Sarah VaughnExplorer

Santa Elena Canyon is one of the crown jewels of Big Bend National Park, and something you surely don't want to miss if you pay the park a visit. To get here you will take the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive from Panther Junction, the park's headquarters. This drive has many pull-offs to take advantage of for.. you guessed it- scenic views! The road ends at Santa Elena Canyon Overlook which is where ...

Inks Lake is located northwest of Austin and is home to about 200 campsites. For a more unique experience and to be set away from the parks many visitors, choose the Pecan Flats Trail Primitive Camp which is about a mile hike from the Pecan Flats trailhead.Once you enter the park, the Pecan Flats trailhead is located in the parking lot directly beside the parking lot for the headquarters. An i...

Lower Falls is found within Golden Ears Provincial Park in British Columbia. Easily accessible from the Gold Creek Parking lot, it is a relatively flat trail snaking along Gold Creek itself. It can be done as an out & back trail, or you can make it a loop by using the connector trail located at Lower Falls which loops you in with the East Canyon Trail taking you back to the trailhead.Due to...

Barton Springs Pool is a historical staple in the city of Austin. Located within Zilker Park, the location is easy to find and even has easy accessible parking. Now with that being said, it is recommended to arrive somewhat early in the day if you don't want to be resorted to fishing for a parking spot or waiting in long lines to enter the pool.Once inside, take your time enjoying a nice relaxi...

Boasting 160 acres, Buffalo Bayou is a common go-to destination for some relaxation and recreation for local Houstonians. At any given time you will find people here enjoying a picnic, playing pick-up volleyball or basketball games, walking their dog, biking, or simply just enjoying the views of the Houston skyline. The park is situated between Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway, while stretching...

The Burroughs Mountain Trail comes from a series of trails out of the Sunrise Area. First piece of advice is to set your alarm clocks! The parking lot and trails get busy quite quickly, especially in the summer. From the parking lot you will start by taking the Sourdough Ridge Trail up to Frozen Lake. Once at Frozen Lake you will follow the trail to the First Burroughs Mountain peak with about...

Lake Somerville State Park has two portions you can visit, Nails Creek on the South side of the lake, and Birch Creek located on the North side of the lake. Both offer a variety of activities including camping, swimming, fishing, hiking, and horseback riding.Within the Nails Creek Unit you can select from a number of campsites with views of the lake. Several trails lead from the campground that...

Lost Maples State Natural Area is the go to place if you want to escape to New England-like Fall scenery in Texas, which is hard to believe for some. Tucked away deep in Hill Country near Vanderpool, TX, Lost Maples has a unique supply of Maple trees thanks to the deepness of the canyons found in this area. Although you can visit and hike at Lost Maples year-round, the most popular time is fro...

Duthie Hill is a premier and beautifully designed mountain bike park set in lush douglas firs and western hemlock forests . Created and maintained by the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance (evergreenmtb.org) with the help of King County and volunteers, Duthie Hill although open to hikers, is 100% singletrack and is a mountain bike rider's paradise. By parking at the lot listed on the map below, ...

Memorial Park is a hub for Houstonians looking to escape that busy day-to-day urban rush. With a 3 mile running loop and 10 miles worth of multi-use trails to offer, the park does tend to get pretty busy, however it is rare that you would not be able to find parking on any given day.The best trails of Memorial however are the Color Trails (formerly Ho Chi Minh Trails) on the South end of the pa...

Built in the 1930's, the Tilly Jane A-Frame sits on the North side of Mount Hood at around 6,000ft. The cabin is very popular during winter months as it is located only 1,000ft below the tree line and offers beautiful snowshoeing, hiking, skiing and snowboarding opportunities, yet is also a popular day-hike destination.Parking is available at the Tilly Jane Sno-Park on Cloud Cap Rd near the Coo...

Garner State Park is one of the best parks in Texas Hill Country if you are looking for some hiking with elevation. It is incredibly scenic, has plenty of campgrounds, and is also nearby to Lost Maples State Natural Area - a park very well-known for its fall foliage. If you happen to visit Garner (which also has great fall leaves), you can also visit Lost Maples same day free of charge and vice...

Naches Peak Loop Trail is a great introductory trail to Mount Rainier National Park situated on the Eastern side of Rainier. Half located within Mount Rainier NP and half within Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Naches Peak is a 3.5 mile trail with minimal elevation gain (700ft) yet with views worthy of a much longer hike.The Trailhead starts at Tipsoo Lake . It is recommended to hike the tra...

Everyone that knows Yosemite, knows Glacier Point. An overlook that attracts thousands of people per day that drive up via Glacier Point Road is rarely vacant of the hustle and bustle of people. However, there is a loop hole here, and when the stars align you can have Glacier Point ALL to yourself as your campground. Of course you can always cross-country ski to the point and camp, but if weath...

Boquillas Canyon is one of the longest and most beautiful canyons Big Bend has to offer. To get here you will head towards Rio Grande Village from the park's headquarters at Panther Junction. If desired, you can stop at the store in Rio Grande Village to pick up some snacks and beverages before you head out on this scenic hike. Boquillas Canyon Road will take you straight into a parking lot whe...

Galveston Island State Park is one of the several state parks in Texas offering coastline to the Gulf of Mexico. The park is good to visit during any time of the year, and offers several hiking, biking and paddling trails. In order to take advantage of the paddling trails you must bring your own kayak.The park has two different parts. There is the beach side which has sand dunes and prairie typ...

Sculpture Falls is a hidden gem that is part of the 7.9 mile long Barton Creek Greenbelt in Austin. It's considered an urban oasis and is part of the Edwards Aquifer making the water temperatures in the summer about 70 degrees, and is a perfect way to cool off in the Texas heat! To find the trailhead turn onto Scottish Woods Trail off of 360 (the other side of Scottish Woods Trail is called We...