Gooseberry Falls State Park

This week for Travel Tuesday I am taking you to an area in Minnesota near the shorelines of the beautiful and massive Great Lake Superior.  Gooseberry Falls, located right off of HWY 61.

Gooseberry Falls are about five different falls that come down from the mountain and cliffs and then go into Lake Superior.

It's actually pretty short and easy hiking, there is even a 1 mile handicap access trail that will take you down to the main section of the falls.
But there are actually 18 miles of trails, so you can take your pick and go as far or as short as you'd like.

Depending on the time of year, you can get right out and hike down on the cliffs around the falls, I had a fun time picking my way on these for different vantage points.  Also on a hotter day, it is a great way to cool off.

There is also a visitors center, bathrooms and picnic sites for those who want to spend a half to full day in the area.

I actually took a part of another trail called Castle Danger which also takes you out to some beautiful overlooks, it was actually a little over two miles round trip added to the Gooseberry Falls trail.

What will you get by visiting this area?  Waterfalls, lots and lots of beautiful waterfalls.  Not to mention some fun hiking and breathtaking views and overlooks.

If you're going to be visiting the North Shores area of Minnesota, I highly recommend taking an hour or two and visiting Gooseberry Falls State Park

IF YOU GO

* HWY 61 from Duluth to Canada is a beautiful scenic drive right along the coast of lake superior, a definite must do, if you have a day or two.

* Take water and a camera so you can stay out and enjoy the sights no matter where your feet take you around the state park.

* Its free, at least I was not charged to park or hike around the area.

* For my friends to love to run, The Grandma's Marathon held in June, is just down the road.  Great place for a racecation!

Going to the Sun, Glacier National Park

This week for Travel Tuesday I want to take you on an adventure that you can see all from the windows of your car.  However, I highly recommend getting out and taking a few hikes along the way.

This is the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park.


What is the Going to the Sun Road?  It's 50 miles of pure beauty!  A winding mountain road, that climbs, and climbs and allows you different views from each turn and every mile.

One thing that a lot of people expect when they visit Glacier National Park is to see lots of Glaciers. While many years ago, this was true. Now you can really only see them from a distance, or you need to hike in to get to them.
I highly recommend getting to Glacier National Park as soon as you can, because they predict that all the glaciers within the park may actually be completely melted by 2030.

This park is actually open year round.  However, depending on what time of year you visit you may or may not have access to certain areas.
You an always check their website if you'd like to check out driving and weather conditions.

Why visit Glacier, besides to catch a glimpse at actual glaciers?  Well, if your a hiker, it's a hiking paradise, they have hundreds of miles of trails, I believe close to 700 miles of trails.  Everything from easy afternoon hikes, to long all day, or backpacker hike in for a few days hikes.

If you're lucky you may even catch a glimpse of some of the wildlife.  I saw this Grizzly bear one day there.  Not the best picture, as I didn't have my camera ready when I saw him, and he was on the run to get away from us.
But there are lots of bear sightings, if you are lucky and keep your eyes open.  I saw bear almost every day there, both black and grizzlies.

Or maybe you'll even catch a glimpse of some mountain goats.  These beauty's were just sitting on the mountain within feet of the vehicles passing them, catching some rays and probably doing a little people watching!

Or take a morning or evening and go fishing.  This is me and my dad doing a little fly fishing one evening in the main river.
I have told you before I wear a lot of pink.  Yes, if you can tell in the picture, I do own a cute pink fishing (girl) vest with matching hat:)

They also have lots of beautiful lakes.  Certain parts of the rivers, have that beautiful milky like glacial melting look to them.  From the milky gray's to the milky turquoise blues.

Also lots and lots of beautiful waterfalls.  Some are easy to see, others require some binoculars or a hike in to get closer.  Some like the one below, flow right down and under the road.

A few places of interest along with the road, that I recommend.  Visiting the Lake MacDonald Area and spend some time playing around there.  St. Mary Valley, also stunning and beautiful, lots of hiking up and around this area I found.
The Two Medicine Area, not a lot of people take the time to travel up to this area.  But I will tell you, it is more than worth it, there is so many trails and waterfalls and lakes up in this area.

There are a lot of pullouts along the way, that you can get out and take snapshots of other stunning views, and view the river and decent below.

IF YOU GO:

* If its your first time, I recommend stopping at one of the visitor stations first, get some information and maps to help you get the most out of your visit.

* This is a national park, they do charge an entrance fee.  But your entrance fee's pays for unlimited trips in and out of the park for 7 days.

*  There are lots of campgrounds and lodging in the area.  I actually stayed in a nearby town up at a lodge at a ski resort when I visited.  I highly recommend making reservations before you come.

* Have a passport?  Cross the Canadian boarder and visit Waterton Lakes National Park (in some ways it's connected to Glacier National Park.) Check out the famous Prince of Wales Hotel.  (Hint) Some of the best views of it are from the middle of the lake:)

Have you been to Glacier National Park before?  If so, were you able to drive the entire road, did you do some hiking?  If you haven't been, is Glacier a place you hope to visit?

Hiking Pipiwai Trail & Waimoku Falls

For any of you who are visiting my blog for the first time.  Each Tuesday I call TRAVEL TUESDAY on my blog and I like to showcase a great destination, hike or great place to visit.
Besides running, I love to travel, I love adventure and love to explore.  So this is a fun way for me to show others some great places around the country and occasionally out of the country to visit.
Below is my post for today.  But if you're interested I have showcased over 50 other fabulous destinations, you can visit them HERE.

TODAY IS TRAVEL TUESDAY

A lot of people go to Maui for the beaches.  But for those of us who love to get out and stretch out legs and see more than the waves and sun.  Maui also offers plenty of hiking opportunities.
I'm going to show you the Pipiwai Trail, which is accessed at the end of the road to Hana in the Haleakala National Park.

For most people, you may want to head out very early in the morning on the road to Hana road.  As for anyone who knows, this road really takes an entire day to travel.
The sooner you are on the road, the sooner you can get to the end and to the different hiking destinations.  Since the Pipwai Trailhead starts at the end of the road, it can take several hours to get to.  But on the plus side, you can stop off and hike several others.

A tip, this trail gets more crowded as the day goes on.  So if you head to her first and then travel back down the road to Hana you can do other hikes on your way back.

However, if you are not in a rental car.  Of if your like me, and kind of ignored the no travel on certain road sections in rental cars rule.  You can actually, take the southern route.
I will mention, although I did it in a car, if you are not familiar with off road, and rugged terrain and windy turns, rocks and sheer cliff driving.  You may not want to tackle this route.
Also, should mention it's technically banned for tourists in rental cars, so I'll let you decide which route to take.
I actually took the road to Hana in that morning, and then took the southern rugged route back.  Some spectacular scenery I might add! (I just kept that a little secret from the rental car company, its also the reason I'd never buy a used car that was once a rental car, LOL.)
*Also if you go this route, check the weather first.  You wouldn't want to be caught out there as a tourist in a big rainstorm!  Especially in a car!

If you like a little bit of everything, this short hike has it.  You get to start the hike on the coast against the beautiful cliffs.  Those waters have a pretty good surf, so probably won't see many people out in the water.  Also a little tip, I hear a lot of sharks like to hang out near this area, at least that is what one of the rangers mentioned to me.

If you keep your eyes open along the way to Waimoku Falls you'll also spot other falls, and some other beautiful canyon sights.

However, depending on the season some of the falls may be dried up (or so one guy mentioned.) It had rained earlier the day I was there so maybe that is why I saw all of them.

It's actually quite a diverse trail, you get a little of everything.  Not to mention the opportunity to see some of Hawaii's awesome tree's!  I believe the tree above is a huge Banyon tree!

My favorite part was entering into the bamboo forests.  If you haven't ever been in a bamboo forest, you need to add it to your "to do" list!  The sound of the bamboo clanging together, the wind and air that comes through it.  In some ways it's beautiful, in others its a really creepy type sound.

If your lucky like I was, you'll get to have the trails to yourself, (for parts) a good time to listen to the creepy cool beauty you are surrounded by.
I should mention, bamboo is thick and tall, not a lot of sun gets through it, even in the middle of the day.

The bamboo forest is actually quite large, larger than you'd think.  You can go off the trail a little if you want, but for the most part the only portion really easy to get through is the main trail that has been carved out.

Ya that is me being a dork:)

It's a pretty moderate trail, a little climbing but nothing crazy.  A lot of the trail is very maintained.  The last portion is a little more wet, as you are climbing up towards the cliffs and waterfall.

I'd personally recommend a good shoe, and not a flipflop, which is what I saw a lot of girls wearing.  You could tell their feet were hurting!  Plus, if your in a good shoe you can climb around a little when you get to the falls, and really enjoy the water and views.

There are also a lot of pools, and other water spots along the way.  The Waimoku Falls is a 400 foot waterfall.  Very beautiful!

So yes, if your in the area this is one you wont want to miss.  It's worth the several hours of driving to get to!  Bring your own water with you, and wear a good pair of shoes!
The hike is about 4 miles round trip, takes about 2 hours mostly because you will want to stop along the way to see the other falls and pools and maybe play a little in the eerie bamboo forest its really kind of magical in a way:)

There is so many other things to do on the Road to Hana.  You will have to buy the National Park Pass if you decide to park and do this hike.  At the time I went it was only $10, but it was good for 3 days.

Have you been to Maui before?  Was the Waimoku Falls one of the places you visited?  What is your favorite hike along the road to Hana?  If you haven't been, is this somewhere you'd like to visit one day?

Hiking around Yellowstone Falls

If you haven't been to Yellowstone National Park, this is a place you definitely need to add to your list of places to visit.  There is a such a vast array of things to do and see within the park.  Although they are famous for their geysers, did you know they also have some of the most beautiful waterfalls?
Well if you didn't, your about to be shown a few and a hike that should be added to your trip schedule.

One thing I would like to mention.  There are several pull-outs along the road and view area's that require less difficulty to get to.  However, if you are in shape and don't mind a lot of climbing these are some area's of interest that I really enjoyed hiking down into.

I'd like to give you a couple of hikes to consider.  These hikes are located in the Canyon Area near the South Rim if your interested in finding them.  There are also a few other hikes I did in the area to capture some of these views.  If you have time, get out and explore them all or as many as possible, the views are worth it!!!!

Uncle Tom's Trail - If you are looking for some spectacular views, this very short trail that takes you down about 500 feet to a better view of the lower falls.  Be careful on this hike, use the guides along the stairs as needed to get down and back out.  I would recommend a sturdy hiking shoe for this, for safety reasons.

Have to admit I really liked this shot too!

Artist Point Trail to Point Sublime - This one was a little over 2.5 miles round trip, and wasn't very difficult at all.  Any average hiker would have little trouble with this one.  The Lower Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in the park, it drops 308ft which is double that of Niagara Falls for those who need a little more to visualize.

The great part of this hike is the views are great no matter where you are at along this rim.  You can look along the river as it carves into the edge of what they call Yellowstone's Grand Canyon.  Or out along the waterfalls.

If you've been to the Grand Canyon, then you can see why they call this
Yellowstone's Grand Canyon!  Just beautiful!

This next shot is another I really liked how it turned out.  A lot had to do with the evening hours it was taken, but isn't it just a beautiful shot!  For this shot, I took one of the side trails along one of the lookouts.  It was steep and pretty much all downhill to get down, but worth the views.  Quite a short workout to get back up and out again too:)

This next picture was one of my favorite shots of the trip.  I just really lucked out, when I climbed down for the view and picture.  It was near the evening so the sun wasn't at it's fullest.  But it just hit the rock, and the water spray so perfectly and created this beautiful rainbow along mossy green rock into the raging falls below.

Have you been to Yellowstone?  If so, did you enjoy hiking to the views of the different waterfalls?

Waimea Valley, Oahu Hawaii

If you ever find yourself in Hawaii on the island of Oahu, you'll soon discover there is way too much to do and see than you can fit into a weeks vacation.  However, their are a few spots that you can get a little of everything.  Waimea Valley is one of those places, that offers Hiking, Swimming, Beauty, History and a little bit of everything.

How do you get to Waimea Valley?  It's located on the famous North Shore of Oahu.  There are plenty of signs from the main road along the North Shore drive to get you there.  It's actually right across the street from Waimea Bay.  Just take a break from the big waves and head into the Hawaiian Botanical Gardens.

You will have to pay for admission at the toll booth.  When I visited, prices $16 a person, but they do offer a good Military Discount for $10 each, as do most places on Oahu if that applies to you.

You can take the direct route to the waterfall, which is about 3/4th a mile.  However, if you have more time I suggest taking the full loop so you can take your time and enjoy the walk/hike and see the sights along the way, the full loop is I believe a 1.5 mile walk.

The Botanical Garden's are actually home to over 5,000 different kinds of tropical and subtropical plants.

There are also hula demonstrations, crafts, games and story telling for those visitors who are interested in additional activities.

There is quite a good amount of unusual tree's that you just don't see in other places!

The valley is also home to 48 archaeological sites religious shrines and other places.  If you take the full walk, you can actually see some of these.

There is lots of wildlife to see if your looking.  I often thought that if you lived in Oahu, you could seriously never go hungry.  There are wild chickens everywhere.

Waihi Waterfall, a beautiful 45 foot falls into a small pond.  For those who enjoyed the past TV show Lost, this was actually one of the settings they used and a lot of the filming was done in this valley.

There is actually a lifeguard on duty at the pond, just in case.  I wondered if they ever actually had to do much there, but sure enough while I was there a tourist thought she could swim and couldn't and needed to be rescued.  That or maybe she just wanted a cute lifeguards attention:)

That would be me taking a swim.  I lucked out, on the day I visited it wasn't crowded and after the other lady
had to be rescued it pretty much cleared everyone out of the water.  So I was able to enjoy it to myself:)
For a little while that is:)

Me again:)  You can actually swim all the way up to the falls and climb up the rocks around them.
The water is a little cooler, but not cold, more refreshing than anything!
It's freshwater too!

So if you need a day to escape the beach and try something new, I recommend beautiful Waimea Valley!  It's a place you an visit for a few hours or an entire day, whatever fits your schedule!
There are also places to eat, and shops to browse while your there!