White Mountains National Forest

The White Mountains of New Hampshire are part of the northern Appalachian Mountains and cover about a quarter of the state and a small portion of western Maine. Popular year round with summer tourists, winter sports enthusiasts, and those looking for brilliant New England fall foliage, you will find this National Forest busy no matter when you decide to visit. This time of year you can hike, camp, visit waterfalls, swim in the Swift River, go zip lining, stop at one of the commercial tourist attractions (such as Story Land and Santa's Village), or visit Visitors Center or the science and nature center. We opted for driving the scenic Kancamagus Highway (the locals call it the Kanc), sometimes touted as the best scenic drive in New Hampshire, a lovely winding road with multiple overlooks of the Pemigewasset Valley. We chose several spots along the drive to pull over for small hikes, views of waterfalls, and a picnic lunch along the river.  Here are some pictures we got along the way.

Ocqueoc Falls (Presque Isle, Michigan)

One of our friends at Thunder Bay Golf Resort (where we are currently parked) provided us with some great ideas for day tripping and tips on scenic places to visit during our stay. One of her suggestions was to see the Ocqueoc Falls (pronounced Ah-key-ock) in Presque Isle County. The falls are located along the 34-mile long Ocqueoc River (ocqueoc is a French word meaning "crooked waters") and are the largest waterfalls in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan - with a drop of about five feet. Coming from California, a state that abounds in waterfalls, with some having bragging rights of being the tallest in North America (think: Yosemite), I have to admit, I was chuckling a little at a five foot waterfall being the largest in this region. To me, this seemed more like a "rapids" than a waterfall; however, if that is all you have, that is all you have, and call it a falls, or call it a rapid, the beautiful Ocqueoc Falls Bicentennial Pathway is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon, boasting 6-miles of picturesque hiking trails set amongst a forest of towering pines and hardwood trees. If it had been a hot summer day, I likely would have found myself splashing around in the falls - now how many waterfalls in California can you actually wade right into? Here are some pictures of our afternoon along the "crooked waters".

Hike Behind Hidden Shores Village, Yuma, Arizona

Surrounding Hidden Shores Village are miles and miles of desert hills, most of them crisscrossed with multiple use trails for hikers, cyclists, equestrians, and off-roaders. The first morning after Jennifer arrived for her visit we decided to take off on foot from the RV Park for a hike in the desolate terrain. Being that it was still March, the temperatures weren't into the killer range yet, but we still wanted to get an early start and be back before lunch to avoid the heat of the day. Most of the landscape was barren and bleak, dry and dusty, and you wondered how what little does grow out here could even survive in this environment. But in between the hills and valleys, we were treated to expansive views of the Colorado River and the Imperial Dam, plus a bird's eye view of the RV Park. We got off trail for a portion of the hike, and found ourselves scrambling in dry washes, where we saw evidence of those times when the rains do come and the rushing path they take through the hills. Our sore leg muscles the next day reminded us of all the hills we took on, and these pictures will give you an idea.

Senator Wash & Reservoir Hike (Yuma, Arizona)

I can't deny, desert hiking is not my favorite. I much prefer the verdant hills of a mountain range in late spring, or the rugged trails along the coast. I like it cooler, wetter, and greener, and the desert doesn't give you much of any of those things. However, any hiking is better than no hiking in my book, so when an opportunity came up to hike along the Senator's Wash and Reservoir, Dan and I decided to go. We joined a group of hikers from Hidden Shores Village who go out every Tuesday. The hike started fairly early, around 9:30ish. I wouldn't have minded earlier; this is the desert, and temperatures begin to rise early on in the day. But this still being March, the heat was tolerable, and there was a brisk breeze that day, lessening the effects of the desert sun. We were lucky enough to skirt right along the reservoir for a good portion of the hike, adding some blue to the barren landscape, and there were a few ocotillo in bloom, another bright spot. Here are some pictures of our first desert hike this year.