walking trails near me Archives

Myrtle Beach – 5 Days of Walks and Outdoor Fun!

Most recently updated August 12th, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a favorite Summer family vacation spot!

Located in the center of the 60-mile long stretch of beach known as “The Grand Strand”, it’s one of the major tourist destinations in the entire country, attracting over 20M visitors each year.

Myrtle Beach Spring Break

Spring Break reveler at Myrtle Beach :-) — Spring Break reveler at Myrtle Beach 🙂

Myrtle Beach is also a notorious Spring Break destination, but it’s not what you think!

The Spring Break crowd in Myrtle typically has adult supervision and isn’t the crazy College break scene like you get in Fort Lauderdale.

So Myrtle Beach is a good choice for both adult travelers and families with school-aged children on Easter break.

Winter at the Beach

I usually go to Myrtle in the off-season, because it’s both less crowded and less expensive then.

And I like the beach in the Winter, because you can walk by the water for miles without suffering heat stroke 😉

That said, more things are open in the Summer season, when more people are around.

Read on to learn about fun activities I’ve found in every season – including the beach – that work for adult travelers and families, too.

Continue reading Myrtle Beach – 5 Days of Walks and Outdoor Fun!

Hike the Great Channels on Brumley Mountain

Most recently updated September 21st, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 14 minutes

I finally got to explore the Great Channels on Brumley Mountain, Virginia earlier this Fall after obsessing over it for nearly a year!

On the Navajo Trail in Bryce Canyon, Utah

The Great Channels sit at the summit of a mountain, and features a maze of slot canyons similar to those you might find in the parks in Utah or Arizona.

But the Great Channels formation is a surprise geologic gem hidden in southwest Virginia!

Anyway, last year, while planning a hiking trip to Grayson Highlands State Park (more on that later), I stumbled across an article about the Great Channels.

“Stumbled” is probably not the best word for a hiker to use, but you know what I mean 😉

I made some new friends at Grayson Highlands State Park.

The Channels are a series of deep crevices worn into prehistoric sandstone outcrops, where you can walk down into the maze-like network of crevices and explore.

You can also climb up on top of the Channels to get a stunning 360 view of the surrounding mountains!

Read on to learn how you can hike to the Great Channels, too.

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New River Gorge National Park – 5-Day Hike Guide

Most recently updated October 19th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia is our nation’s 63rd – and newest – National Park.

Rock wall along the Rend Trail in the Thurmond area.

The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along 53 miles of the New River from Bluestone Dam to Hawk’s Nest Lake.

In spite of it’s name, the New River is one of the oldest rivers on Earth, and has carved the deepest and longest river gorge in the Appalachian Mountains – dropping 750 feet over 50 miles!

More than a million people visit the gorge each year to kayak, canoe, and fish in the river or hike, bike, and camp on the land.

For the past two years, I’ve been one of them!

Each Summer, my family has a reunion in Indiana over the July 4th holiday.

One of the smaller Falls and Sandstone Falls in the Park. — One of the smaller Falls at Sandstone Falls in the Park.

It’s a long drive, so on the return trip I’ve stopped at New River Gorge National Park to break up the drive and check it out.

The first year, I only had a day at the Park, but this time I scheduled 4 whole days! I was NOT disappointed 🙂

Read on to find out about the hikes I found there, and how you can go, too! Continue reading New River Gorge National Park – 5-Day Hike Guide

Hike Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park

Most recently updated September 6th, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 16 minutes

I made the journey to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia again this Spring, specifically to (finally!) hike the iconic Old Rag summit hike.

Old Rag was my Moby Hike - the one that got away! — Until this year, Old Rag was my Moby Hike – the one that got away!

It was the hike that got away – my Moby Hike!

I’ve had plans to hike Old Rag for the past three years – but each attempt was thwarted by weather or logistics.

So I went back to try again – and I’m so glad I did!

It was a perfect-weather weekday in May before all of the families started their Summer vacations, so there were other hikers on the trail, but the place wasn’t over-run.

There’s a long rock scramble to the mountain’s summit that works better with some teamwork – especially if you’re a little bit vertically challenged, like I am 🙂

I conquered Old Rag, then I found a couple of other rock-scrambly hikes in Shenandoah that were a little less daunting to do the next day.

Read on to learn how you can hike Old Rag, and those other hikes too!

Continue reading Hike Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park

Hike Rose River and Cedar Run in Shenandoah National Park

Most recently updated June 5th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

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 🙂

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

Hike Cannon’s Point Preserve on St Simon’s Island

Most recently updated January 18th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 25 minutes

Earlier this year, after months of COVID lockdowns and weeks of gloomy rainy local weather, I couldn’t stand it anymore!!

All of my local trails had become rivers of mud, and greenways just don’t feed the soul like sunshine and a soft forest path.

Besides, walking greenways too much can also hurt your joints….

So I abandoned my spot on the Ark, and took off on a solo roadtrip down the East coast.

Starting from the Raleigh area, I drove all the way to St Augustine, FL (which is a story for another time) and then worked my way back up the Coast towards home.

Peacocks on the grounds of the Fountain of Youth archaeological park in St Augustine.

My first stop on the way back up was St Simon’s Island, Georgia 🙂

It's about a 6 hour drive from Raleigh to St Simon's Island. — St Simon’s is about 6 hours from Raleigh.

St. Simons, the largest barrier island in the Golden Isles, lies just off the Georgia coast.

It’s a favorite family beach destination for visitor’s in the summertime.

Off the beach, St. Simons Island is dotted with remnants of historic sites you can visit, like the St Simon’s Lighthouse, Fort Frederica National Monument, and Christ Church.

The beach near St Simon's. — The beach near St Simon’s.

You can also follow the ancient footsteps of the very first tourists to the island, who travelled either by walking the forest paths or paddling down the waterways.

I did some research and found a historic hiking spot at Cannons Point Preserve on the north end of the Island.

Among other reasons to visit, the trail at Cannon’s Point Preserve leads you to some extraordinary abandoned historic ruins along the coast.

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Forest Bathing – Walk to Improve Your Wellness

Most recently updated July 7th, 2023

Estimated Reading Time: 11 minutes

Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is a Japanese form of healing therapy that started to gain popularity back in the 80’s.

In case you’ve never heard of forest bathing, rest assured you’re not going to need a towel or your rubber duckie.

You also won’t be required to wander the forest in your birthday suit 😉

At it’s simplest level, forest bathing could be described as taking a leisurely walk through the forest for physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits.

Shinrin-yoku in Japanese means “taking in the forest atmosphere”.

Forest bathing is best done where there are a lot of trees.

Research has long shown “green exercise” to have a positive impact on our overall health, and the practice of forest bathing grew out of that recognition.

Promoted by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, the practice has become a mainstay of preventive health care in Japanese culture.

Today, many spas, resorts, and retreat centers across the world offer guided forest bathing experiences as part of their services.

That said, you don’t necessarily need a guide to take a forest bath yourself or with a friend.

All you need is a park or forest, a pair of good outdoor walking shoes, and some simple instructions.

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Hike Virginia’s Triple Crown – an Appalachian Trail Section

Most recently updated January 18th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 22 minutes

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

Historic Yates Mill County Park – Hike and Learn

Most recently updated January 18th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

Historic Yates Mill County Park is not on my usual round of go-to parks.

This is mainly because it’s a longer drive for me than either Umstead State Park or Bond Park, both of those parks have longer trails – and these days I’m usually looking more for a place to have a serious hike than to entertain kids.

Raven Rock State Park is another great place to take younger kids, but it’s an hours drive away….

But a couple of weeks ago, I had an hour to spend and didn’t want to get too sweaty.

So I dropped by Historic Yates Mill County Park to take an active break.

I’d visited Yates Mill once before, in the winter, but this visit I got to see what it was like in the summertime.

I wasn’t disappointed.

There’s a pond, a few shorter – mostly shady – flat hiking trails, and fishing (with a permit).

Plus, it’s got a historic working water-driven grist mill. So there’s that 🙂

Based on what I found, if you’ve got grade school or younger kids, or even Middle-schoolers who (unlike mine) DON’T refer to hikes as “forced marches”, Historic Yates Mill County Park could be a wonderful hang-out for your family!

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Fort Macon State Park – Hikes and History at the Beach

Most recently updated January 18th, 2022

Estimated Reading Time: 18 minutes

Fort Macon State Park is located on Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach on the North Carolina coast.

Opened in 1936, at only 424 acres in size, the park is one of the smallest state parks in North Carolina.

But with 1.3 million visitors annually, despite it’s small size, Fort Macon State Park is the second most visited state park in North Carolina.

I’ve always been too busy on my Coastal visits to be one of those visitors.

But I made up for my previous neglect a couple of weeks ago on a spontaneous overnight trip to the Coast.

A visit to Fort Macon was the main thing on my “must-do” list. I was delighted with what I found!

The park surrounds the US Coast Guard Station

The park completely surrounds the United States Coast Guard Station Fort Macon, and park visitors can catch a glimpse of one of the Coast Guard Cutters that are moored there.

The infamous pirate Blackbeard’s ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, has been discovered in shallow water right off the Park in the Atlantic Ocean and is being recovered.

The park is also the site of the Battle of Fort Macon, which was fought there March-April 1862, during the American Civil War.

In addition to tours of the fully restored fort, the park offers both sound-side and surf fishing, hiking trails, ranger guided tours, a protected swim area, a refreshment stand, and a bathhouse.

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