Great vista trails abound at Saguaro NP

Valley View Overlook Trail

With small mountain ranges rising out of the desert floor, Saguaro National Park is an ideal place for a great vista. Often the vistas show a saguaro forest stretching into the horizon or allow you to see the nearby city of Tucson and beyond.

Some great hikes to that lad to great vistas at the park include…

Cactus Wren/Signal Hill/Manville Loop
Located in the Tucson Mountain (West) district, this loop is the perfect experience for day hikers. Spanning 4.3 miles long, the loop features the Signal Hills Trail, a popular route for viewing true petroglyphs along with sweeping views of northern Tucson Valley. Of course, one doesn’t want to miss out on a jaunt along the Cactus Wren Trail, followed by a climbs over Manville Hill with remarkable views along the way. Finally hikers will adventure back down to the trailhead.

Hugh Norris Trail Big Loop
Located in the Tucson Mountain (West) district, this is a great trail to explore if you’re looking for a real challenge. At 6.6 miles long, it’s not for the faint-hearted but those who take on this trail will be rewarded with some of the most stunning views anywhere around. Starting from the trailhead, work your way up the ridgeline on the Hugh Norris Trail before descending down the Sendero Esperanza Trail and then onto Dobe Wash Trail and Bajada Wash Trail before rejoining Hugh Norris at the trailhead again.

King Canyon Trail
The 7-mile round trip trail heads to Wasson Peak, the highest point in the the park’s Tucson Mountain (West) portion, offering great views of Tucson. The trailhead is on North Kinney Road near the Red Hill Visitor Center. The trail gains 1833 feet of elevation. To avoid the dangerous summer, only do this trail October through April.

Sendero Esperanza Trail
The trail in the Tucson Mountain (West) district spans a length of 3.1 miles with an elevation change of 750 feet. Starting from the northern trailhead, opposite the Ez-Kim-In-Zin backcountry picnic area, it follows an old vehicle track for 1.7 miles before ascending to the top of a ridge on a short and steep incline that leads to Hugh Norris Trail junction. Here begins a longer but smoother descent, taking hikers past Gould Mine down into King Canyon, 0.9 miles away from the main road. Several switchbacks along the hillside lead you back up to Hugh Norris Trail junction, where some take in the ridgeline scenery before heading back to their starting point at Golden Gate Road.

Sweetwater Trail
This 9.3-mile route also heads to Wasson Peak, the highest point in the park’s western portion. In addition to the top notch views of Tucson at the peak, you’ll enjoy great views of the preserve to the north. The trailhead starts outside of the park at the end of West el Camino del Cerro. When the path connects with the King Canyon Trail, take the latter right/northwest, then turn right/northeast onto the Hugh Norris Trail to reach the summit.

Tanque Verde Ridge Trail
Great views of the Tucson basin await at the summit of Tanque Peak. Take the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail about 9 miles (one-way) to the 7040 feet in the park’s in the Rincon Mountain (East) district. The trailhead is at the Javelina Picnic Area off of Cactus Forest Drive.

Turkey Key Trail
Mica Mountain, standing at 8,666 feet, is the highest point in the eastern Rincon Mountain district. Accessing Mica Mountain involves a backpacking journey. As you ascend via the Heartbreak Ridge Trail from the Turkey Key Trail, you will pass through the national park and encounter the striking Man Head Rock, offering stunning panoramic views.

Valley View Overlook
Day hikers can head to a vista of one of Arizona’s densest populations of saguaro cactus on the Valley View Overlook Trail. The 0.8-mile round trip trail sits in the Tucson Mountain (West) district. It’s flat and can easily be traversed by children. The trailhead is off of Hohokam Road. At the ridge’s top is a bench from where you can enjoy fantastic views – a sea of saguaro in Avra Valley to the south with Picacho Peak beyond it. You’re at about 2660 feet above sea level. The summit also is a fantastic spot for watching sunsets. Unlike the taller peaks, getting back to your vehicle in the dark will be much easier as well.

Wild Dog Trail
Set in a backdrop of rugged desert terrain, this trail in the Tucson Mountain (West) district offers hikers an alluring escape into the wild. Featuring a round trip distance of 1.8 miles and an elevation change of 230 feet, visitors can follow it from the trailhead along the southern section of Hohokam Road up to Valley View Trail before making their way to Wild Dog Trail. At the end of this scenic journey lies the junction of Golden Gate Road and a turnoff to Signal Hill picnic area, where one can also opt for a 2.3-mile loop back to the trailhead. There’s surely something special about standing atop Apache Peak and drinking in sweeping views of Avra Valley while trekking through verdant vegetation – Wild Dog Trail is certainly worth braving!

Wisc. trail heads to summit of 200-foot butte

Gibraltar Rock rises 200 feet above the surrounding countryside.

Ice Age National Scenic Trail-Gibraltar Rock segment map.
Click for larger version.

Day hikers can head to the top of a 200-foot butte and enjoy incredible views of the Wisconsin River Valley and Lake Wisconsin at Gibraltar Rock State Natural Area.

The 2.2-miles round trip Gibraltar Rock segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail climbs the butte’s northeast side. It’s a spectacular hike to take in autumn, when harvest colors abound along the trail and the surrounding countryside.

To reach the trailhead, from Portage, Wis., take Interstate 39 south then Interstate 90 south/east. Exit onto Wis. Hwy. 60 and go right/west. In Lodi, turn right/north onto Wis. Hwy. 113 then left/west onto County Road V and lastly left/south onto Gibraltar Rock Road. Park off the road at the curve in about 250 feet. The Ice Age National Scenic Trail enters the woods 125 feet to the east on the road’s left side.

Red oak, basswood forest
The trail starts at a little more than 1020 feet above sea level and makes a gradual uphill climb through a forest dominated by red oak and basswood.

Red oak leaves fully change color after the sugar maples already have passed their prime, so this is a great hike for later in the autumn. The red oak’s leaves vary from scarlet to orange and light brown.

Basswood nicely accents the red oak’s colors with chartreuse to yellow-green leaves. Depending on the amount of sunlight received, sometimes the leaves turn a deep yellow with hints of orange.

At 0.7 miles, the trail turns steep. That’s short-lived, though, for in 0.1 miles, you reach the flat butte’s summit, which tops out at 1,246 feet and is Columbia County’s highest point.

The butte formed around 480 million years ago when this part of the continent was at the edge of a great sea. Wind and rivers brought quartz sand from the continent’s interior to here. With each new layer, the sand hardened into stone. Erosion over the eons has removed the surrounding quartz sand that once blanketed this part of Wisconsin.

Later, the sea reclaimed the land and covered the sandstone. As ancient sea creatures died, their shells fell to the sea floor, forming limestone. Wind from tropical storms stirred and concentrated the limestone into what is known as the Platteville-Galena dolomite cap. This cap, which is more erosion-resistant than the underlying sandstone, keeps the butte in place.

Butte-top views
While tall, fragrant red cedars dominate the butte top, there are plenty of breaks in the woodline to see the surrounding countryside, a quilt of farmland with woodland patches, a pretty scene in autumn.

Directly to the butte’s north is Lake Wisconsin, a widening in the mighty Wisconsin river. Devil’s Lake State Park with its forested bluffs is to the northwest. A leatherleaf bog is to the southwest directly below the butte.

Be sure to look to the south of hiking in autumn or spring. That side of the butte is a sheer 100-foot rock face, and migrating raptors ride the thermals formed by the warm cliff face.

Take a few minutes as well to look at what’s beneath your feet on the butte. A thin layer of soil blankets the dolomite cap, allowing a dry prairie to take root. You can spot asters, bergamot, big and little blue-stem, bird’s foot violet, blue eyed grass, goldenrods, lead-plant, pasque flower, prairie drop-seed, prairie smoke, side oats grama, and whorled milkweed.

At 1.1 miles, the trail descends along the butte’s north and western sides. This marks a good spot to turn back. If you have a little extra energy, though, the Ice Age Trail continues for 0.7 miles to County Road V, making this is a great hike for arranging a pickup.

The 10 Most Beautiful Vistas in Minnesota

Sunset from the ridge top at Blue Mounds State Park. MNDNR photo. 

Despite not having any mountains, Minnesota still boasts some fantastic vistas – the world’s largest freshwater lake, mighty rivers, sprawling forests, and even of prairies grazed by bison. Here are 10 great vistas to check out.

Eagle Mountain
Day hikers can ascend to the highest point in Minnesota via the rugged but incredibly scenic Eagle Mountain Trail. The 7-mile (round trip) out-and-back trail is lengthy and steep at spots. Still, if the challenge isn’t rewarding enough, the views at the top certainly are – sprawling forests, rocky ridges, and the Lake Superior shoreline, which is 602 feet above sea level is the state’s lowest point. To reach the trailhead, from Minn. Hwy. 61 in Grand Marais, take County Road 7 west. Turn north onto County Road 48. Continue west onto Forest Road 158 (aka Bally Creek Road). Take this north to the junction with Forest Road 170 (formerly named Forest Road 153 and aka The Grade). As most of the trail is within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a permit is required and can be obtained at the trailhead.

Mount Josephine
Located near the U.S.-Canadian border off of Minn. Hwy. 61 in Grand Portage, Mount Josephine isn’t as high as Eagle Mountain, but its views are arguably more spectacular. The Mount Josephine Trail climbs a strenuous 700 feet over the 1.5 miles to the summit, but the vista yields views of Grand Portage Bay, Pigeon Point, the Susie Islands, and Wauswaugoning Bay. Isle Royale, about 30 miles away as the crow flies, can be see on a clear day. Park in the Mount Josephine Trail lot off of County Road 17, near the fort.

Split Rock Lighthouse
You can explore one of the nation’s most famous lighthouses and enjoy impressive cliff top views of Lake Superior at the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. The 0.8-mile Light Station Trail is a collection of walking paths around the historic lighthouse. Perched atop a 130-foot high solid rock cliff overlooking Lake Superior, Split Rock is among the most photographed lighthouses in the country and offers panoramic views of Lake Superior, the rocky shore, Palisade Head, Carlton Peak, and Oberg and Leveaux mountains. To reach the lighthouse from Two Harbors, drive north about 20 miles on Minn. Hwy. 61. Take the main park road to the parking area for Split Rock Light Station and History Center.

Shadow Rock Lookout
On the north side of Minnesota Interstate State Park, a set of short, interconnecting trails leads past deep potholes formed by swirling glacial floodwaters and The Squeeze, an exceedingly tight, L-shaped break between two ultra-large chunks of rock. But the highlight is a basalt cliff high above the St. Croix River, which whirls below as working its way through a narrow canyon of black volcanic stone. From there, walk to the Angle and the Shadow rock lookouts, which offer two other great vistas of the St. Croix River and gorge rock formations on the Wisconsin side.

Oldenburg Point
Located in Jay Cooke State Park, Oldenburg Point offers a fantastic view of the Saint Louis River, as its rushes over jagged outcrops of slate and greywacke. The scene is particularly beautiful in autumn when the leaves turn yellow and gold. To reach the point, from the park headquarters head east on Minn. Hwy. 210 then turn south into the picnic area for the Organtz Trail trailhead. At the parking lot, head south into the path for Oldenburg Point. The 0.2-mile path loops back to the parking lot. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the pavilion.

Lake Pepin
Hikers can traverse the top and the base of a bluff looming 430 feet above Lake Pepin at Frontenac State Park. The 2.6-mile Bluff Side Loop Trail offers impressive views as it heads up and down the steep bluff with a series of wooden stairs and switchbacks. Fall is a particularly good time to visit with the bird migration through the area at its peak and the leaves resplendent in an array of harvest colors. To reach the trailhead, from the park entrance, go left/northwest on County Road 28; follow the road to its end, where it loops back upon itself and forms a parking lot. A couple of picnic spots along the way offer vistas of the lake below with the visible Wisconsin shoreline about two miles away.

Kings Bluff
Rising 500 feet above the Mississippi River, Kings Bluff at Great River Bluffs State Park southeast of Winona offers exceptional views of the main channel and its vast backwaters. A 4.5-miles round hike takes you atop the hardened sediments deposited around 450 million years ago when this part of the world sat beneath a sea. Along the way, you’ll walk through dense hardwood forests and a grove of northern white cedar, a survivor from the Ice Age. To reach the trail, take the park entrance road to the trailhead.

Minnesota River
You can see across the wide Minnesota River Valley from the vantage point of the state’s pioneers at The Landing – Minnesota River Heritage Park. After hiking the trail past historic sites, at the heritage village’s north end the the river bends about about 40 feet below, with Rice and Grass lakes beyond it. The valley is fairly new in geological terms, forming between 9,400 and 11,700 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age when glacial River Warren carried meltwater to the Mississippi. To reach the trailhead, from Shakopee, take Minn. Hwy. 101 west to the park.

Inspiration Peak
Inspiration Peak rises about 400 feet above the surrounding prairie. 1750 feet above sea level, the conical hill formed when two melting glaciers met here and left a mound of sand and gravel at the end of the last Ice Age. A quarter-mile hike uphill lets visitors see about 50 lakes for 20 miles around. The peak also sits on the border between Minnesota’s deciduous forests to the east and the Great Plains to the west, offering an intriguing twist for vista lovers. To reach the trail in Inspiration Peak State Wayside Park, from Urbank take Minn. Hwy. 28 west then turn right/north onto 435th Avenue, right/east onto 120th Street, and head into the park.

Blue Mounds
You can watch bison gazing on the prairie grasses from an ancient quartzite ridge at Blue Mounds State Park. Up to 100 feet high at spots, the ridge’s rock is about 1.7 billion years old, formed when rivers deposited sediment here as flowing into a shallow sea. From the ridge, the prairie stretches south into Iowa and west into South Dakota. More than 100 bison roam the park. To reach the ridge, from Luverne, take Minn. Hwy. 75 north then turn right/east on County Road 20 and go a mile to the park to the trailhead for the Upper Cliffline Trail.

BONUS TRAIL

St. Croix State Park Fire Tower
Day hikers can walk to and climb to the top of a 100-foot fire tower at St. Croix State Park in Pine County. Looking south from it, Bear Creek runs west to east immediately below. In the distance is the Kettle River, a State Wild and Scenic River, which flows southeast to the St. Croix. To reach the park from Interstate 35 exit onto Minn. Hwy. 48 in Hinckley. At County Road 22, turn south. In about five miles, you’ll reach the park headquarters. From there, turn right/west onto St. John’s Road. At the point the road turns to gravel, you have about a nine-mile drive. Your destination is the Kettle River Highlands, which offers limited parking.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Six Fantastic National Park Vistas

South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park.

The following article was written for and initially appeared in the March 16 Coach.net newsletter.

Certainly the best memories of any trip are the great vistas enjoyed along the way. For some, the beauty of the natural scene before them ranks far above any man-made art. For others, the diminutiveness experienced upon seeing an incredible panorama is a spiritual moment.

America’s national parks fortunately preserve the most impressive of these vistas. But other than a sign right at the entry road, how does one know where they are? No worries – we’ve compiled a list of the six best vistas at our national parks, all of which are easy to reach with short hikes.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Clingmans Dome
You can enjoy views of up to a hundred miles atop one of the highest points east of the Mississippi River. The 1-mile round trip Clingmans Dome Trail heads to the highest spot in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Tennessee and the third tallest east of the Mississippi. The top rewards with an incredible 360 degree panorama. A verdant spruce-fir forest sits at the ridge tops while in autumn the leaves of hardwoods below adds swaths of harvest colors. On clear days, 100-mile views are possible.

Grand Canyon National Park: South Rim
Perhaps the most fantastic vista in all of North America is the Grand Canyon’s South Rim. Indeed, the Grand Canyon rightly defies description. Most who see it for the first time say it reminds them of a majestic painting, appropriately suggesting it’s a place that only can be visualized by actually gazing at it. While the South Rim Trail extends several miles along the canyon edge, a short section east of the El Tovar Hotel offers the best views. You’ll be able to see the Colorado River a mile below and an array of incredible buttes, towers and ridges and that stretch up to 10 miles away on the canyon’s other side.

Yosemite National Park: Yosemite Valley
Two sweeping views of Yosemite Valley await on the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Loop. Located south of the valley along Glacier Point Road, the trail runs 4.9-miles. Taft Point allows you to get right up to the edge of the valley rim, offering magnificent views of Yosemite Valley below and Yosemite Fall (the tallest in North America) and El Capitan across the way. The 360 degree views from the top of Sentinel Dome – which peaks at 8127 feet – are the hike’s highlight. Among the visible sights are Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, North Dome, and Basket Dome.

Yellowstone National Park: Fairy Falls Trail
The multi-colored Grand Prismatic Spring and an array of geysers can be seen on the first 0.6 miles of Yellowstone’s Fairy Falls Trail. A 400-foot stretch of the trail appropriately known as Picture Hill provides a grand vista of the spring. About 370 feet in diameter, Grand Prismatic is the largest hot spring in the United States and the third largest in the world. It reaches a depth of 121 feet. Be sure to bring polarized sunglasses. By wearing them, you can see the spring’s rainbow colors reflected in the steam rising off the water. The smaller Excelsior Geyser Crater sits beyond the geological wonder.

Zion National Park: Canyon Overlook Trail
You can hike past hoodoos to a vista that affords a fantastic view of Zion National Park’s famous Beehives, East Temple, the Streaked Wall, and the Towers of the Virgin, on the Canyon Overlook Trail. The 1-mile round trip of pinnacles, arches and domes feels like a walk on an alien world straight out of a science fiction film. The trail can be taken any summer day, but temps are cooler in the morning and late evening.

Mesa Verde National Park: Park Point
Park Point, Mesa Verde’s highest spot at 8572 feet above sea level with 360 degree views, is often touted as the most impressive vista in the United States. The 0.5-mile round trip Park Point Overlook Trail takes you to the view of Montezuma and Mancos valleys, and on a clear day, you can see four states – Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Add 0.5-miles round trip to the fire lookout tower for additional great views.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.