Yosemite National Park Guide

Yosemite National Park is on many people’s bucket list, but it can be overwhelming to try to plan a trip to such a large park that is also incredibly busy. Check out my guide below with tips for visiting Yosemite, hiking in Yosemite, and where to stay.

Vernal Falls

Yosemite Tips:

• If you’re visiting during peak season (mid-May-September) you will need a reservation to enter the park. Learn more and book your reservation here. If you do not have a reservation you can enter the park before 6am or after 4pm.

• You will also need either a National Park Pass or to pay $35 for 3 days of access to enter the park.

• I cannot emphasize this enough: start your days early. You will avoid crowds, parking issues, and the heat if you just set that alarm a little bit earlier and get moving early.

• If you enjoy waterfalls, visit during the spring or early summer when they are the most active. The snowmelt creates an abundance of water.

• I would also recommend that you get out of Yosemite Valley. Many people who visit the park only visit the Valley which is the most touristy area. There are 6 distinct areas to Yosemite: Yosemite Valley, Hetch Hetchy, Glacier Point, Wawona and Mariposa Grove, and Tuolumne Meadows.

• While in Yosemite Valley there is a convenient and free shuttle to take you to different points without having to move your car. If you are staying at certain locations in the park this is also a great option for getting around the Valley. There are two different shuttle loops that operate about every 10-20 minutes—learn more here.

  • You can also bike in Yosemite Valley via the bike rental shop and bike lanes are everywhere.

• Tioga Pass Road cuts through the center of the park and is only open seasonally. Each year it differs depending on conditions, but it is generally open late May through September. Many hikes and lakes are along this road, so be sure to plan ahead.

• Be bear aware! All of the bears in Yosemite are black bears, so if you see them in the wild keep your distance, if you see them in a public space get as large and loud as possible. Do not leave food in your car and always have your backpack within reach. Drive the speed limit throughout the park to save bears.

• If you are visiting in the year 2022 Glacier Point and Glacier Point Road will remain closed all year. Any trails along the road are inaccessible and Glacier Point, a popular viewpoint, is inaccessible. Bridalveil Falls is also closed for 2022.

• A note, Crane Flat Lookout Trail is not a trail, despite what AllTrails thinks. It’s a road to a fire tower which you actually can’t even go up for views. You’re welcome!

Tunnel View

Hiking in Yosemite:

There are two viewpoints I would recommend that are not hikes, but rather areas to park and enjoy the view:

• Tunnel View on Wawona Road is the classic Yosemite viewpoint as you enter Yosemite Valley. Here you can see El Capitan, Horsetail Fall, Clouds Rest, Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, Cathedral Rocks and Bridalveil Fall.

• Yosemite Valley Viewpoint on Big Oak Flat Road is essentially the other side of Tunnel View across the park with great views of Half Dome.

Vernal and Nevada Falls via Mist Trail

Vernal and Nevada Falls via Mist Trail 

This trail is 7.2 miles long from the trailhead, 164 flights up with 2,162 feet of elevation gain, and is rated as hard. Keep in mind the closest parking lot is an additional 0.7 miles away. You can also take the shuttle to the stop near the trailhead.

The first section is paved and uphill and leads to the Vernal Falls footbridge. This is the most popular area of the trail as most people make it to the footbridge and turn around. There is a bathroom here and a water refill station as well. It is 0.9 miles/36 flights up from the trailhead to the footbridge.

Next you will come to Vernal Falls itself, where you should expect to get quite wet from the waterfall mist. This section has steep, wet steps and you will walk directly next to the waterfall.

From here you will continue up more stairs to the top of Vernal Falls before heading deeper into the wilderness. Next you will hike alongside Nevada Falls for a while, with great views and frequent switchbacks.

When you have finally reached the summit at the top of Nevada Falls there is an outhouse if you need it and great views of the valley below. As you start your descent there are great views of Half Dome, Nevada Falls and Mount Broderick.

At Clark Point you will have one last great view before taking the John Muir trail back down. There are quite a few switchbacks until you reconnect with the Mist Trail at the Vernal Falls footbridge.

Overall this hike took me 4 hours with lots of stops for photos and was a fantastic trail. It was not very crowded which was one of my concerns with it being in Yosemite Valley itself, but the difficulty of the trail means less folks are on it, and again I would emphasize starting early.

Mirror Lake

Mirror Lake Trail

Mirror Lake shares a trailhead with the Vernal and Nevada Falls trail, so I would recommend doing this after you finish your long hike as it is short and easy. If you are not hiking the Vernal and Nevada Falls trail, Mirror Lake is shuttle stop #17.

The Mirror Lake Trail has two sides—the left hand side is paved, the right hand side is not paved and has slightly more incline. On either side you walk along the water to Mirror Lake which has crystal clear water providing great reflections of the surrounding mountains. You also have nice views of Half Dome.

As an easy hike in the Valley, this trail and area in general is quite crowded. From the trailhead shared with Vernal and Nevada Falls the Mirror Lake trail is 2.6 miles total out and back and 12 flights up.

Lower Yosemite Falls

Lower Yosemite Falls

This is another easy and popular trail in Yosemite Valley with great views. It is a flat, paved 1.1 mile loop that takes about 30 minutes with stops for photos.

The trail leads to the base of the Lower Yosemite Falls which is crowded, but still beautiful. You can also see the Upper Yosemite Falls at certain angles throughout the trail, so be sure to look up!

Wapama Falls

Wapama Falls Trail

This trail is in the Hetch Hetchy area of Yosemite National Park. This area is only open from 8am to 5pm unless you are camping. There is a locked gate that a park ranger will come open at 8am and then you can drive through the park entrance gate to the trailhead.

This trail is 4.8 miles long, 38 flights up over 1000 feet of elevation, and is rated as moderate. It took me 2 hours and 15 minutes with lots of stops for photos. The trail is extremely quiet, especially compared to any trail in Yosemite Valley. You are exposed in the sun for most of the hike, so be sure to plan accordingly.

To start, you will cross over the massive O'Shaughnessy Dam, which provides water to the San Francisco Bay area. From here you will hike towards Wapama Falls with great views of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. There is also one smaller waterfall first that is higher up, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Wapama Falls is absolutely roaring in the late spring and you will get soaked if you walk on the bridges under the falls.

Tuolumne Grove

Tuolumne Grove Trail

This is a 2.5 mile long, 22 flights up over 656 feet of elevation gain, and is rated as moderate. This is a paved trail that is downhill to the giant sequoia trees and uphill on the way back.

It is a quiet trail overall but still touristy since it is pretty accessible, but the hike back up is quiet steep. Overall I wasn’t super impressed, the giant sequoias are giant, but it was pretty boring and not really worth the time spent.

Valley View Point

Where to stay when visiting Yosemite:

You can choose to stay in Yosemite National Park or outside of the park itself, just depending on what you are looking for and what makes the most sense for you. It also will depend on where you are coming from—East, West, North, or South.

If you plan to stay in the park be sure to book your reservation far in advance—I would suggest 8 months to a year out just depending on when you are going. If you wait until even 6 months out all of the lodges are booked solid. Reservations open 366 days in advance and can be booked here. There are both hotels/lodges and campsites available in the park.

Personally I chose to stay outside of the park because of scheduling, pricing, and activities after hiking—if you are in the park you are a bit confined to the food/drink/activities there and I like to explore. I also was coming from Santa Cruz so the South entrance was closest and therefore I chose to stay in Oakhurst.

Bass Lake

Oakhurst recommendations:

The Yosemite Southgate Hotel and Suites is a newly remodeled hotel with clean and spacious rooms. They have a pool, hot tub and continental breakfast. It is 22 minutes from the hotel to the South Gate entrance of Yosemite.

South Gate Brewing Company in Oakhurst has a full food menu and solid beers. It is a great spot to visit after a day of hiking for tasty food and a cold beverage. They also have a small outdoor space.

Bass Lake is another spot worth checking out while in the south Yosemite area. This lake is nestled in Sierra National Forest and is a nice spot to relax after a day of hiking.

• The Willow Cove trail is a short .7 mile out and back trail to a private beach on the lake. It is overgrown, rarely used, and full of bugs, but the spot it leads to is the perfect place to relax on the lake.

• Ducey’s On The Lake is a nice restaurant with great service. They do not have any draft beer as a forewarning. They also have an upstairs patio bar/restaurant with great views, but it has limited hours.

Have you visited Yosemite National Park? What are your favorite hikes and tips? Let me know in the comments!

Charlotte Greenways Guide

Charlotte greenways are super confusing and there are no good resources out there to understand them, so I decided to create my own guide as I explored them! I prefer a mountainous and more difficult hike, but sometimes a greenway is ideal for after work or if you’ve got less time to explore. If you’re looking for a longer and more nature filled adventure, check out my guide to the best hikes near Charlotte here!

Other resources out there are just completely inaccurate in regards to distances and segments of the trails. AllTrails has the same issues with inaccuracies, but has some helpful maps and GPS directions to parking lots so I will link those for each greenway.

You can hop on most greenways at any point along the trail, so if you don’t want to do the full thing or if there is a more convenient area to join based on where you live, know that you can simply walk onto the greenway from most neighborhoods. That is also true in regards for areas to park—all of the greenways have a designated parking lot but you can park in most neighborhoods along the trail as well.

These are all the greenways within the outer 485 loop of Charlotte, but at some point I may force myself to venture into the suburbs! Whether you are walking, running, or biking, Charlotte has a fantastic greenway system!

Four Mile Creek Greenway

This greenway is in Matthews and a nice stroll along a creek. It is 4 miles total roundtrip out and back. This is definitely one of the more crowded greenways in CLT, but it is still worth checking out. Here is the AllTrails link to where to park along the road or in the neighboring subdivision. Check out Seaboard Brewing for homemade beer and pizza or Carolina Beer Temple for a great tap list of beers after your walk!

Stewart Creek/Wesley Heights/Urban Irwin Creek Greenway

These three greenways intersect in West Charlotte towards Uptown. At one point there is a fork where you can decide to follow Stewart Creek or Irwin Creek, but they are both about the same distance. Overall each trail is about 3.5 miles. I would recommend parking at the Stewart Creek Greenway Trailhead (904 Woodruff Place).

The trail starts in nature and then gets much more urban as you continue on, going right to Uptown. Town Brewing and Blue Blaze Brewing are both right near the trail to enjoy a beer after! Here is the AllTrails link to show the map of Irwin Creek and Wesley Heights. Here is the AllTrails link to show the map of Wesley Heights and Stewart Creek.

Irwin Creek GReenway

This short section of greenway is 3 miles out and back near South End. It runs from Revolution Park with a turf football field across a golf course to Clayton Park. It is a little odd to venture directly through a golf course, but the trail is pretty empty and the rest of it follows a creek through a more relaxing setting. Here is the AllTrails link for this section.

Little Sugar Creek Greenway

This greenway is segmented across parts of Charlotte and has multiple different sections, arguably this is the most confusing greenway in CLT.

Personally I prefer the section that starts in Villa Heights and goes through the Belmont neighborhood towards Uptown. There is a parking lot near The Hobbyist, a great coffee shop and craft beer bar. Grab a coffee to walk with or a beer afterwards! This section is 2.5 miles total roundtrip out and back. It starts at Cordelia Park and ends at Alexander Street Park. Here is the AllTrails link that will give you GPS directions to the parking lot and a map of the route. Occasionally the bridge under Parkwood Avenue will flood, if that is the case you can simply cross Parkwood on the main sidewalk and then rejoin the greenway.

A more urban section of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway winds through Midtown and Myers Park. This section is mostly just sidewalks through the city, but some sections are more scenic. It starts at Freedom Park and goes 2.5 miles towards Uptown. You could also hop on near the Target and Harris Teeter in Midtown and go in the opposite direction. Here is the AllTrails link that will provide you with a map. Grab a beer at Devil’s Logic along the way.

There is also a long section in South Charlotte that runs from near Marion Diehl Park to 485. AllTrails has it broken into two different trails: here is the link for the further north section starting near Marion Diehl Park and here is the link for the section starting at Huntingtowne Farms Park.

Mallard Creek Greenway

This trail is over 9 miles long out and back and is located up near UNC Charlotte. You do need to cross a road at one point, but otherwise it is pretty relaxed. Here is the AllTrails link, but I personally enjoyed combining part of Mallard Creek Greenway with Toby Creek Greenway. You can also connect to Clark’s Creek Greenway if you choose.

Toby Creek Greenway

Toby Creek Greenway runs across part of UNC Charlotte’s campus. It is just over 6 miles long total and connects to Mallard Creek Greenway if you’d like to expand your journey. Part of this trail is more nature filled than the section that goes through campus, but it is interesting to stroll across campus and provides great people watching. Here is the AllTrails link with a map, but the parking lot and distance are inaccurate.

Clark’s Creek Greenway

This trail is about 5 miles total out and back and is nice and nature-y. Park at Mallard Creek Elementary and enjoy your walk along the river! It can be muddy if it has recently rained. I thoroughly enjoyed this one personally. Here is the AllTrails link with a map and directions.

Campbell Creek Greenway

This 3 mile trail is right off Independence Boulevard making it convenient, but you will hear some road noise throughout your walk. It follows the creek throughout and is more nature filled than some of the other options aside from the noise.

As a heads up one of the Google Maps locations will take you to an apartment complex without parking options, so I’d recommend the parking lot AllTrails directs you to. Here is the AllTrails link. Unfortunately this parking lot is not at the exact beginning/end of the trail, it is right on Margaret Wallace and intersects the trail. If you follow the path from this parking lot on the same side of the road as the parking lot you will hit McAlpine Creek Greenway in about a half mile. If you cross Margaret Wallace from the parking lot the trail runs about two miles which is the main section of Campbell Creek Greenway.

This greenway is right near Edge City Brewery so I definitely recommend stopping by for a pint after!

Mcalpine Creek Greenway

McAlpine Creek Greenway is quite long at about 8 miles and connects to Campbell Creek Greenway as noted above if you’d like to extend your journey an extra 3 miles. McAlpine Creek starts near James Boyce Park and it leads to McAlpine Creek Park which has an additional 3 miles of cross country trails that you can explore. Personally I found this trail to be a little smelly unfortunately, you’ve been warned. Here is the AllTrails link for directions to the parking lot that I’d recommend, please note this route is not completely accurate as far as distance and correct markings, I just think the directions are helpful. This greenway is also right near Edge City Brewery!

There is also a lower section of the McAlpine Creek Greenway running 8 miles out and back going further South, here is the AllTrails link.

SHORTER GREENWAY OPTIONS

Personally if a greenway isn’t at least 3 miles I don’t find it to be worth my time and effort, but here are a few shorter options for those of you interested:

• Briar Creek Greenway

• McMullen Creek Greenway

• Taggart Creek Greenway

Cheers and happy exploring! -Alexis

Hocking Hills, Ohio

Hocking Hills is a gorgeous area of Ohio with awesome hiking options and a quaint town to explore. It is a perfect weekend escape to relax in the forest and get away from the hustle and bustle of your daily life.

The park is nestled in the southeast corner of Ohio, near the West Virginia border. It is 6 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, my home base. It is also just one hour southeast of Columbus, so if you are looking for a longer adventure you could visit the city as well. Check out my Columbus recommendations here!

I would definitely recommend renting a cabin for your time in Hocking Hills. There is nothing better than a day of hiking followed by a nice relaxing campfire! We stayed at an Airbnb in the forest and thoroughly enjoyed it. Get $35 off your first Airbnb stay using my link here!

Hocking Hills State Park

Hiking Hocking Hills

Hocking Hills State Park offers a lot of different hiking options depending on what you want to see and how far you want to go. We did a 7.5 mile loop trail to Old Man Cave, Whispering Cave, Cedar Falls, and Rose Lake that I would definitely recommend.

When we visited it was quite crowded at Old Man Cave and Cedar Falls because those are two areas that you can park near and just do a short hike to see. Outside of those popular spots we saw very few people along the trail which was really nice.

There are a few waterfalls in the park but expect them to be quite dry if you are visiting in the summer months. It looks like in the spring after the snow melts they are flowing at their full potential.

The first half of the hike varied in difficulty. It was mostly flat but there were areas that were quite rocky making it a little harder to traverse. After Cedar Falls, which is essentially the halfway point, there is a quick suspension bridge and then the ridge trail that leads you back to the parking lot is flat and easy along top of the cliff faces.

We really enjoyed the change of scenery throughout the hike. There were waterfalls, caves, rivers, cliffs, gorges, boulders, forests, and lakes all in the 7.5 miles we hiked.

Rose Lake

Hocking Hills Area things to do:

Brewery 33

The local brewery has a wide variety of beers on tap for you to enjoy in their beer garden or tap room. We enjoyed their light and refreshing beers after hiking in the sun all morning. The Fruity Tooty Gose was my personal favorite!

Brewery 33 doesn’t have any food besides some pretzels and snacks, but you can get food delivered from local restaurants. They are dog and kid friendly.

Wine Slushie at Hocking Hills Winery

Hocking Hills Winery

The local winery has a fantastic outdoor space surrounded by nature that was super nice to relax on.

Their wines were all tasty and you can sample 8 of them for just $10. I would also highly recommend the wine slushie option, especially if you’re visiting during the heat of summer!

The winery also has charcuterie boards to help you refuel after your hike or you can get a meal delivered from a local restaurant. The winery is dog and kid friendly.

Jackie O’s Brewery

Depending on where you are staying, Jackie O’s is around 30-45 minutes from the park and absolutely worth visiting. They are one of the top breweries in the country and definitely the best in Ohio. Their Stouts, Porters, and Wild Ales in particular are incredible and I would highly recommend checking them out!

They have a brewpub and a taproom in Athens, Ohio. Depending on where you are visiting Hocking Hills from, you potentially might drive through Athens given that it is one of the major cities nearby, so definitely check it out!

Brewery 33

Have you been to Hocking hills? What was your favorite part?! Let me know in the comments!

The Best Hikes Near Charlotte

There’s nothing better than morning hikes followed by afternoon beers! I live in Charlotte and I’ve put together my favorite hikes that are close to the city—anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours driving distance away.

AllTrails is my favorite website and app to look up hikes and use as a map when on the trail! The distance of the hike always seems to be a bit longer than what AllTrails says though as a heads up!

Views of the Linville Gorge from the summit of Shortoff Mountain

Shortoff Mountain

This is a fantastic hike in the Linville Gorge Wilderness. The trail is 5.7 miles long with 1200 feet of elevation gain and takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes. There are incredible views of Lake James and the gorge throughout. Plus it is only 15 mins to Fonta Flora’s Whippoorwill Farm location, so be sure to swing by for a beer afterwards!

Time from central Charlotte: 1 hour 45 minutes

Lake James and the surrounding Appalachian Mountains from Fonta Flora State Trail

Fonta Flora State Trail

This is a lovely trail around Lake James. It was about 4 miles long and mostly shaded. It is a new trail and they are continuing to expand it so you have options to do longer hikes here if you’d like to as well! It is very well marked and a nice loop. There is lake access about halfway through on the right you will see a trail that goes down to the water. Not long after this there is a great viewpoint of the lake and surrounding mountains. This trail is very close to Shortoff Mountain, and both are great choices. This one is much easier than Shortoff, so it just depends on what you’re looking for. Either way swing by Fonta Flora afterwards!

Time from central Charlotte: 1 hour 30 minutes

Views from Mount Morrow overlooking the Uwharrie Forest

Mount Morrow Trail

I did this trail paired with the Loop Trail at the top of the mountain to add a bit more and get some better views. It was around 6.5 miles and 90 flights up, so be prepared for a steep climb at the end! The views are awesome at the top, but there is also a parking lot at the top so be prepared to share your views. I was lucky that the parking lot was closed on our visit due to COVID-19, so it was very quiet and relaxing!

Fall Mountain Trail is in this park as well, which is a 4.1 mile loop in a different area of the park. You start off walking along the Yadkin River which is quite nice and then you get into some moderate elevation. There are not very great views here it is still nice overall.

Time from central Charlotte: 1 hour 15 minutes

Mountain views at South Mountains State Park

South Mountains State Park

This is a really nice park with lots of different trails of various lengths and difficulty. We did the High Shoals Waterfall and H.Q. Loop Trail. This one had a gorgeous waterfall and mountain views and I would highly recommend it! It was quite steep at parts and had a lot of man-made steps near the waterfall, but it was worth it! The trail was a little over 5 miles total.

Time from central Charlotte: 1 hour 20 minutes

Haw Creek Overlook

Mountains to Sea Trail: Folk Art Center to Haw Creek Overlook

The Mountains-to-Sea trail stretches 1175 miles across the state of North Carolina from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks. There are a ton of different segments of this trail you can do in various places around the state. This particular section starts at the Folk Art Center near Asheville to the Haw Creek Overlook. It is about 5.5 miles round trip out and back. The overlook is gorgeous! This trail is close to the Blue Ridge Parkway so sometimes you can hear some car noise, but overall it didn’t bother us. This one is super close to Asheville, so be sure to head into the city to grab some beers afterward! If you’re looking to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway and surrounding area more, check out my blog here.

Time from central Charlotte: 2 hours

Stone Mountain State Park

Stone Mountain has both an awesome peak and a great waterfall, something you don’t see too often in North Carolina. AllTrails says this trail is 4.5 miles but it actually ended up being almost 6 miles, as a heads up. I would recommend starting the loop going to the right (the signs towards the peak) first, as the back half of the mountain is a lot of manmade steps that are easier to go down than up. The trail was relatively busy but in no way crowded, just know that you won’t have it all to yourself like some of the others on this list. If you are looking for something shorter/easier the waterfall and one lookout point are both close to the trailhead so you could just go to one or both without doing the full loop.

Time from central Charlotte: 1 hour 30 minutes

Along the river on Mason’s Bend Trail

Mason’s Bend Trail

This is a nice and easy 3.5 mile long trail right along the Catawba River. It is mostly shaded by tree cover as well which is a nice protection from the sun. The entrance to the trail is in a subdivision neighborhood but don’t fret, it is actually incredible peaceful and you’ll quickly forget that you parked next to someone’s house. There is also a launch area where you can get in the river for dogs or yourself to cool off but be cautious of the fast moving water.

Time from central Charlotte: 30 minutes

Hazy views from Crowder’s Mountain

Crowder’s Mountain State Park

Crowder’s is easily the most popular trail in the Charlotte area. There are a few different options to get to the top where you can see the Charlotte skyline and surrounding area. The Pinnacle Trail is the most popular trail and right around 4 miles. The Backside Trail is quicker and less crowded and around 2 miles. Crowder’s in general is usually quite crowded and the trails are quite steep, especially as you get closer to the peak.

Time from central Charlotte: 35 minutes

Lake Norman State Park with Oskar Blues & Sophie

Lake Norman Lakeshore Trail

Lake Norman’s Lakeshore Trail is on the north end of the lake and 5.9 miles long. It takes about two and a half hours to do the full loop. There are several beaches you can stop at along the trail to enjoy the view or cool off in. The trail is pretty crowded during peak times but still relaxing and generally quiet. As a note, I would not recommend Monbo Loop at Lake Norman State Park. It is mainly for cycling and provides very little to look at.

Time from central Charlotte: 50 minutes

Vertical Mile Challenge to Hollow Rock Loop

Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area is home to the Vertical Mile Challenge, which is not as intimidating as it sounds. The full loop up to Hollow Rock is just under 4 miles and takes a little under 2 hours to complete. If you start the trailhead to the left you will encounter a few switchbacks early on and then two nice viewpoints before walking straight down the mountain face. If you start the trail to the right from the parking lot you will climb straight up the mountain face first. This is also a popular area for bouldering and rock climbing if that peaks your interest.

Time from central Charlotte: 1 hour 10 minutes

Near the lake at Latta Plantation

Latta Plantation Park

Latta is a nice, mostly flat park with a lake. There are lots of trail options here so you can make your hike as short or long as you want. I like the Hill Trail, Cove Trail, Split Rock Trail Loop which is about 5.5 miles long and takes about 2 hours. It has good lake views though there is gravel in some areas that takes away from nature vibes. Conveniently very close to the city!

Time from central Charlotte: 30 minutes

Seven Oaks Preserve Trail

This is an easy but pretty trail along Lake Wylie near Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. AllTrails has it at 4.6 miles but it ended up being closer to 5 miles. It is a well-shaded trail that doesn’t have too much traffic for being so close to Charlotte.

Time from central Charlotte: 30 minutes

McDowell Nature Preserve

This 4 mile loop meanders through McDowell Nature Preserve out to Lake Wylie. It connects multiple trails in the preserve so if you want a shorter distance there are several options as well. This is a relatively flat and easy trail that is pretty heavily trafficked.

Time from central Charlotte: 30 minutes

Fall colors at Lake Haigler

Lake Haigler Loop

This easy trail is part of the Anne Springs Close Greenway. There are a few different trails here with a section near the parking lot with historical markers. This loop from the parking lot around the lake is around 3.5 miles and mostly flat. You need to pay to park so be sure to bring cash with you. The Greenway Gateway is a restaurant on the Greenway you can stop at for a snack or drink!

Time from central Charlotte: 25 minutes

Pump House Biergarden in the Whitewater Center

U.S. National Whitewater Center

The Whitewater Center has several trails of various lengths, most of which are geared towards mountain bikes. I hiked the East Main Loop, which is about 7 miles. There is not too much to see, but there was a variety of landscapes and not too many bikers. It is $6 to park at the center so be sure to bring cash or card. Grab a beer at the Pump House Biergarden in the center afterwards and watch the rafters go by!

Time from central Charlotte: 25 minutes

The well marked Ribbonwalk Nature Preserve

Ribbonwalk Nature Preserve Inner and Outer Loop

It is a little under 4 miles to do every trail in this park in one hike. You can also make it a shorter hike and do one section or one loop, as they all to come together. This trail is nothing too special, but it is super close to the city and nice and quiet.

Time from central Charlotte: 15 minutes

King’s Mountain State Park

I did part of the King’s Mountain National Recreation Trail which overall is more than 15 miles long. There was little signage and little to look at, but it was nice to get out and get onto such a long trail. At the park there is also a really nicely maintained soft path that leads up to a monument that is a one mile loop that you can do with kids/an injury/casually. You are potentially supposed to pay a $3 entrance fee at the park, but somehow I skipped that, so bring some cash with you if you’re going!

Time from central Charlotte: 45 minutes

Recommendations further away from Charlotte:

• Asheville, NC

• Greenville, SC

• Gatlinburg, TN
  
  

Pearson’s Falls near Saluda, NC

Where is your favorite place to hike?! Let me know in the comments!

A Day Trip to the Blue Mountains

The view from Echo Point

So you want to explore the Blue Mountains but you’re not sure where to start? Check out my guide below to plan your perfect day trip from Sydney!

Which option is best for you?

There are a few different ways you can explore the Blue Mountains from Sydney:

• On your own via car

• On your own via train

• With a tour group

Personally, I despise tour groups, so I knew I wanted to do this adventure on my own. I also have absolutely no interest in renting a car in a foreign country, let alone a foreign country that drives on the opposite side of the road than I am used to, so I was thrilled to discover that you can easily get to the Blue Mountains from Sydney via train!

I highly recommend this option, even if you have a rental car, because the trails don’t loop back to their original spot, so you would have to walk back to your car from wherever you end your hike, which is just plain inconvenient.

Check out all of my Sydney recommendations here!

The Three Sisters

Part of the luscious trail of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk

Getting from Sydney to the Blue Mountains via Train

The journey is so much easier than you would expect! Take the train from Sydney Central Station to Katoomba Station. It’s two hours from one to the other, or an hour and forty-five minutes if you hop on the express train.

It’s only a 15 minute difference, but for the timing worked out for me so I went for the express.

To take the train you will need an Opal card, you can get one at any train station and reload it at stations, wharves, most convenience stores, or on the Opal app.

The train leaves from Sydney Central every hour, so you can be flexible with your plans for whenever you prefer to start your adventure.

I hopped on the 8:42AM Express to Katoomba & the 3:24PM non-express back to Sydney Central, which to me was the perfect amount of time.

Once you arrive at Katoomba Station you will walk one mile straight down Katoomba Street from the station, turn left at the large sign for Echo Point, and BAM! that’s it! You made it to the Blue Mountains National Park!

See, I told you it was easy!

Pro Tip: Stop at one of the grocery stores on your walk down Katoomba Street for snacks and water!

Okay so you’re at the Blue Mountains, now what?

Your adventure begins at Echo Point, where you have sweeping views of the Blue Mountains and the Three Sisters to the left. Follow the path to the right to pop down to Elizabeth Lookout for a slightly better view of the Three Sisters.

You’re standing there soaking in these gorgeous views and then seven million tourists and selfie-sticks are pushing you to the brink of craziness and you’re thinking ‘what did I get myself into?!” but don’t fret. The tour bus crowds are generally only an issue at Echo Point. The deeper you go on the trail the less people you encounter.

Once you’re ready to start your hike, I recommend heading east along the Prince Henry Cliff Walk. You can also go west towards Scenic World, which has great options for kids or those who don’t want to hike.

You are going to essentially follow the Prince Henry Cliff Walk your entire hike, so don’t fret about getting lost or making a wrong turn!

When you begin your journey it is a paved trail to The Three Sisters, where you can walk down and get up close to the legendary monument.

From here, you continue along the Prince Henry Cliff Walk where the trail becomes dirt and you leave the crowds behind. There are stunning views along the way via various lookouts, but unless you are really determined, you do not need to stop at each one, the view does not change that drastically within a couple of minutes. I would recommend Lady Carrington Lookout, which has nice views.

Burrabarroo Lookout is the perfect spot for a snack/lunch break, but be sure to go all the way deep into it. At first glance it appears like there is no view, but you need to climb over the rocks all the way to the fenced space for a great view.

Leura Cascades

Not long after Burrabarroo you have to pop up onto the road for about two minutes, then you walk down the steps on your right. Quickly after this you are at the Bridal Veil Lookout, where you can see Bridal Veil Falls.

On your walk from the lookout to Bridal Veil Falls there are a lot of steps down, some of which are a bit slick, as a heads up.

Just past Bridal Veil Falls you will hit the Leura Cascades, a small waterfall with steps along the right that lead up to a picnic area. There are bathrooms here, the only ones along the hike, so take advantage!

From the picnic area you will head to Bridal Veil View. It’s not the most impressive waterfall set against the large mountain, but it’s still cool to see.

From here you will walk up quite a few stairs to Tarpeian Rock Lookout, where you can soak in the majestic views and take a rest on a bench if you need to after all those steps up!

Just past Tarpeian Rock is Elysian Rock Lookout, which is also great! You can decide from here if you want to walk up to Leura or venture just a bit further to Gordon Falls. I was not impressed with Gordon Falls whatsoever. Maybe after a heavy rainfall it would be better, but overall it was disappointing.

From here you will walk into the town of Leura. Take Olympian Parade to Leura Mall, and the train station is at the end of Leura Mall. In the town of Leura there are a few restaurants and coffee shops if you need to refuel before hopping on the train back to Sydney.

Hiking in my Founders Brewing shirt!

Key information for planning your Blue Mountains trip:

I spent 3.5 hours in the National Park & a half an hour on each end walking through Katoomba and Leura to/from the train stations—so overall it was 4.5 hours. I walk quickly in general, but I also stopped to take a lot of pictures, so I would say overall it was an average pace.

If you follow the route I described it is ~8.5 miles overall.

You don’t need to pack hiking boots for this—I love my Merrills, but my Nike tennis shoes were just fine for this hike.

Be sure to bring snacks and water! There are no options along the way if you get hungry/thirsty.

Keep your eyes peeled for animals on your hike, you are in a National Park in Australia where everything can kill you (just kidding but really). I saw lots of gorgeous birds, lizards, and a snake—that I straight up sprinted away from.

What questions do you have?! Let me know in the comments!