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Tips for Your Visit to Arches National Park

Most recently updated July 31st, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes

When I was planning my Utah hiking trip, I asked for advice from hiker friends who had visited the area before: 

Which National Parks should I visit?  How much time should I allow for each park?  Which trails are a must-do?

Towers in the Fiery Furnace

I was grateful for their insights, and found the advice to be mostly accurate – except for when it came to hiking  Arches National Park.

Some feedback I got was that I didn’t need to plan for more than an afternoon at Arches National Park hikes, but we spent a day and a half there and still didn’t get to everything.

Entry to Fiery Furnace are at Arches National Park
Entry to Fiery Furnace are at Arches National Park

While it could be said that Arches isn’t very challenging for expert hikers, there’s no doubt that it is breathtakingly beautiful for everyone!

Continue reading Tips for Your Visit to Arches National Park

Springtime in the Desert – Utah Hiking One Week Plan

Most recently updated January 18th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Recently I did some hiking in Utah, specifically visiting several of the famous Utah National Parks.  The trip to southern Utah was primarily to hike, but also to take in the beauty of the desert in the Spring.

Hikers on the Queens Garden Trail in Bryce Canyon
Hikers on the Queens Garden Trail in Bryce Canyon

Photos can’t convey the scale of the mountains and desert, or the multitude of colors and rock formations we drove through while crossing southern Utah – but I tried anyway.

A few of my pics are in the text below, and you can see more in my detailed posts about Arches National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

This was our itinerary, maybe it could work for you! Continue reading Springtime in the Desert – Utah Hiking One Week Plan

Top 3 Reasons William B. Umstead State Park is my Favorite Forest

Most recently updated July 30th, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 8.5 minutes

Umstead State Park has been my go-to hiking place for at least the past ten years.   I hike in the forest, or with the forest as a starting place, at least twice per week. 

Kiosk at the Harrison Ave entrance.

Sometimes I hike on my own, sometimes as a hike leader for Raleigh Recreational Hikers or I’d Rather Walk meetups.

Park History

Umstead State Park has a long history:  initially a wild hardwood-forested area inhabited with bison, bobcats and elk, it later became the site for indigenous peoples homes and trade, was part of a land grant for farms in 1774. 

Finally, in 1934 – through a joint effort of Federal and State agencies – 5,000 acres were purchased to create a public recreation area. 

The Civilian Conservation Corp and the Works Progress Administration helped with construction, and the park was open to the public in 1937.

There are so many reasons to love this park, it’s hard to fit them all into a single post.  So I’ll just start with my Top 3.

Continue reading Top 3 Reasons William B. Umstead State Park is my Favorite Forest

Simple Ways to Start Hiking – With Kids or On Your Own

Most recently updated January 18th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 4.3 minutes

When I first began hiking as a hobby, I was working at a fulltime tech job, was a single mom of a toddler with few babysitters available, and my closest family was 1500 miles away. 

Of necessity, most of my activities (outside of work) included the company of my Mini-Me, and hiking was no exception.

Hiking at Hanging Rock State Park with Peanut!

My daughter loved the adventure, seeing new things, and being an intrepid explorer with her Mama!

We explored local parks and greenways, both on foot and on bikes and rollerblades.

Then, when she was old enough, we were able to visit a lot of State Parks, and go on longer unpaved trails with more varied terrain. 

Continue reading Simple Ways to Start Hiking – With Kids or On Your Own