On our way from Virginia Beach to Charlotte, we stopped to stretch our legs and take a short hike along the Cole Mill Trail at Eno River State Park in North Carolina. This park offers a wonderful respite for anyone living in the urban areas of Durham and Orange Counties. It was one of our favorite places that we happened upon while in North Carolina. The trails are easy to follow, easy to walk along, and the scenery provides visitors with so much nature to look upon!
Northern Iceland is a dream for the adventurous traveler (well, really Iceland as a whole, to be honest!). The Hverfjall crater, or Hverfjall volcano, in northern Iceland gives people the chance to walk the rim of an ancient volcano. It is one of the best preserved ancient volcanoes you can see today. Walking the rim of this huge crater gives visitors a sense of the immense size and dramatic explosion that must have occured when the crater was created between 2,500 and 2,900 years ago.
Dimmuborgir is one of Iceland’s most well-known tourist attractions. The interesting formations, the walkable paths, the close proximity between the lava fields, Lake Mývatn, and the Hverfjall volcanic crater, and the fact that it was featured prominently as part of the lands beyond the wall in Season 3 of Game of Thrones make it a must see destination if you ever find yourself in the northern part of the country.
With the end of fall approaching, we took what might have been the last beautiful, sunny, and warm day and headed out west to hike the Vroman’s Nose Loop Trail just west of Middleburgh in upstate New York. The leaves brightly displayed the glorious fall colors only seen in this part of the country at this time of year, and the sun warmed us up to allow us to focus on the beauty that was all around.
A warm fall means lots of outdoor time and this time round, we went to the Schiffendecker Farm Preserve in Bethlehem, New York. We got to traverse over several small bridges, see some water rush by, hear the birds, and spot an old apple orchard. Overall, we had a lovely time, and we were wearing shorts in October; a relatively new phenomenon for us here in upstate New York.
We wandered up to the Vischer Ferry Nature and Historic Preserve in Clifton Park, NY, to see what kind of wildlife we could spot. We really hit the jackpot! From birds to turtles to flowers, there is so much to see in this nature preserve that hugs the Mohawk River and Old Erie Canal.
We’ve been having some really beautiful and warm fall days this year here in Upstate New York. As a person who tends to hibernate all winter, this extension of summer, as my husband calls it, is allowing us a bit more time to wear shorts and tromp through the woods. We spent a beautiful morning hiking along the Vlomankill Trail at Five Rivers and have some pictures to prove it!
My recent exploration of the Plotter Kill Preserve and Indian Kill Nature Preserve in Schenectady, New York led me to the small, quiet, and very peaceful Great Flats Nature Trail. Walking paths and boardwalks loop visitors throughout a protected wetland habitat, providing close access to flaura and fauna usually reserved for those lucky enough to be venturing in rain or “muck” boots.
Nestled just a short drive outside of the city limits of Schenectady, New York, is the lovely Indian Kill Nature Preserve. We got the chance to explore around on a beautiful sunny day. There was a wonderful feeling to the place. Especially walking down around the creek edge, it felt simply… magical.
I’m always amazed to find such wonderful and vast areas for hiking within a short drive of the Capital District. The Plotter Kill Preserve in Rotterdam in upstate New York is a wonderful place that provides miles and miles of trails in addition to scenic waterfalls and is great for those who want to get out into nature but who don’t have a lot of time.