Week 358-360 - Hiking Collection No. 1 - 07-07-2013

Hiking Collection No. 1

We are home, at our home, in Atascadero for the month of July. So, as we done in the past we are sending photo collections from previous travels. This one is a Hiking Collection as the next few will also be. Most everyone enjoys hiking and there are no doubt millions of hiking trails in North America. We will highlight just a few of the ones that we have enjoyed. As we have matured we have learned that a moderate hike of five miles is really fun. If the hike is strenuous or moderate and more than five miles, then hiking for us becomes a job rather than a joy. We'll start this week with some of our easy and short moderate hikes.

Piestewa Peak, Phoenix, Arizona
1.2 miles, 2 hours, moderate, rises 1400 feet. This is a great hike and very popular for those in and around Phoenix. We went in November 2010 on a beautiful sunny day and shared the trail with hundreds of others. But, no problem, there room for many more and the trail is wide enough to pass going up or down.

Directions: From central Phoenix, go east on freeway 10, head north on the Piestewa freeway 51. Get off at the Glendale exit and go right. Glendale turns into East Lincoln Drive. Turn left on East Squaw Peak Dr. Drive until you see the parking area and you are there.

This view is from partway up the trail. Views from the top are even better.

As you can see, there is no shade. So take plenty of water and a hat or visor and wear sunscreen. Enjoy!

Devil's Tower, Northeast Wyoming
1.3 miles, paved, easy. This is an easy and enjoyable hike around the base of Devil's Tower. The views of the tower are varied and interesting. There is a remnant of a ladder that was once on the east side of the tower. You can at times see climbers trying to scale this magnificent monument.

Directions: From Interstate 90 going east or west, turn off onto highway 14 to the north. When you reach road 24, head north. This road (see next photo) takes you right past the tower.

You can see the tower is on a plateau with nothing similar around it. We really enjoy reading how the government describes how this tower rose out of nothing. We would rather believe the God created this for our pleasure.

The prairie dogs seemed entertained as we walked by. The trial is paved and wanders through a lot of shaded areas making for a pleasant hike in any weather.

North Rim Grand Canyon
.5 miles, easy. We camped at North Rim Campground. It was just a couple hundred feet from the rim of the canyon. We hiked from our campground to the visitor's center. All the views are right from the edge of the canyon and are fabulous.

Directions: You have to be going here, it is extremely out of the way! We came from St. George, Utah. Take Interstate 15 north, right on the Utah 9 and right again on Utah 59. The Utah 59 becomes the Arizona 389. The 389 dead ends into the 89A. Take the 89A south and follow it into the Grand Canyon National Park. At the junction of the 67, take it south 44 miles to the Rim.

Wow! Just one of the views you are rewarded with on this hike.

The scenes are vivid on this short 1/2 mile hike. Mandy enjoyed the hike as well.

South Rim Grand Canyon
2 miles, easy (many more miles available). We hiked just two miles of the trail along the South Rim. Like the North Rim, the scenery is awesome, thank you Lord!

Directions: From Interstate 40 going East, head north at Williams on AZ 64. Going west on 40, head north on 180 at Flagstaff. The 64 and the 180 merge and take you right to the Rim.

While we showing one just one large photo per hike, this is one of a dozen that were candidates and they are all great.

Our visit to the South Rim was in March of 2008. Our daughter Melissa, her roommate Ashley and friend Aurea were on a road trip from San Diego to Texas. Melissa mentioned that they had no free place to stay near the canyon. So we drove to the South Rim to provide them a MotherBed and Breakfast. This hike is easy and if we had more time we would have gone further.

We hope you enjoyed hiking with us. If you get near any of this areas, take the hikes and you will be blessed.

Love, Pete, Ellen and Mandy

This special edition travelogue was brought to you as there is nothing new in our travel.

Photos from Mar 2008 to Oct 2011