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Hike Stone Mountain State Park

Most recently updated October 15th, 2024

Estimated Reading Time: 19 minutes

Stone Mountain State Park is very near areas of North Carolina that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

Stone Mountain is currently closed, along with many other NC State Parks and trails in the Western part of the State.

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest area Park, Trail and road repairs before you travel.

Mists rise from the mountains after a summer rain. — Smoky Mountains get their name from the mist that settles in the valleys.

I’ve been visiting Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina for almost 20 years, either with kid in tow, with That Man, or on my own.

My most recent visit was just a few weeks ago – and the mountain was still just as beautiful as I remembered 🙂

Located on more than 14,100 acres in Wilkes and Alleghany counties in North Carolina, Stone Mountain State Park offers cascading waterfalls, cool mountain streams, and quiet forests to explore.

And of course, the massive 600-foot granite dome of Stone Mountain itself.

There are more than 18 miles of hiking and riding trails, and 20 miles of designated trout waters available in the park.

Can you imagine living in the shadow of the dome on Stone Mountain ?

You can also go rock climbing (with a permit) on the towering granite face of the landmark mountain.

Climbers on the dome look down over the Hutchinson Homestead, a restored mid-19^th century mountain farm that rests in it’s shadow.

Read on to learn about the park and area history, hiking trails, and great views just waiting for you to visit!

Continue reading Hike Stone Mountain State Park

Hike Rose River and Cedar Run in Shenandoah National Park

Most recently updated April 27th, 2026

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

The Shenandoah National Park is right on the edge of the areas of North Carolina and Virginia that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

That said, the Park is open and many of the surrounding communities are open for business and could really use your Fall vacation dollars to help rebuild!

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest Park, Trail and road repairs.

I went back to Shenandoah again this Spring, to hike the Rose River Loop, the Cedar Run Circuit and maybe add some more to my list.

It wouldn’t be hard to do, since Shenandoah National Park offers some of the best hiking in Virginia!

I took a break from hiking to explore the Barboursvillle ruins.

I had spent a great week there a couple of years ago, but the trip was over before I had a chance to complete my list of “must do” hikes – including the Rose River Loop.

And of course the iconic Old Rag hike.

So I had to go back and try again!

Where is Shenandoah National Park?

Shenandoah National Park is only 115 miles from Washington, D.C., 95 miles from Richmond VA, and 250 miles from Raleigh NC.

That’s close enough for a great long weekend or longer family vacation, without the expense of air travel!

My previous Shenandoah visit was for a whole week. This trip was a quick visit of only 3 nights – which was still enough time to get in a couple of great hikes and see some local sights 🙂

Or if you prefer video, take a look at the Shenandoah playlist on IRW YouTube.

Continue reading Hike Rose River and Cedar Run in Shenandoah National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – 5 Great Hikes in 4 Great Days

Most recently updated January 16th, 2025

Estimated Reading Time: 35 minutes

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is right on the edge of the areas of North Carolina and Tennessee that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

That said, the Park is open and many of the surrounding communities are open for business and could really use your tourist dollars to help rebuild!

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest Park, Trail and road repairs.

For years, I’ve been driving from my home near Raleigh, NC past the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) in Tennessee for work, but never had a chance to stop and explore.

It was very frustrating… 🙁

The Pulpit rock cairn marks the end of the Bullhead Trail.

But finally, last summer, I was able to spend a few days hiking in the GSMNP.

It was everything I hoped it would be!

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) was the most visited national park in 2019, with over 12.5 million visitors.

That’s nearly twice as many tourists as the Grand Canyon had that same year!

The Park covers 522,419 acres in North Carolina and Tennessee, making it one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States.

It also straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain.

And as if that’s not enough to warrant a visit, the Appalachian Trail also passes through the center of the park on its route from Georgia to Maine.

Read on to learn about the park layout, history and the amazing trails that I hiked during my visit… and how you could hike them, too!

Continue reading Great Smoky Mountains National Park – 5 Great Hikes in 4 Great Days

Hike to the Zombie Tunnels! – Schenk Forest’s Richland Creek Trail

Most recently updated November 24th, 2025

Estimated Reading Time: 10 minutes

The Zombie Tunnel Hike is a route that goes from Umstead State Park, and all the way through Carl Alwin Schenk Memorial Forest to the Lenovo arena – with the help of the Richland Creek Trail and Capital Area Greenways.

I’ve been leading this hike for years, and people really enjoy it.

At over 12 miles, it’s a good long hike. It’s pretty flat, but has a lot of different features – like Zombie tunnels!

Okay, there may not *actually* be any Zombies, but it sure looks like there could be….and one time I did find a mutant fish in there 🙂

I don’t host this hike very often because conditions need to be just right or the route is impassable, and I hate to disappoint anyone.

Just in time for Halloween, I hiked the route again AND (for a spook-tacular add-on) took a Ghost Walk in Raleigh the next day!!

According to legend, Brigadoon only appears for one day every 300 years.

(I’ll tell you all about the Ghost walk and how you can take one too, but first – the hike!)

Depending on recent weather conditions or new construction, parts of the trail have been known to disappear like Brigadoon at sunrise.

So earlier this year, before I posted the hike for others to join me, I decided to take a look and see if the route was still there – and still the same.

Good news! The route was still there – and still mostly the same. In fact some parts had actually been improved!

Now I’ll tell you about the trail so you can try this somewhat spooky hike for yourself… perhaps followed by an equally spooky Ghost Walk!

Continue reading Hike to the Zombie Tunnels! – Schenk Forest’s Richland Creek Trail

Hike Virginia’s Triple Crown – an Appalachian Trail Section

Most recently updated October 15th, 2024

Estimated Reading Time: 22 minutes

The Appalachian Trail (AT) runs through or very near areas of North Carolina and Virginia that were hardest hit by Hurricane Helene.

Portions of the AT are open, along with many other Virginia and NC State Parks and trails in the Eastern part of the State. That said, Parks and the AT on the Western side of the State have been damaged and may be inaccessible.

Go to my Hurricane Helene page to get the latest updates on the latest area Park, Trail and road repairs before you travel.

As soon as I heard about the Triple Crown hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I knew I had to do it!

View of the Dragon's Tooth at the hike summit. — View of the Dragon’s Tooth at the hike summit.

It’s an epic hike within easy driving distance from my home in North Carolina, do-able as a solo hiker – with reasonable precautions – even in the heat of summer.

Most importantly the summer of 2020, the Triple Crown trails and trailhead parking were just re-opened for use.

Effective June 13: The National Park Service has reopened the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, including the Triple Crown section of Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs.

The Triple Crown hike is actually a group of three hikes – Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs – that can be done individually or tackled as an overnight backpacking hike all together.

The Triple Crown trail loop is 35 miles of the best hiking in the Roanoke Valley and arguably some of the best overlooks in the entire state of Virginia.

If you decide to explore this portion of the Appalachian Trail, you’ll be rewarded with incredible overlooks, unique rock formations, shelters for rustic camping, and challenging, bucket-list-worthy trails 🙂 Continue reading Hike Virginia’s Triple Crown – an Appalachian Trail Section

How To Stay Healthy Working from Home

Most recently updated November 24th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes

Have you become a remote worker recently due to circumstances beyond your control? Whether you have chosen remote work, or it’s been thrust upon you, it can be a difficult transition for you and your whole family.

You can find yourself getting stressed, socially awkward, and extra fluffy 🙂

And this can add additional stress, which creates a really bad cycle that it’s best to avoid altogether.

So, that said, what’s the best way to protect your mental and physical health when you’re suddenly forced to work from your home???

Sign promoting hand-washing along local greenway trail

People who had already chosen to work remotely before any Stay At Home mandates have probably figured this out already.

But for those who became remote workers overnight due to the COVID-19 health crisis response or other sudden life change, this could be a problem – especially if there’s no end in sight.

As an aside, I joined the workforce when there was no such thing as “remote” work, because there were no laptops, internet or cell phones.

…. I’ll pause here so you can say “Okay, Boomer” 🙂

I also remember when working remotely was the shiny new Holy Grail of work situations, and only the Cool Kids got to do it.

The rest of us had to fight family, school buses and traffic to make it into the office on time despite a blizzard or an illness that had you burning with fever.

Your commute to work can be replaced by a nice long walk or bike ride

Those days are not entirely gone, but most companies now recognize natural disasters, communicable diseases, and different time-zones within Global teams as valid reasons to work off-site.

Fortunately, with today’s technology everyone is able to work remotely as needed, if your business will allow it.

Some people work remotely 100% of the time now and some younger workers have NEVER had an office-based job.

"Working from home" used to mean something very different. — “Working from home” used to mean something very different.

At this point in my career, I’ve worked in all kinds of remote, half-remote, on-site only, etc etc situations, and I have to say – I really like working from home most of all!

But working remotely is not everyone’s favorite thing.

When working from home – whether it’s as someone’s else’s employee or as your own boss – there are a lot of bad habits you can fall into.

Finding the discipline to manage your time and ignore distractions, especially if you’ve also got kids at home – never mind anxiety about world events, or depression due to isolation – may be unusually difficult.

And staying focused enough to get some exercise and eat right can be almost impossible!

There are some tricks I’ve learned over the years that might help you 🙂

Continue reading How To Stay Healthy Working from Home

Get Back in Shape with a 6-Week Training Plan

Most recently updated January 23rd, 2026

Estimated Reading Time: 15 minutes

It’s time to get back in shape after…..*whatever* happened over the Holidays to make you feel less than your optimal buff self 😉

Premium AI Image | Festive Christmas food Fine Dinner buffet table with ... — It’s REALLY hard to maintain your exercise and diet goals during the holiday season.

Maybe you’ve just been really busy, or worn out from your Christmas and New Year’s adventures, or – like me – you’ve been laid low by seasonal cold and flu?

Or maybe some of you – also like me – can’t remember how to dress yourself to go anywhere if red, green and glitter aren’t the dress code?

Well, you’d better get over it pretty quick, because February is almost here, and you know what that means?

Resort travel and Superbowl parties. That’s right, and you won’t be able to hide under that bulky “ugly” sweater for all of them.

Some Resort travel will require swimwear (ack!!) and some gatherings may even require tight jeans or the dreaded slinky dress.

The Ugly Christmas Sweater isn’t appropriate at the beach…

And then there are all of those relatives and former classmates – perhaps even at the same resorts and gatherings…..

In North Carolina, it’s pretty much always warm enough to get outdoors and exercise – even in the Winter.

So, now that the cheesecake and chocolate truffles have been put away, I’ll start getting serious again 😉

Get The FREE PDF!

Everything that you need to start your 6 week training plan is included in this post.

But it’s a long read and may be hard to refer to while you’re training.

For your convenience, you can click here to sign up and download your FREE “Get Back in Shape” PDF file.

Then you can print it out and refer to your plan anytime you want. Happy training! LJ

Honestly, though I feel like a slacker, I never really stopped hiking.

That said, ever since last June, when I returned from my epic hiking trip to Scotland, I HAVE slacked off on my indoor cross-training – and it shows!

Author at the summit of Ben Nevis, the highest peak in Scotland

I worked my butt off for months prior to that trip, so I’d be able to do the Ben Nevis summit hike without hurting myself – and it was great!

But that was more than a few months ago, and now I could use a quick tune-up before slipping into that slinky party dress or Spring resort wear.

Keep reading to learn more about how I’m doing a quick tune-up for my upcoming trips and gatherings – and how you could, too!

Continue reading Get Back in Shape with a 6-Week Training Plan

Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – New Zealand’s Favorite Day Hike

Most recently updated February 6th, 2024

Estimated Reading Time: 19 minutes

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a 12 mile day hike on New Zealand’s North Island, is one of the most popular day hikes in the country.

Located inside The Tongariro National Park, the alpine crossing is part of a larger 3-4 day hike that is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.

Tongariro National Park was made famous – like so many places in New Zealand – by it’s appearance in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.

The park’s alpine, volcanic scenery is the setting of Mordor, home of Mount Doom – aka Mt Ngauruhoe – the object of Frodo and Sam’s quest throughout the series.

I had the opportunity to take this trek as part of an active group trip to the North Island early this Spring.

(Fortunately, I was able to return home before travel became restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Here’s how hiking the Tangeriro Alpine Crossing went for me, and some information that will help if you want to go try it for yourself!

Continue reading Hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing – New Zealand’s Favorite Day Hike

Outdoor Activity Ideas for Homeschool Kids

Most recently updated January 20th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

Home school kids need to get outdoors in the sunshine and play – for their physical and mental health and for ours, too.

If you’ve recently become a remote worker AND a home-schooler all at once, courtesy of COVID-19, you’re probably already running short on patience.

Getting outdoors, either in your own yard or in a local park or forest, can help boost the entire family’s mood and immune system.

Sitting still for long periods of time is hard for everyone, but it’s especially difficult for energetic young ones who may have shorter attention spans.

When children have the space and freedom to move around, they can work off their excess energy and be more focused on learning when playtime is over.

Through physical outdoor learning activities children can improve their speed, strength, stamina and motor skills, too.

Here are some ideas for incorporating outdoor time into your new at-home daily schedule, and some tips on places to go for outdoor fun where you can still avoid crowds, for social distancing purposes.

Continue reading Outdoor Activity Ideas for Homeschool Kids

Hike the Route of the Hermitages de Tella in Spain

Most recently updated June 9th, 2022

The trip began in Barcelona and ended in Madrid

Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes

Last summer, I took a whirlwind tour across Northern Spain.

We started in Barcelona and made our way across the country to end the tour in Madrid – all in 8 days!

For me, the highlight of the tour was a short day hike in the Aragonese Pyrenees.

Don’t get me wrong – the rest of the tour was great, too.

But I’m not usually a fan of big cities, even cities as beautiful as Madrid and Barcelona.

I usually like to spend my holiday time away from cities, sweating in a desert canyon, searching for ruins in a rainforest, or hiking up a steep slope to a mountain view.

To be honest, the hike in the Pyrenees was the main reason I signed up 🙂

I’d been planning another trip that cancelled at the last minute, so I decided to take a chance on a different sort of trip for me. I’m very glad I did!

Continue reading Hike the Route of the Hermitages de Tella in Spain