Posts in Hiking
Paleontologist Dreams at Dinosaur National Monument, Utah & Colorado
Paleontologist Dreams at Dinosaur National Monument, Utah & Colorado

Ever since I was little, I’ve always loved dinosaurs. For a long time, it was my dream to be Dr. Alan Grant from Jurassic Park. I was obsessed with t.v. shows like Prehistoric Park and Primeval. And though I’ve given up on my dream of being a paleontologist, I will still search out all things dinosaur. Colorado happens to be an amazing place for dinosaur-hunting, with Dinosaur Ridge in Denver being one of the coolest. So when I saw on the map that we could go right by Dinosaur National Monument on our return trip to Denver from Salt Lake City, I immediately implored my friend and husband to take the opportunity.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzdinosaur national monument, national park, utah, colorado, jensen, quarry visitor center, exhibit hall, fossils, bones, swelter shelter petroglyphs, fremont, plug hat butteComment
Lakes, Lakes, & More Lakes: Lofty Lake Loop (Kamas, UT)
Lakes, Lakes, & More Lakes: Lofty Lake Loop (Kamas, UT)

During my trip out to Colorado last August, we decided to take a roadtrip to Salt Lake City, UT, for a couple days. I’d never been to Salt Lake before, and I was really excited to check out the city and get some cool hiking in. Enter: crazy wildfire season. Enter: pressure system over SLC. Literally the weekend we went to SLC, smoke from the California wildfires moved into the city due to high winds and something about the weather system that was in the area trapped the smoke in the city. In the city, you weren’t supposed to be outside for long periods, and the day we drove in, everything was coated in a orange haze, like some kind of Mad Max apocalyptic color-grading.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzlofty lake loop, trail, hike, hiking, kamas, utah, salt lake city, lofty lake, alpine lake, wildfire, pass lake, kamas lake, scout lakeComment
Mountains, Wildflowers, & Waterfalls: Diamond Lake (Nederland, Colorado)
Mountains, Wildflowers, & Waterfalls: Diamond Lake (Nederland, Colorado)

In early August of 2021, I had the opportunity to visit Colorado during the warmer months for the first time. One of my best friends lived in Denver at the time, and Ryan and I squeezed in a short visit before my fall semester began. Last time I was here was January, so everything was covered in snow, but on this trip, we were blessed with perfect warm weather and sunshine for our alpine lake hike.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzcolorado, nederland, denver, hike, hiking, mountain, waterfall, wildflowers, diamond lake, trail, alpine lakeComment
Kauai, Hawai'i (Day Nine): Sleeping Giant, Lydgate Chocolate Farm, & Hanapepe
Kauai, Hawai'i (Day Nine): Sleeping Giant, Lydgate Chocolate Farm, & Hanapepe

This was our last full day of the trip and looking back, I’m shocked by how much we were able to pack in before our flight left that evening! The day began with a sunrise hike (or what was supposed to be a sunrise hike) to the Sleeping Giant. We were exhausted by day nine of nonstop hiking and traveling, so we may have slept in a little longer than planned, and we were dealing with vet calls to home before we could leave. Nevertheless, early in the morning, we set off on the Nounou East Trail, a 3.4-mile trail near our hotel.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzhawaii, kauai, sleeping giant, lydgate farms, chocolate farm tour, hike, hiking, nounou east trail, hanapepe, lilo and stitch, swinging bridge, mural, cacao, dark chocolate, white chocolateComment
Kauai, Hawai'i (Day Seven): Waimea Canyon State Park
Kauai, Hawai'i (Day Seven): Waimea Canyon State Park

This canyon is one of the most striking views on Kauai. It’s known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, and it was formed after the central volcano there collapsed 10 million years ago. The Waimea river then carved its way through the lava and basalt formations, leaving a deep, colorful gorge.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzkauai, hawaii, hike, hiking, Waimea canyon, state park, lookout point, berry flat trail, canyon trail, lava lava beach clubComment
Big Island, Hawai'i (Day Five): Lava Tree State Monument & Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo
Big Island, Hawai'i (Day Five): Lava Tree State Monument & Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo

This was our final day on the Big Island, which was a bittersweet moment. We absolutely loved our time here, and of course, there was so much we didn’t have the opportunity to do. However, we packed up our things and decided to do a few extra excursions before our late afternoon flight to make the most of our remaining hours on the Big Island.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzbig island, hawaii, lava tree, state monument, pana'ewa rainforest zoo, itinerary, five days, hike, hikingComment
Big Island, Hawai'i (Day Four): Waipi’o Valley & Akaka Falls
Big Island, Hawai'i (Day Four): Waipi’o Valley & Akaka Falls

Our fourth day began at Waipi’o Valley, or the Valley of the Kings. Aptly named, the valley was the home for Hawaiian alibi (royalty) and the boyhood home of Kamehameha I (one of the central figures in Hawaiian history); in 1780, this valley was where King Kamehameha gained the support of the war god and set out to unite the Hawaiian islands under his rule. The valley was once heavily populated; however, the 1946 tsunami destroyed most of the community. Now, there are still a small number of people living in the valley, and it’s important to remember that you are entering their community when visiting this trail.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzbig island, hawaii, waipio valley, waipi'o, akaka falls, hiking, steepest roadComment
Big Island, Hawai'i (Day Three): Volcanoes National Park
Big Island, Hawai'i (Day Three): Volcanoes National Park

On our third day on the Big Island, we decided to do what we do best and visit a national park. Volcanoes National Park includes some of the most unique topography we’ve ever hiked, as well as two of the most active volcanoes in the world, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. Kilauea had been erupting from December to May of 2021, but there was no active lava flowing in the park when we visited in July.

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Hiking, TravelHannah Schultzhawaii, volcano, hawaii volcanoes national park, Hiking, lava tube, crater rim drive, the rim, restaurant, Kilauea ikiComment
A Winter Hike to Ouzel Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park (Allenspark, Colorado)
A Winter Hike to Ouzel Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park (Allenspark, Colorado)

In the winter, RMNP (like other national parks that receive heavy snowfall) closes many of its roads, limiting the access points to trailheads. Additionally, it’s important to check the NPS website daily before your trip because Colorado is prone to wildfires, which can further restrict trail availability. Based on the sections of the park closed due to a wildfire, winter access, and our lack of desire to wake up incredibly early for a 10 mile hike, we settled on Ouzel Falls in the southeast part of the park.

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Hiking, TravelHannah SchultzRocky Mountain national park, ouzel falls, wild basin, winter hiking, hike, colorado, allenspark, waterfallComment
Waterfalls & Ghost Towns: Eagle Falls Trail in Cumberland Falls State Park (Corbin, KY)
Waterfalls & Ghost Towns: Eagle Falls Trail in Cumberland Falls State Park (Corbin, KY)

The park has many trails to hike, from easy half miles down to the falls viewing area (accessible by parking lot), to 10.8 miles through Sheltowee Trace and ending at the Laurel River. Since my brother and I hadn’t been to the park since we were young and wanted good views of the falls, we opted for the Eagle Falls trail, a fairly easy 1.5-mile trail that gives plenty of views of Cumberland Falls, takes you along the river and through lush forest, and ends in Eagle Falls.

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HikingHannah Schultzcumberland falls state park, waterfall, eagle falls, corbin, kentucky, hike, six gun city, ghost town, theme park, Old West, Tombstone Junction, abandoned, cumberland riverComment
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (Day 2): Stony Man Mountain, Mary's Rock, & Lewis Falls
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (Day 2): Stony Man Mountain, Mary's Rock, & Lewis Falls

Ryan and I began our second day in the park with a hike up Stony Man. This is the second highest peak in the park, and the most northerly of the Blue Ridge Mountains, at 4,000 feet. This hike was marked by a ton of great vistas along the trail, culminating in a rocky lookout point from which you could get a stunning view of the mountains. The morning mist was clinging to the valleys, but it was clear enough to get a stunning view of the town as well.

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Hiking, TravelHannah SchultzShenandoah National Park, virginia, stony man mountain, mary's rock, meadow spring, skyline drive, lewis falls, waterfall, honeymoon, COVID-19, COVIDComment
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (Day 1): Rose River Waterfalls & Hawksbill Peak
Shenandoah National Park, Virginia (Day 1): Rose River Waterfalls & Hawksbill Peak

Shenandoah National Park is in Virginia, encompassing some of the iconic Blue Ridge Mountain range, and this was our first time visiting. The park is long and skinny, Skyline Drive skirting the ridges of the mountains as it winds upwards, providing beautiful vistas along the drive. The park’s history is marked by struggle between the government of Virginia and those who had built their lives on this land, with forced evictions devastating families. Once the park was established in 1935, the Civilian Conservation Corps not only helped restore the land and build the park’s infrastructure, but they also burned cabins of former residents to prevent their return.

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Hiking, TravelHannah SchultzShenandoah National Park, Hiking, hike, rose river, waterfalls, dark hollow falls, Big Meadow, Big Meadows Lodge, Hawksbill Peak, Hawksbill loopComment