While horses may be more iconic of the American West, the humble mule is the animal of choice for such a trek. In fact, the iconic painting by Jacques-Louis David of Napoleon crossing the Alps on a noble white horse was propaganda. Napoleon actually crossed on a mule. Mules combine sure-footedness with the strength of a ho

Tunneled Trees: Wawona Tree, California Tunnel Tree, and The Pioneer Cabin Tree

The California Tunnel Tree is the last living giant sequoia tree with a tunnel cut through it. Previously there were also the Wawona Tunnel Tree and the Pioneer Cabin Tree (that fell in 20

The first person to successfully complete a thru-hike of the 2,190 mile Appalachian Trail was Earl Shaffer in 1948. He viewed the challenge as a way to leave his war experiences behind, documenting his travels in great detail in a journal that's on display at the Smithsonian. It took him 4 months and one pair of bo

Another famous tree was the Wawona Tree. It had a tunnel cut through it that was large enough for horse-drawn carriages and early cars to drive through. However, the tunnel weakened it and it fell in a storm in 1

Maine is famous for its stunning northern forests and picturesque landscapes. One of its main outdoor hotspots is the eye-watering Acadia National Park. Piece of heaven is located on the mid-section of the Maine coast and includes the tip of the Schoodic Peninsula, half of the Mount Desert Island, and a part of the Isle au Haut. The park boasts majestic glaciated coastal and island landscapes with U-shaped valleys and glacial erratics. See here for other things to see and do in the summer in Mai

Break in the hiking boots with this moderately trafficked loop through the Indian Peaks Wilderness. The steep climbs will condition a thru-hikers leg's to handle the many elevation gains and losses along the AT. The strenuous trail gains 3,533 feet of elevation over 10 miles to the Devil's Thumb summit, the last 1,000 feet consisting of a steep scramble. Most backpackers take the opportunity to rest for the night, conquering the challenging 6-mile descent the following morn

Imagine oneself in the Old Wild West on a horseback ride in one of the world's most dazzling natural attractions. Horse (or mule) rides make one feel like a cowboy (or cowgirl) as one descends deep into the most famous canyon in the world. There are horse and mule rides in the Grand Canyon - with the option of spending the night in the can

Two companies offering horse and mule rides on the South Rim are the Grand Canyon Lodges and Apache Stables. There is another company - Grand Canyon Mule Rides - that offers rides in the North Rim. If one is in a hurry, see here for how to see the Grand Canyon in a d

Ordinarily, they offer a guided one-hour campfire trail ride that ventures to the wagon ride at the campfire, everyone returns by wagon. The horse-wagon ride takes riders to the campfire and back by wagon. Bring one's own food (none is provid

Remember that riding in the Grand Canyon is very popular, while there are not that many tours available. One will need to book months in advance. Before getting too excited, check the weight and age limits. See here for the best month to visit the Grand Cany

Another South Rim option is Grand Canyon Apache Stables . While their website may be little more than a single page, they are a great option for short tours on the South Rim if one can't book with Grand Canyon Lod

As at the time of writing the Mariposa Grove is open to the public. Normally there is a free shuttle bus running from the parking lot to the entrance to the grove. But as of the time of writing that service has been suspended. Updates are on the National Park Service's websi

The most famous sequoia grove in Yosemite National Park is Mariposa Grove. It is located near the entrance to the park and near Wawona. It is the largest grove of giant sequoias in the park and has many of the most famous trees. There are several hundred mature trees in the park and two of the trees in the grove are among the 30 largest giant sequoias in the wo

Yosemite National Park is one of the most famous in the world boasting the Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Half Dome, and more. Yosemite is also one of the most idyllic places to go nature hiking Game guide|https://naturetrailinsight.com/ in . While in California, don't forget to visit the state's stunning coastal redwoods too in the Redwoods National Pa

Hikers of the Art Loeb Trail comment on the abundance of false summits, as well as dense overgrowth and rocky footpaths that demand full attention to remain standing. Parts of the trail are known for rattlesnakes, which become especially active during the warmer months on the Appalachian Tr

Giant sequoias are the most massive trees on Earth and are listed as an endangered species but the IUCN. There are believed to be fewer than 80,000 trees left. Additionally, it is thought that another 10-14% of the population was destroyed in the recent Castle Fire in 2020 and the KNP Complex & Windy Fire in 2021 (around 9,761 to 13,637 mature trees) according to a new repo