Spend a gorgeous day in Sam's Point Area of Minnewaska State Park. Minnewaska is 1 of the 180 state parks in New York. When looking up where to visit at the state park, Gertrude Nose, Mohonk House, Rainbow Falls, and Awosting falls are typically the main spots to come up. These are all around Lake Minnewaska, while Sam's Point is closer to Shawangunk Ridge. Sam's Point has its entrance. While driving to the parking lot, there will be road signs telling how close you are to the parking lot. Coming from NYC or Northern NJ: Take I-287 N, I-87 N and NY-17 W to Roosa Gap Road in Mamakating Take ex ..read more

Having a book with you on an adventure is the best. Recently my husband and I went kayaking; when we reached a point of just enjoying the water, I pulled my book out and realized not most people would think to bring a book kayaking, hiking, or camping. It is honestly the best time! Where else are you going to have no technology distracting? Another great time to read or listen to a book is when doing ordinary chores around the home. No matter the phase of life, adventures aren’t a mountain or lake but keeping little ones sane and alive. Keep one of these books in mind. Also, remember you have ..read more

When my husband and I got engaged, we talked about making a trip for our engagement anniversary. We got engaged in the Catskills, and it is a place we enjoy hiking. Some background to the Catskills is a state park located in New York that offers excellent hiking but has something for all levels of hikers. Facts & Attractions of Catskills State Park State Park located in New York 600,000-acre state park Oldest known forest on Earth A vacation spot for many NYC residents 35 peaks above 3,500 elevation Known for its fall foliage Has the longest zip-line in North America Ski mountains for diff ..read more

This trail is a must in Catskill Park. It is a very popular trail from the views that Giant Ledge offers. Highly recommend getting there on the early side. My husband and I completed this hike on Thanksgiving Day, so the trail was pretty quiet when we arrived at 10 AM. Route 47 can be packed with cars doing this hike, depending on the season. When you arrive, have a backup hike in mind if that is the case. Location: Sundown Wild Forest, New York Distance: 6.3 miles Out & Back Elevation gain: 1,981 feet Difficulty: Pass/permit: No Dogs: Yes, leashed Road access: Route 47, parking up to 8 c ..read more

Let me start off by sharing I am a morning person, and I love a beautiful sunrise. Honestly, all sunrises are beautiful. If you read my High Point Monument post, you know I've been seeking well-known sunrise spots in New Jersey. Even if you're not a morning person, I will say even the mightiest of night owls will appreciate a sunrise view. While looking up a sunrise view, 4 spots kept coming up, High Point Monument, Eagle Rock Reservation, Mount Tammany, and Cape May. The sunrise at High Point was terrific. Mount Tammany missed the sunrise but got a beautiful view of the sun in the morning. E ..read more

This summer, ,the Catskills began being on my radar as a state park. I'd like to explore more. Talking to a fellow hiking friend, she told me about the ,3500 club and the state park's high peaks. I was surprised I had never heard of this till this summer. From breaking my ankle in December of 2019, which you can read about here. I wanted to test out my ankle on a trail that wasn't a high peak. I have been hiking in my local area, but I know very little about the Catskills. My lack of knowledge leads to me search trails on All Trails. I always turn to all trails for trail reviews and discoverin ..read more

This last year I have been doing a lot of hiking. It also feels like the rest of the world has as well. One reason for this is connecting with more adventure friends and my new relationship, and his willingness to go hiking. In the past, for the winter, I've gone skiing, snowboarding, even dabbled in a little snowshoeing. Before this year, I had only gone on one winter hike. That hike was maybe two miles total. This year hiking has been such a joy that I wanted to keep doing it this winter. Now maybe starting with a shorter hike to make sure my layers were color might have been the better way ..read more

There was no better way to kick off 2021 with my boyfriend than take a road trip to the Catskills in New York State to tackle our first high peak. In the summer of 2020, I first heard about the 3500 club. Growing up going to the Adirondacks, I always heard about the high peaks and imagined becoming a 46er. Living 4 to 5 hours from those peaks, going to accomplish that, is more involved. Hearing about the 35 high peaks in the Catskills, the desire to complete these peaks grew with an easy day trip! How cool would it be to complete the 35 high peaks by the time I’m 35? I think that would just be ..read more

My friend Michelle and I did a hike in July 2020, and in typical us fashion, we looked for an leisure hike. Also with the longer summer days, this meant a hike prior to work would be doable. To get the trail, we looking through the All trails app for hiking trails near me. In Northern New Jersey it can be easy to cancel out hikes when the Adirondacks are a few hours norther, Catskills are below that, or hiking in Vermont and New Hampshire. One thing I’ve begun to see, do not cancel out hiking near you. The hiking near north jersey is vast, just be willing to put in the weekends to discover th ..read more

Before I scare you away, hear me out! Oils I do not see as an end all be all to protect yourself. I do see that different oils serve different purposes. A few years ago, a friend made me bug and tick repellent with essential oils. I LOVED the scent, and it was great to know my skin wasn't absorbing all these nasty chemicals. Getting the whole mix can be a bit pricey. I'm based in Northern NJ, and North America has a significant tick problem. Before heading out on the trail, I remember to spray myself with the homemade bug spray or distilled water and tea tree oil. ,How Do I Use the Oil? I'm s ..read more