Category Archives: Day Hiking

Trip notes and guides for day hiking around the world.

Seven guanacos in a field in Parque Patagonia, with snow-capped mountains in the background
Backpacking, Chile, Day Hiking, March, South America

March Hiking in the Aysén Region of Patagonia

In March 2018, we returned to Patagonia to explore and hike the Aysén region between Coyhaique and Cochrane in Chile. We spent a week in Bariloche last year and thoroughly enjoyed it, but wanted to explore more on the Chilean side this time around. Our trip included the rugged drive along the Carretera Austral (Route 7) and hiking in the Cerro Castillo and Patagonia National Parks.

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Kyle stands in the pass, looking down at the trail, mountains, and valley.
Day Hiking, Europe, Hut-to-hut walks, July, June, Spain

Picos de Europa: Overview

In June and July 2017, we spent a week hiking in Spain’s spectacular Picos de Europa. The jagged limestone peaks, verdant green pastures, delicious food, and a pleasant stop in Bilbao made for a fantastic trip.

Read below for our notes on planning a trip, getting around, and where to stay, or jump right into our description of the trip:

  1. Bilbao and the drive to Espinama
  2. A three-day, two-night hike on the Central Massif
  3. A rainy stop in Covadonga and Arenas de Cabrales
  4. Hikes from Camarmeña, including the Cares Gorge, back up to the Central Massif, and a bit of the Western Massif

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Snow Lake and mountains
Ask us, Day Hiking, June, Roundups, Washington

Ask us: Good bases for late June day hikes near Seattle?

Friends are visiting Seattle from late June to early July. They recently asked:

I was wondering if there were a few places that you could recommend for some epic hiking. Your flickr account is filled with gorgeous photos of spots that are easy to get to from Seattle, so deciding based on photos seems daunting. We’re thinking of doing three days of hiking (and we’d stay in a cabin overnight) in one or two locations. We’ll have a rental car also. We’re just looking for gorgeous scenery, and up to a moderate level of hiking difficulty. Are there 4 or 5 favorite hikes that fit this that you’d recommend?

This is a challenging time for planning a hiking trip. Some years, the northwest will have warmed up months earlier and the snow will be gone. Other years, many of our favorite trails may still be covered in snow. So, unless you are prepared to deal with snow, you need a base with some different options. There are a few that should fit that bill. Read on for some suggestions of where to stay and corresponding hikes, in both the Cascade and Olympic Mountains.

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Mesa Arch sunrise, Canyonlands National Park
Day Hiking, October, Utah

Canyonlands & Arches National Parks: An October weekend in Moab

After the previous year’s enjoyable fall escape to Zion, we decided to escape the onset of Seattle’s rainy fall with a trip Moab, Utah. (We saved Bryce for a future visit.) Moab offered the chance to explore Arches and Canyonlands National Parks and could be reached by an easy, direct flight to Salt Lake City followed by a four hour drive.

Our visit included two days of hiking in Canyonlands–one in the Island in the Sky and one in the Needles District–and two days exploring Arches, including the Fiery Furnace, Devil’s Garden, Delicate Arch and Windows Arch. We also enjoyed three breathtaking sunrises at Mesa Arch, Delicate Arch, and the Windows.

Visiting in the fall meant that we got to see the most popular spots without the high-season crowds. We also got to do some hikes that the Park Service and others recommend against doing in the hot summer, including Druid Arch and Syncline Loop.

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Hikers reaching the top of King Ravine Trail, Presidential Range, White Mountain National Forest
Day Hiking, New Hampshire, Roundups

Sean’s Favorite Day Hikes in the White Mountains: The Presidentials

Since I was about two years old, visiting the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Maine has been part of most of my summers. Over those decades, I’ve explored the mountains and valleys extensively. While I’m always eager to check out a new trail or summit, I want to share a few favorite day hikes to which I keep returning. This post covers hikes in the Presidential Range.

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