Tag: #mountain
Old Rag Circuit

Old Rag Circuit

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Old Rag Circuit

If you have time for only one hike in this lush green NP, then it has to be The Old Rag. This is an adventurous, challenging, strenuous, yet a very rewarding hike that has it all! From forest hiking to rock scrambling to amazing vistas capped by stunning views of the Appalachian Mountains.

Although the Old Rag Mountain is located in the central district of this park, the trailhead itself is located outside the park at a parking lot at the end of Route 600 (click to request map). This is a loop hike, the trail to the top of the Old Rag is called Ridge Trail and the total length of the entire loop is 8.8mi which will roughly require 7 hours of hiking to go to the top & back. One piece of advice before embarking on this hike is to try to avoid weekends as it can get very crowded since this is a popular trail in a popular NP. So, in order to be able to marvel at the amazing views and enjoy the serenity of this hike, it is recommended to hike during the week and start your hike early. Having said that, now let us start our amazing hike:)

The first part of the trail is deep into the forest as you’ll start your hike below the tree line.

Of course, the entire first half of the hike is uphill, but the part in the forest is the easiest, yet you’ll gain some elevation along the way. Slowly, you’ll start to approach the tree line; hence, the landscape will change, and the stunning views of the surrounding mountains will start to creep in.

    

As you approach the 2nd part of the hike, the trees will get fewer and fewer, and the fun part will start…The rock scrambling part!! It is not at all a technical climb, but you’ll have to be careful in this part as there might be some loose rocks. At some parts you’ll have to scramble on top of rocks, while at other parts, you’ll have to go under some of them…it is really fun:)

  

The good thing about this part is that it allows you to gain a lot of elevation over a short distance and soon after this part, you’ll have the entire mountain range at full display in front of you! It is an amazing sight, and in the summer, it is an extremely lush green landscape, so prepare your camera as the opportunities for amazing pictures for the entire surrounding area with 360 panorama views are endless here.

     

At this 3rd part, the trail will start to flatten out a bit till you reach the Old Rag top and here you’ll reap the true rewards for your efforts. Stunning views all around with great solitude and serenity that will make you feel as if you are a million miles away from civilization despite the proximity of this park to DC!! So, pick your perfect spot, soak in the views, have lunch, relax as much as you want as you deserve it after this strenuous hike.

Unfortunately, the not so good news is that at some point you’ll have to take the tough decision and start heading down to where you started! From here, you’ll continue onto the Saddle trail till you reach the Old Rag shelter after which you’ll continue hiking down to the parking lot along the Weakley Hollow Fire Road.
Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park

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Shenandoah National Park

You won’t believe that such a serene and stunning place exists just 75 miles from the country’s capital!! Shenandoah National Park is the only national park in the state of Virginia, yet it has an abundance of cascading waterfalls and spectacular vistas.

Then, when it comes to hiking, this park has all types of trails that suit all adventurers. With a total of 500 miles of hiking trails, Shenandoah NP offers an abundance of adventure opportunities that will take you to places that you feel are a million miles away from civilization.

You can spend months here without getting enough of this amazing park; however, during my 2-day adventure, I combined a number of hikes of short & long hikes to try and experience as much of this beauty as I can; so, get ready and explore with me these amazing adventures.

Hike 1: Old Rag Circuit Hike

Hike 2: Overall Run Falls Hike (Mathews Arm Trail)

Hike 3: Stony Man Trail

Hike 4: Mary’s Rock Summit (Meadow Spring Trail)

Hike 5: Black Rock Summit
Exit Glacier

Exit Glacier

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Exit Glacier

Welcome to Alaska…The last Frontier!!

Hiking in this vast wilderness state isn’t an easy feat by all means and requires a lot of courage. It’s a trailless country! And you’ve to be extremely prepared for all the possibilities that nature can throw at you. However, Exit Glacier serves as a great introduction to what awaits you in this wild state. It is the easiest hike you’ll get in Alaska; albeit, it is not easy at all:), in terms of accessibility, terrain, and trail finding…So lets start our adventure!

Exit Glacier is officially located in Kenai Fjords NP, yet it’s the only part of this NP that is accessible by car from Anchorage, which makes it easy to explore. Driving from Anchorage will take around 3 hours to reach the parking lot of Exit Glacier passing through the town of Seward. The parking lot is located just a 0.5-mile hike away from the bottom of the glacier, so hike the Glacier View trail to get a glimpse of this massive glacier and a taste of Alaska’s landscape.

Of course, we didn’t drive all this way for a o.5-mile hike that only reveals the tip of the glacier…there is more for the adventurous soul:)

In order to appreciate the true size of this glacier and get a closer encounter with this wild landscape, you’ve to venture into the backcountry and hike the 4-mile “Harding Icefield Trail”. This is an in-and-out trail (total roundtrip is 8.2 miles) that will take you to the top of the glacier with an elevation gain of +2950ft and a total of 6 hours of hiking to the top and back. Also, remember that you are venturing into the high country so it’ll be substantially colder at the top than in the parking lot, so dress accordingly and be prepared to hike in the snow…even in the summer!!

The trailhead is located at an elevation of 525ft and you’ll first start hiking in the forest away from the glacier which is the easiest part of the trail, yet it still provides amazing views of the surrounding landscape.

After 1.4 miles you’ll reach the first viewpoint of the glacier, “Marmot Meadows”, at an elevation of 1558ft. However, this is still not what you came for as you are still at the lower section of the glacier, so don’t spend much time here as the true wilderness still awaits you up the trail. After 1.8 miles, you’ll reach the true start of the trail and the true Alaskan wilderness… “the bottom of the cliffs”. From here the trail will get steeper and the weather will get colder, so pace yourself and be ready to wear additional layers.

Now after 2.4 miles, and at an elevation of +2475ft, you’ll reach the “top of the cliffs” and get pretty close to the glacier and the views are simply breathtaking, so take your time and marvel at the sheer size of this glacier.

Take a good rest and have some lunch to recharge, as the next section is the toughest part of the trail, yet the most rewarding! This is a 1.7 mile stretch with an elevation gain of +1007ft in the bitter cold and large parts of the trail will be completely covered in snow…so it is not for the faint-hearted!! It’ll be tough and the snow will get thicker, but don’t be discouraged, in the end, you came to Alaska by your choice:) and honestly, that is what it is worth for. Pace yourself and take small and careful steps because you don’t know how deep the snow is.

After navigating this snowy part you’ll reach the top of the glacier and the end of the trail.

It’ll be bitterly cold and windy, but put on your layers and enjoy the views while contemplating how small you are compared to this massive glacier and its vast wilderness.

It’ll be hard to take the decision to head back, but the cold weather will make it easier for you:) and when you start heading back, please remember that it’ll be trickier to go down in the snowy part, so be careful & ENJOY:)
Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave

Eisriesenwelt Ice Cave

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Eisriesenwelt Cave

This is not a post about the cave itself, its about the hiking adventure to reach this magnificent cave at the top of the Austrian Alps. Of course, you’ll be rewarded from this tough hike with a tour at the largest ice cave in the world! But if this is your only goal, then you can take a cable car directly to the cave’s entrance:) However, as we are all adventurers here, so we have to do it the tough way & On Our Own:) so lets start.

First, these caves are located near the town of Werfen in Austria, so you can take a train from anywhere in the country to this town. After reaching Werfen train station, there is a bus that will take you directly to the cable car station for the cave (click to request info). The trailhead to the top of the mountain and the cable car upper station is directly next to the station; yet, you’ll find very few brave people going that way as 99% of the visitors will take the cable car!

On the day I visited the caves the weather was not perfect as it was cloudy and raining and the guy at the cable car tickets’ booth tried to discourage us from hiking! But we checked the weather forecast and there were no thunderstorms, so we decided to go on with the hike as it will even be more adventurous in this weather:) The trail, as expected, is all uphill to the top with no breaks in between, so you’ve to be fit & up to it to be able to conquer this mountain. The trail itself is very adventurous. First, it starts steep in the forest

then, in some places, it crosses some rock fields on a steep slope that can be tricky to navigate.

After navigating the first sections of the trail, it starts to go around the mountain with sheer cliff drops next to you.

I remember on the day I did this hike, there were sections where the trail was hanging around the mountain and the clouds were making the visibility almost close to zero, so it was a bit scary, yet very adventurous:).

Finally, the last section of the trail becomes a bit steep and tough, but the reward of reaching the cave entrance in an adventurous way will keep you going. In total, it took us 1:15 hours to reach the top of the mountain, so time to rest and catch your breath before joining in with the rest of the tourists who took the cable car.

From the cable car’s top station, its another 20min uphill hike to the cave’s entrance with amazing views of that particular natural phenomenon.

When reaching the cave you’ll join the standard tour into the cave, no adventure here & no photos allowed, but the cave itself and the ice formations are amazing. However, beware that this is an ice cave so it is freezing inside so be prepared with some warm clothing!

After finishing the tour, its time to go back down using the same trail. Of course, this will be all downhill which will be much easier, yet still tricky to navigate in some parts. Lucky for us, the weather cleared on our way down and revealed the amazing views of the valley below that we missed on our way up:).

Final word, for me, the cave itself is not worth the trip unless you are in the area, but, the hike and cave combo is definitely worth it, so enjoy:)
Anaga Mountains

Anaga Mountains

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Anaga Mountains

The forgotten part of Tenerife, yet a place of extreme beauty and serenity. The Anaga mountains are located at the far northern corner of the island, a world away from the bustling cities and beach resorts. It is a landscape that you won’t find something similar in the entirety of the Canary Islands. Unlike the volcanic nature of these islands, the Anaga mountains are lush green mountains up in the clouds with forests and wild beaches dotting the entire region. In this region, you’ll truly experience the local life of these islands with small villages nestled up in the mountains and shepherds and herds of sheep roaming freely on its slopes. Venturing into this region will satisfy your adventurous soul and is well worth the effort to at least do a day hike in this off-the-beaten path region.

Although there is an extensive network of trails in these mountains, it is really hard to get a good map of the entire trail network. However, the website of the natural preserve has detailed maps and descriptions of each individual trail and it is up to you to combine these trails together to enjoy a magnificent day hike On Your Own in this serene region (click to request info).

I did a day hike in the Anaga mountains totally independently through using public buses to connect to and from the start and ending points of my planned hike. I combined a number of trails together to enjoy an amazing hiking day of approximately 17 kms which took around 5-6 hours to complete, passing through several local and stunningly beautiful mountain villages and wild beaches…So lets start the adventure!

This is a rough sketch of my hiking tour in the Anaga mountains and in the following sections, I’ll take you through a detailed journey on each of these trails.

I started my hike at the Mirrador Cruz del Carmen which I reached using a public bus from Santa Cruz (click to request info). I got off the bus and hit the ground running from the excitement. The first trail I hiked on was a 3.7km hike from Cruz del Carmen till Las Carboneras via trails #10 and 10.1. The entire trail is a downhill, so it’ll be a nice warmup for the day. The trail starts from the bus stop at Cruz del Carmen and immediately you’ll enter into the lush green forest and you’ll be forgiven if you forgot that you are in the Canary Islands:)

This trail is so surreal and after around 2.5km on trail #10, you’ll reach a junction with trail #10.1 on which you’ll continue hiking for around 1.2km. This trail should take you around an hour to complete, but don’t be in a hurry and just enjoy the sounds of the forest:)

When reaching the village of Las Carboneras, its now time to switch to another trail. The next trail you’ll hike on will be the longest section of the day (6km). This leg will take you from Las Carboneras to the village of Afor via trail #9. The first section of this trail is mostly downhill again that will take you around a small mountain gorge. One tip here, look back while hiking for magnificent views of Las Carboneras.

The landscape here gets wilder as you are now in the middle of towering mountains and surrounded by forests from all angles…Stunning!

The next section of this trail is one of two uphill sections in the entire day; and although, it is only 1km in length, it is moderately tough and would require some effort to tackle it. Reaching this high point stunning views will start to unveil in all directions. So take a rest and enjoy the views as now you’ll start feeling the true Anaga experience.

From this point the trail will almost be flat for 1.5km, allowing you to soak in the views while hiking and you’ll start passing some local houses with domestic animals playing around:). The next 2km will be a steep downhill to the village of Afor…Facing the ocean while hiking this section, you can’t ask for better views and you’ll reach Afor after almost 1.5 hours on this trail.

Afor is at the mouth of river running from the mountains to the ocean, so the next trail will be hiking along the river till you reach the wild beach of Playa de Tamadite on trail #8. This trail is 2.5km in length, but it is an easy trail and should take you around 30-45 minutes to complete. Along the way you’ll pass several small bridges that cross the river and hiking this trail will feel like you are in a playground:) and it is your own playground as from now on, you’ll hardly meet anyone till you finish this day hike.

Playa de Tamadite is a very wild beach with high waves smashing into the rocks, you can swim there, but it is not easy, so be careful…I personally didn’t:)

Have a good rest here as you’ll start the next big uphill section after this point. The next trail is trail #8 that will take you all the way to the village of Taganana. It is a 4.5km wild hike up the cliffs above the ocean with no one around you…and its amazing! First, you’ll have to navigate the 0.7km uphill section till you reach the top of the trail…its tough but well worth it! At this point, the views are unbelievable… it is beautiful, wild and very surreal. From here to Taganana, you’ll hike on almost a flat trail with the ocean to your left, the mountains to your right, and the beautiful horizon in front of you.

It is a narrow trail that hugs the edge of the cliff which will keep your adrenaline pumping all the way. With every turn, stunning views and rock formations will unveil in front of you…so enjoy:)

Finally, you’ll reach the top of the village of Taganana and you’ll hike down between its white houses till you reach the main square and the bus stop from which you’ll catch your bus back to Santa Cruz. One final tip, Taganana is famous for its locally produced wine, so treat yourself with a glass of tasty wine before you head back and enjoy a magnificent sunset:)
El-Teide

El-Teide

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El-Teide

The mighty El-Teide, the dominant volcano that rises in the middle of Tenerife. This is an active volcano that rises proudly above the clouds and you are going to hike it all the way to the top; but before we start, there are some logistical stuff that you need to take care of first.

Yes, there is a cable car that takes you up the mountain, but it does not reach the summit, as it is no place for tourists… and that is what you are aiming for! Being an active volcano, the summit of El-Teide is a protected area and there is a limit on the number of people who can go up at any given time, so you got two options to be able to hike all the way to the top of this majestic volcano. First, if you want to hike up and down in one day, no camping allowed up there, then you’ll need to get a free permit for your planned day (click to request info) and chose from the multiple trails that reaches the top, but be aware…this will be a very long and demanding hiking day. I personally don’t recommend this option as it does not allow you to enjoy the full experience of being up this mighty volcano, and you’ll know why when you see the other option. The second option is the true El-Teide experience, it is a 2-day hike with a sunrise ascent to the summit, and believe me…there is nothing that beats the views that you’ll see:)

So where to spend the night when no camping is allowed?! No worries, there is a mountain refuge at an elevation of +3,260m called Altavista Refuge. This is a mountain hut type of refuge with shared dorms and fully equipped kitchen that you need to book in advance via their website (click to request info) as it gets full quickly.

The next logistical issue that you need to take care of is to plan your hiking route and chose the hiking trails that you want to hike up and down. So, armed with the hiking trails’ map of Parque Nacional Del Teide, you have two options to chose from when going up.

First, you can park your car at El-Portillo and hike all the way up to the refuge via trails # 6 & 7. If you have enough time, I recommend this trail as it traverses a lesser known part of the national park and not as steep as the other trails, although its much longer. The other option, the one I did, is to park your car at Montana Blanca car park and hike up via the Montana Blanca trail # 7 till you reach the refuge. This is a shorter, yet steeper trail, but an equally beautiful one that will take you to the refuge in less time. This will be your first day hike, then the next day you’ll do the sunrise hike to the top of El-Teide from the refuge.

So what about going down? You’ll find that most hikers who spent the night at the refuge will opt to go down via the cable car. Yes, you’ll be tired and beaten, but I strongly don’t recommend this option unless you are in a hurry or have other plans in the island. Honestly, it’s a shame to come up all this way and not to explore the other beauties of the national park; and believe me, the adrenaline will be pumping in your body from your earlier summit achievement and you’ll want to continue your hiking adventure. So, what I did, is I took trail # 12 from the cable car station to Pico Viejo, another perfect conically-shaped volcano that is further downhill at an elevation of +3,134, and then go down to El Parador car park via the long trail # 23. Obviously, the only way to do this hiking trip is to park at one of the car parks at Montana Balance or El Parador and hitch a ride to the other, which is perfectly doable. All set…enough with the logistics and lets start the real fun:)

The first day hike starts at Montana Balance parking; however, the drive to this parking lot is itself an amazing experience as you get closer and closer to this mighty volcano and you’ll say to yourself “no way that this is the mountain that I’m going to hike up”…but…it is:) The trail up to the refuge is 6.5km in length, with an elevation gain of +912m. The first 4km of this trail are not so steep and the trail is easy to follow. You’ll be hiking in a landscape that resembles Mars more than the earth, a total contrast from the lush green beaches that are allover the island. I can’t describe the views and the landscape enough, but they are simply stunning, beautiful, and wild.

After these 4km, you’ll reach a junction with trail #6 and the real ascent will begin. This last 2.5km are a series of switchbacks that go steeply up…forever. So, take your time in this part as you are now close to +3,000m of elevation and your breathing will get more difficult.

Drink lots of water and take as many breaks as you want and soon you’ll be at the refuge, and the feeling when you catch the first sight of the refuge will be one of total relief:) 

At this point, you’ll be done with day one after around 3:30 hours of tough hiking, so simply relax and enjoy the stunning views from up there.

At the refuge itself, they’ll assign you a bed in a 15-20 bed dorm room and there is a fully-equipped kitchen and wifi, so prepare your dinner, relax, and go to be d early to get ready for the big day. P.S. there is no drinking water at the refuge so take your water with you or better…(click to request info) 

It’s the big day now!! you’ll reach the very top of the mighty El-Teide at +3,718m high for a magnificent and an unforgettable sunrise. It will take you around 2 hours to reach the top from the refuge, so time your sleep accordingly to give yourself time to have a good breakfast and a cup of coffee because you’ll need every bit of energy on this day, and DON’T FORGET your headlamp and warm clothing:)

During these 2 hours, you’ll hike in complete darkness, but this adventure has very surreal feelings! Take a picture before you start hiking to commemorate this exciting moment.

The first part of the hike is as steep as the switchbacks from the previous day, but you can do it! With every step, El-Teide will start revealing itself to you in its full force and you’ll think that it is impossible to go up that mighty volcano, but keep believing in yourself:) After this part, there is a part that is half a kilometer away from the cable car station that is almost flat which is a nice reprieve. From the cable car station, the big uphill starts!! This part is around 0.7km, but they are grueling and the trail will start getting exposed as, by now, you are above anything that exists on this island. And as the dawn starts cracking the views and the feelings are simply unbelievable.

 You did it!! You are now at the top, you’ll be ecstatic, awed, and proud of yourself. I can’t describe how is it up this mighty volcano and how stunning this sunrise is, I’ll leave you with this collection of pictures and they’ll do the talking…BTW, these are the clouds, not the ocean:) 

After watching this magnificent sunrise, its time to head back down to the cable car station. Take a good rest here, have a picnic and recharge, as the day didn’t end yet:)

From here, take trail # 12 to Pico Viejo, which is a downhill, and well-marked trail. While on this trail, you’ll have Pico Viejo in front of you and El-Teide in your background…what more to ask for:)

The trail till the view point of Pico Viejo is easy and finally downhill:) then from this point it’ll get tougher as you’ll hike on a lava field till you reach Pico Viejo after around 1:30 hours. 

Have a good rest and lunch as from here you’ll almost be alone till you reach El Parador. It is a 5km hike, all on tough lava field and it’ll be very tiring after this long amazing day. Take your time admiring the magnificent views around you, you are almost there:) 

It will take around 2:30 hours till you reach the parking lot and along the way you’ll pass by the rock formations of Roques de Garcia with lots of tourists around you…what a different world:)
Carriage Roads Bike Tour (Acadia NP)

Carriage Roads Bike Tour (Acadia NP)

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Carriage Roads Bike Tour (Acadia NP)

Acadia NP has an extensive network of carriage roads that was constructed between 1913 and 1940. In total there are 45 miles of carriage roads and 16 stone bridges; and exploring these roads will take you to unchartered areas of the park. Of course, no motor vehicles are allowed on these roads so the best way to explore them is by bike On Your Own. You can either take your bike or rent one from one of the bike shops in Bal Harbor (click to request info).

However, no tour can be done on these roads without a good map; and the nps website has a pretty handy one which I added here and you can download it for free from their website.

As you see from the map, these roads have no names, but each junction is numbered and you can use these numbers as your navigation guide; and they are well signposted in all the roads. Sure thing you can combine any number of roads as you desire according to your time, but in this blog, I designed a particular combination that allowed me to explore the majestic lakes of Acadia NP. This tour is, in total, a 16.4-mile loop and takes around 4-5 hours to complete depending on how many stops you’ll make, which I assure you will be many:) So lets begin!

I rented the bike from Bal Harbor and parked my car there and drove the bike on Duck Brook road till I reached junction #5 which was my starting point.

I first wanted to explore Witch Hole pond so rode my bike from junction #5 to junctions #3, #2 & #4; a total of 2.3 miles. Witch Hole pond is a nice small pond in very peaceful surroundings that will give you a hint of what to come!

During this first part, I passed under some of the stone bridges, and if you are an engineer like me, you’ll truly admire them:)

I was almost alone the entire time which gave me an extra feeling of being a true explorer:)

From junction #4, ride 1.1mi to junction #6 and start the Eagle Lake loop. The start of this loop is from junction #9 which is right after #6 and I rode till junction #7. Eagle lake is out-of-this-world! The serenity in the area, the views, the crystal clear waters, and the pure sunlight makes you feel in heaven…so take your time, get off your bike, and enjoy it to the max.

Along the road there will be small beaches at which you can stop and relax.

Now the adrenaline will be kicking; and the beauty of these carriage roads will make you want to explore further; so gather your stamina and paddle 3.1mi to junction #17. On this leg you’ll bike more on a trail in the forest rather than a carriage road which is a fun experience.

 

Now it is time to go to another magnificent pond which is Jordan pond. From junction #17 bike towards junction #16 for 1.3 miles then onto junctions #15 & #14 which are right after #16. From junction #14, you’ll paddle 2 miles to junction #10 which is the toughest part of the tour as it is an uphill road.

Unlike Eagle Lake, you’ll not be riding next to Jordan Pond, instead the road will give you stunning views of its pure blue water from above.

Take your time, have a picnic, and enjoy the views as after reaching junction #10 you’ll start heading back to your exit. From junction #10, bike 1.9 miles to junction #9 which will take you on the other side of Eagle Lake; and yet more amazing views and absolute serenity.

From here, the end of the tour will be looming, so bike to junction #4 for 1.1mi, then back to your starting point at junction #5 after 1 mile.

I hope you’ll enjoy this tour as I did as these carriage roads are a unique feature of Acadia NP that you’ll not find in any other park around the country…Enjoy!
Beach Mountain Loop (Acadia NP)

Beach Mountain Loop (Acadia NP)

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Beach Mountain Loop (Acadia NP)

The Beach Mountain Loop is a short hike, yet it offers unparalleled views of the unspoiled landscape of New England, especially at sunset. The total length of this loop is 1.3 miles and takes you up Beach mountain at 839 ft in an hour.

The access to the trailhead is not via the Park Loop Road, but you’ve to enter the park via road 233 and drive on Beach Hill Road till you reach the parking lot (click to request info).

The trailhead is right across the parking lot and the trail itself starts in the forest on the trademark rocky terrain of Acadia NP.

After 0.1mi, the trail will fork to form the loop, so it is recommended to take the south trail (on your left) while ascending as it is less steep. After 0.8mi, around 30 minutes, you’ll get above treeline and the panoramic 360 views will unfold all around you! Try to time your ascent to the summit around the sunset for unforgettable experience. So, sit back and enjoy the views and take lots of pictures and try to capture the perfect sunset.

Don’t forget yourself in this serene beautiful landscape as you still want to hike down before dark. This time, take the north trail and it’ll be only 0.5mi till the parking lot.
The Bowl Loop via Beehive Trail (Acadia NP)

The Bowl Loop via Beehive Trail (Acadia NP)

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The Bowl Loop via Beehive Trail (Acadia NP)

Before I visited Acadia NP I read about how scary and tough the Beehive trail is and how some hikers are not able to do it, not because it is tough as much as it is scary, but I said to myself…how scary can it be…it is not a high elevation park! Guess what…It is absolutely scary!

This loop is one of the must-do hikes in Acadia NP as it combines beautiful coastline hiking with forests, cliffs and mountain hiking; and rewards you with stunning views and picturesque lakes. The hike, as most in the US, can be easily done On Your Own, but before venturing into this adventure, you’ve to be armed with a good map, not necessarily a topographic one though (click to request info).

To make this a loop hike, drive on the Park Loop Road and park your car at (click to request info) as you’ll return back to the same spot. This loop combines sections of several trails in an amazing adventure, so let us begin!

In the first part of this loop you’ll hike on the Ocean Path Trail from the parking lot. The trailhead itself is 0.3mi from the parking lot and you’ll walk a bit along the road so be careful. The Ocean Path Trail is a flat rocky trail that hugs the rugged Main coastline. It’ll be a nice introduction to this park as it gives you a glimpse of the views here and an idea about the terrain. Part of the path is shaded in the forests while on some sections you’ll rock scramble along the coast.

After 2.1 miles you’ll reach Sand Beach. At this point, to continue your loop, you’ll have to cross the road again and walk 0.2 miles till you reach The Bowl Trail trailhead. Starting from this point you’ll be hiking up the cliffs and the stunning views will start unveiling themselves to you.

You can take this trail all the way to The Bowl pond, but this isn’t the adventurous way! After only 0.2 miles you’ll find a junction with the Beehive Trail on your right, so follow this trail & be ready for what is coming next:)

For me the Beehive Trail isn’t a hiking trail, it is almost a climbing one! There are even ladders and iron rings installed in some sections to help you to navigate your way up.

From here, my advice to you… “Don’t Look Down” because it is scary! The trail becomes really physically challenging and it’ll take its toll on you, but you’ve to stay strong and take your time because any slip could be fatal.

I’ve to admit, I hiked a lot of trails across the country and some are famous for their difficulty, but the Beehive Trail is a different animal!! It is tough, narrow, high, slippery, and scary; and the views around you will not do you any favors as they’ll continuously distract you. At some sections I couldn’t believe that I’ve to hike that path!! It becomes very narrow and right on the edge with nothing to hold on to!! Yes, it is scary but doable and, believe me, fun. I tried my best to take a picture of myself on this section, but as you can see, I failed because the trail is so narrow and my body is hiding it.

After this hair-rising adventure, the trail will start to widen and in 0.4mi you’ll reach the Beehive rock and be rewarded with amazing views.

 

So time for a well-deserved rest, recharge and take lots of amazing pictures.

After taking your rest continue of the Beehive Trail for 0.2mi till you reach The Bowl pond. This is a very picturesque little pond on the top of the hills and in the middle of the lush green forest…Stunning! 

What tops these stunning views is that you can swim in the pond; however, beware that the water might be very cold; I was there in May and it was freezing, but honestly the adrenaline from the Beehive Trail was still pumping so I had a blast:) Yes, I did feel cold after I was done swimming and you can tell from the next picture as I started layering up:)

When you are ready to continue, take the Bowl South Ridge Trail for 0.2mi after which you’ll connect with the Gorham Mountain Trail. This is a rocky trail (all of the are actually) that will take you to the summit of Gorham mountain at 525ft. It is an easy climb with stunning views in a very peaceful environment.

From here, the rest of the loop will be downhill and start descending via the Gorham Mountain trail for 0.4mi. At this point there is a detour to Cadillac Cliffs Trail. This trail venture away from the Gorham Mountain Trail cutting into the rocks; and then rejoins it after 0.3mi. I highly recommend taking this detour as this trail is an adventure in itself and doesn’t add mileage to the loop. The Cadillac Cliffs Trail will take you through rock tunnels and high cliffs and it is a nice last adrenaline kick before you finish your hike.

 

After rejoining Gorham Mountain trail, it’ll only be 0.2mi till you reach your car…so Congrats, You Made It!!!

This has been one of my most memorable hikes and is a must-do in Acadia NP; and in total it is 5.4mi and should take you around 3-4 hours with stops.
Soca Trail

Soca Trail

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Soca Trail

When you first see this majestic river, you won’t believe your eyes…its turquoise blue color is something out of this world and like no other river I’ve seen before! You’ll want to walk along this river forever to satisfy your eyes with its magnificent color & the best way to do so and discover its magnificent waterfalls and narrow deep gorges is to hike the 25 km Soca trail.

The Soca trail is the oldest hiking trail in the Triglav NP, and although it is long, it is an easy hike as you’ll always hike downstream. However, since this is a one-way hike, you’ll need to take care of some logistical steps first.

The trail starts at Soca river source, known in Slovenian language as Izvir Soca, and continues all the way to the town of Bovec and will take you around 8-10 hours to complete. Yet, arranging the logistics of this hike On Your Own is not easy, especially in low season, as most outfitters in the area offer transportation only as a part of a guided hike which the independent adventurer in you doesn’t want! When doing this hike in low season (April), the public bus that takes you from Bovec to Izvir Soca won’t be running so you need to arrange your own transport. After a lot of research, I found only one tour company that offered to transfer us (1-way) to the parking lot at the top of the trail & let me acknowledge this…their service was great and I highly recommend them (click to request info)  

Now to the hike itself. The first part of the hike will be from the parking lot where you’ll be dropped to the source of the river. This is actually a detour of the trail and the only upstream part, but the seeing the source of this majestic river with the background of the towering Julian Alps mountains is an amazing experience. It’ll only take 20 minutes to hike from the parking lot to the source and 10 minutes back. You’ll hike up in the forest next to the river and after about 10 minutes you’ll start getting the stunning views of the mountains at your back 

Continue hiking up, but be careful as the last part of the trail is along a narrow edge with sheer drops on your side! Luckily, it is easily manageable part and there are ropes that can assist you, but don’t forget to look back or you’ll miss this view:)

The source of the river is a spring in the rocks which really exemplifies the stunning meticulous order of nature as a tiny crack leads to a roaring river!! So admire & enjoy.

Now that you are back at the parking lot, you’ll start hiking the Soca trail proper which is a well-marked and easy to follow trail. From here it’ll be all downstream and easy and the beauty surrounding you will make you stop many times for pictures:) As this is the widest part of the river, the color isn’t as turquoise as further downstream, but still unique. This entire section of this trail to Alpinium Juliana will be in the shade of the forest next to the river with a nice refreshing breeze.

The next section stretches to Markov most and in this section you’ll start crossing the river through the famous Soca river hanging bridges

This will be a long section so a picnic along the river will be well deserved 

At the end of this section, you’ll cross the Markov most and walk briefly along the side of the road.

The next section continues along the river till you find a sign pointing towards 2 directions: “easy way” & “hard way”…so take your pick:) We chose the hard one as we still had some adventurous spirit in us and also we found out that the easy one will take you back along the road. The start of this way was really nice walk very close to the river

Then it took us uphill which was really tough and slippery…but you are here for the adventure:)

After around 5 km you’ll start approaching the crown jewel of the entire trail…The Soca Gorge!! Starting from here you’ll have to walk along the road as the river becomes really narrow and the gorge starts. This is nature at its best which demonstrates how forceful the water flow is and here the turquoise color of the water becomes very vivid and beautiful. 

There are many hanging bridges that cross the gorge to all you to enjoy the views and experience the force of the soca river, firsthand.

After the gorge, you’ll now enjoy a leisurely walk in the valley towards Bovec, but you’ll be tired and the grass is so green so don’t resist taking a break:)

 

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