The North Fork Trail of Big Pine Creek to the 7 alpine Big Pine Lakes is definitely one of the prettiest and best hikes in the Eastern Sierras, and probably one of my favorites - once you get past the elevation gain and sun exposer. These turquoise lakes are absolutely gorgeous juxtaposed against the crags mountains. This hike is...

The Lost Coast is an untouched pristine section of coastline where the forest marches to the sea and backpacking the Lost Coast Trail is a bucket list item for many people. Located in the King Range National Conservation Area of Northern California, this remote trail offers stunning black sand beaches pressed against steep craggy towering mountains. This coastline is...

Overnight backpacking permits for the Zion Narrows are like gold - they are incredibly hard to get and go very quickly once they become available. Day hiking permits are much easier and far less competitive. You do not need a permit if you are day hiking from the Bottom, up. Anyone at any time can wander into the bottom portion...

Being properly hydrated when hiking or backpacking is not only vitally important for your health, but for your enjoyment as well. Dehydration can lead to serious health problems, which can be especially dangerous if you're on a backpacking trip in the middle of no where for days at at time. The biggest issue that comes with stay hydrated is that...

There are so many different options for backpacking foods and meal plans - less so if you're a vegetarian like me, but there are still a bunch of them out there! I personally enjoy putting a meal plan together when backpacking or camping. It's a challenge to get as much variation as possible without bringing a ton of stuff. It...

Hiking to Soldier Pass Cave is an awesome trek to a tucked away cave off the beaten path. This "secret" cave isn't much of a secret anymore as it's become instagram-famous due to the fantastic photos taken at this location. With this hike you'll not only get to visit the cave, but also see the Devil's Kitchen and Seven...

The Valley of Fire is a really cool little state park full of fascinating rock formations and vistas just outside Las Vegas. The biggest draw are the dramatic red, pink, and white rock formations made from Aztec stone that are found throughout the park. They literally look like coals from a red hot fire! The park is fairly small (46,000...

Foreboding, desolate, isolated, and brutally beautiful; Death Valley in the largest national part in the continental US at 140 miles long and 15 miles wide. It is the lowest, hottest, and driest area in North America and with a wide variety of unusual topography and landscapes, Death Valley is desert beauty at it's absolute best. I was surprised at...

There are SO many amazing places to visit in Death Valley it's really hard just pick 5, so we didn't, we picked 6! Death Valley has widely varying landscapes depending on what area of the park you're visiting, so it really depends on if you want to see desert or mountains, or even spring (yes there's water in Death...

Getting a permit for the Half Dome cables in Yosemite is like winning the lottery - literally!... It uses a permit lottery system rather than first come first serve, so you have to win the lottery to get the permit. And, YES YOU NEED A PERMIT to hike Half Dome. This top section goes over how to get a...