- Page 5 of 23 - Camping, Hiking and Outdoors Adventure Stuff

Easy and Scenic Hiking Trails in Austin

By admin
Posted on

For a newbie or those who only like short and easy hiking, there are some nice hiking trails in Austin that can be the best choice. There are plenty of hiking trails with different difficulties that you can find here in Austin. If you love this type of easy and short hiking, you will love Austin as it has numerous hiking trails that will make you happy.

Austin is a special place for hiking lovers because it has the beauty of nature that every hiker like to experience. The terrain and landscape in Austin are quite rich so that hiking here will be unforgettable. The various options of easy to extreme hiking are for everyone. A casual or easy hike is not only suitable for an adult. You also can take your toddlers to go on a walk with you. It is going to be an enjoyable family stroll. Here are some easy hiking trails that will be suitable for anyone.

Great Hills Park

This trail is one of the nicest hiking trails in Austin. The location is close to the Arboretum Area. It is just a few minutes away. The trail here is mostly flat and you will follow the creek. It is not far from the residency so that you will still be able to see houses. It is also good for a walk with your dog as it has a nice route for them to sniff and explore.

This area also has a great water feature that is spring-fed. There will be a fish pond as well where you can find some animals such as fish, frogs, and cool bugs. The reason why this Great Hills Park is great for kids is it also has a playground. You can find it at one end of the trail. Kids can play around before heading home. This trail is suitable to get your kids close with nature from an early age.

Westcave Preserve

This Westcave Preserve is a special trail to explore for about 2 hours of hike. You are required to have a guide to go on a hike here. It is all because of the safety reason for both hikers and nature itself. There will be a fee that you will need to pay too. It will be $7 per child from age 4 to 17 years old, while an adult is $15 per person.

The track in Westcave Preserve starts with a flat casual trail. You will see a similar experience from other trails too. However, it will get more challenging and intense as you reach the cave, pool, and grotto. The 2-hour hike is going to be adventurous. In this case, everyone has to stick with the group. It is not allowed to separate from the group.

The whole journey at the Westcave Preserve is a wonder that will experience the green lush forest, go through a canyon and an abundance of wildlife at this Preserve. This hike is quite intense for a short period. It is worth the effort to see the beauty of nature in Westcave Preserve. Nature is so rich that the view is scenic to experience.

Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge – Warbler Vista

Unlike the other easy trails, this Balcones Canyonlands Wildlife Refuge is a bit different. You will have to have more effort to hike here. Besides a hiking trail, this area is also a home for 245 species of birds that you can encounter while going on a hike here. There will be some endangered birds well. You will find a wide variety of terrain here at BCNWR. Thus, the hike will be more challenging yet fun to do.

This trail is suitable for adults in a small group. You also can go with kids if they are into adventure. Pets are not allowed on this trail. This BCNWR also has a special trail that is dedicated for the handicap people. So the trail will be accessible for them at ease. It is a great park if you want to have an experience with your family or friends here.

Spicewood Valley Trail

This Spicewood Valley Trail is going to be a great destination if you like a nature that is rich in vegetation and surprise. The trail is quite nice as you can find just a flat trail and also some climbs that will become an adventure for you. You will be able to see the man-made dam that will sometimes have a waterfall. There will also be a pool that you can experience. The waterfall can be refreshing to see. Although it is not as impressive as the great falls hiking, the waterfall is still a pretty view to see during the hike.

You will find some cool relics as well on the trail. There will be a former ranchland that you can visit too. You can have a break nearby those spots to enjoy your drink and snacks if you want. This area is quite less crowded and serene. If you like a type of a quiet hike, this can be a good option.

Laguna Gloria

The last one that we will review is the Laguna Gloria. This trail is good for a family with kids. The path will follow the shore of Lake Austin. It is a flat and easy trail to follow. There will be some animals that the kids can see to spice up their adventure. They can see turtles, fish, ducks, swans, and peacocks.

You can bring snacks and drinks so that you can stop by at the gazebo to have some rest with the kids. The kids will definitely like it because this place offers an abundance of fun outdoor adventure. It is also safe for kids because it will be far from extreme trails. You can enjoy the workout with your kids and have fun at the same time.

Those are the trails that are easy and have a wonderful view to catch. You can take your little ones to enjoy the beauty of nature. These hiking trails in Austin will give you joy while exploring the wilderness.

The Beauty of Lone Star Hiking Trail

By admin
Posted on

For a hiking lover, Lone Star Hiking Trail must be a bucket list to experience. This Lone Star hiking trail is famous for its long trail that is so serene. However, you have to know that this trail is extremely long and that it will take you days to experience the nature around the Lone Star hiking trail. The length of this trail is about 96 miles that has an additional 32 miles.

There will be markers along the trail that you can follow to ensure that you are on the right track. This trail is quite busy as people will hike on this trail every year. It is the longest hiking trail in Texas that you can experience. If you are searching for intense hiking with a wonderful nature to experience in Texas, then you should consider this Lone Star Hiking.

Three Major Sections of Lone Star Hiking Trails

The 40 miles Lake Conroe section

This Lake Conroe Section is about 64 km long that begins close by the intersection of FS 219 and FM 149 east of Richards up to the north end of Lake Conroe. It connects four loops that are also a part of the trail. You will be able to pass through the Little Lake Creek Wilderness

The 60 miles Central Area

If you want the longer trail, you can check this out. This Central area is about 97km long that will lead you to the north of Hunstville State Park. It will start from the northeast of the Stubblefield Recreation area. You will go through the Four Notch area and turn to the southeast part of Evergreen town. In the middle of this area, you can find the Four Notch loop for about 9.2 miles.

The Winters Bayou or Tarkington Creek Area

If you take this section, you will start from the Stubblefield Recreation Area and you will finish at the Northwest of Cleveland. You will go through the Big Creek Scenic area and further you will reach the southwest area through the Winters Bayou Scenic area. It is about 43 km long and this section has the status of National Recreation Trail.

In total it has eleven hike sections that you can discover. Each section will give you an abundance of rich experience that you will love to have. This Lone Star Hiking Trail is perfect for those hikers that are keen on intense, long, and continuous hiking. It is the longest trail to hike in Texas that you can enjoy without leaving Texas.

There are so many things you need to prepare before you decided to go on a hike on this trail. It will be a single track along the trail, unlike the hiking trails in Austin. However, there will be some hiking at the small county roads. At some point, you will also find the state highways. Thus, it is important to understand the map very well. There will be only a few water stations for a long trail like the Lone Star hiking trail. So, it is important to get enough water for the whole hike. You have to be wise in consuming your water as well. Ensure that you contacted the local authorities about the water condition during your adventure.

Along the trail, you will be able to witness the beauty of nature and wildlife. You will go through the Sam Houston National Forest. This trail offers the opportunity for you to experience the wildlife and also to explore the local area. You will not see the steep terrain or scenic view but this trail can really become the trail that will impress you the long way.

Best Time to Hike

If you are interested in hiking at this Lone Star hiking trail, it is better to go when the weather is not too hot. Summer will not be good to go because the summer in Texas can be unbearable for you to do the long hike. Thus, it is good for you to do in Autumn or Spring when the weather is less hot than the summertime. It is not only an hour hike, it will be days to finish this hike.

What to Prepare

As the trail is hundreds of kilometers long, you will need to prepare everything properly. The first thing is to have the proper hiking gear. Layering will be a good choice because the temperature can be challenging. Ensure that you have a comfortable and proper hiking gear so you can stay comfortable.

Besides the hiking gears, you also need some tools that can help you to ease your journey. This is a wildlife area which means you have to be very careful along the journey. Snakes are the common wildlife that can be dangerous throughout the hike. Thus, you need to have the tools to protect you from any threat.

The most important thing to prepare hike is water. You have to keep in mind that you will need at least a week to complete this hike, thus you need enough supply of water as the water source in this area is very few. You need to ensure that you have enough water for a week to survive. If you are not confident to hike alone, it is better to go on the hike with your buddy or any companion that has the same passion for hiking and enjoy the wilderness. This trail is very intense and requires patience and willingness to finish the whole journey. A week of continuous hiking is a tough decision to make. Thus, you have to prepare your mind and body so that you will have the best experience without any silly mistakes that can cost you huge difficulties in the wilderness. Do some training and stretching to get your physic ready for an intense hike. Once you have enough preparation and training, you will be ready for the challenges that nature will provide. This Lone Star Hiking Trail will give you the unforgettable experience of doing a long and intense hike.

Gravelstuff, Dispersed Camping, hiking trails

Experience Sedona Hiking While in Arizona

By admin
Posted on

If you are in Arizona and looking for a place to hike, well, Sedona hiking is going to give you the best experience. Sedona is one of the most popular areas to hike because of the landscape and its terrain. You will be able to find so many trails that will be suitable for your hiking type. Sedona’s location is in between Coconino and Yavapai counties.

The array of red sandstone formation is one of the famous attractions in Sedona. The terrains and landscape are wonderful and it is suitable for mountain biking and hiking. For an adventure seeker, Sedona is the perfect destination to enjoy the beauty of nature.

There are plenty of wonderful trails that you would love to explore. Hiking is not only about exercising and burning calories. It is also about getting in touch with the mother of nature. Spending time to hike and connect to nature will give you a refreshing feeling. You can forget for a while about your busy routine at work and enjoy the moment.

1 Cathedral Rock

Cathedral Rock is a famous spot for hiking. Some so many hikers love to experience the beauty of Cathedral Rock. The trail in Cathedral Rock offers a fantastic view of the Courthouse, Bell Rock, and also the colorful Mogollon Rim. You will see the abundance of breathtaking scenery during your hike on that trail. Only from this peak, you can enjoy the Sedonia beautiful view.

Ensure that you wear the best hiking shorts to visit this Cathedral Rock because it is better to feel comfortable during the journey. The trail will start at an easy pace then it will get more intense as it requires climbing with your hands and knees. It is going to be a wonderful hike because you will tackle a lot of challenges. That is why even if it is just 1.4 miles long, this trail had a medium difficulty that you need to tackle. By wearing the right hiking shorts, you will be able to go on the hike without any friction. There will be a narrow ledge that you can check out, however, it is not recommended by the local government.

2 Fay Canyon

If you are looking for a hike that is refreshing and tucked away from the crowd, Fay Canyon is the best option. Fay Canyon is very scenic that has an easy 2.4 miles trail to go on. By hiking on this trail, you will be in the heart of the red rocks. You will experience the beauty and serenity by walking below the hanging gardens and cliff walls. Unlike the typical Sedona hiking trails, this Fay Canyon offers a more shady area that is refreshing during the hike.

It is good for you who is searching for serenity during the hike. Some people like extreme hikes, but sometimes a low key hike is also important to meditate. Easy walk and favorite music will be a good pair to enjoy. You can also bring snacks and water to keep you hydrated. You also can bring your pet to this trail. It will be an enjoyable stroll for you and your lovely fur baby.

Hiking Trails Near Me That You Must Visit

3 Devil’s Bridge Trail

Sedona hiking is going to give you a wide variety of hiking trails. It is a paradise for hiker lovers. The trail that you should try is Devil’s Bridge Trail. This trail is about 4.2 miles out and back that you can hike to enjoy the beautiful nature in Sedona. The beautiful natural sandstone arch will become a great reward on your hike.

Because it is an easy trail, there will be some mountain bikes, jeeps, and ATVs. The first part of this trail is going to be easy then you will find more challenges before the finish line. The path will be a bit steeper and narrower. Another tip for you about the surrounding of this trail is that there is no shade along the trail. You have to ensure that you wear the most comfortable hiking outfit, water, and snacks. Plenty of water will be good because you will need it to stay hydrated and finish the whole hike.

The parking lot is free so you can easily leave your vehicle there. If you want a less crowded area, you can go to the Chuckwagon trailhead for a bit of a shorter trip. It is also important to get to know the route by using a map as it is not a short route to take.

4 Soldier Pass

The last trail that you can enjoy in Sedona is the Soldier Pass Trail. This trail is unique that makes people like to come and enjoy the view. It is a place for those who are into social media as well. This Soldier Pass has the beautiful Seven Sacred Pools. It is a religious site for the locals. It is beautiful especially if it has quite a lot of water depending on the season. It is worth the energy to hike on this trail.

It has a 4.1 miles loop trail that is not too crowded as the Devil’s Bridge Trail. The elevation gain is about 600 feet while street parking is over 600 feet. You can find a parking lot that would fit for about 10 cars. Street parking is prohibited because of the local resident’s complaints. It is absolutely a great place to hike and breathe fresh air. You will be happy to have the chance to enjoy the beauty of Seven Sacred Pools. Even if there are only a few waters, you will still be blown away by the magical out of it.

Those are the beauties that you need to check out if you want to hike while in Sedona. You will definitely enjoy every inch of the hike there. Each hiking trail gives you a different experience that will last in your memory. So, Sedona hiking is a great chance to work out and also to find yourself again.

Gravelstuff, Dispersed Camping, hiking trails

All Things about Calories Burned Hiking in Brief

By admin
Posted on

Knowing one or two things regarding calories burned hiking is a good thing. It will help to improve the good effects of hiking than just about exploring hiking trails all over the place. Some hikers simply love to hike and enjoy the surrounding which is fine. Some others do hiking to help burn calories in their body and eventually stay healthy. In many ways, hiking is a decent thing to do when properly planned and given a lot of attention in terms of its various aspects.

Many questions about the idea of burning calories by hiking are always in circulation. One thing for sure is that hiking will help to burn calories. The exact amount of calories that hiking can burn is affected by many factors for sure. Even the hiking trails to tackle will affect the number of calories to burn along the way of the hiking. Grand Canyon is amidst the popular choices of hikers to tackle to burn calories along the way.

Calories Burned on Hiking

There are many ways to check on the amount of calories burner upon hiking. Today’s products of the best GPS watch for hiking will be able to do that easily. Yet, it is always a good idea to know the things about burning calories through hiking, even just the basics. The rough number on that thing is about 300 to 600 calories per hour are burned on hiking. That rather wide span is reasonable due to many factors that affect the hiking itself.

In general, body weight, speed, backpack, and terrain will all affect the total amount of calories being burned along the hiking. The main elements that affect that particular matter include hiking distance, hiking speed, and hiking terrain, hiking duration, backpack weight, and the elevation of the hills on the hiking trails. All of those elements will create a combination of crucial factors to burn calories in a certain amount or number.

So, in terms of calories burned hiking, a person weighing 150 pounds without any backpack on a 60-minute cross country hike at 2.5 miles per hour speed will burn approximately 351 calories. On the other hand, that same person with a 20-pound backpack on a 60-minute up and down hills hike at 3 miles per hour will burn about 464 calories along the way. That kind of thing will help planning for a hike to help to burn a specific amount of calories.

Calories Burned on Hiking versus Walking

Following the previous question that a lot of people asked about hiking, another question is about the comparison between hiking and walking. The main thing to compare is the number of calories that can be burned on either hiking or walking. Which activity will burn more calories eventually? Well, the basic answer to that particular question is that hiking will be able to burn more calories than walking. It is even said that the amount of calories burned on hiking is twice as much as on walking.

A clear example of that matter to prove that calories burned hiking is way more than walking is as follows. A 175-pound person who walks for about 2-hour at a normal speed or pace will burn about 580 calories. On the other hand, that person with a 30-pound backpack who spends 2-hour on a hilly hike will be able to eventually burn about 1,120 calories. The differences in the terrains and the additional weights of the backpack affect the burning calories a lot.

So, it is clear that hiking burns more calories than walking. Thus, it is highly recommended to go hiking instead of walking when the purpose of the activity is to lose weight. Hiking a roughly half distance of walking will already burn twice as many calories. Walking will help burn calories, but it is not much. Hiking will be tiring than walking due to the variations of the terrain and the additional weight to carry, but the result is more satisfactory than walking.

Calories Burned on Hiking and Walking Upward

Inactivity is a thing that everyone should avoid at all costs. Even just a little bit of physical activity is always better than nothing at all. So, it is recommended especially for adults to always engage in physical activities regularly. That will be greatly beneficial in terms of health hiking upward. Hiking and walking are all included in the physical activities to be done by adults regularly.

Recommendation of the Best GPS Watch for Hiking Purpose

By admin
Posted on

Equipping the best GPS watch for hiking is among the important things that hikers need to pay close attention to. That particular thing will be a very useful tool to ensure that hiking remains a challenging yet fun activity to do. With a lot of people who love to hike all around the globe, the choices of GPS watches are in a very wide array. One thing for sure, the most expensive one does not guarantee to be the best one in the field. So, be wise in choosing a GPS watch to equip for hiking.

A GPS watch will serve its purpose as both a watch and a GPS with a bunch of hiking features to support hikers when hiking. Mostly the features will help to ensure that the activity remains under control and that the hikers remain safe. It will also make it easier for others to search and rescue any hiker following the functionalities of the GPS watch itself. Check out these recommendations of the best GPS watch that will greatly help any hiking anywhere around the globe.

Garmin Fenix 6 GPS Watch

Among the best GPS watch for hiking, recommendations are Garmin Fenix 6. It is a GPS watch that is perfect for hiking as well as some other activities like swimming, mountaineering, climbing, trekking, cycling, backpacking, and running, and even for everyday use. Pay attention that there are some watches for hiking that come without GPS. An example of that is Casio Pro Trek PRW-2500T-7. It is highly recommended to always pick the one with GPS such as this one from Garmin.

This one is the replacement for the highly-popular Fenix 5 from Garmin back in 2019. It is a smartwatch with a color display in high-resolution that will stand against harsh outdoor conditions. Robust materials were used to build this watch that includes stainless steel, titanium, DLC steel, and Sapphire glass. That way the durability of this watch is unquestionable. Yet the look of this GPS watch remains elegant that will still be fine to wear even for a business meeting.

Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire, Premium Multisport GPS Watch, features Mapping, Music, Grade-Adjusted Pace Guidance and Pulse Ox Sensors, Dark Gray with Black Band

Check on Amazon

Among the decent features of this GPS watch is certainly the pair of GLONASS & Galileo GPS. That is the key feature that eventually affects other features. One of them is the ability of this watch to automatically set the time according to the current location read by the GPS. That kind of thing will always help hike anywhere like in various Sedona hiking trails of Arizona. Moreover, it is equipped with an altimeter, thermometer, barometer, and a 3-axis compass, Check Garmin Fenix 6 Shapphire in amazon

Suunto 9 Baro GPS Watch

This one from Suunto is considered as the perfect match for Fenix 6 from Garmin. According to Best Hiking, both of them come with no cons at all as a GPS watch. It serves its great functions very well for many things that include daily use. Furthermore, there is no need to worry about its durability and functionality for outdoor activities that include hiking for sure. It even comes with a color display with touchscreen capability inside a beautiful stainless-steel bezel that boosts its appeal.

The menus of this best GPS watch for hiking will remain accessible even when wearing gloves due to the presence of buttons instead of just relying on the touchscreen to operate. This watch is fully integrated with the Suunto Movescount app so that it will be very easy to plan routes before hiking. It is also possible to use the routes of other Movescount users by importing them to this watch. Suunto pairs GLONASS & Galileo on this watch to ensure the best accuracy of its GPS.

Suunto 9, GPS Sports Watch with Long Battery Life and Wrist-Based Heart Rate, Barometer, Titanium — Suunto 9, GPS Sports Watch with Long Battery Life and Wrist-Based Heart Rate

Check on Amazon

In addition to the features of Suunto 9 Baro that helps hiking and outdoor activities, it offers a lot more to enjoy. One of them is the workout overview and tracking feature. It allows distance, duration, burned calories and some other things to be tracked down accurately. The Suunto 9 Baro indicates that it comes with a barometer that is needed for hiking. Yet it comes in another version without the barometer for those who are only going to wear it for everyday use.

Polar Grit X GPS Watch

Even though it is the first outdoor watch product from Polar, it is a serious contender for being the best GPS watch for hiking in the marketplace. The price remains competitive with the features that Polar packed in it. Grit X has a decent performance as a GPS tracking device up to 40 hours straight. That can be boosted further up to 100 hours by simply using the power saving mode on it. That implies that navigation using GPS is the biggest part of this GPS watch.

Unfortunately, those who are looking for deep data and features on a GPS watch, Grit X may not be the answer. It easily beats Fenix 6 from Garmin in terms of the price but the features and data that Fenix 6 provides are better. Yet, Grit X will be enough for anyone who loves to hike and do a lot of other outdoor activities. It will serve well as a GPS watch to stay among the best choices in the marketplace today.

POLAR Grit X – Rugged Outdoor Watch with GPS, Compass, Altimeter and Military-Level Durability for Hiking

Check on Amazon

Both endurance and recovery are the next biggest parts of this watch after navigation. It offers the so-called FuelWise feature to help planning an adventure trip. There is also the Polar feature to help to manage workouts and diets. Furthermore, its Hillsplitter feature is also useful to track both ascents and descents by telling the part that should be improved to go faster. All in all, it is a decent choice for those rookie hikers or those who are looking for a cheaper alternative to a GPS watch.

Conclusion

There are so many products of outdoor watches out there that can be considered to be the choices for hiking and other outdoor activities. Some of them are equipped with GPS to be very useful and helpful upon embarking on a hiking adventure. Garmin with Fenix 6 along with Suunto 9 Baro can be considered to be the best choice so far. Nonetheless, Grit X from Polar stands as a cheaper alternative to the best GPS watch for hiking.