#national recreation trails

[thomaswaynewolf]

[mountrainiernps]

Longmire is open 7 days a week. Two miles before reaching Longmire, stop at the Twin Firs Loop Trail for a short introduction to the old growth forest of Mount Rainier. The original “twin firs” that gave the trail its name no longer exist, but look for the “big three” conifer species of the forest: Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western red cedar.

While short, a section of the 0.4-mile-long trail is steep, climbing up a hillside before crossing a creek on a narrow log footbridge and descending back to the trailhead. In winter the trail can be snow-covered and there may be fallen trees from winter storms blocking portions of the trail. Pair this hike with the Trail of the Shadows in Longmire to further experience Mount Rainier’s low elevation forests.

NPS Photo of the Twin Firs trailhead and forest, 1/8/25.

[valhikes]

Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California

Day 2 backpacking South Fork was actually spent on Smoky Creek where the Bigfoot Trail climbs away from the river. I hiked up to the trailhead, getting in some views, before returning to the river.

[macmanx]

Park rangers at Lake Mead National Recreation Area just outside Las Vegas are asking for the public's help identify two people caught on video vandalizing natural rock formations earlier this month.

[shawneeforestcabins]

Encounters Wildlife on Rim Rock National Recreation Trail

The forest is home to various creatures, including deer, squirrels, and other bird species; thus, hiking in the Rim Rock National Recreation also offers opportunities to view wildlife. Photographers of nature will never run out of ideas when it comes to capturing the vivid hues of wildflowers, the gushing waterfalls, and the stately trees that border the path. The Rim Rock National Recreation Trail at Shawnee Forest Cabins is the ideal location to re-establish a connection with nature and make enduring memories, whether of your preference for seclusion and calm or an exciting outdoor experience.

[hikercarl]

Top Winter Hiking Destinations in the U.S.

Discover breathtaking winter hiking trails across the U.S. We share top destinations, essential gear tips, and safety advice for unforgettable cold-weather adventures.

Explore stunning winter hiking trails across the United States. This article highlights the best spots, essential gear, and safety tips for cold-weather adventures. From the Southwest’s deserts to the canyons, there are many beautiful winter hikes to enjoy. Whether you’re looking for a short day hike or a long trek, we’ve got you covered. This guide is perfect for winter hikinglovers. Key…

[rabbitcruiser]

National Trails Day

The  outdoors are calling out to us, telling us this is the perfect time for  a hike — it is National Trails Day after all, which is celebrated only  on the first Saturday in June of each year, falling on June 4 this year.  Organized by the American Hiking Society, this event aims to bring  together all trail enthusiasts, young and old, while honoring those who  help maintain and preserve hiking trails for everyone to enjoy.

History of National Trails Day

The  history of National Trails Day stretches back almost 50 years. Back  then, there were no government-mandated trails for walking and other  leisure activities. This changed when President Lyndon B. Johnson made a  law, which established trails that people could use for recreation (and  tourism too). This system saw much change over the years, with local  authorities and organizations adding to the network of trails. With each  new organization dedicated to hiking and outdoor activities, more and  more incentives to expand the existing trails became available to  people.

Until now, private entities have been expanding on the  governmental law, but soon, a presidential task force concluded that  more was needed to be done to expand the trails and safeguard the  environment. This report tasked federal authorities with providing funds  to local authorities and officials to help them develop and maintain  pathways in their regions. The American Hiking Society, which by then  was a big name in the world of hiking, decided it needed to devise a  scheme to further incentivize people to take up volunteering and  activities to maintain and enjoy the country’s hiking trails, and thus,  they launched National Trails Day, which has been running ever since.

National Trails Day timeline

October 2, 1968 Trails Act Becomes a Law

President  Lyndon B. Johnson establishes an official network of trails across  America that can be used for recreation and tourism.

October 13, 1976 The American Hiking Society is Born

An  official hiking organization is created, which begins hosting meetings  and thinking up new initiatives to increase interest in hiking.

January 28, 1985 A Review of Outdoor Recreation Services

President  Ronald Reagan signs an executive order, the Presidential Commission on  Outdoor Recreation Resources Review, to conduct a thorough review of  America's outdoor recreation services.

January 28, 1987 A Call for More Commitment

The  Presidential Commission on Outdoor Recreation Resources Review, now  called the President’s Commission on Americans Outdoors, calls for more  outdoor commitment from the government for protection and funding.

1988 National Trails Agenda Project

A  cooperative venture is undertaken between the National Park Service and  American Trails to look at trail-based issues and to provide  recommendations that satisfy America's need for trails.

1991 An Idea Takes Root

The American Hiking Society comes up with a program to highlight the importance of trails and dubs it 'National Trails Day.'

1993 First National Trails Day Comes into Being!

The  American Hiking Society launches the first National Trails Day, with  hundreds of organizations participating — this day has been celebrated  ever since.

How To Celebrate National Trails Day

Participate in special events

Do more than hike

Show appreciation to volunteers

Throughout  the U.S., the American Hiking Society branches and various private  organizations host multiple events and activities to celebrate hiking  and promote awareness about the trails you can use. So grab a friend  (two- or four-legged) and set out on a little hike around your local  trail.

Hiking  trails are for more than simply hiking. These trails offer plenty of  recreational opportunities for those who don’t like hiking. They also  offer excellent opportunities for birdwatching and activities like  canoeing or paddle trips, and, of course, most trails can be used for  biking as well.

These  pristine trails and pathways have been maintained by a group of  volunteers. So let’s take a moment to appreciate their efforts. You can  even celebrate these efforts by sharing your appreciation on social  media. You would not only be honoring these volunteers but you would  also be building interest in hiking too! Another way to show your  appreciation would be to become a volunteer yourself. Check out the  Appalachian Trail Conservatory or other organizations just like it that  are responsible for maintaining hiking trails and find out if there is  anything you can do to help.

Fun Facts About National Trails Day

The 20th-anniversary rush!

There are so many trails!

There’s one standout trail

Buying a house? Look for a trail

People still love to hike

A whopping 157,000 people participated in the 20th Annual National Trails Day events on June 2, 2012, held across the U.S.

America boasts around 200,000 miles of trails all over the country.

The  Appalachian National Scenic Trail — commonly called the Appalachian  Trail or A.T. — receives about two million visits each year.

According to the American Hiking Society, in 2008, prospective home buyers looked for trial availability while buying houses.

The  National Survey on Recreation and the Environment (NSRE) trends in 2012  showed participation rates have increased in the first decade of the  21st century.

Why We Love National Trails Day

We get to explore nature

Hiking (and outdoorsy activities) are healthy

It is a great bonding activity

National  Trails Day is a great big celebration of the outdoors. In a time when  all most of us usually see is a giant corporate jungle, hiking is a  wonderful and refreshing pastime for us. We get to visit places where  nature still reigns supreme, which is a brilliant way to spend our time.

Going  on a quick (or long) hike instantly gets your blood pumping. Even if  you are not into hiking as an activity, outdoor aficionados can enjoy  many more activities in areas with hiking trails, each of which have  their own health benefits. Plus, being in nature is a giant stress  buster and good for the soul. If this isn’t enough to convince you,  spending time outdoors and in nature is a known aid for non-clinical  depression and a great way to restore mental- and physical faculties.

These  trails are truly for everyone. It offers young children a place to  safely run around outside, a breath of fresh air for anyone who needs  it, and a chance for the elderly to admire some wildflowers... There is  no competition here, no apps or distractions. It’s just you, your loved  ones, and, on some trails, your pets too. Happy bonding!

Source

[catboybiologist]

The Sierras Nevada mountains bear ancient scars.

(Pic: the valley that forms the path of the Middle fork of the Kaweah River, going westward from the Kaweah gap. Sequoia NP.)

These relatively young mountains started as a plateau in Western North America (or rather, Laurasia) during the Cretaceous and early Paleogene. But soon afterwards, rivers carved a rugged landscape. As glaciation periods began ~30-40 mya, the advancing and retreating of rivers of ice from the mountaintops scoured this further into deep, granite canyons. Their scouring revealed buried pockets of magma, solidified into domes, spires, and monoliths, many of which are named and iconic.

(Pic: half dome viewed from El Capitan. Yosemite NP.)

Now, with humans, the fate of these canyons has been varied.

The Yosemite Valley is by far the most well known and recognizable of these canyons. While it is protected as a national park, it is one of the most famous and highly visited parks in the entire US, and a world famous recreation destination. Because of this, it's well preserved, but fairly built up. The Yosemite village has full time habitation from park workers, car traffic, two hotels, restaurants, shops, and more. A natural wonder and recreation destination to be sure, and the neighboring high country is extremely wild, but certainly notably built up.

(Pic: East Yosemite valley from the Yosemite falls trail. The Ahwanee hotel is visible on the left.)

Within the boundaries of the same national park is a sadder story: Hetch Hetchy. Hetch Hetchy valley, just North of the Yosemite valley, boasts similar granite features to Yosemite itself- but some are submerged forever. In the early 20th century, the valley was dammed and flooded to supply water to the booming city of San Francisco. It still does. Some proposals have been made to drain it, but some believe that the damage is already done.

(Pic: Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Only pic in this post not by me, taken from NPS website.)

Kings Canyon represents a middle ground. In 1940, General Grant national Park was expanded to include the canyon, and subsequently renamed Kings Canyon National Park, now jointly managed with Sequoia NP. Car access is possible, and there are visitor services at the bottom, but nothing in the scale of Yosemite. A more typical national park experience, it feels a lot more rugged and wild, while boasting many similar granite features.

(Pic: looking down the paradise valley as it connects to Kings Canyon.)

And then.... There's the Kern valley.

Tucked discreetly in the Southeast of the Sierras, relatively little people know of its existence, despite being as deep and grand as the others.

The reason for this is it's level of protection. The Kern Valley is a wilderness area of Sequoia NP- the highest level of protection for conservation in the United States. In wilderness zones, no permanent structures or roads are permitted- only hiking trails and primitive campsites.

Some parts of the lower Kern fall outside of this boundary, but the upper Kern is only accessible by multiple days on foot. Numerous hiking trails cross cross the area, including the High Sierra Trail, which I completed a week ago.

It's gorgeous, and even though it's used by hikers, it feels untouched by human hands.

But.

We can show it something else.

Some kind of .... Body part. That has a day of the week based following in this website.

That's right, you fools.

THIS IS ANOTHER TGIRL TUMMY TUESDAY POST!

On August 24th, I descended into the Kern from the West via the HST, and decided to show it what I know best- some good fucking tgirl tummy.

Happy Tuesday to the freaks, the degens, and the losers, and the business they get up to, to make their lives more interesting, whatever if may be.

Tags under the cut!

@lilithtransrights @xenasaur

@whalesharkcat @godless-of-the-hunt

@anarqueeen @shakukon-to @eruditegeek

@puzzlecatt @sagasolejma

@havingsecondthots @quinns-sinns

[vintagecamping]

Backpacking along the Rogue River National Recreational Trail.

Oregon

1969

[rjzimmerman]

From The Nature Conservancy:

Thirteen state and local ballot initiatives related to climate and conservation, totaling more than $18 billion, that The Nature Conservancy engaged in were approved by voters in the United States yesterday. “When the issue of conservation and climate is highlighted and elevated on the ballot, we find time and again that voters overwhelmingly support these initiatives,” said TNC’s Senior Director of Strategy Adam Snyder. “This year is no different, with 66% of voters supporting conservation and climate proposals.”

California: $10 billion climate bond that funds climate resilience, protecting clean drinking water and preventing catastrophic wildfires. Read TNCs statement here.

Washington: An effort to roll back the state's Climate Commitment Act was defeated. The CCA provides millions for conservation, climate and wildfire funding, including funding for Tribal nations and at-risk communities.

Minnesota: Renewal of the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund for another 25 years. The fund will provide $2 billion ($80 million per year from state lottery proceeds) to protect water, land and wildlife across the state. Read the statement here. 

Suffolk County, N.Y.: Voters approved a ballot measure that will generate $6 billion for clean water and conservation over the next 30 years. 

Colorado: Remove the cap for water funding from an existing tax on sports gaming revenue, which will generate an additional $2 to $5 million.

Dupage, Kane, McHenry and Lake counties, Ill.: More than $500 million for conservation and forest preserve districts to buy land, maintain existing public places and improve public recreation opportunities.

Jasper County, S.C.: A sales tax for transportation, which includes a greenbelt component for land conservation that totals $94 million over the life of the program.

Louisiana: Directing federal revenues received by the state from energy production (such as wind, solar, tidal, wave and other alternative or renewable energy sources) to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Fund.

Maine: A $30 million bond that will fund a four-year grant program aimed at enhancing and expanding the state’s trail networks. 

Rhode Island: A $53 million environmental bond that will fund a variety of programs, including open space and parks, coastal resilience, forest management and restoration, farmland protection, brownfield reclamation and upgrading a port facility to support offshore wind development.

[differenteagletragedy]

No thoughts, just Our Life Swap AU.

A couple of days ago someone requested a swap AU in which Baxter is MC's neighbor, Cove is the friend who lives in the city and Derek is the boy who stays for the summer and I have not been the same since.

Here is the first thing I wrote about it, and here is another!

"Do you know what RV stands for?"

"Yes, Baxter."

"I believe you may think you do -- a common misunderstanding is that it stands for 'recreational vehicle.' In reality --"

"Shut it, little boy," Liz called down from the loft.

You smiled at Baxter, and he returned it. You were in an RV that your moms had rented, headed for a quick camping trip to Redwood National Park. You and your best friend were sitting on the couch in the little living area of the vehicle while your moms were up front, taking turns driving.

Baxter had been making up stories to pass the time, and it seemed that Liz had heard one too many.

"My apologies, Elizabeth," he called up to her. "I forgot you don't care for whimsy or fun anymore."

"Why are you even here?" she replied.

He had been in good spirits, chatting away, but that seemed to have brought him down. He shot a quick smile at you, then looked away.

Your parents had invited him along -- after five years of the two of you being nearly inseparable, he was often invited to family outings. Your moms always made sure to include him too because his own parents weren't the kindest people.

At first, Baxter's parents had refused. They didn't like your moms, for some reason you'd never been able to figure out. Luckily, a business trip came up for his father and they decided to give in to his relentless requests to accompany you, knowing that their only child could make things difficult if he wanted. It was easier for them not to deal with him on the trip.

Their loss, you thought.

Before he could get too lost in thought, you leaned over and nudged his shoulder. He nudged you back, a smirk reappearing.

"Don't mind Liz," you told him quietly. "You're here because you belong here."

His smirk turned into a full-on beam.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night, you'd arrived to your camping spot at the park, but it was too dark to explore. But the next morning, bright and early, the five of you went out to see the sights.

Your moms led the easy hike on one of the trails, and Liz wandered behind them. You and Baxter brought up the rear.

"This is amazing," he said in genuine awe, looking up at the trees. Every once in a while, he would pull his attention away from the scenery to look at you warmly.

"Was it like this in your old town?" you asked. You knew he'd lived in Oregon before moving to Sunset Bird, and he'd talked about missing the trees.

"No, not quite," he answered. "There were forests, but nothing like this."

Before you could say anything else, Liz fell back to walk in line with you. You gave a preemptive eyeroll.

"Is this up to your standards, rich boy?" she teased.

"I'm having a very nice time," he replied. And it was true -- too nice a time to start his usual bickering with your sister.

"Good," she said. "Because once you officially join the family, this is the kind of sickening wholesomeness you're in for."

"I could think of worse fates," he told her, shooting you a glance.

You'd been nursing a crush on Baxter for a while now, and comments like that made you think sometimes that he had a crush on you, too. It was almost enough to make you say something, but your sister's teasing would really turn relentless then.

Liz hung back, teasing you for a while longer before getting bored and going back up to your moms. After a few hours, with a lunch break tossed in, the hike was over and you were back at the RV.

Your sister promptly went inside and shut the door behind her. Your moms laughed, but then Baxter approached them.

"I was wondering if it would be all right if we went on another short walk," he said, looking back at you. "Not too far, and I'll be sure we're back well before dark."

They had a moment of silent communication, then you saw your ma give a slight nod.

"All right, but not too far," Mom said. "And stay on the trail."

"Absolutely," Baxter said. He held his arm out to you, and you took it. Then you were off.

"Why did you want to come back out?" you asked, trying to sound casual even though you were buzzing with excitement. You tried to keep the hand that held onto his arm steady.

"I thought it was too nice of a day to end so quickly," he said. "I wanted more time out here. More time with you."

You blushed, and he smiled fondly at you.

"Why do you say stuff like that?" you asked before you could reconsider.

"Why wouldn't I?" He seemed genuinely confused. "It's lovely here. You're a lovely person." He leaned closer to your ear and said, "My favorite person, actually."

Your cheeks grew hotter.

Baxter laughed, then said, "You're also adorable."

It was a little forward, even for him, so you decided to take the opportunity to bring up something you'd been wondering about for a while.

"Can I ask you something?" you began.

"Always."

"Why haven't you dated anyone?"

He didn't say anything right away, and you didn't have the nerve to look at him. But out of the corner of your eye, you thought you saw his own cheeks turning pink.

"I was just wondering," you added, "since you sort of flirt with everybody all the time."

"Do I?" he asked with a laugh. You did give him a look then, and he said, "I don't actually, you know. Not at school."

"Really?"

"Really."

It was your turn to pause. He went to a private school while you went to the public one, but you'd just assumed he was the same way with everyone else that he was with you.

"I'm polite," he explained. "I try to be friendly. I can't help being a little bold. But I don't ... you're the only one who gets this version of me."

You were trying to figure out how to respond, but nothing came. Your thoughts were racing with this new revelation, and before you could say anything, he stopped.

"It'll be getting dark soon," he said. "Time to go."

Baxter turned around, making a show out of offering you his other arm, and you laughed as you took it. Perhaps sensing the tailspin he'd put you in, he went back to joking around for the rest of the walk back to the campsite.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After a fun evening with your family around the campfire, it was time for bed. Your moms went back to the bedroom, Liz stretched out on the couch and Baxter spread out his sleeping bag on the floor while you climbed up in the loft.

You tried to go to sleep, but your thoughts were still racing over everything Baxter had said. After a while, when you heard Liz's soft snores get into a steady rhythm, you peeked over the edge of the loft to see what your friend was doing.

You knew he was a night owl, and so you weren't surprised to see him lying on his stomach, reading a book he'd brought with him in the bright moonlight that filtered in through the windows. But you didn't expect him to look up at you just as you'd started watching him.

"Go to sleep," he mouthed at you, grinning.

"You first," you mouthed back.

He gracefully pulled himself out of his sleeping bag and slinked over to the ladder to the loft. He climbed it so that he was eye level with you, and said, "Can't sleep?"

"Doesn't seem so."

"Would you like some company?"

You gave him a confused look. He smiled softly and told you, "I'll tell you a bedtime story."

Intrigued, you scooted back against the wall, making room for him. He climbed under the blankets, laid out on his side, folding his arm under his head for a pillow, and started telling his story.

It was complete nonsense, as most of his stories were. There was something about mountain lions, and Bigfoot made an appearance. But as he went on, trying his best to make you laugh, he kept inching closer to you. A few times you were bold enough to do the same, and by the end you were pressed close.

"Can you sleep now?" he asked, his face just inches from yours.

"I can try."

[valhikes]

Shasta-Trinity National Forest, California

After the restful day 4, day 5 backpacking South Fork Trinity River Trail was extra long to finish. I ended up making it even longer by exploring an alternate route option above Murphy Place instead of below.

[the-badger-mole]

Uncharted Waters: To the Victor

Aside from the market place, which stretched along two miles of  smooth road, there was plenty to see of Gaoling within walking distance. Katara was determined to see as much as she was able, and so took the lead to every park, garden and historical site she heard of.

“I didn’t grow up around a lot of monuments,” she told Zuko. “Until I left home, the oldest building I’d ever seen was only about 40 years old, and it wasn’t much to look at.”

“What about parks?” Zuko asked. “Or hiking trails?”

“Hiking trails?” Katara scrunched up her nose at that. Zuko told her about the hiking trails that went through the woods and mountains of the Fire Nation where people would take recreational trips.

“People would do that for fun?” Katara asked dubiously. “Just walk up mountains and through woods for fun?”

“Some of the trails could be really difficult,” Zuko explained. “But a lot of them weren’t much harder than walking up a hill. And there were beautiful views. Depending on where you were, you could see over the ocean, or fields of flowers, or cliffs. I’m not doing it justice, but if you saw one of those trails, you’d get it.” Katara shot him a look which suggested that she very much doubted she would get it. Zuko seemed very enthusiastic about hiking, though.

“I guess if my only experience doing it wasn’t for survival, I’d enjoy walking through the mountains, too,” Katara conceded at last. “There are beautiful places to see back home, too, but the views were more a bonus than the point. There are some places, like the glacier fields where you might not return from if you go in. The ice can shift without warning. There are forests further inland, too. With hot springs where we go to celebrate…well, a lot of different things.” 

“There are forests?” Now it was Zuko’s turn to be incredulous. “I thought the Southern Tribe was all ice.”

“Nope,” Katara shook her head. “We have forests inland. That’s where we get wood for building our bigger boats. A lot of our rivers flow from there, too.”

“Why don’t you guys live there?” Zuko asked. “Wouldn’t it be easier?”

“Not really,” Katara pursed her lips thoughtfully. “The ocean is our connection to everything. All the animals we hunt have either live around the ocean or have to go there sometime. It’s also our connection to the rest of the world. And I guess calling what we have forests is kind of misleading. It’s not like….like the Foggy Swamp, or the island. There are trees, but not a lot of them. We have to be very careful not to overharvest them. We didn’t even really start using them for our boats until after the war. We don’t even use them for firewood unless we really have to.

“What do you use for fire then?”

“Driftwood, mostly. Dry grasses in the summer.”

“That sounds like such a difficult life.” Zuko frowned as he thought about what that life must have been like. No wonder Katara was so adept at living on the island.

“It was all I knew for most of my life,” Katara shrugged. “It works for us. And maybe we don’t hike for fun, but there’s still plenty to keep us entertained. We have penguin sledding, ice skating, and kayaking. There’s the story circle, and rock hopping-‘

“Rock hopping?” Zuko repeated. Katara’s face split into a wide grin as she described a dangerous sounding sport that had to do with leaping over crevasses and water onto whatever stone surface was close enough to reach. The further the stones a player could reach, the better they did.

“The best players tend to be our best hunters,” Katara told him. “It teaches you to be agile and light on your feet. I think you’d be pretty good at it, actually.”

“Well,” Zuko said shyly, “maybe someday I can visit and you can show me how to play.”

“It’s a deal!” Katara agreed.

Read the rest of the chapter here

[hikercarl]

Discover Yahoo Falls: Kentucky's Hidden Waterfall Gem

In the heart of the Appalachian region, Kentucky has a hidden treasure. It’s called Yahoo Falls. This waterfall is the tallest in the state, standing tall at 113 feet. It’s a must-see for those who love nature and adventure. Located in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Yahoo Falls is a hidden gem. It’s often overlooked compared to Cumberland Falls. But, those who find it are…