#dayhike — Public Fediverse posts

After wandering the lower lands of Ocean Ranch, I moved a short way to wander the short (half mile) loop around Lighthouse Ranch. This was the location of the second lighthouse marking Humboldt Bay and there's not much left of it now. But there are views and benches to enjoy them from.

Find more details here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2026/07/waluplh-lighthouse-ranch.html

#California #HumboldtCounty #CaliforniaCoastalNationalMonument #ArcataBLM
#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #ocean #birds #lighthouse

Just a little hike on shifting ground under shifting weather at the local National Natural Landmark. For more information, check here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2026/01/shifting-sands-loop-of-ma-lel-dunes.html

#California #HumboldtCounty #HumboldtBayNationalWildlifeRefuge #MalelDunes #NationalNaturalLandmark
#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #sanddunes #sand #beach

Got in a little bit of snowshoeing on a day hike out to see the canyon along Swift Creek, a popular Trinity Alps Wilderness location in the summer, and finally check around an old cabin.

For all the details, check here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2026/01/swift-creek-snow-survey.html

#California #ShastaNationalForest #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #TrinityAlpsWilderness #TrinityCounty
#waterfall #nature #landscape #hike #travel #outside #dayhike #mountains #snowshoeing #snow #canyon #river #water

One last grand wandering along the thin colored leaves of Patapsco Valley State Park in Maryland that met up with a bit of history here and there.

For more info, check this link: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/10/ilchester-to-soapstone.html

#Maryland #PatapscoValleyStatePark #Ilchester #Soapstone #PatapscoRiver #hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #river #forest #fallColors #history

Another walk among the fall foliage, this time beside the expansive waters of Liberty Reservoir.

For more information, check this link: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/10/shervettes-corner.html

#Maryland #LibertyReservoir #LibertyReservoirCooperativeWildlifeManagementArea #LibertyReservoirCWMA
#hiking #dayhike #nature #getOutside #optOutside #landscape #travel #hike #outside

Some more fall colors while wandering high and low along the South Branch Patapsco River in Maryland.

For more details and pictures, go here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/10/henryton-and-hoco-thru-trail.html

#Maryland #PatapscoValleyStatePark
#hiking #dayhike #blogpost #Autumn #nature #landscape #travel #outside #hike #river

Off to see another waterfall, this one so great it is called Great Falls! I also experienced a few miles of historic canal tow path, wandered past some mining history, but failed to get going on the particularly rough bit of trail.

The details are all here:
https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/10/great-falls-of-patomac-river.html
Warning! Way too many photos included!

#Maryland #GreatFalls #ChesapeakeAndOhioCanalNationalHistoricalPark #ChesapeakeAndOhioCanal #PotomacRiver
#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #canal #mining #river #waterfall #fallcolors #mine

The Ilchester Area of Patapsco Valley State Park has all sorts of ruins marked, so I took a day to have a look around it.

For more info, check this link: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/10/saint-marys-of-ilchester.html

#Maryland #PatapscoValleyStatePark
#hiking #dayhike #ruins #nature #outside #blogpost #travel #landscape #dayhiking

A bit of fall color, a pretty little waterfall, a small lake, and a few ridges and hills out in Patapsco Valley State Park's McKeldin and Woodstock areas.

For more details, check the link: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/10/mckeldin-falls-and-old-quarry-lake.html

#Maryland #PatapscoValleyStatePark #McKeldin #Woodstock
#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #fallColors #PatapscoRiver #publicLands

A loop through the color changing trees to a popular little waterfall.

For more info, check here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/10/cascade-falls.html

#Maryland #PatapscoValleyStatePark
#hiking #nature #landscape #hike #travel #outside #dayhike #waterfall #CascadeFalls #blogpost

We headed out for a bunch of little hikes among the peaks of the Lassics, which tend to feature in the minds of the outdoorsy locals because they can be seen from so many places.
Many more details here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/08/hiking-lassics.html

#California #SixRiversNationalForest #MountLassicWilderness #HumboldtCounty #TrinityCounty
#publicLands #NationalForest #nature #landscape #hiking #dayhike #travel #hike #outside blogpost

Once the crowds had died down from the official opening of this very important link in the Humboldt Bay Trail, I headed out to see how it was.

The details are here:
https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/07/humboldt-bay-trail-connected.html

#HumboldtBay #California #HumboldtCounty #HumboldtBayNationalWildlifeRefuge
#hiking #nature #HumboldtBayTrail #GreatRedwoodTrail #CCT #CaliforniaCoastalTrail #landscape #hike #travel #outside #dayhike #pavedwalk #bayside

Back to Yolla Bolly for a little trail work, this time around the south mountains. This is the very southern end of the Bigfoot Trail! The first two days, we worked to Long Lake and along a connector trail for the Ides Cove National Recreation Trail.

All the details are here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/06/south-yolla-bolly-square-lake-and-burnt.html

#California #TehamaCounty #MendocinoNationalForest #YollaBollyMiddleEelWilderness
#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #volunteering #volunteer #BigfootTrail #NRT

There were hints that it might be a grand time to view Rhododendrons, so Rhododendrons were viewed. Other flowers were about, too.

The details: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/06/rhododendrons-on-rhododendron-trail.html

#California #HumboldtCounty #RedwoodNationalAndStateParks #PrairieCreekRedwoodsStatePark

#hiking #nature #hikingAdventures #hikeCalifornia #CalParks #landscape #travel #outside #hike #dayhike #forest #publiclands #flowers #wildflowers

They call it the "green Trinities", but it's the Salmon Mountains and here's a few lakes and a peak on a short day hike among them.

The blog post is here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/05/north-trinity-mountain-waterdog-lake.html

#California #SixRiversNationalForest #TrinityAlpsWilderness #HumboldtCounty

#dayhike #hiking #nature #SixRiversNF #landscape #outside #travel #hike #SalmonTrinityPrimitiveArea #snow #flowers #BloomScrolling #wildflowers #lakes

Taking on exploring a whole trail system so it can go on the map! It's not a very big one and I'd not been there and it made a good looping day hike past a bunch of lakes, so there might have been other motivations.
https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/05/red-mountain-lake-blue-lake-and-fish.html

#dayhike #hiking #exploring #hikeHumboldt #hikeCalifornia #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #California #HumboldtCounty #SixRiversNationalForest #SixRiversNF

Next, the hike:
https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/05/black-rock-mountain-lookout.html
which visited the old Guard Station location and then climbed to the fire lookout location. Only one is still standing and none were entered.

#California #TrinityCounty #TehamaCounty #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #YollaBollyMiddleEelWilderness

#hiking #dayhike #ShastaTrinityNF #TrinityNF #YollaBolly #fireLookout #nature #wilderness #publicLands #TrinityNationalForest #landscape #hike #travel #outside #peakbagger #peakbagging

Hey, look! Actually got to the popular bit of the Trinity Alps Wilderness! Er, at a time when it's still really easy to get a parking space, even on the weekend.
The details: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2025/04/waterfalls-and-snow-in-canyon-creek.html

#hiking #dayhike #hikingCalifornia #CaliforniaHiking #California #TrinityNationalForest #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #TrinityAlpsWilderness #TrinityAlps #TrinityCounty #snow #waterfall #nature #landscape #travel #outside stuff like that

Although a little busy on a weekend day and a little bit on road, this was a surprisingly nice hike to a peak and old lookout site where the view really opened out.
Details all here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/10/monument-peak-and-eagle-rock-lookout.html
#California #TrinityCounty #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #MonumentPeak

#hiking #dayhike #ShastaTrinityNF #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #mountains #peakbagging #TrinityNationalForest #firelookout #ruins #peakbagger

Here's the easy way to get up Hayfork Bally, if you don't want the 8.5 mile lesser maintained trail and Jeep road route:
https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/10/hayfork-bally-lookout-and-high-point.html
#California #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #TrinityCounty #HayforkBally

#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #mountains #peakbagging #peakbagger #peak #lookout #firelookout #TrinityNationalForest #Hayfork #PNW

When I saw "Natural Bridge" on the map, I had to go see it. It's off Bridge Gulch Road in Bridge Gulch, so I'm not the only one obsessed. (Plaque words are in the alt.)

All the details are here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/10/massacre-natural-bridge.html

#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #California #TrinityCounty #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #TrinityNationalForest #PNW #naturalbridge #limestone

Back to the portion of the Bigfoot Trail that is along East Fork Tule Creek, this time the part that actually follows the creek.
Details are all here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/10/east-tule-creek.html
#California #TrinityCounty #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #EastTuleCreek

#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #creek #TrinityNationalForest #CaliforniaHiking

Spending a little more time down by the river side. That's the South Fork Trinity River side.

Details are here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/10/lower-south-fork-river-trail.html
#California #TrinityCounty #ShastaTrinityNationalForest #SouthForkTrinityRiver

#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #TrinityNationalForest #river #goodCampingPlace

I decided it was time for a little peak bagging, complete with lookout. Oh, and a waterfall to check out and still on the Bigfoot Trail route.
Details are here: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2024/09/philpot-waterfall-and-plummer-peak.html
#California #TrinityCounty #ShastaTrinityNationalForest

#hiking #nature #landscape #travel #hike #outside #dayhike #TrinityNationalForest #peakbagger #peakbagging #peak #firelookout #waterfall

This loop may include Jeep trails, but it can only be completed on foot. I explored some ridges and met Mad River Rock. New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/06/mad-river-rock-and-devils-backbone.html

#hiking #TrinityCounty #hikingCalifornia #California #dayhike #nature #landscape #SixRiversNationalForest #DevilsBackbone #exploring #VanDuzenRiver #MadRiver #RuthLake

A little loop of trail featuring many lake views and plenty of benches to stop and take it in. New blog post: https://valhikes.blogspot.com/2023/06/fir-cove-nature-trail.html

#nature #lake #RuthLake #hiking #dayhike #TrinityCounty #SixRiversNationalForest #California #hikingCalifornia #norCal #norcalphotographer #landscape #landscapePhotography #thunderheads #forest #water