Top 10 Hikes I've Done

Today is National Take a Hike Day.  Not sure why a day that celebrates hiking is in mid-November, but whatever.  Hiking is something I've done a lot of, and while I didn't get the opportunity to get out anywhere today, I did put together a list of the Top 10 hikes that I've done...

10.  The Gorge Trail, Letchworth State Park, New York.  The Gorge Trail runs 7 miles along the north rim of the Genesee River Gorge, called the Grand Canyon of the East by some.  It's mostly flat and easy but offers a lot of great views and three major waterfalls.

9.  The Rim Trail, Grand Canyon.  It's crowded and paved, but it's still cool to look over your shoulder at one of the Seven Wonders of the World. 

8.  Delicate Arch Trail, Arches National Park, Utah.  This is a 1.5 mile trail that leads up to the most famous arch in the world.  The area is even cooler than the photographs suggest. 

7.  Old Rag Mountain, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia.  A 9-mile hike that climbs 2400 feet to the summit of the Old Rag.  The top of the mountain is composed of granite boulders and requires use of all your limbs and muscles as you scramble to the summit. 

6.  The Lakeshore Trail, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Upper Michigan.  Possibly my favorite trip so far, the Lakeshore Trail covers 42 miles of the southern shoreline of Lake Superior.  Cliffs, coves, beaches, rivers, dunes. 

5.  The Devil's Garden, Arches National Park.  This trail through Arches NP includes many arches (including Landscape Arch, the longest natural arch in the world)  but offers much more than that. 

4.  Observation Point, Zion National Park, Utah.  This trail starts at the floor of Zion Canyon, begins to climb up the East Rim, goes through Echo Canyon, and then continues up to Observation Point and an astonishing view of Zion Canyon and many of its famous landmarks. 

3.  Navajo/Queen's Garden Loop, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah.  One of the most unique places on planet earth, known for it's hoodoos.  The Navajo Trail starts at Sunset Point, descends down through Wall Street and into the hoodoos themselves. 

2.  Angel's Landing, Zion National Park, Utah.  This hike climbs 1500 feet from the floor of Zion Canyon to the top of Angel's Landing.  You climb through Refrigerator Canyon, up Walter's Wiggle's to Scout's Lookout, and then scramble your way to the top with 1,000 foot drops on both sides of you at times.  I'm still shocked that the National Park System still let's people use this trail... you can check out a video of it here.  Angel's Landing Video

1.  The Narrows, Zion National Park, Utah.  An epic 16 mile hike we did in a 12 hour grind.  Over 60% of the trail is in the Virgin River as it cuts through the canyon.  As you progress, the walls get higher and higher, up to over 2,000 feet above and sometimes less than 20 feet apart.  Difficult to describe the epic nature of this hike with words or pictures.