Fort Robinson State Park
A quick stop turned into a deeper look at military history, Native conflict, and the strange buttes rising above Nebraska’s plains
Appalachian Trail | Southern & Central Maine
Approx. Mileage 1,910–2,079 | Maine State Line to Shaw's Hiker Hostel
Appalachian Trail | VT & NH
Approx. Mileage 1,593–1,910 | Vermont to the Maine state line
Appalachian Trail | CT & MA
Approx. Mileage 1,450–1,593 | Connecticut to the Vermont state line
State Forest State Park
A remote mountain stay with huge campsites, rugged mountain terrain, alpine lakes, and enough space to disappear for a few days.
Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge
An unexpected roadside stop in North Park led to a look at open wetlands, wildlife, and the landscape being protected beneath the Continental Divide
Buena Vista, Colorado
A two-week base for the Collegiate Loop, the Sawatch Range, and a summit day on Mount Elbert
Collegiate West | Four Days Above Treeline
Four days across high alpine basins, exposed passes, and camps near 12,000 feet. The West delivered bigger miles, exceptional wildlife, and some of the strongest backpacking terrain of the entire trip
Appalachian Trail | NJ & NY
Approx. Mileage 1,295–1,450 | Delaware Water Gap to Connecticut
Collegiate East | Five Days in the Green Tunnel
Five days through pine, aspen, burned forest, and rain on the lower, sheltered side of the Sawatch Range. The East offered solid trail and steady climbing, but few sustained views