The Storm King: Darkening skies and raging seas. Perhaps you’re envisioning Zeus with a thunderbolt or Poseidon with a tsunami, or maybe some other deity who is having a bad day and fiercely brooding. This particular king takes shape in a mountain, and invites you to come and conquer, stomping […]
trail
107 posts
Start your trek relaxed, nestled between a scenic meadow and the woods. Enjoy it while you can, because before you know it you’ll start ascending up woodsy hills, scrambling up rocks, and sweating your socks off until you reach the summit. The hike up Brace Mountain [Intersection of Quarry Hill Road […]
When the days get shorter, my battle to avoid cabin fever begins. The fight starts in fall for me. I found myself just gazing at google maps, one of my favorite tools. I zoomed in and out of my location looking for green blobs close enough to home to visit […]
Any time I enter a garden conservatory I feel as though I’ve been transported to another land. No matter what the weather is outside, under the glass frames the temperature is catered to the warmth the plants require – and I happen to crave. A visit to The Botanic Garden […]
Driving through the Berkshires during peak foliage, what a vision the world was. We had already hiked Alander Mountain that day, and had plans for a museum later, but I wasn’t ready to give up the outdoors. It was our anniversary and I thought hey, why don’t we revisit a […]
Little hike, big payoff. If you want to see a stunning 90-foot waterfall you won’t have to walk very far from your car, and it’s only a 25 minute drive from downtown Albany. Barberville Falls [Parking lot is before the intersection of Blue Factory Road and Plank Road in Poestenkill] […]
It is such a treat to discover local preserves. Little treasures close enough, small enough, that you can you can run to after work for some nature therapy. Schiffendecker Farm Preserve [Bender Lane, Glenmont, NY 12077] is one of those special places. Just down the road in Glenmont nestled right […]
Marsh and mountain views, peaceful and scenic trails, a hike at Tivoli Bays [Follow the dirt road to the parking lot at the end of Cruger Island Road, Red Hook] is a dream. Just an hour south of Albany, and a stone throw from Bard College, miles of hiking trails […]
It was the last day of our crazy two week hiking and sight seeing trip starting in Las Vegas, heading through California, Utah, and Arizona – we would fly out from Phoenix in the late afternoon. So we woke up earlier than the sun and left the Grand Canyon, all […]
“How it swells! How it dwells On the Future! how it tells Of the rapture that impels To the swinging and the ringing Of the bells, bells, bells” One of my favorite Poe poems, “The Bells” was all I heard in my head as we parked and approached Bell Rock […]
Supposedly an ‘energy vortex’ of spirituality. Supposedly one of the most photographed spots in Arizona. Supposedly an easy hike. You can suppose a lot of things about Cathedral Rock [Try the intersection of Route 179 and Back O Beyond Rd in Sedona. Turn onto B.O.B and a paid parking lot […]
Possibly the most famous of the United States National Parks, the Grand Canyon is an American icon. How to spend a day here when you’ve dreamed about this place all your life? The image always runs through my head…a nuclear family on a warm sunny day in a Model T […]
The mountains are purple and rocks are rainbow swirled. No you are not in a Dr. Seuss book, you are visiting the one of a kind landscape at Petrified Forest National Park. The main draw of this park is the colorful petrified wood, however there is a lot more magic […]
Moab is a Mecca for the outdoorsy. Most flock to the national parks or state parks, it is easy to overlook the townie preserve. Scott M Matheson Wetland Preserve [820 Kane Creek Boulevard, Moab, UT 84532] is a vacation from your vacation. You won’t find admission fees or a crowd, […]
Utah has five national parks, a lot to see for just one state. Many travelers decide to make a loop out of them and may not think to visit the state parks, which would be quite a mistake in the case of Antelope Island State Park [4528 West 1700 South […]