If you want a unique hiking experience, then the Aravaipa Canyon hike needs to go on the must hike list. The canyon, located between Phoenix and Tucson in the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness, sits in a landscape of soaring cliffs with a beautiful creek flowing through it year-round. Massive trees, thick riparian vegetation and lots of birds and wildlife make this a one of a kind Arizona experience. Reportedly when the leaves change colours in the fall,…
I have been very lucky to spend a lot of time doing hikes in Canada - across all provinces and territories. What I look for in a great day hike is superlative scenery - with my preference being coast, lake or mountain views or even something that makes the hike unique. The Mingan with its fantastic eroded rock monoliths would be a great example. I'm not a fan of hiking miles through forests without a…
On a busy trip to St. Mary and Glacier National Park in Montana, John and I squeezed in the Iceberg Lake hike in the Many Glacier area of the park. We did it in mid-September when the colours had started to change and after the summer crowds had left. The Iceberg Lake hike is 9.8 miles round trip and the elevation gain is a very manageable 1,275 feet or 389 metres. Finding the trailhead for the…
The Prairie View Trail - Jewell Pass hike in Kananaskis Country is a good choice in the shoulder season when you want to get outside but don't want to commit to a long drive. It takes less than an hour to get to the trailhead from Calgary. The Prairie View Trail hike is a very popular one. It's definitely not one of the prettier hikes in Kananaskis Country but in the off-season when you just…
The Galatea Lakes hike in Kananaskis Country is accessed via the trail to Lillian Lake. This area was hit hard in the 2013 floods but the trail has been rebuilt, with new bridges added and lots of signage. In fact it's one of the best signed trails I've seen in Kananaskis Country. All told it's 5.5 kilometres one way to Lillian Lake and an additional 1.1 kilometres to reach Galatea Lakes. There is an elevation…
The Speyside Way Whiskey Tour – Scotland, September 4 to 14, 2019 by Nicola Ross “Let’s go on a hiking trip together sometime,” my friend Susan suggested. My response was immediate: “Where? When?” We decided on Scotland, a year hence. Meanwhile, I came across information about the Speyside Way Whiskey Tour, and since I didn’t care where in Scotland, and Susan is a single-malt-whiskey enthusiast, it was agreed. The only fly in the ointment was…
The EEOR hike (short for east end of Rundle) near Canmore is an out and back scramble that will test your mettle. It's steep from the get-go with an elevation gain of 875 metres over just 2.9 kilometres. For many people the EEOR hike will be a challenge. It's got lots of loose rock which is unsettling for some - and a cliff band with rock ledges along with some exposure near the top to…
Valhalla Provincial Park is home to one of the best hikes in BC. The 6 km trail into Gwillim Lakes is take-your-breath away beautiful, especially in the evening light. You'll find meadows to explore, mountain ridges to climb and lakes for skinny dipping. Also look for well-spaced tent pads, a kitchen area and a couple of outhouses. You could easily spend a few nights here. Where is Valhalla Provincial Park? There's a pretty good chance…
The fabulous 3.5 km King Creek Ridge hike off of Highway 40 in Kananaskis Country offers truly exceptional mountain scenery. But it's definitely not a beginner or even a family-friendly hike. Once you reach the ridge itself after about two kilometres of hard, steep hiking, the grade moderates and the rest of the hike is positively glorious. It's one of the best ridge walks I've done - though I'd also highly recommend nearby Pocaterra Ridge.…
Have you ever heard of the Choquequirao trek in Peru? I had not until I spent some time looking through active vacations on the G Adventures website. I don't know how this superb 8 day trek slipped by me. I'm familiar with the other three treks that deposit you at Machu Picchu - the Inca Trail, the Salkantay trek and the Lares trek. But the Choquequirao trek is the only one I'd recommend, now that…