Jeremy MeekExplorer

As the third longest trail in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve, the Freedom Trail provides a great option for those looking for a longer hike, which can also be made even a bit longer by bolting on the Piestewa Summit hike along the way (adds 1.2 miles additional and a view from the top!). Many looking to train for a longer hike use the Freedom Trail in tandem with some others in the area to train...

If you do not have the time (or energy) to backpack into Berg Lake and camp overnight, one solution is to fly into Berg Lake via Robson Helimagic's chopper and hike out. Going with this heli-hiking route allows you to experience this iconic trail without the hassle of camping and getting proper permits. If you are interested in the backpacking and camping experience, check out Morgan Lee Alain'...

Its name says it all; this panoramic viewpoint at the north rim of the Grand Canyon is sublime: of such excellence, grandeur, or beauty as to inspire great admiration or awe. For newcomers to the Grand Canyon, this view might just leave you speechless! A relatively few people get to experience Point Sublime, largely due to the rough and narrow 14 mile dirt road that needs to be traversed to re...

Keet Seel is an amazingly preserved pueblo village in the depths of the canyons at Navajo National Monument. First occupied as early as 700-900 AD, it was not until approximately 1250 AD when the current visible structures were built. During that period, Keet Seel was home to about one hundred Anasazi farmers. Now, the ruins are accessible (via a fairly rigorous hike – 17 miles round trip) to t...

Typically a very popular place for heli-skiing in the winter months, Ghost Peak and the surrounding area offer some epic alpine hiking opportunities! Various routes are available from the ridge connecting Ghost Peak with Mount Cartier. The basin between the peaks, Ghost Peak Basin, is strewn with streams, waterfalls, and five pristine glacial lakes. Distances and elevation gains can be custom-t...

Though there are many unique viewpoints from within and around Monument Valley, none is as grand as the view from Hunts Mesa! Not easily accessible, the only way to get to Hunts Mesa is through an authorized tour guide via a ~2 hour off-road drive around the backside of the mesa. Even if you did have the off road vehicle equipped to make the rough ride up the backside of Hunts Mesa, you would b...

There are few places that are quite as magical as the Swiss Alps. Towering peaks, rich culture, iconic architecture, and rolling green pastures; it's a storybook setting. While there are a multitude of ways to enjoy Switzerland, paragliding amidst the Swiss Alps tops the list. Once the snow melts (and sometimes before!), paragliding commences from many mountaintops in Switzerland. Thanks to a v...

The West Baldy Trail is one of the most beautiful (and popular) hikes in Arizona. It is reminiscent of many alpine hikes you might find scattered across Colorado. The trail follows the Little Colorado River most of the way and the sound of trickling water complements the gorgeous mountains and grasslands. Even if you’re not completing the full 7-mile hike, there are many places along the first ...

Ever wanted to see Sedona from a bird’s eye view? Sure, you could spring for a helicopter tour. Or…you could hike Wilson Mountain Summit! No other location in Sedona will offer you a view that is so expansive and so breathtaking (and one where you are actually looking DOWN on the helicopters giving tours). Granted, no other hike in Sedona is as breathtaking either — literally, this hike will ta...

A lesser known Icelandic waterfall, Hraunfossar is nonetheless beautiful and quite unique! Flowing out from beneath a gigantic lava flow, there is a magical quality to enjoying the subtlety of a waterfall resulting without a river above-ground feeding it. Hraunfossar could be viewed as a gigantic spring as much as it is a waterfall! This is an easy stop as you are going to/from the lava tubes i...

If you have limited time in Iceland and/or are trying to make good time circumnavigating the entire island, you will not have time to complete the entirety of the world renowned Laugavegur Trek. However, the next best thing can be tackling a partial day hike that takes you along a portion of the Laugavegur Trek and leads you to Heidarhorn! Hiking to Heidarhorn will provide you an epic viewpoint...

Starting at the trailhead, it is a leisurely hike into and through Stakkholts Canyon (in Icelandic, Stakkholtsgja). There are some defined paths along the way, but the path can vary from year to year and ultimately you will make your own way up the canyon, with relatively easy crossings of the river by foot (no bridges). Especially if visiting in mid-to-late summer, there will likely be steppin...

Located in Yoho National Park, Lake O'Hara is said to be the crown jewel of the Canadian Rockies (rightly so!). Callum Snape has described a bit of the process on what it takes to gain access to Lake O'Hara at this post here. Once you arrive at Lake O'Hara, either at the lodge or at the neighboring campground, you will have SO many choices for adventures to pursue. At some point during your sta...

Navajo Falls is a gem that resulted from the flash flood that tore through Havasu Canyon in August of 2008. Although this flash flood forever changed the landscape of the canyon, it created a fantastic spot for travelers to enjoy in the afternoon and evening when camping at Havasupai Campground. It is a relatively short hike from camp (just over 0.5 mile) and is a great cool down spot to explor...

Hiking down to Mooney Falls is a great, short adventure when camping at the Havasupai Campground. Not only that, it is certainly the most adventurous waterfall to reach, requiring travelers to hike down through a menacing passageway cut through the side of the canyon wall by miners at the turn of the 20th century. Descend to the base of Mooney Falls at your own risk; the falls are named after a...

Battleship Mountain is nestled within the Superstition Mountains, surrounded by dramatic peaks and desert landscapes. The hike itself is beautiful, and the views once on top of Battleship Mountain are exceptional. The diversity and uniqueness of geological formations in the mountains surrounding you as you hike will make you go “wOw!”. There is no maintained trail to the top of Battleship Mount...

As its name suggests, Mountain Sheep Canyon offers a rugged feel and more strenuous hike than the other slot canyons in the neighborhood (Antelope Canyon and Rattlesnake Canyon). The trek is longer than it is for the other canyons (about three-quarters of a mile), and there is quite a bit of scaling ladders along the way. The ladders are all secured to the rock, but a few of the climbs might be...

Welcome to the beauty of wilderness and serenity! Within the boundaries of Aravaipa Canyon, you will not find any designated trails, campsites, or facilities. This canyon is one of Arizona’s hidden gems, and it is not mentioned in many travel books or in international travel magazines – yet. The terrain is rugged so hikers should be in good condition to pass through dense, diverse vegetati...

Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) is home to the most diverse collection of astronomical observatories on Earth for nighttime optical and infrared astronomy and daytime study of our sun. With 26 telescopes on the premises and partnerships with world-leading institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University, and Yale University just to name a few, it is...

If you’re looking for a truly unique hiking experience in Arizona, look no further than the Lava River Cave, 14 miles northwest of Flagstaff. The longest lava tube in Arizona, the cave was formed approximately 700,000 years ago after a volcanic eruption in Hart Prairie. As the lava from the eruption flowed, the outer edges began to cool and harden, but the lava in the middle continued to flow, ...

The Gateway Trailhead is one access point into the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy in Scottsdale and is my favorite “Gateway” into the treasure trove of great trails and vistas in the McDowell Mountains. The Gateway Trailhead provides great accessibility for a quick hike or trail run at the end of the workday.  The Gateway Loop Trail is 4.5 miles long and has 650 feet of elevation gain, which mak...