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State: Texas Trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yAyhH7zJYx9UamtZ8 Park: Big Bend National Park Length: 2 miles Elevation: 246 feet Fee: Standard National Park Fees // The wind races through the wash, transecting the mesa and blowing sand into a hovering vortex and swiftly into my eyes. I secure my baseball cap down quickly. The gusts haven't stopped since 10 AM.  The creosote, low and huddled to the ground, barely waves in the wind as this cold front gradually moves into the

State: Tennessee Trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bLFvK1WYzpgpRYm17 Park: Cherokee National Forest Length Lower Higgins Creek Falls (1.5 miles out-and-back) Elevation: 482 Fee: Free // It's been exactly 555 days since I stepped onto the trails of Rocky Fork State Park and Cherokee National Forest. I've changed. But this landscape is transformed. Eight days after I left Rocky Fork in September 2024 following an off-trail waterfall adventure, Hurricane Helene hit and Erwin, T

State: New Mexico Trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9hJ19xqN9PN9nqEh8 Park: Valley of Fires Recreation Area Length: Malpais Nature Trail - 0.8 miles Elevation: 32 feet Fee: Daily Pass of $5.00 per vehicle, Free with America the Beautiful Pass // Valley of Fires Recreation Area, a lesser known geological gem in southern New Mexico, grants the hiker a chance to walk around one of the youngest and best preserved lava flows in the continental United States. The Carrizozo Malpais

State: Georgia Trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/JggXYQakkLUnVnMz6 Park: Providence Canyon State Park Length: The Backcountry Trail + Canyons 1-9: 9.3 miles Elevation: 866 feet Fee: Daily Pass of $10.00 per vehicle // Providence Canyon appears like an unexpected mirage in the Georgia lowlands. The gently undulating countryside, covered by various oak and hickory species, abruptly falls into canyons comprised of striking multi-colored sediments. If you've traveled out West, t

State: Alabama Trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AyCrjhN9K8XunufbA Park: Conecuh National Forest Length: 7.2 miles Fee: Free // Conecuh National Forest is a hidden gem in southern Alabama for those who love longer hikes and camping. The South Loop was my first taste of the park. At 7.2 miles and relatively flat, the trail goes by quickly yet still offers plenty of features to include a crystal clear creek and natural spring. In February 2026, there was a series of prescribed

State: Florida Outfitter Location: Blackwater Canoe https://maps.app.goo.gl/gU7bJm8dmrwTSgX69 Length: 9 miles Fee: $40.00 for a kayak. During the off season, they are cash-only. By the time I launched my kayak into the Blackwater River in early February 2026, it had been over 2 years since I'd put my hands on a paddle. Water is not plentiful in my current location of El Paso, TX. And my last water-oriented activity had been a river cruise on the Spree in Berlin. It had simply

State: Florida Trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/oHRM3sxv4c9zkv4D7 Park: Florida Caverns State Park Cave Tour Duration: Approximately 1 hour Above Ground Trail Length: Beech Magnolia & Bluff Trail Loop (1.1 miles) Above Ground Trail Length: Red and Blue Trail Loop (2.0 miles) Fee: $4.00 (single occupancy vehicle), $5.00 for more than one occupant // CAVE TOUR The caverns offers one cave tour to the public, which is an hour long guided walk among the formations. There are whi

State: Florida Trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bGoh4mXnDyCkceRg7 Park: Torreya State Park Length: 13 miles (My distance is a little longer, due to detours) Fee: $3.00 // I will admit that I underestimated the Torreya Challenge Trail. Situated in northern Florida and dominated by wiregrass and pines, the trail provides the hiker with a constantly undulating series of elevation gains totaling over 1650 feet at the conclusion of the hike. It's a rugged 13 miles *my total mile

State: Alabama Trailhead: 760 Aldock Road, Eight Mile, AL 36613 (start beside the playground) Park: Chickasabogue Park in Mobile County Length: 3.8 miles (My distance is a little longer, due to detours) Fee: None // Chickasabogue Park is an 1100 acre park located in Mobile County. If you're driving through Mobile or staying in the area, this is a solid location to either run, hike, or mountain bike. There are also camping and disc golf options. For me, it was a much needed br

State: Alabama Trailhead Location: https://share.google/PxdePmzGegPqYpMrj Park: Audubon Bird Sanctuary Length: 3.4 miles (including the beach walk to Fort Gaines) Fee: Free // By the time I arrived on Dauphin (Daw-fin) Island, the journey had taken me 1200 miles through the ice and snow-covered Chihuahuan Desert, past the hill country, over the Delta, and deep into the southeast pines. The 4runner and I had left El Paso the prior morning and dipped into a silent, white world

State: New Mexico Trailhead: Tunnel Vista Observation Site, Lincoln National Forest Park: Lincoln National Forest Length: 0.5 miles, out-and-back Fee: None // Living in the Chihuahuan Desert gets dry. The sun seems to shine too often, too bright, and the dusty glare of the Franklin mountains on baking days makes you wish for the reprieve of a single day of showers. There is water near El Paso. You just have to know where to look and have a liberal definition of "near." If you

State: New Mexico Trailhead Location: Approximately 2.5 miles beyond the Visitor Center Park: White Sands National Park Length: 1 mile, out-and-back Fee: Varies, see park details for discounts and passes // As a hiker who loves the challenge of distances and the high gypsum dunes, I almost passed this trail up the first time I visited the park. There are several draws to this short 1 mile jaunt. Firstly, it's family friendly and a short distance for those who aren't up for th

State: New Mexico Trailhead Location: 33.37601852, -108.84350586 Park: Gila National Forest Length: 5 miles, out-and-back Fee: None // Whitewater Canyon rises with sheer walls over the rushing waters of Whitewater Creek below. Most people seek out Glenwood, NM for a chance to hike the Catwalk National Recreation Trail. The views from Gold Dust Trail make the Catwalk pale in comparison. Although they are two different hiking experiences, very little compares in this area to th

State: New Mexico Trailhead Location: Aguirre Springs Campground Park: Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks National Monument Length: 4 miles, out-and-back Fee: $5 for day use as of 10/25/2025 // Organ Mountains - Desert Peaks National Monument is a hidden gem in the El Paso and Las Cruces area. Most hikers know about the Franklin Mountains, White Sands, Ruidoso, and Cloudcroft. But some of the best camping, hiking, and scrambling can be found in this national monument managed by B

Franconia. Bavaria. Bayern. All these names conjure images of Oktoberfest - steins swelling with local, limitless bier and sightings of liederhosen. This region is what many visitors think of when they imagine Germany.  But as much as I love these festivities, my association with a place, whether it be a new city or country, is dependent on its landscape. Most people can list the names of streets, highways, and restaurants after they’ve lived in a locale long enough. For me,