Adventure Travel Photography Blog
I recently visited Venice for three weeks of horse shows at Fox Lea Farms, and on my time off I like to escape to nature while hiking with my dog Annie. Venice affords nature seekers a variety of places to hike including preserves, reserves, state parks and beaches. Below are five places I hiked in Venice.
HAPPY HIKING!
The Cascades National Recreation Trail in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is a spectacular fall hike near Pembroke, Virginia.
HAPPY HIKING!
Much to my dismay, aside from hiking the Wild Pacific Trail in Vancouver, trekking this summer eluded me. Fortunately, however, on my way to Maryland for a horse show, I stopped to stretch my legs with my dog Annie on the Dam Mountain Trail in Lake Catherine State Park.
Lake Catherine State Park is located outside of the popular resort City of Hot Springs in the forest-clad Ouchita Mountains. The 2,240 acre park offers many outdoor activities including camping, fishing, water sports, hiking and horseback riding.
With the majority of the campsites on the lake shore, camping and water activities including fishing, party barges, canoeing, kayaking, water biking and pedal boating are the biggest draw.
HAPPY HIKING!
A popular tour in Tofino is to Hot Springs Cove. The six-hour tour includes a boat ride, a hike, and a soak in the hot springs in Maquinna Provincial Park. The only way to get to Hot Springs Cove is by float plane or boat. As a result, the tour time is dependent on the tides and coordinated among the many companies that have a park permit.
SOAK IT IN!
The Wild Pacific Trail travels along the rugged coastline and through the magnificent rainforest of Ucluelet, BC on Vancouver Island.
The trail may be hiked in three sections, the Lighthouse Loop, Big Beach Section, and Browns Beach to Rocky Bluffs including Ancient Cedars Loop. Each section has a parking area and is extremely well marked.
HAPPY HIKING!
I spent several mornings hiking during my week in Ucluelet and Tofino. Despite the mud, I particularly enjoyed the Canso Bomber Trail, which is a 3.2 mile hike to the crash site of a WWII bomber.
HAPPY HIKING!
Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park…what a find!! The park is only 13 miles south of Gainesville and 29 miles north of Ocala. It was a perfect getaway for me and my dog Annie in between horse shows at the World Equestrian Center.
I typically don’t visit state parks because unlike National Forests, dogs have to be on a leash and there is an entrance fee. At Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, the fee was only $4. I couldn’t believe it! I am so glad I visited this 22,000 acre wilderness over two days.
HAPPY HIKING!
The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a 110-mile linear park which spans from the Gulf of Mexico to St John’s River. It’s 70,000 acres features 300 miles of trails for paddling, biking, hiking, horseback riding and multi-use activities.
HAPPY HIKING!
The Alum Cave Trail is an extremely popular hike in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It is located 11 miles southeast of Gatlinburg and the drive on curvy scenic roads in the parks takes about 30 minutes.
Due to its popularity, the parking area at the trailhead fills up by 7am. If you are not an early riser, you can go around 2pm to get a spot as the parking lot clears once the early birds finish up.
HAPPY HIKING!
McKittrick Canyon Trail is a popular hike in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. As the name suggests, it is located in the McKittrick Canyon Area of the park whose gates are open between 8 am and 5 pm MOUNTAIN time. Mountain is capitalized because there is a chance your watch is wrong!
With limited hours and hot temperatures in the summer, I recommend hiking the McKittrick Canyon Trail in the spring or fall since early starts are not possible.
With two historic cabins, a grotto, the notch, and ridge, the challenging 21.3 out-and-back trail affords hikers many options. During my visit, I hiked only 7 miles which highlights the Pratt Cabin, the grotto, and the Hunter Line Shack.
HAPPY HIKING!