Tag: #canyon
Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire SP

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Valley of Fire SP

Valley of Fire (VoF) SP is located in the state of Nevada and is the perfect introduction to the US’s Wild Wild West! It is very close to Vegas, only a 1-hour drive, small in size that can be easily explored, most of its trails are easy to moderate, and, above all, it has an amazing and really astonishing landscape!

People visit this park either as a day trip from Vegas or as a stop on their way to the wilder parts of the west AKA: Arizona and Utah. If you belong to the former group of people, then I recommend spending a full day at this park and explore its hidden gems; however, if it is only a stop on your way, then a couple of hours will be enough.

VoF has a number of hiking trails, mostly short ones, that take you to various parts of this magnificent desert landscape (click to request map). As I was only in the park for a couple of hours, so I had to choose the most rewarding trails for that short time; hence, I opted for the White Dooms Loop and Elephant Rock Loop. Both of these trails are very accessible via designated parking lots for each and each is approximately 1 mile in length; thus, combined together, they form a nice 2-hour hiking tour, yet it will give a glimpse of why this part of the world is called the Wild West!!

The first loop, the White Dooms Loop, is a 1-mile loop at the north side of the park that will take you through very narrow canyons that barely allow a single person to pass and with astonishing rock colors surrounding you.

The second loop, the Elephant Rock Loop, is located on the east side of the park and is 1.2 miles in length. This loop is the park’s main attraction and the reason why most people visit VoF. It is the area where the rocks are colored in a way that makes them look like waves, yet for the “real wave” visit my Coyote Butte North blog. This area is so mesmerizing and will make you feel that you are swimming in an ocean and that you want to dive into these waves and disappear…so do whatever you like…it’s a free country:) 
Bryce Canyon NP

Bryce Canyon NP

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Bryce Canyon NP

Weird Hoodoo rock formations scattered around a majestic canyon with a magnificent desert backdrop…That’s Bryce Canyon!! It is a fun place to visit as you’ll encounter lots of hoodoo-shaped rocks and hike between them as if you are a king and they are your guard of honor:) So lets start exploration!

Although it is not a huge park in terms of area, Bryce Canyon NP is one of the most well-known NPs in the entire west, so it gets crowded, especially during summer. Despite its popularity in the summer, for me, this park is at its best in the spring, when the warm sun is out, yet, the hoodoos are covered with snow, which is an unbelievable contrast with the reddish desert landscape. Also, in Spring, it is not so crowded so you’ll be able to enjoy its beauty to the max.

Hiking in Bryce Canyon NP is a unique experience. The trails are not tough, but challenging enough, and, in addition to the main trails around the majestic hoodoos, there are some backcountry ones that will take you away from the crowds to an unspoiled nature that will provide you with magnificent panoramic views of the Hoodoos and the main canyon. As I previously mentioned, it is not a big park, but there are a lot of hiking trails and options, so I decided to do two different loops: one with the hoodoos and one in the backcountry:) (click to request map).  

The first hiking loop is a famous and popular one as it is in hoodoos country:) In this adventure, I combined the Queen’s Garden trail with the Navajo loop which will take you around almost all the hoodoos in the park:) This loop is 3-mile in length and will take around 2 hours to complete as the trail goes deep into the canyon and steeply up again. The start of the hike is by the canyon’s rim and, being early spring, the snow cover is majestic.

The trail walks along the rim for a bit, then it starts going down into the canyon where the real fun begins:) It is Hoodoo country now, and you’ll be surrounded by these tall majestic formations from all directions.

     

You’ll continue hiking down the canyon, and with every drop in elevation, the views of the hoodoos change revealing more majestic character to these rock formations…amazing!

The trail then reaches the bottom of the canyon, and at some point, it paths through a tunnel carved in the rocks!

At the bottom, you’ll join the Navajo loop, again Hoodoo country:)

You’ll then hike in the forest for a while after which you’ll start your great ascend up…it’ll be tough!!

For this part, take it slowly as it is steep and a bit long and it shows on my face:)

But, at the top, you’ll be rewarded with more majestic Hoodoos’ views that are well worth the effort!

The second hiking loop took me to the backcountry of this amazing park. In this adventure, I combined the Rim Trail with the Fairyland Loop for a total of 8-mile or approximately 5 hours of hiking. This loop will take you away from the crowds and will enable you to appreciate the beauty of this out-worldly landscape in its full force. It is not a tough trail, but it is long and can be tricky to follow in some parts, yet the rewards are again breathtaking!

These two hikes made my day at this beautiful park a full and memorable one, but of course, if you’ve more time, there are more areas and trails to explore here…so ENJOY:)
Grand Canyon NP (All the way to the bottom)

Grand Canyon NP (All the way to the bottom)

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All the Way to the Bottom

It is a place that needs no introduction! It is a world-famous natural wonder that truly earns all the rave reviews about its majestic and grandeur landscape. It is the Grand Canyon!! This stunning place is perhaps the most recognized landmark of the Wild Wild West. Even if you are not an adventurous person, you have to visit this out-of-the-world place at least once in your lifetime, and it will take your breath away.

I first visited the Grand Canyon NP, in my younger days, in 2008. At the time, I wasn’t the experienced hiker/adventure that I’m today and it didn’t even cross my mind that I can hike down the canyon, all the way to the mighty Colorado river. During that trip, I did a self-driving day trip to witness this stunning place with my own eyes, and it didn’t disappoint. In that trip, I planned a road trip along the south rim’s all viewpoints and had the time of my life, without really doing any adventurous stuff; so that is why I urge you to go visit this place even if you don’t fancy hiking down the canyon.

Fast forward 7 years, and in 2015 after a lot of hiking adventures around the World, I decided that I’m ready to tackle this seemingly impossible feat and hike all the way to the bottom of the canyon and, of course, hike back up:).

When attempting such a difficult hike, preparation, both physically and logistically, is the key to its success, as any mistake might lead to serious injury or even death. So, before getting into the hikes themselves (up & down), I’ll first go through the major planning items that you need to consider before you decide to go down and you can do all On Your Own!

The first thing you need to plan is when to do this hike? There are two options here: summer, which is more popular, and winter. Although the summer heat is the number one killer when hiking up from the river, there are some advantages that come with hiking in the summer. First, there are water sources along the major trails, up and down the canyon, which means that you don’t need to carry all your water from the beginning and can be a lifesaver. Second, the weather at night is warm so no need to carry a heavy sleeping bag or even a tent as you can sleep under the stars. Yet, you have to be aware of the heat, its no joke, and time your hike up perfectly to avoid the hottest hours of the day. On the other hand, in the winter, obviously, heat becomes less of a problem and the hike becomes a bit easier. Also, as it is less popular, it’ll be easier to get the permit to spend the night down. However, there won’t be any water sources along the trails as the supply is shut down, so you have to carry all your water for 2 days with you from the beginning! Also, you’ll need a tent and a heavy sleeping bag as it gets cold at night and this adds to the weight that you are carrying. So, assess your abilities and decide which season is better for you…we did winter:)

After deciding on when to hike, now its time to get your permit. You can’t hike all the way to the Colorado river and back in the same day, its not allowed and rangers along the trails will send you back up. You can’t also camp anywhere along the river as this is a fragile environment and the number of campers allowed per night is limited and controlled by the NP. Hence, you have to get a permit which comes with a camping spot reservation. The process of getting the permit is straightforward, but its in high demand, even in the off-season. Also, you can get this permit neither online nor in advance, so you have to go to the park’s backcountry office the day before your planned hike and get your permit. The permit system is based on first come first served, so you have to go very early to be one of the first people there when the office opens at 8am.

Got your permit! Now its time to plan your supplies. This is a very strenuous and long hike up, so you’ll need plenty of food, water, and drinks to give you energy along the way i.e. both salty and sweet snacks. But remember! You’ll have to carry all this stuff on your back, so, don’t overdo it and pack food that doesn’t take much space. Fruits are also important as they are highly nutritious and gives you a much-needed psychological boost when you are tired. You can find the detailed list of my packing items here (click to request info).     

Hopefully, by now you’ve planned everything and ready for this adventure of a lifetime…so lets start:)

There are a number of trails that go all the way to the bottom of the canyon from the South Rim, so study all the trails (their length & slope) and chose yours carefully. Since I did this hike in the winter, the water sources were not a factor in my decision, and I chose to hike down via the South Kaibab Trail and up via the Bright Angel Trail.

I decided to hike down via the South Kaibab Trail as it is the shortest trail which means it is the steepest and will be tough going up; yet, going down, it is an adventurous trail as in many places you’ll be hiking around cliffs with amazing views of the river. The trail is 7 miles with an elevation difference of -1,457m and takes around 4-6 hours to reach the river. On the day of our adventure down, we took the hikers’ express shuttle from the backcountry office at 9am (latest) to the South Kaibab Trailhead. This is a dedicated shuttle bus for backcountry hikers and you’ve to show your permit before you board. Now we are at the trailhead and the adventure will begin…any last thoughts about going through with the hike have to be dealt with here:) Ready!! Take a souvenir pic & go:) 

The first part of the trail will take you in a zigzag section through some steps and you’ll lose elevation quickly.

I’ve to admit that with every step, fear starts to creep into you as, unlike mountain hikes, after a certain point, you just can’t turn back and abandon the hike! As you venture deeper into the canyon, more and more amazing views of this stunning landscape unveil themselves to you.

The trail will get steeper and windier after about an hour of hiking, so, be careful with every step you take and always take your time while hiking down.

At this point, you start to realize the grandeur of this canyon and that you are now deep into this wilderness with no people around and you’ll stop thinking about any doubts you previously had as your adrenaline will be pumping and all you care about is reaching the mighty Colorado river. Yet, at this point, you still didn’t see the river! However, the first sight of this mighty river will give you goosebumps and a feeling that can’t be described.

Here, conflicting feelings will creep into you… you are getting closer to your goal, yet you are getting further from your final destination! But keep going…you’re born for this.

Now the trail will get flatter and you’ll keep getting amazing views of the river as you go further down…so, enjoy and abandon your fears.

 

Finally, you’ll reach the river and the bottom of the Grand Canyon…it is a very surreal feeling and the degree of humbleness that you’ll feel in this grand landscape is beyond belief. When you reach the river, go to your campground and pitch your tent. Now its time to relax and enjoy.

When night falls, you’ll start realizing the extent of the task ahead of you tomorrow to get out of this canyon…its scary, and like it is written on the signs along the trail “going down is optional, up is mandatory!” My advice to you, distract yourself from these thoughts by keeping yourself entertained and have trust in your abilities and planning skills…So have a good night’s sleep and get yourself ready for the big day.

Hopefully, you’ll wake up refreshed, have a good breakfast, and pack your camping gear and get yourself ready. As I mentioned earlier, I took the Bright Angel Trail up as, although it is longer, its less steep and easier to hike up. Also, this is a popular trail for day hikers who hike down to a certain point and back, which means that near the end of the trail, when you are tired, there will be people around and help will be quicker in case you needed it. So, lets start getting out of this wilderness and my advice to you….Take Your Time…and don’t over exhaust yourself at the beginning by being too eager to go up.

The first steps on your way up, the adrenaline will be pumping as you’ll be scared of what lies ahead, but this part is easy and goes along the river.

Then, the trail will turn left, away from the river, and you’ll start your long way up. From this point, its all Up:) but not so steep. Also, this trail has some vegetation around it which is a welcome sight from the desolate desert landscape.

I know in this part, tiredness and doubt will creep into you, but keep going and always keep hydrated and charge your energy by whatever trail mix you packed with you. In the middle of all of this, don’t forget to look back as this is where the amazing views of the canyon are.

Continue going up and take as many rests as you need, but be wary of your timing as you don’t want to hike up in the dark. Also, it will help if you kept your spirits high by singing or doing whatever cheers you:)

Over the last mile, you’ll start meeting the day hikers and they will look at you in awe which will make you realize the extent of the achievement that you just did.

The last part of the trail is a zigzag section and it can be grueling especially that by now you’ll be completely drained. However, at this point, you’ll start seeing the rim above you and the end of this adventure, which will be enough to give the last needed boost to keep going. You are almost there and when you reach the final step up, savor this precious moment, enjoy, and treat yourself to a nice meal:)

  
Zion Canyon National Park

Zion Canyon National Park

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Zion Canyon National Park

One of the most iconic national parks in the wild wild west is Zion Canyon NP in southern Utah. Dramatic landscape and a deep canyon carved by the North Fork of the Virgin River provides scenery that is out of this world.

Of course, no trip to the wild west is complete without true adventures and no place can do adventures like Zion NP and all On Your Own! You can spend an entire lifetime here and still you wouldn’t be able to explore the entire beauty of this park. The extensive hiking trails in Zion NP, whether day hikes or backcountry ones, will take you to places that you wouldn’t have imagined that they exist.

But be warned!! This isn’t a land for the fainthearted and any hike here should be well planned in advance. In the next blog posts, I’ll first show you an introductory hike that will get you acquainted with this park before we endeavor into 2 of the wildest & most iconic hikes that you can find anywhere in our planet:)

Hike 1: Emerald Pools

Hike 2: Angels Landing

Hike 3: The Narrows
The Narrows (Zion NP)

The Narrows (Zion NP)

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The Narrows (Zion NP)

If you think that you’ve seen it all, wait till you hike The Narrows!! Technically, the adventure into The Narrows is more of wading in waters rather than hiking, as 60% of it will be in the Virgin River! And the landscape you’ll encounter during this adventure is truly out-of-this-world. Add to that that this adventure will take you off-the-beaten-path in one of the busiest NPs in the entire US, so the feelings and experience of exploring such a unique place, On Your Own, are priceless.

Most people will only venture to the entrance of The Narrows by hiking the easy 1-mile paved Riverside walk from the Temple of Sinawava, unaware, or not adventurous enough, that they only got a faint glimpse of what lies ahead.

This means that this adventure is not for everyone, especially if done in the springtime, as I did. There are risks of flash flooding and hypothermia that you might face. In the spring, the snow is still melting, which mixes with the Virgin River water in The Narrows, so the water is freezing and the weather can change suddenly leading to risks of rain and flash flooding. So don’t attempt to undertake this adventure unless you are very well prepared!

The first step of your preparation is that you’ve to consult with the rangers at the visitor center the day before your planned adventure about the risks of flash flooding. They’ve all the necessary information that will allow you to make an informed decision. If the risk is low, then you still have to avoid the risk of hypothermia as you’ll walk in a freezing waters, in some sections it’ll be knee-high, for more than 4 hours.

Your normal gear won’t cut the chase here, evern if you use waterproof gear, you still need something like a drysuit to insulate the cold; so, you’ll need special gear from head to toe! (for details on the gear you need click to request info). Luckily, you don’t have to buy them as there is an outfitter in Springdale, UT who rent out this gear and they are reliable (click to request info). So, prearrange your gear, and on your planned day to hike The Narrows, pick them up in the morning and get ready to embark on an adventure of a lifetime!!

As I mentioned earlier, the access to this adventure is after hiking the Riverside Walk. So, park your car at the Temple of Sinawava parking lot and don’t put on your gear yet, hike this trail to the mouth of The Narrows first.

Now it is time to gear up and getting ready to venture away from the crowd On Your Own

The total length of this adventure is about 3.6 miles (1-way) of hiking, rock hopping, and wading in the water inside a narrow gorge and splendid sandstone formations, till reaching Big Spring as you are not allowed to continue further on a day hike and without a permit; however, this is, by all means, not an easy 3.6 miles to navigate.

At the start of the adventure, the water level will be very low and even some sections will be dry, but you’ll start to get an idea of this special terrain and landscape. The first section will take you to an area called Narrow Alcove. In this section, you’ll have to continuously hop on the rocks to find your way around the fast running waters. It is fun, yet not to be underestimated.

With every step, the water level will get higher, making your experience more adventurous and unique.

When you reach the Narrow Alcove, there will be a small beach on the side where you can rest and take a break.

Right after the beach, the gorge will get narrower and narrower, and you’ll feel that you are on a different planet!

This section till the Grotto Alcove is the easiest of all sections and, in some areas, it gets wider and the water will be peacefully still.

Now, and after 1.6 miles, the highlight of The Narrows begins. Right after the Grotto Alcove, the narrowest part of the entire Narrows, called Wall Street, begins. This is the section for which you saw pictures in famous websites and thought that they were photoshopped as you couldn’t imagine someone can access this area:) The gorge here becomes so narrow and, in some areas, only 20-feet wide!

At the beginning of Wall Street, there is a detour to your right to Orderville Canyon which is a scary even narrower tributary of the Virgin river that isn’t for the faint hearted. Even if it looks scary from its entrance, try to, at least, venture a couple of hundred feet inside and back to experience this wild place.

No words can describe the Wall Street section…the curvy sandstone formations, the clear water, and the narrow gorge, gives it all a feel of exclusivity and eeriness that makes you feel unique and privileged. In some sections the water is shallow.

And it gets deeper and deeper in others

But in all sections, it is a landscape that will make you appreciate the beauty of our stunning planet

The wall street section ends about half a mile before Big Spring, the gorge will get wider and you’ll feel that you are back to life:)

Continue your way to Big Spring, have your picnic and rest and get ready for heading back and more adventures:)  

Angel’s Landing (Zion NP)

Angel’s Landing (Zion NP)

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Angel’s Landing Hike (Zion NP)

I have to admit, this must be the scariest hike that I’ve ever did!! It needs strong courage and belief in your abilities to be able to navigate the last part of this crazy trail! but the reward is the iconic view over the entire Zion canyon that only few can reach. It is a hike that truly captures the essence of the Wild Wild west; and as always…you can do it On Your Own!

To access this hike, you’ve to first start by hiking the strenuous West Rim trail till you reach Scout lookout. If you are here for this hike only, then you can access the West Rim trail from the Grotto parking lot; however, I combined this hike with the Emerald Pools hike so it was longer but with added rewards. So, following on from the Emerald Pools hike blog, I’ll take you in this blog through this amazing and unforgettable hike.

Coming down from the Upper Emerald Pools, you’ll merge with the Kayenta trail instead of heading back to your car. This is a moderate 1-mile trail that will mark the start of your endless uphill journey to Angel’s Landing:) The trail first starts gently along the North Fork of the Virgin river.

Then will start climbing up till you reach the junction with the West Rim trail. At this point you would have gained 150ft of elevation and, looking back, the bird’s eye views of the valley will start to unfold.

Now you’ll start the real hike, or shall I call it…the battle! From here you’ll continuously hike uphill on the West Rim trail. You’ll need every breath with every step you take, so take your time and use the opportunity to admire the views along the way…Behind You!

After around half a mile, you would have gained a considerable elevation by now; and looking back towards the rive and the snaking trail, you’ll realize how high up you are! The views here are a glimpse of what awaits you during the rest of your adventure, but they are outright amazing.

Take your breath and continue hiking up! Your muscles will start to ache by now, but also the adrenaline will be pumping:) The trail will continue along the rim for another mile or so before the start of the switchbacks to Scout landing, so take a break here and admire those yet more amazing views.

The landscape here is a true reflection of the Wild West with rocky desert terrain, a deep canyon carved by a mighty river, and cactus trees dotting the landscape.

Now you are close to Scout landing, only half a mile, but it is all uphill through endless switchbacks.

The switchbacks will take you away from the river and deep into the rocky rim that will give you a feeling of a wanderer:)

Finally, you’ll reach Scout landing after gaining an elevation of almost 1,400ft. At this point, the views are magnificent enough to make you wonder wait more can possibly await you! You are now almost at the top of the west rim of the canyon and you can see all the way down to the bottom of it.

And this is the road that you drove on!!

You can also see both sides of the canyon from here which gives you a stunning 360 degrees panoramic views.

Now its time to take a long rest and have your lunch because what awaits you is a completely different animal! You only have half a mile left to hike with approximately 90ft of elevation gain till you reach Angel’s landing, but this is not what should concern you here…what should is the trail itself!!

Take a close look at this picture!

Yes, you’ll hike on that trail and On Your Own!! So, you’ve a big decision to make! You should trust your abilities, but also know your limitations as fatalities are not uncommon here! So take your time, assess the trail and the weather, and decide if you want to continue or not…and, if you need any encouragement… I spent almost an hour at Scout landing trying to make a decision! I kept peaking at the trail, hike few yards and back, and thinking will I be able to do it! But, at the end, I gathered all the courage that I have and decided to go for it…and I’m glad I did. My advice to you when doing this part of the hike is to take your time, watch every step you take, use the guardrails and chains installed, don’t get distracted by the views, forget about taking pictures here:( and above all…NEVER LOOK DOWN!! And remember you have to come back the same way!

The start of the Angel’s landing trail will be on a slippery rock face. After this initial hurdle, you’ll feel a bit secure as, although the trail gets very narrow, it is not exposed from both sides. But this is the last of such comfort feeling which explains why I was happy in these pictures (took on my way back), and why these are the last pictures that I took:) I’ve to admit, I was scared to death and being a solo hiker, self-timer pictures aren’t an option here:)

  

It took me nearly an hour to navigate this trail and, lucky me, it wasn’t that windy. At some sections, I felt that I want to go back, but I couldn’t turn as the trail is so narrow, so my only option was to go forward and gather all the courage I have and trust my abilities.

I can’t describe the feeling when I reached this magical spot and because it took me so long to come here, I was alone which is an added bonus! It is so surreal, scary, and peaceful st the same time. So enjoy this unforgettable moment and take as long as you like…you did something really tough and you deserve this reward.

One last advice… don’t get a false sense of security on your way back and say to yourself that it’ll be easy as you did it before! Yes, it will be easier, but never easy. So, take the same precautions on your way back till you reach Scout landing…at this point youcan start dancing if you want:)

 
Emerald Pools Hike (Zion NP)

Emerald Pools Hike (Zion NP)

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Emerald Pools Hike (Zion NP)

This is an introductory hike to this amazing wild park. It’ll give you an idea about the dramatic landscape here and how tough the terrain is…so lets begin!

This hike is a combination of 2 different trails that will take you to these majestic pools while passing along seasonal waterfalls along the way. The first hike is the easy 0.6mi Lower Emerald Pool trail which will then be combined with the moderately strenuous 0.5mi Upper Emerald Pool trail.

Entering the park from its main entrance near Springdale, UT, you’ll start driving along the Zion Canyon scenic drive. Take your time driving this scenic road as you are now entering the bottom of a massive canyon carved by the mighty forces of nature. Almost halfway through the drive, you’ll reach the Emerald Pools area where you’ll park your car and start your adventure (click to request info).

From the parking lot, you’ll start your hike by crossing the river and hike along the sheer rocky cliffs of Zion canyon. The rock formations are dramatic and, depending on the season, there will be small waterfalls all along the way dripping above your head…so prepare to get wet:)

 After crossing the river, the trail will start travelling uphill, but it is not steep, and as you hike along the cliffs, some sections will become very narrow. Here you’ll get a real feeling of how small humans are when standing next to these massive cliffs…its is an amazingly humbling feeling.

 

After about 0.4 miles, you’ll hike up some stairs that will lead you to the Lower Emerald Pools.

If you are here in late spring when the snow has melted, the pools will be full and deep, I was there in early spring so they weren’t that full as some of the snow has not melted yet.

However, standing at these pools surrounded by the massive rocky cliffs is a scene to remember.

From here, you’ll turn left and merge with the Upper Emerald Pool trail. It gets tougher from here as the trail will start going uphill.

As you hike along this trail, you’ll get closer and closer to the cliffs and the small waterfalls will continue dripping above you so be careful…it can be slippery.

Finally, reaching the upper pools signals the end of the trail and the views around you will be breathtaking.

The entire hike should take maximum 45 minutes, so its time to retrace your steps back along the Upper Emerald Pool trail, but at the junction with the Lower Pools trail don’t head back as this will be the start of the famously crazy Angel’s Landing hike…so get ready:)

 

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:)

 
Letchworth State Park

Letchworth State Park

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LETCHWORTH STATE PARK

One of the hidden gems of upstate New York is Letchworth state park & during the fall season this park becomes at its best. In this park you won’t only find amazing fall colors, but you will also be treated by a combination of nature’s best features: a canyon, nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the east, a lazy river, and roaring waterfalls!

The adventure in this park is different, in nature, as it doesn’t involve strenuous physical activities, but its more about an adventurous drive with scenic overlooks coupled with a number of short hikes to amazing views. So, in this blog post I’ll cover a day trip into this stunning park which will reward you with all what you can crave for; albeit, you can extend your trip here at your leisure as there some longer adventurous hikes with some with the best-located campgrounds in the state (click to request info).

Driving southwest from Syracuse, you will first take I-90, afterwards you will have two options to enter the park: The north & south entrances; depending on which entrance, you will take different driving routes (click to request info); however, if you ask for my recommendation I’ll definitely recommend to enter from the north end and drive the park road all the way to the south end for one simple reason: most of the park’s stunning highlights are at the south end so this way you will save the best for last and whenever you think that you saw it all…you will find more amazing sights ahead till you reach the south entrance.

When you enter from the north entrance, you will be greeted by a glimpse of fall colors, not that spectacular though, then the first overlook will be at Mount Morris Dam. If you are into engineering structures, then this overlook might be of interest to you; otherwise, continue driving.

 

Following the park road south, you will start driving away from the Genesee river with not much views to admire till you reach Highbanks recreation area. At Highbanks, you will get a glimpse of what this park has to offer, yet you will feel that these views are inaccessible because the road will continue to bend away from the Genesee which will frustrate you.

 

Driving south all the way to Gardeau, there won’t be much to see and even the drive itself will get a bit boring and you will not even think that there is canyon in this area! But keep driving as it’ll all change soon!

Approaching St. Helena area, the road will become narrower and more winding which will make the drive more adventurous and challenging till you reach the Great Bend area. Now you will, involuntarily, hit the brakes and park at the nearest parking area you will meet as you won’t believe what started to appear next to you! The canyon will get narrower & deeper, the forest thicker, the colors brighter, and the Genesee river meandering its way below you.

 

From this point onwards you will be in heaven!! The Great Bend itself is a sight to admire, how the river carves its way through massive rock cliffs & the force behind the rushing water are ones of nature’s miracles and if the sun is out that day, the reflection of the light on the tree leaves will offer a spectacular display of fall colors.

Starting at the Great Bend, the real adventure begins and, depending on your time, you can either start hiking the 7-mile gorge trail all the way to the south entrance, or combine driving & hiking by continuing your way south and joining the trail for short hikes at your leisure and back to your car for more driving (click to request info). Recommending the latter option, as the drive itself isn’t to be missed, continue your south route and after the Castile entrance you will start getting the views of the lower falls and feel the mist coming from them on your face!

 

Now you don’t have to follow specific trails or itineraries as you will be overwhelmed by all the beauty surrounding you and want to do it all!! So, set yourself free…drive, hike, play, admire, and take pictures, but always remember that you entered from the north entrance & still the best is to come:)

Whether you decided to drive or hike, ditch your car when your reach “Inspiration Point” lookout as from here the hike will be truly inspirational! At this lookout, you will stand face-to-face with the highest falls in the park: the “Middle Falls” with the mist in your face, you will get wet:) and if you were lucky, like me, a rainbow will come out from the bottom of the falls!

 

You will spend here much more time than you planned…I know that:) so be it…you can only see this once! Continue hiking the gorge trail as well as its tributaries to get closer to the falls till you reach the upper falls where you will find a railroad bridge above.

 

These falls are less spectacular, yet looking back at the middle falls will give you another perspective of this amazing SP.

 

I’m sure you won’t want to get out of the park till it is dark, and you shouldn’t! Enjoy every bit of sunlight here because as the sun comes down the colors change, and you want to take more & more pictures. When you are ready to leave, and depending on your destination, you can either head back to the north entrance or go out through the south one…so enjoy & have a safe trip!

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