you need to be prepared for anything.

Because of the unpredictable nature of the Yellowstone Hiking Trails, the National Parks Service highly regulates the activity within the park and especially these trails. If you plan a day hike or overnight trip to Yellowstone, get in touch with a park ranger beforehand to be sure you’re up to date on all the rules and regulations and that you are aware of the current weather and hiking conditions.

If you plan an overnight trip, you must secure a permit first. You may also be required to secure a permit for a day hike, depending on the situation. Don’t plan on getting your permit online, permits are only available in person. Show up about 48 hours before your trip to get your permit. You can secure your permits and find all the information you need at one of Yellowstone’s many ranger stations and visitor centers. Happy hiking!

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Winter Hiking: An Unforgettable Experience

December 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment

For many people, the thought of winter hiking seems crazy. Why would anyone want to go out into nearly zero degree weather and walk through miles of snow just to freeze your butt off? Well, maybe you need to be from a northern climate to really appreciate the experience of hiking in the winter. In any case, if you haven’t yet tried winter hiking, I would suggest that you are missing out on one of life’s great adventures.

Imagine a cold winter day, maybe 20 degrees outside. The sun is shining on a layer of freshly fallen snow. You are with your loved ones or friends on winter break or vacation and have not a care in the world. You embark on an unforgettable adventure down a snowy winter hiking trail that seems to run forever.

At noontime, you stop at a warming hut along the path and cook up a nice, hot lunch and drink a few cold ones. Then you get back on the trail and enjoy the rest of the day, basking in the scenic winter beauty. As they used to say on that Old Milwaukee commercial year ago “it just doesn’t get any better than this.”

A few things to keep in mind before beginning your winter hiking adventure:

1. Dress in multiple layers of warm clothes. You can always take off clothes if you are too warm, but if conditions are colder than expected, you will regret not wearing that extra layer.

2. Don’t let the cold weather fool you, bring your sunglasses. There are many winter days when the sun shines just as brightly as the summertime.

3. Wearing snowshoes is best for navigating through the deep, winter snow.

4. For the really deep snow, it is also best to have ski poles along with your snowshoes.

5. Last, but not least, back a thermos full of your favorite hot beverage, you will be glad you did.

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What You Need to Know About Winter Hiking

December 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Hiking is a wonderful outdoor activity in the spring, summer and fall, but many never consider the idea of winter hiking. The truth is, hiking in the winter can be just as fun as hiking at any other time of the year. In fact, hiking on a sunny winter day over a covering of fresh snow is as unique an experience as you will find. The challenge is that in the winter, there are factors you need to consider that would not be present in the other seasons.

One thing you will need to consider is what time of the winter you are going on your hike. It is best to go in the middle of the winter, when the weather is more stable. If you go in early or late winter, you may run into dangers like half frozen streams or melted streams. Falling into one of these streams can be life threatening, so make sure to keep this in mind.

The clothing you wear for winter hiking is another thing you need to think about. It is vital that you protect every inch of your body from colder than predicted temperatures. This will mean packing very heavy, but it will be worth it. You should be wearing multiple layers of clothes, as well as multiple layers of protection on your head. Protect your hands by wearing mittens and protect your feet by wearing leg gaiters. These will keep the snow out of your boots.

For easy navigation through the snowy winter hiking trails, use snowshoes along with ski poles for the deeper areas of snow. Wear sunglasses in case you are fortunate enough to be hiking on a bright sunny day, which happens more often in the winter than you might think. Finally, pack a big thermos full of your favorite hot beverage to enjoy while you are out on the trail.

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Best Winter Hiking: Boulder River Trail, Washington

December 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment

If you are one of those adventurous types that loves winter hiking and you’re looking for a great winter hiking trail in Washington, then Boulder River Trail may be for you. In fact, Boulder River Trail is a great hiking choice for any time of the year, but especially during the winter.

Boulder River Trail is located on the West Slope of the North Cascade Mountains in Washington. It is in Snohomish County near the town of Darrington, WA. The Boulder River Trail is only 9 miles round trip, making it an ideal one day hiking experience.

If you go, be ready to experience the beauty of the trail’s unique towering old growth forests overlooking a naturally preserved river valley and amazing waterfalls. In the winter, you need to be careful of the snow and ice near the river and prepare accordingly.

The first mile of your hike will be along an old railroad track. After that first mile, you will encounter the old growth forest and enter the Boulder River Wilderness. Further down the hiking trail, you will run into two spectacular waterfalls that run into the far bank of the Boulder River. At this point, you will be able to stop and rest at one of the benches that have been provided for your convenience and enjoy the scenic beauty of these waterfalls.

The Boulder River Trail continues with its incredible scenic beauty until you reach the 4.5 mile point, when the trail ends at a ford in the Boulder River. At this point, you will turn around and enjoy the 4.5 miles of beauty a second time on your way back.

All in all, Boulder River Trail is one of the premiere winter hiking trails in the entire state of Washington. If you are looking for a short trail to hike one day this winter, BRT might be right for you.

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Hiking Wrangell – St. Elias National Park in Alaska: One of the Best Kept Secrets in the Hiking World

December 12, 2010 by Leave a Comment

There are many wonderful hiking trails around the world, but the challenge is that many of the better known places tend to be heavily traveled. If you are one of those people that prefers a more private and secluded hiking adventure, then I suggest hiking at Wrangell – St. Elias National Park in Alaska.

Wrangell – St. Elias National Park is one of the lesser known national parks in the country, and its location in Alaska makes it harder to access for mass numbers of travelers. The amazing thing is that, despite its lack of notoriety, Wrangell – St. Elias is actually by far the largest national park in America. At more than 20,000 square miles, this massive piece of land is almost 6 times larger than Yellowstone.

With all the space in this park, there are miles and miles of hiking trails. Also, Wrangell – St. Elias National Park has less than half the number of visitors as most other national parks, making it the ideal place to get away from the crowds and enjoy a hike in the secluded beauty of the Alaskan wilderness.

If you do plan to hike Wrangell – St. Elias, come in the summer when the temps are relatively warm and the sun goes down at midnight. Wrangell – St. Elias is a day drive from Anchorage, so access is not exactly easy. Make sure you have adequate time for your adventure-at least a week would be best.

A word of caution if you decide to hike in the Alaskan wilderness. Because this national park is so large and has so many miles of hiking trails, some of them are poorly maintained or not maintained at all. This can mean fallen trees, falling rocks and many other natural challenges. But, this is the price you pay for privacy and seclusion. Still, if that is what you’re looking for, Wrangell – St. Elias National Park might be your best bet.

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Hiking Glacier National Park: Your Next Great Adventure

December 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Glacier National Park in Montana is one of the largest National Parks in America. GNP boasts more than 1 million acres of land and encompasses parts of two sub ranges of the Rocky Mountains. It also has more than 200 lakes and streams and 700 miles of incredible hiking trails.

The scenic beauty of Glacier National Park is a hiker’s dream. If you decide to make this your next hiking adventure, you will be treated to majestic mountain peaks towering atop the pristine alpine lakes. The wildlife is diverse and a wonder to behold in its own right. Through the 700 miles of hiking trails, you will find over 1000 different species of plants many hundreds of different species of animals.

You may run across elk, bighorn sheep, bears, goats, wolverines, and numerous other animals. Some of these may be dangerous, so be prepared for this and proceed with caution. You may also encounter the priceless beauty of a bald eagle with its wings spread flying across an alpine lake on a gorgeous sunny day. The soaring of an eagle is an incredible sight and symbol of all that is wonderful about this great country we live in.

Unlike some of the other larger national parks, the hiking trails at GNP are very well maintained. You will be treated to numerous mountains, glaciers, waterfalls, and wild flowers, without needing to worry much about poorly maintained hiking trails. This is truly the best of all worlds for the avid hiker.

The best time to come and hike Glacier National Park is from July to the middle of October. If you come at any other time of the year, you can still hike here, but some of the areas may be restricted by snowfall. As always, check the weather forecast ahead of time so you can be adequately prepared.

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Hiking Trails in Rocky Mountain National Park

December 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Rocky Mountain National Park is one of the most popular hiking destinations in America. With well over 300 miles of hiking trails, the park provides hikers access to miles and miles of shear beauty. From the amazing views of its jagged mountains, to its cool pine forests and numerous streams running through the mountains, Rocky Mountain National Park offers something for everybody.

In addition to the amazing scenery, you will find an abundance of wildlife. If you’re lucky, you may see a moose taking a drink of water from a fresh mountain stream, or an eagle soaring high above the clouds over a pristine alpine lake. If you’re not so lucky, you may run across a mountain lion, so be on the lookout for that. Bird watching is a popular activity in RMNP because of the diverse number of ecosystems inside the park.

Rocky Mountain National Park is situated in the north-central part of Colorado. There is easy access to the park via three different highways: US highways 34 and 36, and state highway 7. When you arrive, you may gain information about permit requirements and the latest hiking conditions at any of the park’s 5 visitor centers.

There are a couple things to be aware of if you choose to hike RMNP. First of all, some of the scenery that makes this park such a great attraction is located off the hiking trails. However, if you are a beginner, it is not recommended that you go off the trail. If you do want to hike off the trail, consult a park ranger ahead of time for guidance.

Second, Rocky Mountain National Park may not be for everyone. This is one of the most visited national parks in the summer time and the hiking trails can get congested. To avoid this problem, again talk to a park ranger and find out where some of the lesser traveled trails are located.

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Minnesota Winter Hiking: Feeling Like a Kid Again

December 5, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Growing up in Minnesota was not easy, especially with our cold and snowy winters. The adults always complained about the cold weather and driving in the snow, but we as kids found many ways to enjoy our Minnesota winters. One of the most enjoyable outdoor activities in Minnesota is winter hiking.

There was nothing like the feeling of putting on the snow shoes and bundling up on a cold winter day to go on a hike through the deep snow. That feeling of cool air blowing in your face while at the same time feeling the warmth of the sun. All the while taking in the beautiful winter scenery.

Growing up in the Twin Cities, my favorite place for a winter hike was Afton State Park. ASP is located about 15 miles east of St Paul on the bluff of the St Croix River near the Wisconsin border. The combination of the rolling hills, wooded ravines and the river valley offer a breathtaking view of winter nature. Nearby Afton Alps offers you the opportunity to take in a hike and do some downhill skiing all in the same day.

These miles of hiking trails offer hikers the opportunity to get in a good day’s workout. There are plenty of chances to go climb uphill along the banks of the St Croix and back downhill into the wooded ravines. After a while, you exit the wooded areas and encounter the wide open prairies that seem to go on endlessly.

As an adult, I love to return to the winter hiking trails of Afton State Park that I enjoyed so much in my youth. It is a wonderful getaway from all the stresses of everyday life. It takes me back to simpler days, when I had fewer worries and could live more carefree. It allows me for just a few hours to feel like a kid again.

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