I started exploring this area in 1976 and I continue to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, I chose to share this information. Getting out 12 months each year, I continue to explore trails, tracks, routes, and waterways of the Kamloops area and beyond.
We drove to the entrance to Castle Valley on the Colorado River northwest of Moab and enjoyed the views. The next week we drove up above Moab through Sand Hills Recreation Area (link) to hike the Porcupine Rim Trail. The area is designed for shared use – jeep tracks, mountain bike tracks, and “hiking” routes. We chose one … Continue reading…
Every year we hiked up the northeast side of Mount Mara from the Pruden Pass Road. The route has bits of a trail, but it is mostly open forest and grassy slopes so the route varies a bit each time. It is 3.25 km from the parking area to the viewpoint at the front face of Mount Mara. It takes … Continue reading…
The area around Moab, Utah is surrounded by hiking trails and one of the most satisfying is the corona Arch Trail. To get to the trailhead, go north across the Colorado River and turn left onto Highway 279 (the Potash Road). Ten miles along this road is the trailhead parking area across from the Gold Bar Campground. The trail crosses … Continue reading…
When spring comes, the ice melts off the lakes and we can start to paddle some of the larger lakes of the area. In May, Paul Lake has a few people fishing, but is quite quiet otherwise. The water is still cold, but fish start to jump, pairs of ducks dabble near the shoreline, loons dive for fish, birds … Continue reading…
Kauai has good hiking routes all over the island. When we venture from Wailua-Kapa’a up into the highlands, we approach the Wai’aleale Crater, under the wettest spot on the planet. After a rainfall, numerous waterfalls run down the crater to the Blue Hole area and all the water collects into several rivers that flow out to the ocean, only 8km … Continue reading…
Secret Beach on Kauai is only a secret to visitors. Locals know this wonderful beach (also called Kauapea Beach) on the northeast corner of the island. We like this beach for a number of reasons: we have to hike down to the beach the waves crash onto the beach for the entire length this is a wild spot on a … Continue reading…
Kauai has many trails to hike, but it also has many fine beaches to hike/walk. Lumahai Beach is not a safe swimming beach with no protecting reef, but it is a scenic and interesting beach. To find Lumahai Beach continue along the north shore past Hanalei. After completing the big loop around Hanalei Bay, the narrow, winding road climbs over … Continue reading…
We usually stay in Popiu on Kauai and this is the hike we do most often. We enjoy walking paths around Keoniloa Bay to Shipwreck Beach, then we climb up to the top of the Makawehi Bluffs and follow the headlands along the shore. “The lithified sand dunes that form Makawehi (also known as the Paa Ridge) accumulated as sand … Continue reading…
We returned to the Alakai’i Swamp Trail one year after our previous hike (link to the previous story). The winter of 2013-2014 was a wet one so all of Koke’e State Park up on the edge of the caldera was wet, muddy, and slippery. We drive to the end of the road on top of the mountain knowing full well … Continue reading…
New stories are published every two days focusing on Kauai while I am away in Moab. On return, more local stories are in the works, but also articles on Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park. Superb hikes in both….
Continue reading...On Kauai, we can hike all the way from Po’ipu to the last shoreline area before the Hoary Head Range at Ha’ula Bay. The whole distance is a long and rugged route so we often hike sections with some beach time at Maha’ulepu (our favorite) Beach. If we take the rough road in to Maha’ulepu, we park at Kawailoa Bay … Continue reading…
Each year we return to Kauai and we hike the Maha’ulepu Trail from Popiu to the cave and back. (Link to a previous article) On this last trip, we were able to go deeper into the caves and enjoy a guided tour of the darker corners, learning some of the secrets of the cavern. We were pleased to hear about … Continue reading…
There are many hiking trails on Kauai, but there are also superb beach walks too – Polihale, Lumahai’i, Koloa Bay, Maha’ulepu and many more. One of our favorites is the beach walk from Lydgate State Park down the beach to Nukoli’i Beach Park. Follow the Island Highway north of Lihue and just after the golf course, turn makai (seaward) into … Continue reading…
The area in the hills to the north of Chase is generally referred to as Neskonlith Meadows. Much of the area is part of the Adams Lake Band Sahhaltkum Indian Reserve so permission to park and hike on the trails is required. Permits and parking passes can be obatined from the Band Office during business hours. There is a small … Continue reading…
The ridge that runs along the Dewdrop Range overlooking Kamloops Lake has no trail, but the route is open forest and grassland with fine views for the the whole way. Go up the Red Lake Road and turn onto the Frederick (Dewdrop) Road. Park on the right in a pullout. Climb the hill on the south side to the top … Continue reading…
The old double tracks out the Dewdrop Range make a fine route for biking. We turn onto the Frederick (Dewdrop) Road then follow it west for 3.5 km (or park sooner and bike the main road) where we arrive at a split in the road. The lower road goes between the hills then drops down to Frederick. The upper road … Continue reading…
