National Trails Day

Happy National Trails Day! Throughout the years I've been travelling I've been on countless hiking trails, from short little spurs to fourty plus mile treks, and everything in between. If you've been with me since the beginning I'm sure you've noticed my evolution from short day trips to multi-day backpacking, as well as the knowledge and experience that comes with it. Hiking has let me find myself, escape from work and responsibilities, and has become who I am. Hi, I'm Natasha, I hike a lot and love animals. Being on a trail has given me confidence in my own abilities, a hobby worth bragging about, and a passion I love to share.

I have no intention to quit hiking, and actually want to plan a short thru-hike in the upcoming years. I'll hike as much as I can as far as I can, and would love to take anybody who wants to tag along! In celebration of National Trails Day I've compiled a list of my favorite trails to date, complete with a picture and short description, plus my personal favorite part of the trail. Read on below!

Chesler Park/The Joints, Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, UT

This trail will forever be on the list of favorites, and for very good reason. Where else do you get to walk through a grass and wildflower filled bowl surrounded by hundreds of spires striped with red and white rock, then descend into narrow cracks in the earth that you can explore to your heart's content? Backpacking Chesler Park is a life goal of mine, and it's just a matter of time before I can't resist going back and doing it. Plus, you know, The Joints are neat too!

The Dune Field, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, CO

A giant sandbox surrounded by 14,000 ft mountains? Yes, please! Sprinkle in wild sunflowers during the right time of year, and make sure you catch a sunset and a sunrise among the dunes, and you're in for a magical time. There are no established trails in the dune (the shifting sand would bury markers in no time) so making sure you know your directions and landmarks outside of the dune field is a must.

Andrew's Tarn and Glacier, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO

The first time hiking to a glacier and it's tarn is always sure to make an impression, and Andrew's Glacier in Rocky Mountain certainly did. It wasn't just the glacier that made the whole long day hike worth it; we passed pristine alpine lakes like The Loch (above) along the way. A hike just to this lake alone would be worth it!

Mount Le Conte via Rainbow Falls Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

Hiking alone deep in bear country with a storm rolling in? Yeah, it might not have been the smartest move on my part but the hike itself was well worth the worry. I've never hiked in a place so green, and pictures don't do it justice. Can I go back now?

Hidden Canyon, Zion National Park, UT

I finally finished this short hike in Zion, and it was so worth the 18 month wait. Not for those with a fear of heights or tight places, the trail to the mouth of Hidden Canyon is sprinkled with exposed sections along the shelf of a cliff, with nothing but a chain bolted to the rock for you to hold on to. A set of stairs and many switchback make it moderately strenuous, but for those with plenty of water and a good pair of legs your reward is Hidden Canyon with it's fern-covered walls and cool shady grottos.

Angel's Landing, Zion National Park, UT

This is by far the scariest hike I've ever accomplished, and though I'm not sure I would do it again I am beyond proud of myself that I finished it. Now, I don't have a fear of heights at all, but I have a slight problem using a chain to pull myself up and down a very narrow fin of rock with thousand foot drop offs on both sides of my feet, especially a chain that swings out unexpectedly if someone else grabs it or lets it go. The view from the top though? Incredible.

Tonto Trail, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Another recent accomplishment, the Tonto Trail is one of a small handful of trails that run the length of Grand Canyon National Park, inside the canyon. My sister and I spent four days hiking the canyon, with all three of our campsites on this trail. More on that adventure will come later, but all I'll say right now is I want to go back. I miss the trail, the simplicity of walking, no phones, no communication outside of ourselves and a couple of other hikers, and the quiet. The walking wasn't easy by any means, but I already miss it and I've only been back for a couple of weeks.

National Trails Day is also a day for hikers to give back to the trails we love so much, and thank the people who make trails possible. I encourage every one of you who's ever enjoyed a trail to do something to benefit and give back. You can volunteer for trail maintenance, pick up garbage along your favorite trail, donate to a nonprofit that advocates for trails, or countless other options to help keep trails accessible to everyone. If nothing else, get outside and hit a trail! I'll see ya out there.

What I'm listening to: At Wit's End by Hans Zimmer