Top 10 Day Hikes in the U.S.A. ("Places I visited" series)

I've been long wondering how I could put down the things I did and the places I visited in a better way, an interesting one, an easy-to-digest way. I was scanning the web doing some research and I came across one of the many "top 10" kind of articles. I told myself, "I might as well add my own!", and here I am in the mix.
I will try to post my own charts, first of all of places throughout the U.S.A.

The first thing I look at before to get to a certain place is the best trails in the area. I go places to hike, basically. Hiking is the way to explore a country. Hiking will lead you down canyon bottoms, or up mountaintops, or along rivers, grassy meadows and lush forests. Not everywhere is Alaska so luckily most of the time you're able to find trails that will bring you from point A to point B. And here's the list of my favourite 10 of these paths.
It wasn't easy, to pick and choose these ones. I had to leave out of the chart hikes that I really enjoyed and that I strongly recommend, such as the one to the top of so-called Mt.Jumbo (Bradley) just outside of Juneau, AK. Or Calf Creek, UT. Or Eagle Creek trail, OR. And so many others.
Here are my very favourites.
Ready to have a look at them? (Enjoy! I enjoyed writing this post particularly, I guess I can write about trails for a lifetime, really!)

PS. I enjoy hiking as much as I enjoy trying to capture the things I see at best. Here are some samples of my photography. You can check out more pictures, shop or suggest friends to shop for them by visitng here: Photos by Emanuele Canton
Also, here's a preview (smaller & no shopping) of my portfolio: Portfolio by Emanuele Canton

Thanks for your support!

10. Observation Point, Zion NP, UT

Even though by far the most rewarding view on this trail comes at the end - as often happens - there's plenty more to see on the way to Observation Point. This trail, that I prefer to the more cherished Angel's Landing (that is, one the picture right above, the taller stair on that protruding rocky outcrop right in the middle) because the view is broader, higher, is rich in sights. You can appreciate switchbacks that will lead you up in elevation quickly. You can detour to Hidden Canyon and hike it as long as you dare. You can peek over Weeping wall (a year-round, moss-covered red wall where water seeps out of the rock). You can enjoy the eerie atmosphere, at times, at Echo Canyon, on the way up. And finally, soak in the majestic view of the Zion valley at the top. Be ready to enjoy one of the best hikes in the Southwest!


9. Irvine trail + Fern Cove, Redwood NP, CA

The peace and quiet you can get from a hike in Redwood is almost uncomparable. In the early morning sun, when the air is still brisk and you crave for warm sunbeams, the light that filters through the imposing trees is more than welcome. It creates a magical atmosphere that you can enjoy at every step. When you reach Fern Cove, it feels like you're back in the dinosaurs' age. Ferns hang from a 20 feet high wall on two sides of the creek, and you can work your way up by wading and climbing up and down roots and tree trunks. It's magical, absolutely green, and funny. A must in Redwood.


8. Bright Angel trail to Phantom Ranch, Grand Canyon NP, AZ

This hike is very much in any top 10 hikes in the USA you'll ever come across, and there's a reason: going dwn to the bottom of Grand Canyon is comparable to nothing else in the world. You descend not only a canyon, a geological feature, but you descend into history too. The history of our planet. From the top to the bottom of Grand Canyon, well.. it's a trip of possibly some 600 million years back in history!! On top of that, you'll (painfully, for the least fit) work your way down while contemplating amazing vistas over the canyon, until the roar of the mighty Colorado will get you thirsty enough to reach for your canteen (if not already empty) and finally, with some relief, will lead you to the bridge entering Phantom ranch, and your night's destination.


7. Harding Icefield, Kenai Fjord NP, AK

Although not an immense icefield (its size is comparable to famous Columbia Icefield, on the road between Banff and Jasper national parks in British Columbia), its sight is spectacular. The trail is pretty easy, and the only question mark is the presence or not of the occasional bear (I spotted a black one up by a couple switchback while being scared off by two other hikers). From views of Exit glacier to expansive views of the icefield itself, this trail is gorgeous. For the ones with some guts and legs, at the end you could scramble down to the very edge of the ice, take a quick selfie while it cracks and pops with sounds similar to artillery fire, and scrabmle back up the steep scree side.


6. Summit trail to Wheeler Peak, Great Basin NP, NV

When you think about Nevada, probably a mountain 13000 feet high (3982 meters) is not the first thing on your mind. Well, you better get yourself around it, that's what Wheeler Peak is. The hike itself is demanding: I thought at that point to be in a pretty decent shape, after having hiked around the biggest chunck of the nation, but this one tried me pretty darn well. Once you conquer the top though, it's absolutely insane. The view is 360 degrees, and it's diverse: the endless desert, some lone mountain ranges, a glacier right by your side, alpine tarns and a forest. Such a variety of ecosystems - from desert brush to alpine forest - is definitely uncommon. And the toil to reach it is totally worthy.


5. Half Dome, Yosemite NP, CA

Let's break it down from the start: you have to win a lottery to hike up Half Dome. The chances you have to win it are, of course, slim in the peak of the summer and better in shoulder season (such as, late September or May). If you manage to win it though, you should be quite happy. Walking through the forest, maybe stumbling upon a black bear or something, you will slowly apporoach the massive granite boulder known as Half Dome. Its shape unmistakable, you'll trudge all the way up, eventually reporting to the ranger at the base of the final stretch to then climb up with the help of a cord at an angle that approaches 45 degrees. Another 360 degrees pano is ruined possibly just by the amount of other people that will claim the summit with you for the day, but nonetheless, it's impressive. Enjoy trees and granite all over. Enjoy the sensation of feeling on top of the Sierras!


4. Fairyland trail, Bryce NP, UT

I wasn't ready to take that many pictures. It was early April, about 10 AM when I sat out for it. It was already warm though, and the only thing that was mitigating the heat was a light breeze. I had to take the camera out of the bag way too many times along the way. It was just ridiculous: how many different angles, views of the hoodoos you can get on this trail. The views themselves are pretty broad too, and seen from a different perspective than, let's say, Sunrise Point up on the rim. I was basically alone on the trail (I met less than 5 people in 3 or so hours I reckon), and I loved it. It's definitely my favourite hike in Bryce.

3. Navajo Knob trail, Capitol Reef NP, UT

Some might argue that there are quite a few other trails like this or better in the Southwest, and I agree. I might just not have hiked them yet. Therefore, here stoods Navajo Knob, in one of my favourite national parks, Capitol Reef. The hike is quite simple, even though its length (9 miles) will cut off a bunch of potential followers (I met 2 people in half a day), it's very interesting from a geological point of view, and has a variety of views. The Waterpocket Fold is exposed to the view, as are cedar forests on close ranges and the Henry mountains further away. At the top, if you dare, you can enjoy some cool climbing on the different knobs. It made me wanting to hike down, grab a tent and a sleeping bag, and get lost on the plateau for a while!

2. Highline trail + Swifcurrent Overlook, Glacier NP, MT

Among the plentiful, beautiful, breath-taking array of hikes that are possible in this jewel of a park, I painfully came to the conclusion that this one is my favourite. Siyeh Pass or the so-called "Dragon's tail" were two powerful rivals, but I couldn't get over this one. Starting from the Logan visitor center and leaving the crowds behind early in the morning, you hike in the brisk air maybe surprising a mountain goat or two chewing on some grass while peacefully resting on a bit of a ledge. You walk much of the Highline trail - spectacular in itself, especially when viewed from the GTTS road - until you get to the NPS cabin and take a detour to Swiftcurrent overlook. The panorama from up there is just phenomenal. If you like mountains. They're all over the place, 360 degrees, glaciers included (or what's left of them). You have views of the park's east entrance, of Iceberg lake (where with binoculars I spotted a moose, possibly some 1000-1200 meters below), and towards the western ranges. On a sunny day, so far, it's my mountain place to go. A long hike, but an absolutely rewarding heck of a day!


1. Havasu Canyon, AZ

I had no doubt whatsoever in picking my #1. I enjoyed Havasu just so much. Totally worth the 60$ fee to get and camp down there. The canyon is administered by the Havasu indian tribe, that actually live down in the canyon (so-to-speak, a 10 miles hike from the closest form of civilization, which is a parking lot at the end of the road to the canyon). They live about half a mile from one of the prettiest falls that you'll see in the country (if you missed this previous top 10 of mine, check Top 10 Waterfalls of the U.S.A.). To get down the canyon, you have first to manage a steep descent into it, as illustrated in the picture above. Walking your way towards it (to the right in that picture), you'll walk in the shade and start to see occasional trees more and more frequently with the approaching of Havasu creek. Not too long afterwards, you'll bump onto the village, that features nicely cultivated fields, cute houses buried in tall canyon walls, a post office, a grocery store, and some of the usual messy backyards you see in native american villages.

With Havasu falls starts a series of other falls that will take your breath away. Navajo, Mooney, Beaver are among them. All you have to do is pitch your tent, leave the bulk of your stuff at the campground, and venture your way further down the trail. 1 or 2 additional miles will do to see most of the other falls.

In the meantime, if it gets too hot - which is likely to happen - you can consider a plunge into the cold creek water (which I did and from which I got half an hour of pure pleasure in a "private", secluded pool). The trail will eventually lead you all the way to the mighty Colorado river - and that's a regret of mine, that I didn't plan on going for it all! And here's the key to a great day: plan smartly. I didn't. Or did it in part. After having soaked in all the beauty of the canyon, at around 3.30 PM on a sunny April afternoon, I decided I was to get too bored if I was to stay for the night, so I decided to hike out with my 40 pounds backpack and my terribly sore feet (from unworn-out shoes). I already had bad blisters in both feet, and fairly deep scraped skin on my upper heels, but I went anyway. Maybe halfway up, I had ravens circling around me above in the air, and I rested for a few minutes under a big boulder. Determined not to end up my trip right there, I summmoned all my energies and pushed to the top, dreaming about food and ice-cold beverages. About to tackle the final, steep ascent to the parking lot, that seemed absolutely undoable to me, I saw a few wild horses. I looked at one of them and I saw a steak - I was really hungry. The coming of darkness gave me a little extra help, relieving me from the heat and telling me to hurry the heck up, which I did. I arrived at the parking lot walking as a zombie. My dinner: pizza leftovers from the day before warmed up with steam from some boiling water. Delicious.
This is to say: it didn't matter to me that I was as close to give up on a trail as I've ever been, it didn't matter I came up that last hill cursing and dreaming of horse steaks. What did matter was that I saw paradise down there, and I won't forget it. 

Top 10 States to visit in the U.S.A. ("Places I visited" series)

I've been long wondering how I could put down the things I did and the places I visited in a better way, an interesting one, an easy-to-digest way. I was scanning the web doing some research and I came across one of the many "top 10" kind of articles. I told myself, "I might as well add my own!", and here I am in the mix.
I will try to post my own charts, first of all of places throughout the U.S.A.

It's time to rank the basic unit: the states. 

Of the 50 that forms the Union, I've been to 42 of them (the ones I'm missing? Find out the map by scrolling all the way down this blog!) and the only one I regret I haven't been able to visit yet is Hawaii. Now, don't get me wrong: I don't want to be offensive towards the other states. Every one of them has something worth visiting for (maybe except for Iowa), and my rankings are based on my personal experience, which giving my interests, is different from other people's. 

I weigh a lot the quality of the natural environment, and features like national parks. The variety of the landscape is important - you don't want to drive through Kansas, really - so if it's dotted with mountains, canyons, a nice seaside and maybe a couple nice cities, that will make it much more interesting. Finally, food, culture and people as well are part of what I consider.

Out of all these criteria, here's what I determined to be my top 10. Enjoy!

Don't forget to chek out my photo portfolio here: Emanuele Canton portfolio

10. Maine

Pros: Endless beaches, coves, harbours, unspoiled northern woods, autumn foliage, tranquil atmosphere, awesome seafood.
Cons: Weather (the state kind of shuts down during winter time), relatively small variety of landscapes.


9. Texas

Pros: Friendliness of people, amazing, super-sized food (barbeque in particular), a variety of cities, the history and customs of the state.
Cons: Emptiness of parts of the state, small variety of landscapes (although mountains, as in the pictures, do exist), huge distances to travel.

8. Arizona

Pros: Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon. That is worth the price. Besides, the state features other great natural features (Canyon de Chelly, Vermillion Cliffs, Horseshoe Bend, Havasu Canyon among others).
Cons: It's mainly about redrock. Fair, it's the southwest, but if you don't like it, you won't like Arizona arguably. And it gets hot here.

7. Oregon

Pros: Huge variety of landscapes - literally, from desert and canyons to ocean beaches to high mountains - and variety of weather too. It's a state that caters for everyone.
Cons: Along the coast it rains just too much, if you can't bear it. Besides for Crater Lake, there's no other national park, although plenty of recreationalopportunities exist.

6. Montana

Pros: Glacier national park and surrounding wildernesses, uncrowded land, wildlife (including grizzly bear and wolf).
Cons: Short summers, and then, it's mainly a mountain state.  As the name says.

5. Wyoming

Pros: Two of the most beautiful and iconic parks in the park system (Yellowstone and Grand Teton), wildlife, history and traditions (the state's icon is a cowboy riding a bronco), some breathtaking drives.
Cons: The best corners of the state suffer short summers, again, climbing in altitude. The eastern side (and not only unfortunately) is kind of spoiled by gas drilling.

4. Alaska

Pros: Unrivaled, pristine landscapes that extends from coastal glacier to boreal forests to the highest mountains in the country, unlimited recreational opportunities, plenty of wildlife, tasty food (do I really need to mention Alaskan salmon, or caribou meat, or Alaskan king crab? Really?)
Cons: It's out of hand, it's expensive, most of the places are remote, mosquitoes will devour you in summer and it's deadly cold in winter and the best part of spring and autumn. But heck, it's just too good when you can actually enjoy it.

3. Colorado

Pros: Probably the best mountainside in the lower 48, broad variety of landscapes (see this picture of Black Canyon of the Gunnison, then picture yourself around Anasazi ruins in the southwestern corner of the state and finally on top of a 14footer mountain), a few decent-sized cities with decent weather all year-round, strategic position in the middle of the country (close to the northern Rockies and to the Southwest region).
Cons: Maybe the lack of an outlet to the open waters? I can't really find a whole lot wrong with Colorado honestly!

2. Utah

Pros: Some of the best national parks in the country, loads of other state parks or natural areas of sheer beauty, impressive redrock formations, amazing variety of landscapes and climates, absolutely outdoorsy.
Cons: The only thing I can think of is a cooler capitat city. SLC is a nice city for a Sunday stroll and an awesome burger at Crown's Burger (yeah, go try it), but nothing else. Anyway, it doesn't matter, you don't go to Utah to stick around concrete! It's beautiful this way!

1. California

Pros: Other state reach peaks for certain things (Alaska for the mountainside, Utah for the redlands), but there's no other state as California. It has the highest mountain in the lower 48 and other spectacular peaks in the Sierras. It goes all the way down to the lowest point in the country in the Death Valley, a desert, a furnace of a different kind of beauty. It has the biggest and the tallest trees in the world in Sequoia and Redwood. It has a phenomenal coastline, diverse, that attracts hikers, surfers, photographers, fishermen, sailors, vacationers. It has some of the most vibrant city life in the country in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and food is rich and tasty with more than a hint of Mexican influence. The weather is just gorgeous. What else do you need?
Cons: The drought that has been impacting the state in recent years may be the only flipside, besides the higher-than-average cost of life. But hey, it's California. It's worth it.