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 have been planning to paddle the larger lakes off the Highway 24 corridor and we chose a late summer day to spend the day on Bridge Lake. The lake is fairly big to paddle the entire shoreline in a day (23 km), so we chose to paddle around the groups of islands on the southern half of the lake, … Continue reading…
This little ghost town sits on the south shore of the Virgin River, off a backroad in the desert hills, on the way to Zion National Park. The original town was flooded out, and rebuilt at the present site in 1862 by Mormon pioneers. Most resettled in Rockville on the other side of the river and everyone was gone in … Continue reading…
Most hikers go to the 5 National Parks when they visit Utah, for good reason. There is a lifetime of hiking just to go these spectacular parks, but there are also 7 National Monuments (including Cedar Breaks and Grand Staircase-Escalante) and National Forests, Areas, and Sites. But there are also State Parks. On our last trip, we explored two … Continue reading…
We have been hiking, orienteering, and exploring the hills near Six Mile Lake for many years. Much of the land is private, owned by the Haywood Farmer family of the Indian Gardens Ranch near Savona, but they have been allowing fishermen and some others to access the area, as long as we gently cross fences, don’t bother cattle, and show … Continue reading…
Three trips to Zion National Park in a year and we continue to find new trails and routes. One of our favorite hikes is to Observation Point (link to previous article). The trail goes up the sandstone cliffs, then through a canyon to the upper slickrock. We could see the bottom of the canyon below us, but the sides were … Continue reading…
This one-way route has much merit, but requires a little more field work to find the best route. It is possible to go over Wheeler Mountain, but we wanted to find a more level route. We started at Lac du Bois, went around the lake, then down Hanging Valley. A few aspen groves flank the trail. From the end of … Continue reading…
The road from the east into Zion National Park is stunning. Some drivers rush through this narrow,w inding road and then through the tunnel, but if you go for the scenery, take your time and make a few stops along the way. There isn't much parking so just look for pull-outs where they appear. The one designated trail is the … Continue reading…
We have continued to return to Kauai to hike and explore, sometimes finding new routes and sometimes enjoying favorites from past years. There are many hikes on the island and a few are among the best trail experiences in the world. Several of these are in Kokee State Park, on top of the island. Although it is always warm, the … Continue reading…
Hiking trails were established near the confluence of the Watching Creek and the Tranquille River and are still used by a few people. The area needs some maintenance with fallen trees and a washed-out bridge, but it is still worth a few hours of hiking and exploration. Standing above the confluence on the north side is a ridge that goes … Continue reading…
The Roche Lake area has a group of lakes separated by hills, forest, and grasslands. Some of the lakes are easy to get to, but many are accessed only by difficult 4WD tracks. We chose to hike a loop route past 5 of these lakes. We parked at the entrance area to Roche Lake and walked along a rough track … Continue reading…
Mt. Vicars is a minor mountain on the edge of the Campbell Range. It stands above the north shore of Sciutto Lake. It is not a classic hike, but is a relatively short, steepish climb to a good viewpoint. We found a better track up, avoiding some of the forest and rock bands by going around the east side on … Continue reading…
Guanaco Peak and Vicuna Peak stand at the head of the Upper Coldwater River Valley in the Coquihalla Summit Recreational Area. They are not visible from the highway, but anyone who hikes up Zoa, Yak, Zupjok, or Needle Peak will likely photograph them and want to hike them. Access is the difficult issue. The route to Guanaco is up the … Continue reading…
Eagle Pass Mountain is one of the finest hikes of our area. Drive east on the Trans-Canada Highway through Malakwa and Craigellachie, then watch for the left turn onto the Crazy Creek Forest Service Road. This road is narrow and steep at first and is an active logging road. Follow the road up, watching for posted signs to Eagle Pass … Continue reading…
We hike to Skoatl Point almost every year. The road in to the trailhead and the trail has changed a lot over the years. The good news is that the trail is in good shape. The bad news is that logging is going on close to the edge of the park and to get to the trailhead, you will be … Continue reading…
The locals call it Peek-A-Boo Canyon, but the mappers name it Red Canyon. It is in the sand hills, a side canyon off Kanab Creek, 8.6 miles north of Kanab, Utah. To get there, turn onto a side road off Highway 89 and park, then hike in to the hills. Locals can drive in, but the road is very sandy … Continue reading…
The cliffs of Red Plateau rise 623m (2044 feet) above the Dewdrop Range. The well-establihsed Dewdrop trail climbs up a ridge to the rim and follows the edge, passing many viewpoints above the red-orange lava bluffs. The original trail ended at the head of a gully, but an extension has now been added, marked by flagging tape and worn in … Continue reading…
