Five-Star Trails: The Ozarks

Sauntering Through the Ozarks

Hiking—I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains – not hike! ~ John Muir Today was about checking my 4-mile adopted section of the Ozark Highlands Trail. I’d recently read the above John Muir quote and planned to...

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Tips for Fall, hiking in fall

Five Things More Fall Than Pumpkin Spice Latte

We have a problem here, folks. Pumpkin spice has commandeered fall. We have been brainwashed to believe that fall equals pumpkin spice. Everywhere you turn, another pumpkin spice product appears out of thin air. Kind of like Linus's Great Pumpkin, only not. And the leader of this false...

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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Boston, Boston hiking, Lafe Low, Menasha Ridge Press

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of Boston: Still Hiking

Something peculiar happens when you’re playing—I mean, hurriedly hiking—and finishing a guidebook before the first snow falls in Massachusetts. You write the notes, take the photos, and post them online, but forget to pair your memories with your photos in the form of a blog...

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Five Hidden Gems to Hike in D.C. This Fall

At first glance, Washington, D.C., may seem like a large city with an inescapable amount of people and politics. Even the sightseeing-worthy national monuments and museums will find you elbow-to-elbow with equally contemplative tourists. While touring the traditional D.C. monuments is all well and good, Renee...

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Five Star Trails: The Ozarks

Sharing My Love of the Trails

During a phone interview with Kyle Kellams of KUAF, I mentioned how hiking and writing about trails go together for me. I couldn’t imagine doing one without the other. He said, “So, in addition to being a thru-hiker, you’re a ‘thru-writer.'” I thought, what a cool...

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Best Places to See Fall Foliage Near Philly

We all blinked, summer came and passed, and now fall is knocking at our doors. While beach days may be behind us, the promise of crisp air, fresh apples, and pumpkin everything make fall basically the best season. If you live in a sprawling city like Philadelphia, it...

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Photographing 100 Steps of Mindfulness

Here are a few photos from an assignment I thought up during a morning hike on my home trail. I took a photo using my smartphone camera every 100 steps, allowing myself to move up to ten steps from each stopping point to locate a...

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Wildflowers of the Appalachian Trail, Appalachian Trail, hiking the AT

Stop and Smell the Wildflowers Along the Appalachian Trail

Let’s talk about wildflowers. Wildflowers are the unsung heroes of the Appalachian Trail. They’re often overshadowed by the sweeping vistas, towering pines, and formidable rock formations, but they are equally important to your hiking experience. They’re small but mighty, brightening up even the gloomiest of...

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