‘Outdoors | Hiking’ Posts⁽⁹⁾

Snead Farm Loop, Shenandoah N.P., Virginia
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1145982/

Two hikes around the New River Gorge. The weather was pretty hot and hazy, so the pictures sadly aren’t much to look at. hiked two trails — Tunnel and Castle Rock Trails and the Long Point Trail.

New River Gorge
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148545/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148526/

Summer vacation at one of my favorite places, Bluestone State Park. I’ve been coming just about ever-other year since 8th Grade, and it never gets old. Cheap too … something like $350 for a week-long cabin rental. hiked the River Trail.

Bluestone State Park
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148552/

Mount Constitution is the San Juan Island’s highest peak, though at a relatively meager 2,409 ft.

Hiking Mount Constitution, San Juan Islands, Washington State
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148616/

We took a day trip out to the Conservancy’s Yellow Island Preserve, a tiny island in located in the middle of the Puget Sound. Through the island’s history, an absence of grazing has helped preserve an unusual diversity of native plants, including 50 species of wildflower and bald eagles.

Yellow Island Preserve, San Juan Islands, Washington State
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148645/

Part of orientation to The Nature Conservancy is a trip to an ecologically significant place, with a 4-day conservation immersion course. My trip is to the San Juan Islands in Washington’s Puget Sound. On our way out there, we stopped by at the Conservancy’s Port Susan Bay preserve, which is one of the finest estuarine habitat in the Puget Sound.

Port Susan Bay Preserve, Washington State
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148717/

My favorite hike in Maryland. A couple of miles in dense vegitation before it opens up in a series of farm pastures. It always seems to rain, but that always seems to make the hike even better.

Susquahannah State Park:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148762/

Played hookie with a coworker. Topped it of with queso at a cheap mexican restaraunt. Mmmmmm, golden goodness…

Catoctin Mountain Park:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148787/

Unbelievably difficult hike. I should have read the book, and the part about the 2 miles of bouldering required to complete the circuit. The most bizarre part was all of the families I saw in the parking lot. I just can’t imagine what they were thinking.

Old Rag Mountain:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1148850/

C&O Canal Trail:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/unclevanya/sets/1150816/