All Content

Check out Katie Herrel's author page.

Explore a pristine wilderness of soaring peaks and quiet valleys just three hours from New York City.

Hot weather + cool water = late-summer heaven. Add a dose of backcountry solitude and scenic camping, and you might never leave.

This beautiful 4.3-mile loop adjacent to the Illinois River adds welcome relief--waterfalls, sculpted sandstone canyons, and impressive overlooks--to the usually pancake-flat landscape.

This short hike threads through a hoodoo-filled climbing mecca with outrageous scenery and countless sidetrip options.

Thanks to only a little elevation gain, this 7-mile loop offers flatlanders great rewards (big views, wildlife, solitude) without much suffering. Pack plenty of water and sunscreen.

Retreat into the thick, quiet woods of Washington Park for superb views of Mt. Hood and the Portland skyline on this easy 3-mile hike. Don't miss the Japanese garden.

This 8.4-mile, out-and-back climbs steady through giant Douglas fir stands and rhododendron fields to a treeless summit yielding drop-dead gorgeous views of five distinct volcanic peaks.

Hike along a renowned Salmon River on this 5-mile trip through a moss-covered virgin forest to salmon spawning pools, whitewater drops, and hollowed out Douglas firs large enough to resemble caves.

This 12.2-mile loop rambles through some of the wildest hardwood forest in the northeast and climbs three rugged peaks taller than 3,500 feet in Catskill Forest Preserve.

Explore 4.4 miles through old growth timber to a glacier-carved lake on this family-friendly hike in the Cascade Mountains.

Only minutes from downtown, this easy 4-mile hike into the Issaquah Alps passes near a charming waterfall en route to a memorable view of greater Seattle and the Olympics.

This 6.6-mile loop features a coastal bluff with dazzling wildflower displays and a wild beach with exceptional views of the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Trace the abandoned Great Northern Railroad to remarkable stone tunnels, collapsed avalanche sheds, and super views of the Cascades on this 12.2-mile, out-and-back historical hike.

Cut through the towering pines of Holson Valley to the rocky shelf of Winding Stair Mountain on this 12.8-mile dayhike or overnight in the Ouachitas. Primitive camping allowed.

Climb up a steep canyon draped in a mix of fir and aspen forest to a craggy overlook of the Salt Lake Valley on this moderate 5.2-mile loop in the Mt. Olympus Wilderness.

This remote valley in Mark Twain National Forest is often overlooked, but it's a great escape for hikers willing to bushwhack along and through its streams to huge granite walls.

This 5.3-mile out-and-back threads through a pristine alpine landscape with abundant streams, lakes, and wildlife on its way to a 10,650-foot peak in Wasatch National Forest.

Stroll along the shores of Salem Lake on this 7-mile loop over rolling hills and under tall pine and poplar trees.

This 4.2-mile out-and-back hike is a local's favorite, climbing gently from the flood-torn banks of the Moormans River to one of the most impressive waterfalls in the park.

Take this 8.8-mile out-and-back dayhike or overnight to escape high-season crowds; it stitches together a lesser-known route leading to a photo-worthy waterfall.

This easy 6.2-mile loop links lush marshland with ancient mountains--now small weathered hills--that were once islands before river sediment filled in the channel.

This 14-mile shuttle hike winds tranquil wooded slopes to five peaks over 3,400 feet in a remote section of the Catskills. Off-trail experience and navigation skills required.

This hilly 6.8-mile circuit visits the best vistas in southern Harriman State Park, including views of the NYC skyline, after a fine start along one of the area's prettiest streams.

Escape the crowds on the Catskill High Peaks with this 5.6-mile bushwhack to the range's highest trail-less summit. Compass skills required; hiking poles recommended.

Enjoy a quiet escape, plus fine lake and forest views, when you travel along the scenic Winnebago River on this 6.3-mile loop to an old brewery site and rock quarry.

Passing through a mature hardwood forest, this 6.2-mile out-and-back contours gradually up Mt. Moosalamoo for fine views of the Green Mountains, Adirondacks, and Lake Dunmore.

Escape the glitter and gridlock of the Strip on this 11.7-mile loop, which cuts across open desert to explore contorted rock figures and massive red-rock cliffs.

This 4.4-mile hike leads to splendid red rock formations, a beautiful mesa overlooking the Colorado River, and a dose of gold-mining history.

Most of this easy 7-mile hike passes under a tree-shaded ridgeline that insulates dayhikers from the outside world.

This beautiful 5.1-mile loop in Hocking Hills State Park runs along a tight sandstone gorge to waterfalls, caves, and funky rock formations.

This little-used trail plunges 1,700 feet through wildflower country to a cool reward by West Clear Creek. Watch for cairns on this 6.8-mile hike to avoid involuntary bushwhacks.

Hoof it up more than 2,000 feet over 2.3 miles on this leg-burner up Bear Mountain for huge, arcing vistas over Sedona's redrock wonderland and the lush Verde Valley.

Quiet rules on this mostly off-trail, 5.1-mile scramble up a boulder strewn canyon to a gnarly rocky crown with panoramic mountain views in Pike National Forest.

Hike a shadowy creek bottom to carpets of sweet-smelling Texas wildflowers on this 9.6-mile out-and-back featuring a smorgasbord of wild sights. Open to bikes.

Visit a lesser-known treasure of Harriman State Park on this 5.7-mile jaunt, which contours through hilly hardwood forest and along cascading creeks to a few peaceful ponds.

Veer off this popular trail on a scenic detour with elevated views of impressive rock formations and beautiful Oak Creek Canyon. This out-and-back variation runs 6.7 miles.

This sometimes-steep 6.8-mile loop climbs hillsides carpeted with mountain laurel and hardwoods to two sweeping vistas overlooking the Lehigh and Cumberland Valleys.