1001 Walks You Must Take Before You Die

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Pennsylvania, USA

Pennsylvania, USA

Start Ohiopyle State Park End Conemaugh Gorge, near Johnstown Distance 70 miles (112 km) Time 7 days Grade Moderate Type Wooded paths, rocky stretches Map South: www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/

Start/End Forest Road, east of Marienville Distance 3.7 miles (6 km) Time 1.5–3 hours Grade Easy Type Circular route Map www.pabirds. org/siteguide/PASitePage.php?SiteID=108

In the west of Pennsylvania, just beyond the Allegheny Mountains, lies the string-like Laurel Ridge, a thin sliver of high ground that was made a state park in 1967. Along its length is a highland hiking trail celebrated for its varied terrain and staggering beauty.

Starting at the southern end of the trail in the Ohiopyle State Park, the track bumps up and down until leveling out on the ridge at around 2,700– 3,000 feet (823–915 m) above sea level. At this height, the temperature is considerably cooler than the humid valley floor. From then on the trail gently undulates its way northeast until descending steeply down 1,500 feet (457 m) into the beautiful Conemaugh Gorge.

The trail is marked roughly every 100 feet (30 m) with small, yellow blazes. These are necessary to find your way, but in truth your attention will be focused on the spectacular scenery on either side of the ridge.

Near the start, the twisting Youghiogheny River flows along to your right. Soon you are forced to ascend a 1,100-feet (335 m) stone staircase, the mushrooms and mosses of the lower slopes giving way to wildflowers and then towering hardwoods and groves of ferns.

Mountain laurels—the state flower of Pennsylvania— line the route. The Seven Springs Mountain Resort is the highest point of the trail, at 2,950 feet (900 m), after which you hike down snowless ski slopes and pass through swathes of cherry, maple, and beech trees and clumps of giant cinnamon ferns before making your final descent. Six overnight trailheads make it easy to break this walk up into seven stages, but it is possible to cover the ground in five days. SA

The Buzzard Swamp Trails comprise an 11.2-mile (18 km) network of pathways, any of which may be explored as add-ons to this basic itinerary. The short circular walk suggested here passes through some of the best spots in Pennsylvania for viewing migratory birds, as well as several interesting species of fauna.

It begins and ends at the parking lot on Forest Road, 2.5 miles (4 km) east of Marienville along Lamonaville Road. From there, proceed south along a wide, grassy path through hardwood forest and past several of the area’s fifteen artificial lakes. About 1 mile

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Buzzard Swamp Trails

“Don’t forget your binoculars or spotting scope for great views of the native fauna.” www.fs.usda.gov (1.6 km) into the journey, there is a rocky outcrop around 100 feet (30 m) off to the left, a favorite spot for day hikers to take their first break. After just under 2 miles (3 km) turn right, and then after 400 yards (366 m) right again along a dirt path that leads back through the forest to the starting point.

During the spring migration season, listen for the call of the Eastern meadowlark and keep an eye out for waterfowl, twenty-five species of which may be sighted around the ponds, as well as American coot, hooded merganser, and blue-and-green-winged teals. Later in the season it is possible to see Eastern bluebirds, tree swallows, and American kestrels. One may be lucky enough to see osprey and bald eagles overhead. GL

The Americas • USA | 385

Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail Pennsylvania, USA

Pennsylvania, USA

Start Ohiopyle State Park End Conemaugh Gorge, near Johnstown Distance 70 miles (112 km) Time 7 days Grade Moderate Type Wooded paths, rocky stretches Map South: www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/

Start/End Forest Road, east of Marienville Distance 3.7 miles (6 km) Time 1.5–3 hours Grade Easy Type Circular route Map www.pabirds. org/siteguide/PASitePage.php?SiteID=108

In the west of Pennsylvania, just beyond the Allegheny Mountains, lies the string-like Laurel Ridge, a thin sliver of high ground that was made a state park in 1967. Along its length is a highland hiking trail celebrated for its varied terrain and staggering beauty.

Starting at the southern end of the trail in the Ohiopyle State Park, the track bumps up and down until leveling out on the ridge at around 2,700– 3,000 feet (823–915 m) above sea level. At this height, the temperature is considerably cooler than the humid valley floor. From then on the trail gently undulates its way northeast until descending steeply down 1,500 feet (457 m) into the beautiful Conemaugh Gorge.

The trail is marked roughly every 100 feet (30 m) with small, yellow blazes. These are necessary to find your way, but in truth your attention will be focused on the spectacular scenery on either side of the ridge.

Near the start, the twisting Youghiogheny River flows along to your right. Soon you are forced to ascend a 1,100-feet (335 m) stone staircase, the mushrooms and mosses of the lower slopes giving way to wildflowers and then towering hardwoods and groves of ferns.

Mountain laurels—the state flower of Pennsylvania— line the route. The Seven Springs Mountain Resort is the highest point of the trail, at 2,950 feet (900 m), after which you hike down snowless ski slopes and pass through swathes of cherry, maple, and beech trees and clumps of giant cinnamon ferns before making your final descent. Six overnight trailheads make it easy to break this walk up into seven stages, but it is possible to cover the ground in five days. SA

The Buzzard Swamp Trails comprise an 11.2-mile (18 km) network of pathways, any of which may be explored as add-ons to this basic itinerary. The short circular walk suggested here passes through some of the best spots in Pennsylvania for viewing migratory birds, as well as several interesting species of fauna.

It begins and ends at the parking lot on Forest Road, 2.5 miles (4 km) east of Marienville along Lamonaville Road. From there, proceed south along a wide, grassy path through hardwood forest and past several of the area’s fifteen artificial lakes. About 1 mile

Xxxxxxxxx.

Buzzard Swamp Trails

“Don’t forget your binoculars or spotting scope for great views of the native fauna.” www.fs.usda.gov (1.6 km) into the journey, there is a rocky outcrop around 100 feet (30 m) off to the left, a favorite spot for day hikers to take their first break. After just under 2 miles (3 km) turn right, and then after 400 yards (366 m) right again along a dirt path that leads back through the forest to the starting point.

During the spring migration season, listen for the call of the Eastern meadowlark and keep an eye out for waterfowl, twenty-five species of which may be sighted around the ponds, as well as American coot, hooded merganser, and blue-and-green-winged teals. Later in the season it is possible to see Eastern bluebirds, tree swallows, and American kestrels. One may be lucky enough to see osprey and bald eagles overhead. GL

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

The Americas • USA | 385

Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco, USA

Bay Area Ridge: Presidio Trail San Francisco, USA

Start Marina Green End Fort Point Distance 3 miles (4.8 km) Time 1 hour Grade Easy Type Shoreline walk Map www.baytrail.org/baytrailmap.html

Start/End Arguello Gate/Golden Gate Bridge Distance 2.5 miles (4 km) Time 1–3 hours Grade Easy to moderate Type Trails Map www.presidio.gov/explore/ trails/Pages/bay-area-ridge-trail.aspx#.Uva-U_ldWSo

Although the Bay Area Ridge Trail is one dramatic way to approach the Golden Gate Bridge, another option if you’re staying in the city is to start at Marina Green Park and make the classic approach to the bridge: from the shoreline. You cannot leave San Francisco without some memorable bridge views, and this short and easy walk certainly provides them. At the start of the walk there are also good views toward Alcatraz Island.

The trail is marked and easy to follow, being popular with joggers as well as walkers, and you

Mark Twain said that everybody loves two cities, their own and San Francisco. Few visitors to the city get to see it, and the Golden Gate Bridge, in the way that locals know about on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. When it’s finished, the entire trail will amount to over 550 miles (885 km), mainly through the hills that surround San Francisco Bay. This section, the San Francisco Presidio, is both easily accessible from the city center and provides impressive views both near and far of the bay, the Pacific Ocean, and especially the Golden Gate Bridge. In addition to enjoying the walk, allow time to first explore the Presidio itself. This hilly district west of the city center was first fortified in 1776 and today is a recreational park filled with pine, cypress, and eucalyptus forests, pathways, and views. The start of the trail passes through a grove of Monterey cypress trees, first planted in the 1890s.

Walking down the trail there are really breathtaking views of the whole of the bay, and Marin County beyond, and before long you’ll have a distant and magnificent view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Further on there’s a Pacific Overlook followed by a Golden Gate Overlook, and several other overlooks just off the trail and not to be missed, including Immigrant Point Overlook and Cemetery Overlook.

The trail leads you to the southern end of the bridge itself, for more impressive close-up views.

There’s no better way of approaching the bridge on foot than by picking your way down this trail and seeing it gradually get closer and closer. You’ll know why Mark Twain said what he did. MG

“One of the most famous and most beautiful bridges in the world.” www.nps.gov certainly won’t get lost as you head toward the magnificent sight of the bridge. You’ll also be treated to unforgettable views across San Francisco Bay, but bear in mind that San Francisco is notoriously misty, and this is usually in the mornings. If the day starts off misty, plan to take your hike in the afternoon instead.

The walk takes you through Crissy Field, a one-time airfield and now a public park that’s being reclaimed as wetland. Beyond here the trail sweeps around past Torpedo Wharf and heads to Fort Point, underneath the bridge. From Fort Point you can climb up to the bridge itself, if you retrace your steps a short way, for equally lovely views back the way you came. MG

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318 | Coastal & Shoreline

Golden Gate Bridge San Francisco, USA

Bay Area Ridge: Presidio Trail San Francisco, USA

Start Marina Green End Fort Point Distance 3 miles (4.8 km) Time 1 hour Grade Easy Type Shoreline walk Map www.baytrail.org/baytrailmap.html

Start/End Arguello Gate/Golden Gate Bridge Distance 2.5 miles (4 km) Time 1–3 hours Grade Easy to moderate Type Trails Map www.presidio.gov/explore/ trails/Pages/bay-area-ridge-trail.aspx#.Uva-U_ldWSo

Although the Bay Area Ridge Trail is one dramatic way to approach the Golden Gate Bridge, another option if you’re staying in the city is to start at Marina Green Park and make the classic approach to the bridge: from the shoreline. You cannot leave San Francisco without some memorable bridge views, and this short and easy walk certainly provides them. At the start of the walk there are also good views toward Alcatraz Island.

The trail is marked and easy to follow, being popular with joggers as well as walkers, and you

Mark Twain said that everybody loves two cities, their own and San Francisco. Few visitors to the city get to see it, and the Golden Gate Bridge, in the way that locals know about on the Bay Area Ridge Trail. When it’s finished, the entire trail will amount to over 550 miles (885 km), mainly through the hills that surround San Francisco Bay. This section, the San Francisco Presidio, is both easily accessible from the city center and provides impressive views both near and far of the bay, the Pacific Ocean, and especially the Golden Gate Bridge. In addition to enjoying the walk, allow time to first explore the Presidio itself. This hilly district west of the city center was first fortified in 1776 and today is a recreational park filled with pine, cypress, and eucalyptus forests, pathways, and views. The start of the trail passes through a grove of Monterey cypress trees, first planted in the 1890s.

Walking down the trail there are really breathtaking views of the whole of the bay, and Marin County beyond, and before long you’ll have a distant and magnificent view of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Further on there’s a Pacific Overlook followed by a Golden Gate Overlook, and several other overlooks just off the trail and not to be missed, including Immigrant Point Overlook and Cemetery Overlook.

The trail leads you to the southern end of the bridge itself, for more impressive close-up views.

There’s no better way of approaching the bridge on foot than by picking your way down this trail and seeing it gradually get closer and closer. You’ll know why Mark Twain said what he did. MG

“One of the most famous and most beautiful bridges in the world.” www.nps.gov certainly won’t get lost as you head toward the magnificent sight of the bridge. You’ll also be treated to unforgettable views across San Francisco Bay, but bear in mind that San Francisco is notoriously misty, and this is usually in the mornings. If the day starts off misty, plan to take your hike in the afternoon instead.

The walk takes you through Crissy Field, a one-time airfield and now a public park that’s being reclaimed as wetland. Beyond here the trail sweeps around past Torpedo Wharf and heads to Fort Point, underneath the bridge. From Fort Point you can climb up to the bridge itself, if you retrace your steps a short way, for equally lovely views back the way you came. MG

Xxxxxxxxx.

318 | Coastal & Shoreline

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

Bayfield Sea and Ice Caves Wisconsin, USA

Finger Lakes Trail New York State, USA

Start/End Xxxxxxxx Distance 2 miles (3.2 km) round trip Time 2–3 hours Grade Easy Type Ice/snow Map www.nps.gov/apis/mainland-caves-winter.htm

Start Allegheny State Park End Catskill Forest Preserve Distance 558 miles (897 km) Time 6–7 weeks Grade Strenuous Type Long-distance trail Map www.fltconference.org/trail/go-hiking/interactive-map-segmented/

The sea and ice caves that line the foreshore of Wisconsin’s Bayfield Peninsula on Lake Superior make a fine walk in spring, summer, and fall, and many a hiking trail will take you through the dense woodlands that line the lakeshore and down to the water’s edge on the Lakeshore Trail.

However, this approach gets you much too close.

Sometimes you need to step back to properly appreciate nature, and you can’t do that with a choppy lake in the way; add to that access to some of the caves can be difficult in stormy conditions. Also, while approaching them from the water may provide a far better view, this is not an ideal solution for anyone who ever felt uncomfortable in a kayak.

Fortunately if you don’t feel comfortable paddling and rolling about on an icy lake but at the same time hanker for the lake’s perspective onto this interesting

strip of coast, you always have the option of waiting until the depths of winter, and approaching it all on foot over frozen ice.

In winter the Bayfield Peninsula Sea Caves are transformed into majestic, sculpted ice caves, and a good cold winter sees conga lines of well-clad locals and well-informed outsiders making their way across the lake to view them immersed in a sea of white from vantage points usually denied. The thickness of the ice can vary, and wind and waves can break even thick ice up and make it very unstable. A Sea Caves Watch website and a telephone “Ice Line” should be checked before venturing out. Observing these ice-draped wonders while standing on a frozen lake is an experience not to be missed. BDS Xxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

328 | Coastal & Shoreline

The Finger Lakes Trail is the longest single network of trails to be found in New York State, with offshoots going in all directions. There are roughly 400 miles (644 km) that branch off and yet are still part of the Finger Lakes Trail, not to mention the other trails that Finger Lakes crosses, such as the 500-mile (800 km) Bruce Trail that heads up into Canada. The main Finger Lakes Trail on its own is a challenge for even experienced long-distance hikers, and it’s estimated that only about twenty people a year complete the whole hike in one go. Many others tackle the trail a stretch at a time, sometimes over many years.

Although it’s not one of the most familiar U.S. trails, some people regard it as one of the best, partly due to its unfamiliarity. People hiking its full length report that they can walk for a week without seeing another person, which makes it a hike for the self-sufficient.

The scenery along the trail is not especially dramatic, although the endless rolling hills are certainly attractive. What appeals here is the solitude, the feeling that you’re doing something special, and the discovery that you don’t have to have dramatic cliffs, mountains, or gorges to make for a beautiful walk and an exhilarating experience.

The trail is especially thrilling in the fall when the autumn colors come to the trees, nowhere more so than at the western extremes of the Catskill Mountains. Spring, too, is a perfect time to hike, with the trees in blossom and the wildlife starting to get active again. Some people even hike the trail in winter, showing there’s no bad time to hike New York State’s longest, long-distance footpath. MG Xxxxxxxxxxx.

The Americas • USA | 329

Bayfield Sea and Ice Caves Wisconsin, USA

Finger Lakes Trail New York State, USA

Start/End Xxxxxxxx Distance 2 miles (3.2 km) round trip Time 2–3 hours Grade Easy Type Ice/snow Map www.nps.gov/apis/mainland-caves-winter.htm

Start Allegheny State Park End Catskill Forest Preserve Distance 558 miles (897 km) Time 6–7 weeks Grade Strenuous Type Long-distance trail Map www.fltconference.org/trail/go-hiking/interactive-map-segmented/

The sea and ice caves that line the foreshore of Wisconsin’s Bayfield Peninsula on Lake Superior make a fine walk in spring, summer, and fall, and many a hiking trail will take you through the dense woodlands that line the lakeshore and down to the water’s edge on the Lakeshore Trail.

However, this approach gets you much too close.

Sometimes you need to step back to properly appreciate nature, and you can’t do that with a choppy lake in the way; add to that access to some of the caves can be difficult in stormy conditions. Also, while approaching them from the water may provide a far better view, this is not an ideal solution for anyone who ever felt uncomfortable in a kayak.

Fortunately if you don’t feel comfortable paddling and rolling about on an icy lake but at the same time hanker for the lake’s perspective onto this interesting 328 | Coastal & Shoreline

strip of coast, you always have the option of waiting until the depths of winter, and approaching it all on foot over frozen ice.

In winter the Bayfield Peninsula Sea Caves are transformed into majestic, sculpted ice caves, and a good cold winter sees conga lines of well-clad locals and well-informed outsiders making their way across the lake to view them immersed in a sea of white from vantage points usually denied. The thickness of the ice can vary, and wind and waves can break even thick ice up and make it very unstable. A Sea Caves Watch website and a telephone “Ice Line” should be checked before venturing out. Observing these ice-draped wonders while standing on a frozen lake is an experience not to be missed. BDS Xxxxxxxxx.

The Finger Lakes Trail is the longest single network of trails to be found in New York State, with offshoots going in all directions. There are roughly 400 miles (644 km) that branch off and yet are still part of the Finger Lakes Trail, not to mention the other trails that Finger Lakes crosses, such as the 500-mile (800 km) Bruce Trail that heads up into Canada. The main Finger Lakes Trail on its own is a challenge for even experienced long-distance hikers, and it’s estimated that only about twenty people a year complete the whole hike in one go. Many others tackle the trail a stretch at a time, sometimes over many years.

Although it’s not one of the most familiar U.S. trails, some people regard it as one of the best, partly due to its unfamiliarity. People hiking its full length report that they can walk for a week without seeing another person, which makes it a hike for the self-sufficient.

The scenery along the trail is not especially dramatic, although the endless rolling hills are certainly attractive. What appeals here is the solitude, the feeling that you’re doing something special, and the discovery that you don’t have to have dramatic cliffs, mountains, or gorges to make for a beautiful walk and an exhilarating experience.

The trail is especially thrilling in the fall when the autumn colors come to the trees, nowhere more so than at the western extremes of the Catskill Mountains. Spring, too, is a perfect time to hike, with the trees in blossom and the wildlife starting to get active again. Some people even hike the trail in winter, showing there’s no bad time to hike New York State’s longest, long-distance footpath. MG Xxxxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

The Americas • USA | 329

Hudson Valley Rail Trail and Walkway Over the Hudson

Robert Frost Interpretive Trail

New York City, USA

Vermont, USA

“Offers thrilling river views and connects riverside parks, cultural attractions and historic points of interest.” nyparks.com

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Start Intersection of New Paltz Road & Route 299 End Walkway Over the Hudson Distance 7.5 miles (12 km) Time 4 hours Grade Easy Type Paved Map www.traillink.com/trail/hudson-valley-rail-trail.aspx

Start/End Route 125 parking area outside Ripton Distance 1.2 miles (1.9 km) Time 30–45 minutes Grade Easy Type Gravel path and boardwalk Map trailfinder.info/trail.php?id=166

When compared to many other successful rails-totrails conversions across the United States, the Hudson Valley Rail Trail may seem a tad short—just 7.5 miles (12 km)—but what it lacks in distance it more than makes up for in sheer scenic delight. It passes through hardwood forests, underneath two gorgeous stonearch bridges, over the popular kayaking and canoeing thoroughfare that is Black Creek, along a green corridor through the idyllic hamlet of Highland with its cafés and delicatessens lining the trail, and finally onto and over the Walkway Over the Hudson—the reinvented, steel-cantilevered Poughkeepsie Bridge (1889), now the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. The bridge, which ceased taking traffic in the 1970s was the spur for the rail-to-trails birth in 2009, when it was given new life as a route-shortening option for the installation of a new generation of fiber-optic cables.

Once over the Hudson River, you can also connect with the Dutchess Rail Trail which, should you still have the legs for it, take you a further 13 miles (20.9 km) to the town of Hopewell Junction. Providing, of course, you can tear yourself away from the view the 21-feet (65-m) high Walkway Over the Hudson provides. The bridge, the world’s longest when it was completed, is a designated National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Originally built to connect New York and New England to the growing national rail network it fell into disrepair after being severely damaged by fire in 1974 and has since been reinvented as a “pedestrian park” 1.25 miles (2 km) in length, providing public access to the Hudson River’s scenic landscape and waterfront. BDS

The great U.S. poet Robert Frost moved to Vermont from New Hampshire because he wanted “a better place to farm and especially grow apples.” He settled in a log cabin in Ripton on the Homer Noble Farm in the Green Mountains. A farmer first and poet second, the farm would become his summer home for the next twenty-three years, and much of the verse we are so familiar with today was written on the farm and in the small log cabin that still stands there, poems that were rooted in the state’s rock-strewn soil. The area surrounding Ripton was officially designated Robert Frost Country in 1983. There is a Robert Frost Memorial Drive, a Robert Frost Wayside Picnic ground, the Bread Loaf School of English established in 1919 in Middlebury, which Frost first visited in 1921 and returned to regularly over the next forty-two years— and there is the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail.

The trail is a short walk through lovely woodlands and fields of blueberries and huckleberries with occasional plaques annotating Frost’s poetry mounted along the way. It was developed by the Green Mountain National Forest with the assistance of some of Frost’s old friends including Reginald “Doc” Cook, who chose the poems and arranged the installation of the plaques. A writer himself, Cook has authored numerous books detailing Frost’s life and legacy, and would often join the poet on long walks through the neighboring Bread Loaf Woods: “When we went outside in the fields and woods he proved as deliberately deviable a walker as a talker. We commonly started from his Ripton cabin, picked up two walking sticks and entered the woods with Gillie, a Border collie, hugging our heels.” BDS

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

322 | Heritage

“His poems are more than rooted in the state’s landscape, they are the landscape: its stony and frugal soil, its shimmering green glens.” www.nytimes.com

Xxxxxxxxx.

The Americas • USA | 323

Hudson Valley Rail Trail and Walkway Over the Hudson

Robert Frost Interpretive Trail

New York City, USA

Vermont, USA

“Offers thrilling river views and connects riverside parks, cultural attractions and historic points of interest.” nyparks.com

Xxxxxxxxxxx.

322 | Heritage

Start Intersection of New Paltz Road & Route 299 End Walkway Over the Hudson Distance 7.5 miles (12 km) Time 4 hours Grade Easy Type Paved Map www.traillink.com/trail/hudson-valley-rail-trail.aspx

Start/End Route 125 parking area outside Ripton Distance 1.2 miles (1.9 km) Time 30–45 minutes Grade Easy Type Gravel path and boardwalk Map trailfinder.info/trail.php?id=166

When compared to many other successful rails-totrails conversions across the United States, the Hudson Valley Rail Trail may seem a tad short—just 7.5 miles (12 km)—but what it lacks in distance it more than makes up for in sheer scenic delight. It passes through hardwood forests, underneath two gorgeous stonearch bridges, over the popular kayaking and canoeing thoroughfare that is Black Creek, along a green corridor through the idyllic hamlet of Highland with its cafés and delicatessens lining the trail, and finally onto and over the Walkway Over the Hudson—the reinvented, steel-cantilevered Poughkeepsie Bridge (1889), now the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the world. The bridge, which ceased taking traffic in the 1970s was the spur for the rail-to-trails birth in 2009, when it was given new life as a route-shortening option for the installation of a new generation of fiber-optic cables.

Once over the Hudson River, you can also connect with the Dutchess Rail Trail which, should you still have the legs for it, take you a further 13 miles (20.9 km) to the town of Hopewell Junction. Providing, of course, you can tear yourself away from the view the 21-feet (65-m) high Walkway Over the Hudson provides. The bridge, the world’s longest when it was completed, is a designated National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. Originally built to connect New York and New England to the growing national rail network it fell into disrepair after being severely damaged by fire in 1974 and has since been reinvented as a “pedestrian park” 1.25 miles (2 km) in length, providing public access to the Hudson River’s scenic landscape and waterfront. BDS

The great U.S. poet Robert Frost moved to Vermont from New Hampshire because he wanted “a better place to farm and especially grow apples.” He settled in a log cabin in Ripton on the Homer Noble Farm in the Green Mountains. A farmer first and poet second, the farm would become his summer home for the next twenty-three years, and much of the verse we are so familiar with today was written on the farm and in the small log cabin that still stands there, poems that were rooted in the state’s rock-strewn soil. The area surrounding Ripton was officially designated Robert Frost Country in 1983. There is a Robert Frost Memorial Drive, a Robert Frost Wayside Picnic ground, the Bread Loaf School of English established in 1919 in Middlebury, which Frost first visited in 1921 and returned to regularly over the next forty-two years— and there is the Robert Frost Interpretive Trail.

The trail is a short walk through lovely woodlands and fields of blueberries and huckleberries with occasional plaques annotating Frost’s poetry mounted along the way. It was developed by the Green Mountain National Forest with the assistance of some of Frost’s old friends including Reginald “Doc” Cook, who chose the poems and arranged the installation of the plaques. A writer himself, Cook has authored numerous books detailing Frost’s life and legacy, and would often join the poet on long walks through the neighboring Bread Loaf Woods: “When we went outside in the fields and woods he proved as deliberately deviable a walker as a talker. We commonly started from his Ripton cabin, picked up two walking sticks and entered the woods with Gillie, a Border collie, hugging our heels.” BDS

“His poems are more than rooted in the state’s landscape, they are the landscape: its stony and frugal soil, its shimmering green glens.” www.nytimes.com

Xxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

The Americas • USA | 323

Parker Ridge Trail Alberta, Canada

Redearth Creek to Shadow Lake Alberta, Canada

Start/End Parker Ridge Trailhead Distance 1.6 miles (2.7 km) one way Time 1 hour each way Grade Easy to moderate Type Forest/alpine trail Map www.jasperjournal.com

Start Redearth Creek parking area End Shadow Lake Lodge Distance 9 miles (14.5 km) Time 3 .5–4 .5 hours one way Grade Easy Type Old mining road, forest trails Map www.shadowlakelodge.com/map.html

If you’re a hiker and you’re in the area of the Columbia Icefields in northern Banff National Park, then the Parker Ridge Trail is an absolute “must do.” Try, however, to walk it either in the early morning or late in the afternoon, because the trailhead is off a large parking lot right on the Icefield Parkway and is guaranteed to be crowded in the middle of the day, particularly in summer. Do your bit to help preserve the environment and avoid the temptation to “shortcut” the trail’s series of switchbacks (the alpine vegetation here is delicate) and take your time to walk through its forest of subalpine fir and spruce. As you near the ridgeline, keep your eyes out for bighorn sheep, and if you’re lucky, maybe even a grizzly or two.

The trail is undemanding and straightforward, but don’t forget to take a coat with you as winds on the ridge can be cold even on a warm day. The first third

of the trail is over avalanche paths past several stands of stunted alpine fir and soil covered in wildflowers fed by the melting snowpack. Trees are then left behind as you enter the alpine zone, characterized by moss campion and forget-me-nots that survive in its wind-blown, tundralike landscape. From here the trail climbs quickly, and the reward at the trail’s end seems out of all proportion to the effort expended—a magnificent view of the mighty 5.6-mile (9-km) Saskatchewan Glacier, the primary water source for the North Saskatchewan River. In good weather you can see all the way to the source of the glacier in the southern Columbia Icefield, and behind it towers the snow-clad peak of the sentinellike Castleguard Mountain, standing at 10,965 feet (3,342 m). BDS Xxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

34 | Mountains

Shadow Lake sits beneath the towering granite face of Mt. Ball (10,863 feet/3,311 m) on the Continental Divide at the border of Banff and Kootenay national parks. Mt. Ball is the highest peak in the 22-mile(35.5-km)- long Ball Range and is a relatively littlevisited peak because of the fact that it cannot be seen by the thousands who pass close to it each day on the nearby Trans-Canada Highway. The same anonymity that Mt. Ball enjoys also applies to the lake that sits beneath its summit, which is why a hike to Shadow Lake is one of the most rewarding and serene walks that can be enjoyed in this popular region of the Rocky Mountains.

While it is possible to get to Shadow Lake and back in a day, it would be remiss not to organize to spend a night at the fabulous Shadow Lake Lodge, an elaborate and spacious backcountry log cabin

accessible only by hiking or cross-country skiing. A few days would be even better to allow for proper exploration of the many trails and options you’ll find once you arrive.

Three quarters of the hike in is made on an old mining road that was laid down along Redearth and Pharaoh creeks in the 1920s, which makes for a gradual climb and a chance to take in the breathtaking scenery.

After 6.5 miles (10.5 km) the trail to the lake branches off to the right and takes you through thick forest for about a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the lake’s excellent campsite, and from there it’s just a five-minute walk to the lodge. And once you have refueled, the lake together with the lure of glacier-adorned Mt. Ball behind it will just make you want to keep on hiking. BDS Xxxxxxxxxxx.

The Americas • Canada | 35

Parker Ridge Trail Alberta, Canada

Redearth Creek to Shadow Lake Alberta, Canada

Start/End Parker Ridge Trailhead Distance 1.6 miles (2.7 km) one way Time 1 hour each way Grade Easy to moderate Type Forest/alpine trail Map www.jasperjournal.com

Start Redearth Creek parking area End Shadow Lake Lodge Distance 9 miles (14.5 km) Time 3 .5–4 .5 hours one way Grade Easy Type Old mining road, forest trails Map www.shadowlakelodge.com/map.html

If you’re a hiker and you’re in the area of the Columbia Icefields in northern Banff National Park, then the Parker Ridge Trail is an absolute “must do.” Try, however, to walk it either in the early morning or late in the afternoon, because the trailhead is off a large parking lot right on the Icefield Parkway and is guaranteed to be crowded in the middle of the day, particularly in summer. Do your bit to help preserve the environment and avoid the temptation to “shortcut” the trail’s series of switchbacks (the alpine vegetation here is delicate) and take your time to walk through its forest of subalpine fir and spruce. As you near the ridgeline, keep your eyes out for bighorn sheep, and if you’re lucky, maybe even a grizzly or two.

The trail is undemanding and straightforward, but don’t forget to take a coat with you as winds on the ridge can be cold even on a warm day. The first third

34 | Mountains

of the trail is over avalanche paths past several stands of stunted alpine fir and soil covered in wildflowers fed by the melting snowpack. Trees are then left behind as you enter the alpine zone, characterized by moss campion and forget-me-nots that survive in its wind-blown, tundralike landscape. From here the trail climbs quickly, and the reward at the trail’s end seems out of all proportion to the effort expended—a magnificent view of the mighty 5.6-mile (9-km) Saskatchewan Glacier, the primary water source for the North Saskatchewan River. In good weather you can see all the way to the source of the glacier in the southern Columbia Icefield, and behind it towers the snow-clad peak of the sentinellike Castleguard Mountain, standing at 10,965 feet (3,342 m). BDS Xxxxxxxxx.

Shadow Lake sits beneath the towering granite face of Mt. Ball (10,863 feet/3,311 m) on the Continental Divide at the border of Banff and Kootenay national parks. Mt. Ball is the highest peak in the 22-mile(35.5-km)- long Ball Range and is a relatively littlevisited peak because of the fact that it cannot be seen by the thousands who pass close to it each day on the nearby Trans-Canada Highway. The same anonymity that Mt. Ball enjoys also applies to the lake that sits beneath its summit, which is why a hike to Shadow Lake is one of the most rewarding and serene walks that can be enjoyed in this popular region of the Rocky Mountains.

While it is possible to get to Shadow Lake and back in a day, it would be remiss not to organize to spend a night at the fabulous Shadow Lake Lodge, an elaborate and spacious backcountry log cabin

accessible only by hiking or cross-country skiing. A few days would be even better to allow for proper exploration of the many trails and options you’ll find once you arrive.

Three quarters of the hike in is made on an old mining road that was laid down along Redearth and Pharaoh creeks in the 1920s, which makes for a gradual climb and a chance to take in the breathtaking scenery.

After 6.5 miles (10.5 km) the trail to the lake branches off to the right and takes you through thick forest for about a 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the lake’s excellent campsite, and from there it’s just a five-minute walk to the lodge. And once you have refueled, the lake together with the lure of glacier-adorned Mt. Ball behind it will just make you want to keep on hiking. BDS Xxxxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

The Americas • Canada | 35

Florence to Siena “Chianti” Trail Tuscany, Italy

Siena to Orvieto Tuscany, Italy

Start Piazza della Signoria, Florence End Piazza del Campo, Siena Distance 47 miles (75.5 km) Time 4–5 days Grade Easy Type Rural lanes and pathways Map See Walking in Tuscany, Gillian Price (Cicerone, 1998)

Start Siena End Orvieto Distance 50 miles (80.4 km) Time 7 days Grade Easy Type Rural roads and farm trails Map Xxxxxxxx

Traditionally associated with squat-like bottles enclosed within ubiquitous straw baskets, the wines of the Chianti region in Tuscany first began to evolve their distinctive characteristics in the early 1700s. They developed, south of Florence, in the vicinity of the villages of Gaiole, Radda, and Castellina, which had a history of habitation dating back to the Etruscans. To walk along the backbone of the Chianti Hills, along paths used by generations of farmers, through undisturbed tracts of woodlands, and to be able to look down upon valleys where the famous grape has been grown for over 300 years is not only a feast for the feet. It is a feast for the senses.

Beginning in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria you will pass by everything that tells you are in Italy—small churches overlooking village piazzas, tiny hamlets, abbeys, castles, lines of cypress trees, olive groves, and

vineyards. The walk also provides an unaccustomed degree of solitude in a region steeped in tourism, so expect a day or two when the only people you may meet are disinterested locals and maybe the occasional mushroom hunter. The wildlife, however, is another story. Don’t be surprised if a wild boar crosses your path, though more likely encounters will be with partridges and pheasants. Don’t think it too pleasant a stroll either. Stages can be long and tiring with constant ups and downs, which compete with fabulous landmarks to take your breath away, such as the Abbey of Fattoria di Monte Scalari near San Polo.

Finally you come off the ridges for the walk into Siena, through the vineyards of Castello di Brolio, and into the historic Piazza del Campo. BDS Xxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

336 | Overland

Thirteenth-century Italy was the era of the citystate—independent autonomous entities that controlled their own affairs and those of the villages surrounding them. In Italy Siena and Orvieto were two such entities, who once joined forces and managed to conquer most of southern Tuscany. When disputes over territory arose in the 1250s, Orvieto switched its allegiance to Florence, but by the mid-1300s Orvieto’s elite had alienated so many people that its status as a city-state came to an end, and by the end of the fourteenth century had been overrun and its wealth plundered by Breton mercenaries. Siena, which in the meantime had gained control of the prosperous region of Chianti, couldn’t have been happier.

There is much beauty to be seen on a week-long walk from Siena south to Orvieto over the rolling hills of Tuscany, but there is a lot here that you cannot see,

too. The more you learn of the politics and struggles that characterized this idyllic corner of Italy for hundreds of years, the more you will see.

The most popular route takes you along the Via Francigena, the old pilgrims’ route that stretches from England to Rome, through fortified towns such as Buonconvento, sleepy hamlets like Castelnuovo, along the beautiful Val’Orcia, and to the medieval thermal springs in Bagno Vignoni. When you arrive in Orvieto don’t forget to book a tour of the ancient Etruscan caves beneath the town, and seek out the labyrinth of escape tunnels that led from the houses of nobles through the tufa (limestone), in the event their enemies should strike in the night in the era of state versus state. BDS Xxxxxxxxxxx.

Europe • Italy | 337

Florence to Siena “Chianti” Trail Tuscany, Italy

Siena to Orvieto Tuscany, Italy

Start Piazza della Signoria, Florence End Piazza del Campo, Siena Distance 47 miles (75.5 km) Time 4–5 days Grade Easy Type Rural lanes and pathways Map See Walking in Tuscany, Gillian Price (Cicerone, 1998)

Start Siena End Orvieto Distance 50 miles (80.4 km) Time 7 days Grade Easy Type Rural roads and farm trails Map Xxxxxxxx

Traditionally associated with squat-like bottles enclosed within ubiquitous straw baskets, the wines of the Chianti region in Tuscany first began to evolve their distinctive characteristics in the early 1700s. They developed, south of Florence, in the vicinity of the villages of Gaiole, Radda, and Castellina, which had a history of habitation dating back to the Etruscans. To walk along the backbone of the Chianti Hills, along paths used by generations of farmers, through undisturbed tracts of woodlands, and to be able to look down upon valleys where the famous grape has been grown for over 300 years is not only a feast for the feet. It is a feast for the senses.

Beginning in Florence’s Piazza della Signoria you will pass by everything that tells you are in Italy—small churches overlooking village piazzas, tiny hamlets, abbeys, castles, lines of cypress trees, olive groves, and

336 | Overland

vineyards. The walk also provides an unaccustomed degree of solitude in a region steeped in tourism, so expect a day or two when the only people you may meet are disinterested locals and maybe the occasional mushroom hunter. The wildlife, however, is another story. Don’t be surprised if a wild boar crosses your path, though more likely encounters will be with partridges and pheasants. Don’t think it too pleasant a stroll either. Stages can be long and tiring with constant ups and downs, which compete with fabulous landmarks to take your breath away, such as the Abbey of Fattoria di Monte Scalari near San Polo.

Finally you come off the ridges for the walk into Siena, through the vineyards of Castello di Brolio, and into the historic Piazza del Campo. BDS Xxxxxxxxx.

Thirteenth-century Italy was the era of the citystate—independent autonomous entities that controlled their own affairs and those of the villages surrounding them. In Italy Siena and Orvieto were two such entities, who once joined forces and managed to conquer most of southern Tuscany. When disputes over territory arose in the 1250s, Orvieto switched its allegiance to Florence, but by the mid-1300s Orvieto’s elite had alienated so many people that its status as a city-state came to an end, and by the end of the fourteenth century had been overrun and its wealth plundered by Breton mercenaries. Siena, which in the meantime had gained control of the prosperous region of Chianti, couldn’t have been happier.

There is much beauty to be seen on a week-long walk from Siena south to Orvieto over the rolling hills of Tuscany, but there is a lot here that you cannot see,

too. The more you learn of the politics and struggles that characterized this idyllic corner of Italy for hundreds of years, the more you will see.

The most popular route takes you along the Via Francigena, the old pilgrims’ route that stretches from England to Rome, through fortified towns such as Buonconvento, sleepy hamlets like Castelnuovo, along the beautiful Val’Orcia, and to the medieval thermal springs in Bagno Vignoni. When you arrive in Orvieto don’t forget to book a tour of the ancient Etruscan caves beneath the town, and seek out the labyrinth of escape tunnels that led from the houses of nobles through the tufa (limestone), in the event their enemies should strike in the night in the era of state versus state. BDS Xxxxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

Europe • Italy | 337

Left Bank, Seine Paris, France

Île Saint-Louis Paris, France

Start Chaillot Palace End Notre Dame Distance 4 miles (6.4 km) Time 3 hours Grade Easy Type City walk/pavement Map www.tourbytransit.com/paris/things-to-do/paris-walking-tour-left-bank

Start/End Rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile Distance Variable Time 2 hours Grade Easy Type Pavement Map www.airbnb.com.au/locations/paris/saint-paul-ile-saint-louis

This walk stakes no claim to encompass the whole of the French capital, but it does give the visitor a fabulous introduction to the city. Naturally the total distance may be covered in less than the time suggested, but there is much to take in en route.

The starting point at the Chaillot Palace has been chosen partly because it is a beautiful building housing the historic Naval Museum, the Museum of Mankind, and the Cinema Museum—but mainly because it provides a wonderful view of the next stop along the way, the Eiffel Tower, which you reach by crossing the Pont d’Iéna.

You might like to climb to the viewing platform near the top of the 1,056-feet (322-m) landmark, then proceed across the Champ de Mars to the Place Joffre, turn left, and walk straight on past L’École Militaire on Avenue de la Motte-Picquet into Les

Invalides, a garden full of museums and monuments detailing French military history.

Eventually you return to the river bank, turn right, and walk along the Quai Voltaire past the entrance to the magnificent Musée d’Orsay art gallery in a former railway station that now houses important works by a range of artists including many leading Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.

On reaching the sixteenth-century Pont Neuf— the oldest bridge in Paris—you cross onto the Île de la Cité and into the shadows of Notre Dame, the great Gothic cathedral, which was begun in 1163 and largely completed by the middle of the fourteenth century, concluding a walk that is guaranteed to whet the appetite for exploring Paris in detail. GL Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

364 | Urban

The Île Saint-Louis on the Seine is one of two natural islands on the river, connected to the surrounding city by five bridges. Once used for grazing cattle and to stockpile wood for the winter, the island is now often full to overflowing with tourists, particularly in summer. But there is a good reason: this is one of the city’s prettiest neighborhoods, with row after row of gorgeous seventeenth-century townhouses, and if you’re here at just the right time in the late afternoon when the sun strikes the Quai de Bourbon and the Pont Marie, the beauty of Paris will literally take your breath away.

The guide books say that an hour and a half is all you need to explore the streets, but you can easily spend more time here. The island’s two bookstores alone, the Librairie Ulysses and the Librairie de Paris et son Patrimoine, will consume an hour each. The

residents love the sense of “separateness from the city“ and refer to walking over the Pont de la Tournelle as being “on the way to the Continent.” Take your time to walk along the romantic riverbanks and soak up the village atmosphere as you look over the water at the Latin Quarter to one side and Le Marais on the other. Île Saint-Louis is the very heart of Paris.

The monumental buildings on the island include the baroque seventeenth-century church SaintLouis-en-l’Île, but it is the streets with their small shops, fromageries, and groceries that really enchant—not to forget the legendary establishment of Berthillon on the rue Saint-Louis-en-I’Île, arguably home to the finest ice cream in France and a destination in itself. BDS Xxxxxxxxxxx.

Europe • France | 365

Left Bank, Seine Paris, France

Île Saint-Louis Paris, France

Start Chaillot Palace End Notre Dame Distance 4 miles (6.4 km) Time 3 hours Grade Easy Type City walk/pavement Map www.tourbytransit.com/paris/things-to-do/paris-walking-tour-left-bank

Start/End Rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile Distance Variable Time 2 hours Grade Easy Type Pavement Map www.airbnb.com.au/locations/paris/saint-paul-ile-saint-louis

This walk stakes no claim to encompass the whole of the French capital, but it does give the visitor a fabulous introduction to the city. Naturally the total distance may be covered in less than the time suggested, but there is much to take in en route.

The starting point at the Chaillot Palace has been chosen partly because it is a beautiful building housing the historic Naval Museum, the Museum of Mankind, and the Cinema Museum—but mainly because it provides a wonderful view of the next stop along the way, the Eiffel Tower, which you reach by crossing the Pont d’Iéna.

You might like to climb to the viewing platform near the top of the 1,056-feet (322-m) landmark, then proceed across the Champ de Mars to the Place Joffre, turn left, and walk straight on past L’École Militaire on Avenue de la Motte-Picquet into Les

364 | Urban

Invalides, a garden full of museums and monuments detailing French military history.

Eventually you return to the river bank, turn right, and walk along the Quai Voltaire past the entrance to the magnificent Musée d’Orsay art gallery in a former railway station that now houses important works by a range of artists including many leading Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.

On reaching the sixteenth-century Pont Neuf— the oldest bridge in Paris—you cross onto the Île de la Cité and into the shadows of Notre Dame, the great Gothic cathedral, which was begun in 1163 and largely completed by the middle of the fourteenth century, concluding a walk that is guaranteed to whet the appetite for exploring Paris in detail. GL Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

The Île Saint-Louis on the Seine is one of two natural islands on the river, connected to the surrounding city by five bridges. Once used for grazing cattle and to stockpile wood for the winter, the island is now often full to overflowing with tourists, particularly in summer. But there is a good reason: this is one of the city’s prettiest neighborhoods, with row after row of gorgeous seventeenth-century townhouses, and if you’re here at just the right time in the late afternoon when the sun strikes the Quai de Bourbon and the Pont Marie, the beauty of Paris will literally take your breath away.

The guide books say that an hour and a half is all you need to explore the streets, but you can easily spend more time here. The island’s two bookstores alone, the Librairie Ulysses and the Librairie de Paris et son Patrimoine, will consume an hour each. The

residents love the sense of “separateness from the city“ and refer to walking over the Pont de la Tournelle as being “on the way to the Continent.” Take your time to walk along the romantic riverbanks and soak up the village atmosphere as you look over the water at the Latin Quarter to one side and Le Marais on the other. Île Saint-Louis is the very heart of Paris.

The monumental buildings on the island include the baroque seventeenth-century church SaintLouis-en-l’Île, but it is the streets with their small shops, fromageries, and groceries that really enchant—not to forget the legendary establishment of Berthillon on the rue Saint-Louis-en-I’Île, arguably home to the finest ice cream in France and a destination in itself. BDS Xxxxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

Europe • France | 365

The Beaches of Sayulita

Cinnamon Bay Loop Trail

Nayarit, Mexico

St. John, US Virgin Islands

“ . . . the hikes between town and outlaying beaches can be full of adventure . . .” www.sayulitalife.com

Xxxxxxxxxxx.

Start/End Various Distance Various Time Various Grade Easy Type Beach walks and easy trails Map www.sayulitalife.com/sayulitamaps.htm

Start/End Cinnamon Bay Campground, North Shore Road Distance 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Time 1 hour Grade Easy Type Forest trail Map Not required

The State of Nayarit on Mexico’s Pacific Ocean coast is famed for having some of the most beautiful beaches in a country full of beautiful beaches. The best of these are in the little fishing village of Sayulita, 25 miles (40.2 km) north of the holiday playground of Puerto Vallarta. It is a world apart from the busy beach resort, but if you’re based there then it’s well worth the drive to enjoy the walking on and around these exceptional beaches.

There are no particular directions to take, and there are several different beaches in the area that are all worth seeing. One of the closest and most photographed is the Playa Las Cuevas, the Beach of Caves, just north of town. Here the pounding of the waves that the surfers love so much has created a network of caves right on the beach, making for some dramatic photographs into and through the rocks.

A little way further on the path leads you to a good view over the Playa Malpasos, an even more remote beach. From here, if you want to explore some more you can take a trail that leads into the jungle behind the beach.

To the south of the town is Playa de los Muertos, the Beach of the Dead, which gets its name because it’s close to the town cemetery. There’s nothing sinister about this beach, though, which is sheltered by cliffs and is popular with families. Much further south is Playa Patzcuaro, and if you have the energy you can take a more challenging hike from here to the top of Monkey Mountain. This peak is sacred to the local Huichol Indians, and from the top you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the beaches and the ocean for miles along the coast. MG

If you are visiting the Caribbean island of St. John, one of several islands that comprise the US Virgin Islands (which the United States purchased from the Danish government in 1917 for US$25 million), and you only have time for one walk, then this should be it. The Cinnamon Bay Trail offers a glimpse at the rugged terrain that is characteristic of the island’s interior. It is fairly short, as well as being flat and well-shaded, and Virgin Islands National Parks have gone to a lot of trouble to locate some excellent information boards along this agreeable self-guided walk.

It begins by taking you through the remains of the island’s old rum factory and sugar mill. The twelve remaining columns are all that remain of the warehouse that once stored hundreds of barrels of rum, molasses, and dried sugar cane stalks. Not far from the sugar mill are the extensive remains of the rum distillery, once owned and operated by the Danish West India Plantation Company, which owned Cinnamon Bay prior to the U.S. purchase. The trail into the forest begins here, past groves of bay rum trees that were grown for the production of bay leaf oil for use in colognes. A spur trail leads to the Cinnamon Bay Cemetery, which still contains the above-ground tomb of the plantation owner’s wife, Anna Hjardemaal.

Keep your eye out for the mammee apple tree, the so-called “South American apricot,” and also for a stand of the Theobroma cacao, the Chocolate Tree, a native of the Americas with brown seed pods from which chocolate is taken. The trail loops around and back to the plantation’s estate house, rebuilt from galvanized steel after being demolished by a hurricane in the early 1900s. BDS

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

306 | Coastal & Shoreline

“A perfect choice for those who would like to experience a taste of the St. John interior.” www.stjohnbeachguide.com

Xxxxxxxxx.

The Americas • Mexico/US Virgin Islands | 307

The Beaches of Sayulita

Cinnamon Bay Loop Trail

Nayarit, Mexico

St. John, US Virgin Islands

“ . . . the hikes between town and outlaying beaches can be full of adventure . . .” www.sayulitalife.com

Xxxxxxxxxxx.

306 | Coastal & Shoreline

Start/End Various Distance Various Time Various Grade Easy Type Beach walks and easy trails Map www.sayulitalife.com/sayulitamaps.htm

Start/End Cinnamon Bay Campground, North Shore Road Distance 1.5 miles (2.4 km) Time 1 hour Grade Easy Type Forest trail Map Not required

The State of Nayarit on Mexico’s Pacific Ocean coast is famed for having some of the most beautiful beaches in a country full of beautiful beaches. The best of these are in the little fishing village of Sayulita, 25 miles (40.2 km) north of the holiday playground of Puerto Vallarta. It is a world apart from the busy beach resort, but if you’re based there then it’s well worth the drive to enjoy the walking on and around these exceptional beaches.

There are no particular directions to take, and there are several different beaches in the area that are all worth seeing. One of the closest and most photographed is the Playa Las Cuevas, the Beach of Caves, just north of town. Here the pounding of the waves that the surfers love so much has created a network of caves right on the beach, making for some dramatic photographs into and through the rocks.

A little way further on the path leads you to a good view over the Playa Malpasos, an even more remote beach. From here, if you want to explore some more you can take a trail that leads into the jungle behind the beach.

To the south of the town is Playa de los Muertos, the Beach of the Dead, which gets its name because it’s close to the town cemetery. There’s nothing sinister about this beach, though, which is sheltered by cliffs and is popular with families. Much further south is Playa Patzcuaro, and if you have the energy you can take a more challenging hike from here to the top of Monkey Mountain. This peak is sacred to the local Huichol Indians, and from the top you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the beaches and the ocean for miles along the coast. MG

If you are visiting the Caribbean island of St. John, one of several islands that comprise the US Virgin Islands (which the United States purchased from the Danish government in 1917 for US$25 million), and you only have time for one walk, then this should be it. The Cinnamon Bay Trail offers a glimpse at the rugged terrain that is characteristic of the island’s interior. It is fairly short, as well as being flat and well-shaded, and Virgin Islands National Parks have gone to a lot of trouble to locate some excellent information boards along this agreeable self-guided walk.

It begins by taking you through the remains of the island’s old rum factory and sugar mill. The twelve remaining columns are all that remain of the warehouse that once stored hundreds of barrels of rum, molasses, and dried sugar cane stalks. Not far from the sugar mill are the extensive remains of the rum distillery, once owned and operated by the Danish West India Plantation Company, which owned Cinnamon Bay prior to the U.S. purchase. The trail into the forest begins here, past groves of bay rum trees that were grown for the production of bay leaf oil for use in colognes. A spur trail leads to the Cinnamon Bay Cemetery, which still contains the above-ground tomb of the plantation owner’s wife, Anna Hjardemaal.

Keep your eye out for the mammee apple tree, the so-called “South American apricot,” and also for a stand of the Theobroma cacao, the Chocolate Tree, a native of the Americas with brown seed pods from which chocolate is taken. The trail loops around and back to the plantation’s estate house, rebuilt from galvanized steel after being demolished by a hurricane in the early 1900s. BDS

“A perfect choice for those who would like to experience a taste of the St. John interior.” www.stjohnbeachguide.com

Xxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

The Americas • Mexico/US Virgin Islands | 307

Nahuel Huapi Traverse Rio Negro/Neuquén, Argentina

Cerro Campanario Rio Negro, Argentina

Start Cerro Catedral End Arroyo Lopez Distance 25 miles (40 km) Time 5 days Grade Strenuous Type Mountain tracks Map www.trekbariloche.com/nahuel-huapi-traverse.php

Start Cable car station End Campanario summit Distance 3 miles (4.8 km) Time 1 hour Grade Easy Type Dirt path Map Xxxxxxxx

The Nahuel Huapi National Park in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes is the oldest national park in Argentina. Established in 1934, it covers an area of 2,722 square miles (7,050 sq km) of high-altitude snow peaks, lower hill slopes, and grassy steppes, with some limited rainforests. The park gets its name from the vast lake in its center, Nahuel Huapi, which in the local Mapuche language means “jaguar island.” Much like Loch Ness in Scotland, the lake has its own monster, the Nahuelito, which apparently looks like a giant water snake with humps and fishlike fins.

The park offers numerous treks, the best of which is the five-day, clockwise traverse of the entire park that connects the main overnight refugios of Frey, Jakob, Laguna Negra (Italia), and Lopez. Camping is free at the refugios, which also provide basic accommodation, meals, and use of the kitchen. Take

your own sleeping bag. Charges vary, and you don’t need to book in advance. This traverse is strenuous due to its steep, descending scree slopes and abrupt ascents, as well as the poor quality of its markings. The section of the trek between the Jakob and Laguna Negra refugios is steep and rocky and can be dangerous in bad weather. The National Park Office advises that it is done with a guide, but does allow experienced trekkers to walk it unattended. This section can be closed in bad weather, and there is snow lying on the ground until February. But don’t be put off, as the trek is a truly wonderful expedition. Vast horizons, rocky and often snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, and deep blue lakes make for an enchanting backdrop to your endeavors. SA Xxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

334 | Mountain

San Carlos de Bariloche is a scenic but tourist-filled city in the Rio Negro province of western Argentina, not far from the border with Chile The city sits by the side of Nahuel Huapi Lake, and has the feel of an Alpine town, the result of a deliberate attempt by the city’s planners in the 1930s to emulate in wood and stone a typical Alpine settlement. To add to this European picture, the shops sell handmade chocolate and men loiter in the streets with St. Bernard dogs waiting to have their photos taken. The city is also known as the “Honeymoon Capital” of Argentina. Up close, this is all a bit twee, but the city does take on a different perspective when viewed from the top of the nearby Cerro Campanario, which provides a 360 degree panorama of the surrounding lakes and mountains that National Geographic has selected as one of the ten best vistas in the world.

There is a chairlift up to the top, but the walk is just as easy, although the trail is not that well marked. Take the number 10, 20, or 21 bus from the Centro Civico and in about 11 miles (17 km), or twenty minutes, when the driver shouts out the name of the stop, join the crowd and get off the bus. The path up the hill is located by the side of the cable car station. The dirt path is steep and there are no stairs or pavement, so it is best to avoid attempting the walk on a rainy day, when it will be slippery. There are some forks at which you will need to make a decision about which way to go, but this shouldn’t cause any problems as most of the trails generally meet up further up the hill. Once at the top, the views are fantastic, and the coffee shop is most welcome. SA Xxxxxxxxxxx.

The Americas • Argentina | 335

Nahuel Huapi Traverse Rio Negro/Neuquén, Argentina

Cerro Campanario Rio Negro, Argentina

Start Cerro Catedral End Arroyo Lopez Distance 25 miles (40 km) Time 5 days Grade Strenuous Type Mountain tracks Map www.trekbariloche.com/nahuel-huapi-traverse.php

Start Cable car station End Campanario summit Distance 3 miles (4.8 km) Time 1 hour Grade Easy Type Dirt path Map Xxxxxxxx

The Nahuel Huapi National Park in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes is the oldest national park in Argentina. Established in 1934, it covers an area of 2,722 square miles (7,050 sq km) of high-altitude snow peaks, lower hill slopes, and grassy steppes, with some limited rainforests. The park gets its name from the vast lake in its center, Nahuel Huapi, which in the local Mapuche language means “jaguar island.” Much like Loch Ness in Scotland, the lake has its own monster, the Nahuelito, which apparently looks like a giant water snake with humps and fishlike fins.

The park offers numerous treks, the best of which is the five-day, clockwise traverse of the entire park that connects the main overnight refugios of Frey, Jakob, Laguna Negra (Italia), and Lopez. Camping is free at the refugios, which also provide basic accommodation, meals, and use of the kitchen. Take

334 | Mountain

your own sleeping bag. Charges vary, and you don’t need to book in advance. This traverse is strenuous due to its steep, descending scree slopes and abrupt ascents, as well as the poor quality of its markings. The section of the trek between the Jakob and Laguna Negra refugios is steep and rocky and can be dangerous in bad weather. The National Park Office advises that it is done with a guide, but does allow experienced trekkers to walk it unattended. This section can be closed in bad weather, and there is snow lying on the ground until February. But don’t be put off, as the trek is a truly wonderful expedition. Vast horizons, rocky and often snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, and deep blue lakes make for an enchanting backdrop to your endeavors. SA Xxxxxxxxx.

San Carlos de Bariloche is a scenic but tourist-filled city in the Rio Negro province of western Argentina, not far from the border with Chile The city sits by the side of Nahuel Huapi Lake, and has the feel of an Alpine town, the result of a deliberate attempt by the city’s planners in the 1930s to emulate in wood and stone a typical Alpine settlement. To add to this European picture, the shops sell handmade chocolate and men loiter in the streets with St. Bernard dogs waiting to have their photos taken. The city is also known as the “Honeymoon Capital” of Argentina. Up close, this is all a bit twee, but the city does take on a different perspective when viewed from the top of the nearby Cerro Campanario, which provides a 360 degree panorama of the surrounding lakes and mountains that National Geographic has selected as one of the ten best vistas in the world.

There is a chairlift up to the top, but the walk is just as easy, although the trail is not that well marked. Take the number 10, 20, or 21 bus from the Centro Civico and in about 11 miles (17 km), or twenty minutes, when the driver shouts out the name of the stop, join the crowd and get off the bus. The path up the hill is located by the side of the cable car station. The dirt path is steep and there are no stairs or pavement, so it is best to avoid attempting the walk on a rainy day, when it will be slippery. There are some forks at which you will need to make a decision about which way to go, but this shouldn’t cause any problems as most of the trails generally meet up further up the hill. Once at the top, the views are fantastic, and the coffee shop is most welcome. SA Xxxxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

The Americas • Argentina | 335

Selinda walking trail Botswana

Mana Pools walking safari Zimbabwe

Start Selinda Camp End Zibadianja camp Distance 15 miles (24 km) Time 3 days Grade Easy Type Earth paths Map www.eyesonafrica.net/african-safari-botswana/chobe-safari.htm

Start/End Various Distance 15 miles (24 km) Time 3 or 4 days Grade Easy Type Grass and earth paths Map www.safarimappers.com/area.aspx?lngareaid=20

The Selinda Reserve is a privately owned wildlife sanctuary in the far north of Botswana. In the Khoisan language of northern Botswana, selinda means “many small pools of water”—something this reserve has plenty of. Covering 300,000 acres (125,000 ha), the reserve surrounds the Selinda Spillway that weaves its way between the Linyanti Swamps to the east and the inland Okavango Delta to the west. The reserve is off the main tourist routes and is teeming with wildlife.

Lions, cheetahs, and leopards roam around, as do packs of hyenas, jackals, and wild dogs. Elephants are common, particularly in the dry season from May to October, along with giraffes, roan and sable antelope, elands, zebras, buffaloes, and wildebeests.

Hippopotamuses lurk in the rivers and waterbeds, while civets, servals, wild cats, honey badgers, aardvarks, and aardwolves come out at night.

The owners of this eco-friendly reservation are serious about conservation and have set aside a special area in the north of the reserve for walking safaris. The trails follow the time-honored paths of the elephants and antelope through the riverbank forests and open plains. The usual route starts in the shady Selinda Camp at the eastern end of the Selinda Spillway and stops overnight first in the semipermanent Mokoba camp, which looks out on a large floodplain, and then second in the heavily wooded Tshwene camp before ending at the Zibadianja camp on the edge of the Linyanti Swamps. The pace is not arduous, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the experience. Night walking and driving safaris can also be undertaken. SA Xxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

912 | Coastal & Shoreline

Mana means “four” in Shona, a reference to the four, large, permanent pools formed by the meanderings of the Zambezi River. Around these four lakes is the Mana Pools National Park, based in a region of the Zambezi where each rainy season turns the floodplain into a mass of lakes. As the season ends and the waters elsewhere dry up, the park attracts large animals in search of water. Interestingly, water was almost the end of this park, as it was threatened in the 1980s by a hydroelectric scheme—a fate it was spared by its UNESCO Word Heritage Site listing. The park has Zimbabwe’s largest number of hippopotamuses and crocodiles, joined in the dry season by elephant and buffalo. This 965 square mile (2,500 sq km) watery expanse is covered with forests of mahogany trees, wild figs, and baobabs, making it one of the least developed national parks in southern Africa.

Walking safaris are arranged by commercial companies. The tours make use of both permanent and temporary camps and offer experienced guides who will show you the wildlife. It is quite safe to walk along the lightly wooded river terraces, where you will see elands, impalas, zebras, warthogs, waterbucks, baboons, monkeys, and predators such as wild dogs and cheetahs. The bird life is magnificent, and the river full of fish for those who want to catch their supper.

The best time to visit is the dry season from June to October. The rainy season lasts from November to the end of April, during which time the animals move away from the river toward the northern escarpment.

The park is closed to vehicles at this time and many of the camps shut. SA Xxxxxxxxxxx.

Africa • Botswana/Zimbabwe | 913

Selinda walking trail Botswana

Mana Pools walking safari Zimbabwe

Start Selinda Camp End Zibadianja camp Distance 15 miles (24 km) Time 3 days Grade Easy Type Earth paths Map www.eyesonafrica.net/african-safari-botswana/chobe-safari.htm

Start/End Various Distance 15 miles (24 km) Time 3 or 4 days Grade Easy Type Grass and earth paths Map www.safarimappers.com/area.aspx?lngareaid=20

The Selinda Reserve is a privately owned wildlife sanctuary in the far north of Botswana. In the Khoisan language of northern Botswana, selinda means “many small pools of water”—something this reserve has plenty of. Covering 300,000 acres (125,000 ha), the reserve surrounds the Selinda Spillway that weaves its way between the Linyanti Swamps to the east and the inland Okavango Delta to the west. The reserve is off the main tourist routes and is teeming with wildlife.

Lions, cheetahs, and leopards roam around, as do packs of hyenas, jackals, and wild dogs. Elephants are common, particularly in the dry season from May to October, along with giraffes, roan and sable antelope, elands, zebras, buffaloes, and wildebeests.

Hippopotamuses lurk in the rivers and waterbeds, while civets, servals, wild cats, honey badgers, aardvarks, and aardwolves come out at night.

912 | Coastal & Shoreline

The owners of this eco-friendly reservation are serious about conservation and have set aside a special area in the north of the reserve for walking safaris. The trails follow the time-honored paths of the elephants and antelope through the riverbank forests and open plains. The usual route starts in the shady Selinda Camp at the eastern end of the Selinda Spillway and stops overnight first in the semipermanent Mokoba camp, which looks out on a large floodplain, and then second in the heavily wooded Tshwene camp before ending at the Zibadianja camp on the edge of the Linyanti Swamps. The pace is not arduous, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the experience. Night walking and driving safaris can also be undertaken. SA Xxxxxxxxx.

Mana means “four” in Shona, a reference to the four, large, permanent pools formed by the meanderings of the Zambezi River. Around these four lakes is the Mana Pools National Park, based in a region of the Zambezi where each rainy season turns the floodplain into a mass of lakes. As the season ends and the waters elsewhere dry up, the park attracts large animals in search of water. Interestingly, water was almost the end of this park, as it was threatened in the 1980s by a hydroelectric scheme—a fate it was spared by its UNESCO Word Heritage Site listing. The park has Zimbabwe’s largest number of hippopotamuses and crocodiles, joined in the dry season by elephant and buffalo. This 965 square mile (2,500 sq km) watery expanse is covered with forests of mahogany trees, wild figs, and baobabs, making it one of the least developed national parks in southern Africa.

Walking safaris are arranged by commercial companies. The tours make use of both permanent and temporary camps and offer experienced guides who will show you the wildlife. It is quite safe to walk along the lightly wooded river terraces, where you will see elands, impalas, zebras, warthogs, waterbucks, baboons, monkeys, and predators such as wild dogs and cheetahs. The bird life is magnificent, and the river full of fish for those who want to catch their supper.

The best time to visit is the dry season from June to October. The rainy season lasts from November to the end of April, during which time the animals move away from the river toward the northern escarpment.

The park is closed to vehicles at this time and many of the camps shut. SA Xxxxxxxxxxx.

© 2014 Universe Publications. All Rights Reserved

Africa • Botswana/Zimbabwe | 913