With Arches and Canyonlands National Parks nearby and tons of gorgeous BLM land, there are tons of trails in Moab, Utah. But if you’re a beginner, hiking with kids, or just short on time, you need to know about the best easy hikes in Moab. I recently spent a week in Moab and did a ton of hiking. As a long-time hiker and guidebook author, I’m used to tackling long and difficult hikes. But on this trip I was recovering from an injury so I focused on short and easy trails that would be kind to my body. I was worried that the easier hikes wouldn’t be as good… but I was so wrong! We saw incredible ..read more

I go backpacking a lot (I’ve actually written two backpacking guidebooks), so that means I eat a lot of backpacking food. Over the years I’ve tried lots of meals, but one that I keep returning to is my recipe for dehydrated mushroom risotto. It’s a pretty simple recipe, but it’s got tons of flavour thanks to the mushrooms. I also like to add chicken for protein. And of course, I sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top! This dehydrated mushroom risotto recipe dispatches most of the cooking at home so you don’t have to fuss at the campsite. And it makes four servings so you can prep multiple backcountry ..read more

When I started backpacking during university, I didn’t have much money and was appalled at how much packaged backpacking meals cost. So I decided to learn how to make them myself. In this post, I’ll teach everything I know about dehydrating food for backpacking. I’ve backpacked a lot over the last two decades (and I’ve even written two backpacking guidebooks), so I‘ve made countless home-dehydrated backpacking meals. I’ve had some great successes, some spectacular failures, and a few that were just ok. (Although everything tastes better after a long day on the trail!) I know that dehydrating y ..read more

With incredible panoramic views of the waters of Howe Sound dotted with small islands, the St. Mark’s Summit trail is one of Vancouver’s best hikes. I also love the gorgeous forest on the way to the peak. I’ve hiked this trail countless times and the view at the end always amazes me. While the first half of the trail is fairly straightforward, the second half is rough and if you aren’t paying attention, you might get off track. Since I’ve hiked this trail so many times (and it’s in my book, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia), I can help you plan the best route to St. Mark’s Summit a ..read more

The High Falls Creek Trail is a great mini-adventure of a hike. It has gorgeous waterfalls in a steep canyon, mountain views, and the exhilaration of scrambling up some fixed ropes. While the scrambling sections make the trail a bit of an adventure, it’s doable for most hikers. And since this is a loop hike, you don’t have to go back down the scary scramble sections. Instead, you’ll walk down a logging road that could be boring but actually has great views most of the way. High Falls Creek is one of my favourite hikes in Squamish – I try to hike every year or two. In this guide, I’ve got every ..read more

Semaphore Lakes near Pemberton is a special place. It’s a short and easy hike to three gorgeous alpine lakes with incredible glacier views. And the logging road to get there is 2WD accessible (most of the time). I first hiked to Semaphore Lakes back in 2014. (In fact, an earlier version of this trail guide was the very first post on this blog!) I’ve returned a few more times over the years to enjoy the incredible scenery and easily accessible backcountry camping. For years the area was in danger of being loved to death since it didn’t have any facilities, but that changed a few years ago. Now ..read more

The Al’s Habrich Trail is one of my favourite hikes in Squamish. It has an excellent effort-to-reward ratio since the hike has spectacular views all the way along. And since it starts from the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola, you get up high in the mountains without working too hard. I live in Squamish and have a Sea to Sky Gondola annual pass so I’ve hiked the Al’s Habrich Ridge Trail more times than I can count. I often take visiting friends here since we have a great hike and enjoy the views but still have time to sit on the patio at the Summit Lodge afterward and enjoy the sunshine while eat ..read more

These days, Elfin Lakes in Garibaldi Provincial Park is the closest backcountry camping to my house in Squamish – it’s literally just up the street. But I’ve been going to Elfin Lakes for two decades – it was my first winter backpacking trip back in 2003! I’ve hiked the Elfin Lakes Trail more times than I count, in every season, in boots, in spikes, and in snowshoes. I’ve spent lots of nights in the campground and the shelter and really explored the area. Elfin Lakes is one of the best hikes in Squamish and it is featured in my hiking guidebook, Backpacking in Southwestern British Columbia. In ..read more

The High Note Trail is the most spectacular hike in Whistler, but it’s also the most expensive. Here’s everything you need to know about hiking the High Note Trail so you can decide if it’s worth the price. I live in nearby Squamish, so I’ve hiked the High Note tons of times. Honestly, I like this trail so much that I hike it a few times each summer. But if you’re not a local, you might be wondering if the High Note Trail is worth it. (Spoiler: I think it’s worth the money on a clear day.) Since I’ve hiked this trail so many times (and I literally wrote a book about hiking in Southwestern BC ..read more

The River of Golden Dreams is one of the best things to do in Whistler in the summer. It’s often described as a natural lazy river that winds its way between two lakes in the Whistler Valley. I live in nearby Squamish and paddle the River of Golden Dreams in my own canoe, but it’s easy for visitors to enjoy it too since you can take a tour or rent a canoe or kayak. It’s a gorgeous trip with views of the mountains and lots of big trees and flowering huckleberry bushes. In this guide to the River of Golden Dreams, I’ve got everything you need to know to plan a trip. It includes: FAQ: How long d ..read more