Jason HatfieldExplorer

Angels Landing has long been one of my favorite Zion National Park hikes.  The hike is thrilling, extremely photogenic, and appeals to those who enjoy exchanging leg power for views. The hike to the top isn't long, 2+ miles, but you'll definitely feel the 1500 feet of gain! The trail features a mostly paved surface (to protect from erosion and high use), steep switch backs, a cool canyon, rock ...

The Havasupai Reservation is a remote area just outside Grand Canyon National Park, full of blue-green water and dramatic waterfalls.  Despite being an extremely isolated location, camping in the canyon is overwhelmingly popular and reservations are required. On popular weekends you will be sharing the campgrounds with hundreds of others but shoulder seasons can bring some respite.  The trail ...

Hiking the narrows in Zion National Park is one of my favorite hikes and something I return for almost every year, I can still remember my first visit as a kid. There's no other place like it in the National Park system and the stunning beauty of its towering walls and vibrant river make it a top destination for visitors to the park.  Depending on the water level most of this hike is partially...

Located at the base of Mt. Evans Road, Echo Lake sits next to Squaw Pass Road, providing a great jumping-off point for numerous adventures. The park serves as a trailhead for hiking or snowshoeing into the Mount Evans Wilderness, offers picnic areas, and includes a nearby campground with 17 sites. The area has dark night skies for photographing the Milky Way, and when the lake is frozen inter...

Created in 2013 from partly existing public lands, The Rio Grande del Norte National Monument encompasses a large amount of land along the Rio Grande River from the Colorado border to south of Taos. Far from any major city, you'll likely enjoy trails to yourself in the morning and few other visitors in the off-season. One of the main activities offered on the monument is white water rafting, bu...

Getting to Ash Cave is extremely easy with a short quarter-mile hike from the parking area; there's also a rim trail above the cave that adds 90 feet of elevation and some extra distance. The cave is great for relaxing in the shade during a hot day, enjoying a spring picnic, or grabbing some images during the morning/evening. There's a waterfall from the rim of the cave that typically has good ...

The 6-mile Mesa Top Loop Road, open 8 am to sunset, stops at 12 sites including surface ruins and cliff dwelling overlooks. The most famous feature of the park, Cliff Palace, is visible from the Sun Point and Sun Temple overlooks. Sunrise photography isn't possible on the loop due to operating hours, but stunning sunsets can be captured from the cliff trails before the road closes.

About 1.5 hours from Moab on BLM land, Needles Overlook sits on a peninsula of rock 1600 ft. above southern Canyonlands NP. The views from here are just as commanding as Island in the Sky in Canyonlands, but with a lot fewer people due to its isolated location; there's a good chance you'll have the whole place to yourself. The overlook is fairly expansive and offers a plethora of views along ...

The Bryce Canyon Traverse is a point-to-point run covering over 30 miles from Rainbow Point at the southern end of the park to Sunrise Point at the North. The majority of the run is on the remote Under-the-Rim Trail where you might pass the occasional backpacker, but won't find a tourist group for miles. To coordinate this run, you'll need to work in a group to stage cars at the start and fini...

Fowler-Hilliard hut sits at 11,500 ft on a forested ridge of Resolution Mountain, with easy access to intermediate and expert backcountry skiing right out the door. This newer hut was built in 2010 after the original hut burned down from a lightning strike. The hut comes stocked with padded mattresses, wood stoves & fuel, propane burners, all cookware and utensils, some games/puzzles/books,...

There are a couple routes to Section Hut on Boreas Pass, but the best adds trekking through the forest on Baker's Tank trail. Starting at 10,350' at the TH, look for a trail in the woods that starts climbing relatively quickly. Follow this for about 2.5 miles to the junction with the road and Baker's Tank, a historic water tank for the old rail line. From here you slog up the road for 3.5 mi...

*The 4-Pass Loop likely won't be doable until July due to the heavy snowpack this year and wet slide danger on the steep pass approaches.Taking on the 4-pass Loop is no easy feat but completely worth the training and effort. The run starts at Maroon Lake and heads up to Crater Lake where the loop splits left or right. Counter-clockwise is the preferred direction as it allows you to tackle the...

While small, Twin Falls sits in the extremely photogenic backdrop of Yankee Boy Basin. To reach the falls 7.5 miles outside of Ouray follow Camp Bird road for 4.7 miles before taking a right onto Yankee Boy Basin Road. After 2.8 miles you'll reach one of several small parking areas on the left and the falls will be just a few hundred feet from the road.Be advised the road up is narrow in spot...

This is a well maintained, easy trail best hiked in spring and fall. Conditions make this trail great for families. The park is also popular for bird watching and rock climbing.

The trek starts just outside of Leadville near Turquoise Lake at 9800 ft. The first day you'll travel 6.5 miles and gain 1700 ft. to Uncle Bud's Hut, which sits around 11,400 ft. The second day you'll ski 7.1 miles to Skinner Hut and gain 2100 ft, mostly in the last 3 miles after having dropped back down to 10,000 ft in the valley; the hut sits around 11,600 ft. The third day is 10.9 miles ...

Heading into the park from Beaver Meadows Entrance Station turn left at the first road in .2 miles. Follow Bear Lake Road for 8 miles until reaching the Glacier Gorge parking area on the left. Take the trail from the parking area and follow it to the intersection with the Sprague Lake Trail. Stay straight on the trail and turn left at the next intersection with the Bear Lake connector trail (Yo...

Bear Lake is a popular tourist destination in Rocky Mountain NP, but when the sun is low in the sky or the stars are out you'll find the big crowd are gone. The lake is beautiful at sunrise and sunset but especially photogenic in the fall or at winter's end. While it doesn't have the darkest night skies it can still serve as an excellent location to watch meteors or photograph star trails abov...

The Windy Ridge Bristlecone Pine Scenic Area is a remote stand of trees off a 4WD road near Alma, Colorado. This grove of bristlecone pines was given protected status in 1964 due to its uniquely shaped trees influenced by the winds blasting off nearby 14er, Mount Bross. The area sits at 11,700 ft. and is only accessible by vehicle in the summer after winter's snow has melted. A high-clearanc...

The highest continuous paved road in North America, Trail Ridge Road takes you above 12,000 ft to an alpine tundra. Being above treeline means you have unclogged panoramic views of the night sky and any possible meteors. You can start your trip from Grand Lake in the west or Estes Park in the east. There will be some light pollution at night from the towns, but it's subtle enough to add intere...

Established in 1908, Jewel Cave National Monument is home to over 179 miles of mapped cave passages. The cave features larger chambers and more interesting formations then nearby Wind Cave NP, and much of it is covered in spar crystals.A guided tour is the only way to see the cave system unless you are in the park's limited volunteer cave exploring group. Depending on the time of year, up to 4...

Established in 1903, Wind Cave National Park is home to over 140 miles of mapped cave passages. The cave features 95% of the world's known boxwork calcite formations and got its name from the sound of rushing wind created at its few small openings.A guided tour is the only way to see the cave system unless you are in the park's limited volunteer cave exploring group. Depending on the time of y...

Pragser Wildsee, also known as Lago di Braies, lies in a mostly German-speaking area of northern Italy close to the border with Austria. This glacial blue lake is surrounded by towering mountains and thick evergreen forests, which can be experienced on the 2.2-mile loop trail or Alta Via 1 trail. A photogenic boathouse offers canoe rentals to enjoy the lake in the warmer months while winter off...

Nellie Creek Falls is a beautiful little falls, up County Road 23. The waterfall is surrounded by a forest of aspens leading up the valley. To get to the falls take the northern route of the Alpine Loop from Lake City towards Engineer Pass. In about 5 miles you come to Nellie Creek Road on the right. The waterfall is just under a mile up the road, which you'll need a high-clearance 4WD vehicle ...

Betty Bear and Skinner Huts reside deep in the Colorado backcountry surrounded by thick forests and snowy peaks. Both of these huts offer an opportunity for off-grid leisure and crowd-free skiing. The huts come stocked with padded mattresses, wood stoves & fuel, propane burners, all cookware and utensils, some games/puzzles/books, and sitting/eating areas. Connecting these awesome mountain ...