Hiking

The tall, wide and beautiful Jordan Trail can be a life-changing experience, writes Juliette Sivertsen

A naked woman could once walk from Ajloun to Damascus without anyone seeing her. At least that’s what local lore goes, dating back to medieval times, to describe the dense forest once known to hide parts of Jordan.

Bordered by conflict zones and war-torn countries, Jordan is a haven of peace in the Middle East, shaped by the Jebel and the Wadi – mountains and valleys that seem from another world and give depth , dimension and magnificence to the land.

Today, only about 1% of the land is forested – but existing reserves are home to hundreds of plant, bird and reptile species.

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When international travel picks up and you’re ready to go on a wilderness adventure, hiking the Jordan Trail can be a life-changing experience.

To cover the entire 650 km, it takes about 40 days. But in 2019, I got to taste some of its highlights, with a shortened 10-day itinerary with World Expeditions. The expedition took us across the country, staying at local guesthouses, hotels and Bedouin camps along the way, experiencing the best Jordanian hospitality.

Here are some of the highlights of the hiking trails to inspire you for future adventures.

Hiking Trails in Jordan

Ajloun Forest Reserve

Before Covid, Ajloun was to be one of the next big hiking destinations in Jordan. The city is marked by the 12th century Ajloun Castle, one of the few Muslim castles in Jordan built to defend against the Crusaders.

Twenty minutes from these historic ruins is Ajloun Forest Reserve, known for its fertile soil and picnic spots. From our cabins in the woods, trails wind through and around oaks, pines, pomegranate trees and wild pistachio trees.

We did a nice short sunset hike along the Roe Deer Trail in cooler weather in the evening, but there are longer hikes in the park including a more difficult hike to Ajloun Castle.

From the highest peaks in the reserve, views stretch into the distance over the hills and highlands of Ajloun, with the distant haze of the capital Amman clinging to the colors of sunset to dusk.

Bergesh Forest

It is the largest forest in Jordan at 25,000 km² but it is also young – only 150 years old, created to rejuvenate the land that had lost its green cover.

The hike in Bergesh Forest is rated as “medium” difficulty, and our hike was 8km. Our man-turned military trek guide Mohammed took us along dry riverbeds and near oaks, apple trees and maples, avoiding giant holes in the earth, where people tried to dig to find antique gold.

Digging up and taking antiquities is considered a serious crime for this archaeologically rich nation, with penalties equal to those imposed on drug traffickers. What lies beneath the earth is considered to belong to all the people of Jordan, not to one individual.

The last stage of the hike passes through the ruins of a Roman cemetery with around 500 graves, indicating a settlement of around 1,500, who lived here around 2,000 years ago. At the end, we found shade under an oak tree until our transport arrived.

We were taken back to Mohammed’s village in Orjam, where his wife, Maisoun, runs a host family for Jordan Trail travelers and hikers. She’s cooked up a feast of Middle Eastern food for hungry hikers.

Wadi Dana Trail

The Dana Biosphere Reserve covers 320 km², making it the largest nature reserve in Jordan. Formed by water and wind, Dana Canyon is so vast and diverse that it crosses three climates. It has characteristic wild plants and animals of the desert at its lowest point, as well as Mediterranean forests and dry Russian plains at higher elevations.

It is difficult to understand that there are almost 900 species of plants that live here. From our cliff top accommodation at the top of Wadi Dana, the canyon below looked like a vast abyss of rocky, dry and inhospitable land.

But on the slopes and between the crevices, the diverse flora is home to 190 species of birds, 37 species of mammals and 36 species of reptiles, including endangered species such as the Arabian wolf and the spiny-tailed lizard.

The hike through the Dana Biosphere Reserve was the most exhausting of the entire 10 day expedition – mostly downhill for almost 18 km with little shade from the Middle Eastern sun, starting from the abandoned village and stone of Dana.

A word of warning for those with shady knees – the constant descent on a gravel road will leave you in need of an ice pack and a good dose of anti-inflammatory at the end of the day.

Nawatéf trail

Clinging to the side of a cliff, I finally understood the brief at the bottom of my brochure on the Nawatef trail stating “No fear of heights”.

Nawatef is a short loop trail in the Dana Biosphere Reserve and for the most part quite gentle. But the views are wild as the sandstone and limestone rock formations below resemble a rolling field of giant mushroom peaks.

But there are a few moments towards the end where scrambling is a necessity, as well as the confidence in my hiking boots’ grip on the sandstone. Our local guide promised us that the rocks were “sticky” and that we would not fall down a rock face at an apparently 45 degree angle.

Petra

The red rose city of Petra is an archaeological wonder, but exploring its many ruins requires good walking skills.

The journey to the famous Treasury takes at least an hour on foot, past old tombs and through a rocky ravine known as the Siq.

But the Treasury is just the beginning of the wonders of Petra, with thousands of other tombs and ancient settlements from the Nabataean, Byzantine, and Roman Empires waiting to be explored. The hike is mostly flat, sandy, and repetitive with little shade, but you have to climb to get to the Royal Tombs.

Just when you think nothing more could surprise you, comes the journey to the magnificent monastery – via a laborious ascent of 900 steps to the sculpted 45m high facade. But remember, what goes up must come down.

Jabal um ad Dami

We started early in the Wadi Rum desert to reach Jordan’s highest peak, before the harsh sun made the climb too unbearable without risking severe dehydration.

The trip from Sun City Bedouin camp started long before sunrise and it was the only time I felt freezing cold in Jordan.
After 90 minutes in the back of the ute, I snuggled into my party trying to stay warm, the desert finally started to clear up.

The hike itself wasn’t long, but it was the constant scrambling and climbing over the rocks and in the heat that took its toll. We were glad we left while it was still dark, as the early morning sun was still fierce enough to deplete my energy reserves and there was no shelter from the sun other than the rock in occasional overhang to hide under.

We had to stop frequently on our ascent to hydrate, the trip interrupted by spontaneous explosions from our singer Bedouin guide, Suliman.

From the summit, at an elevation of 1,854m, 360-degree views extend over Jordan, the Red Sea, Israel, Egypt and the border with Saudi Arabia. Standing next to the Jordanian flag fluttering on top of the mountain, my cell phone rang with a message welcoming me to the Saudi data network.

Suliman took out a burnt black kettle – the mark of a Bedouin who has traveled extensively – and lit a small fire on top of a mountain to boil the water for our sweet mint tea.

This was our last hike of the expedition and our knees tested us one last time on the way down to base.

CHECKLIST: JORDAN TRAIL

DETAILS
World Expeditions’ 10-day Jordan Trail Highlights itinerary is priced at $ 5,490 per person, with departures scheduled from March 2022. For more information, visit worldexpeditions.com

The area of ​​the Sierra National Forest where the bodies were found on Tuesday had been treated as a hazardous materials site after concerns were raised over deaths linked to potentially toxic gases from nearby old mines.

But the hazardous materials declaration was lifted on Wednesday, and Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese said he didn’t believe mines were a factor, the Fresno Bee reported Thursday.

“This is a very unusual and unique situation,” said Kristie Mitchell, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office. “There was no sign of trauma, no obvious cause of death. There was no suicide note.”

John Gerrish, his wife, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and their dog were all found dead on a hiking trail near Hite’s Cove in the Sierra National Forest. A family friend had reported their disappearance Monday evening.

The area around Hite’s Cove was the site of a hard rock gold mining operation in the mid-19th century.

The bodies were taken to the Mariposa coroner’s office for autopsies and toxicology exams, Mitchell said.

The state’s Water Resources Control Board said Thursday it was testing the region’s waterways for any toxic algal blooms.

The couple were known to be avid hikers. Their friend, Mariposa’s real estate agent, Sidney Radanovich, said Gerrish was a San Francisco-based software designer who, along with his wife, “fell in love with the Mariposa area” and bought several homes there, one residence for themselves and rental investments.

“They were such a loving couple. They loved each other a little bit,” Radanovich told the San Francisco Chronicle. “He liked to show the baby all kinds of things and explain them to him.”

The sheriff’s office was investigating the deaths with the California Department of Justice.

Sheriff Jeremy Briese said chaplains and staff are counseling family members.

“My heart is breaking for their family,” he said.

The remote area where the bodies were found did not have mobile phone service, Mitchell said. The hiking trail crossed an area of ​​forest known especially in spring for its spectacular wild flowers.

A woman who passed out and banged her head against a rock after stopping to rest in Utah’s Arches National Park woke up to hearing a familiar voice and wondered if she was watching television. Minnie John from Oradell, New Jersey, then wondered if she maybe knew the woman who was with the doctor to help her, or if she was famous, according to a Facebook post. I just hit my head, I can’t remember. She said with a smile ‘Modern Family’ and I said sure enough! “John recounted how she finally recognized Julie Bowen for her role on the longtime comedy series. In his August 3 post, John said that ‘she had taken a trip on a “bucket list” to Arches and hiked to see Delicate Arch, a four story sandstone arch perched on the edge of a deep red rock canyon, for an hour and a half when she couldn’t go any further. She told her husband and son to move on as she rested along the path with her head in her hands. Julie Bowen and her sister Annie told her their guide saw her fall face forward onto a rock, her glasses breaking her fall, she said. They cleaned her up and gave her electrolytes while Julie Bowen gave her assured that she would be fine, John said. They used his phone to call his son and some people rushed to Selflessly tried to find him, about 20 minutes in advance, to let them know what had happened, John said. John said she broke her nose and received five stitches later in the hospital. She expressed her gratitude to God for sending people to help her. Daredevil or as dumb as it gets, I still consider this mountain hike one of my proudest accomplishments in my life. Sometimes you have to take those chances in life to experience the heights and from the depths, ”she wrote.

MOAB, Utah – A New Jersey woman passed out while hiking one of Utah’s national parks last week, and she woke up to the voice of Claire Dunphy from “Modern Family” .

Well, it was the actress who played it, Julie Bowen.

Minnie John was visiting Arches National Park with her family on Monday when the “wild and crazy” series of events occurred.

She was walking to Delicate Arch around 7pm and almost reached the end, but couldn’t make it the rest of the way.

John felt dizzy and dehydrated, so she sat down and told her husband and son to continue.

“All I remember is sitting there with my head in my hands safe on the rock. Then I hear someone with a familiar voice asking me questions. was watching television. [sic]”she wrote on Facebook.” I heard that familiar voice say it’s going to be okay, a doctor is cleaning me up. “

That familiar voice was Bowen.

John had passed out, fell off the rock she was sitting on, and landed face-first on the hard rock surface.

Bowen and his sister – who is a doctor – took care of John. They cleaned up his wounds and gave him electrolytes, snacks, and medicine.

Coming to his senses, John asked Bowen if she knew her or if she was famous. Her sister replied that she was.

“Her sister the doctor asked me to guess and I told her I just hit my head, I don’t remember. She said smiling ‘Modern Family’ and I said of course! Said she was so beautiful. She introduced me to her sister Annie, the doctor, and of course that’s Julie Bowen! ” John wrote in his Facebook post.

John was taken to Moab Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a broken nose and received five stitches.

“I praise God for all the doctors and nurses we have in our lives! They are truly superheroes!” added Jean. “And these celebrities are awesome human beings too! I love you Julie and Annie and now I’ve been famous for a minute for my antics!”

This story was originally posted by Spencer Burt at KSTU.

MOAB, Utah – A New Jersey woman passed out while hiking one of Utah’s famous national parks earlier this week, and she woke up to the sound of Claire Dunphy from “Modern Family “.

Well, the actress who play Claire Dunphy.

Minnie John was visiting Arches National Park with her family on Monday when the “wild and crazy” series of events occurred.

She was walking to Delicate Arch around 7pm and almost reached the end, but couldn’t make it the rest of the way.

John was feeling dizzy and dehydrated, so she sat down and told her husband and son to continue.

“All I remember was sitting there with my head in my hands safe on the rock. The next thing I heard someone with a familiar voice kept asking me. questions. I was wondering if I could watch TV [sic]”she wrote on Facebook.” I heard that familiar voice say it’s going to be okay, a doctor is cleaning me up. “

That familiar voice was Julie Bowen.

John had passed out, fell off the rock she was sitting on, and landed face-first on the hard rock surface.

Bowen and his sister – who is a doctor – took care of John. They cleaned up his wounds and gave him electrolytes, snacks, and medicine.

Coming to his senses, John asked Bowen if she knew her or if she was famous. Her sister replied that she was.

“Her sister the doctor asked me to guess and I told her I just hit my head, I don’t remember. She said smiling ‘Modern Family’ and I said of course! Said she was so beautiful. She introduced me to her sister Annie, the doctor, and of course that’s Julie Bowen! ” John wrote in his Facebook post.

John was taken to Moab Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a broken nose and received five stitches.

“I praise God for all the doctors and nurses we have in our lives! They are truly superheroes!” added Jean. “And these celebrities are awesome human beings too! I love you Julie and Annie and now I’ve been famous for a minute for my antics!”

The mountains of the Red Sea seemed inaccessible to Sara Ghenem during her childhood in the Egyptian city of Hurghada. Desert peaks rise beyond the western outskirts of the city, which Ghenem often gazed at from his family’s balcony.

“As a little child, I would always watch them at sunset, saying that I wish I could climb this mountain one day,” Ghenem explains. “But for a very long time you could only see them. There were only the Bedouins, the nomads who live in the desert, who knew how to walk there.

Years later, Ghenem, now a doctor in Cairo, finally climbed the mountains that had drawn so great in his imagination. In 2019, she was part of an inaugural group invited to walk the newly created 106 miles Red Sea Mountain Trail (RSMT), which winds between the highest peaks in mainland Egypt and is run by local Bedouins.

The RSMT is mainland Egypt’s first long-distance trail, opening up to foreigners an area few travelers have explored in recent decades. So far, no hikers have been recorded hiking the trail from start to finish, but in February 2022 a small group is expected to complete the entire trail.

It will be a rugged adventure requiring 10 days of walking along steep canyons and high passes. Those who persevere will have access to granite massifs, a desert dotted with acacia trees, and a tradition of hospitality rivaling anyone on Earth.

This trail is only the last in a network of hiking trails opening up through the Middle East. Some, like RSMT, are community tourism projects that help support local economies and build bonds between visitors and residents.

Because hiking is a “slow trip” in the most literal sense, such trips indicate a more sustainable type of tourism – and the sight of these trails can be life changing.

Putting hiking boots on the ground

When Ghenem finally walked into the mountains of the Red Sea, she found the scenery infinitely more complex than the view from her balcony. “You look at the mountains from the city, and it looks like an abstract painting, you don’t see any detail,” she says. “When you actually go into the desert, you find that it is a huge network of mountains and valleys. “

“It’s a real kind of granite desert – a labyrinth of these mountains,” adds British hiking expert Ben Hoffler, co-founder of RSMT who lives in Egypt and wrote Sinai: the hiking guide. Footprints are rare; the ground is carved by traces of lizards, beetles and Nubian ibex with curly horns.

The RSMT joins a growing network of long-distance trails crossing the deserts and mountains of the Middle East. One is the 342-mile Sinai Trail, a sister trail to the RSMT that traces a three-sided circuit through Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

Other walking trails include the 392 km Lebanon Mountain Trail, established in 2007, and the 205 km Palestinian Village-to-Village Heritage Trail, opened in 2014.

Newer is the Jordan Trail, a 404-mile route established in 2017 that crisscrosses the country from north to south, sending hikers through a paint-box landscape of rolling olive groves, flowery valleys and sandy washes. When hikers reach the desert in the southwest of the country, they enter directly into the Nabataean city of Petra and enter the rock-hewn UNESCO site on foot, as travelers have done for thousands of years.

(Read more about the epic Jordan Trail Cross Country.)

These trails evoke the long history of Middle Eastern walking tours, from ancient camel caravans to pilgrimage routes connecting the region’s many religious sites. New paths are being forged now: in the northern parts of the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia, a new hiking network is expected to be launched in the coming years.

When seasoned hikers and mountaineers from the UK Tony Howard and Di Taylor first mapped Jordanian trails in the 1990s, recreational hiking was largely unknown in the area, they say. Many Jordanian townspeople were wary of the wilderness, asking the couple why they would walk when they could afford to drive instead.

In the years that followed, local interest in hiking flourished. Groups of hikers have formed from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to Amman, Jordan, where vans filled with impatient walkers roll out of the city every Friday morning.

Overcome stereotypes one step at a time

A growing number of visitors from outside the Middle East have also donned hiking boots to explore the region. But, says Howard, some foreigners mistakenly think the Middle East is just too risky for such adventures.

There have been high-profile incidents, such as the 2009 arrest and jail of three American hikers who wandered from Iraq to Iran, and the 2019 tourist bus terrorist bombing near the Pyramids. of Giza in Egypt, but such tragedies are rare.

Hiking has particular power in bringing a better understanding of the area, says Olivia Mason, a postdoctoral researcher at Newcastle University who studies the geopolitics of hiking trails. “When you move foot to foot and have these daily encounters where you actually talk with people, these dominant narratives mean nothing, they are constantly questioned,” says Mason, who has walked hundreds of miles. . the Jordan Trail.

Another common concern is that women will not be safe hiking in the Middle East. Mason recognizes that in certain regions, it is still rare to see a woman walking alone.

(This temple honors the Egyptian queen who reigned as king.)

Harassment can be a serious problem in parts of the Middle East, says Hamsa Mansour, an Egyptian documentary filmmaker and adventurer based in Cairo. “It’s very hard to live in Cairo as a woman.

But Mansour, an outdoor enthusiast who has done solo treks in Egypt and Morocco, feels an extraordinary freedom while exploring the wild places of her region, unlike the challenges of city life. “I never feel more secure than when I’m in the mountains,” she says.

Find hospitality among the peaks

This is especially true, says Mansour, in the mountains of the Red Sea. The RSMT crosses the homeland of the Kushmaan clan of the Maaza tribe, a Bedouin nomad whose livelihood includes foraging for food in remote corners of the mountain range. Trekkers need permission from the chieftains to visit – a centuries-old custom – and must travel with guides from Kushmaan.

“Part of their culture is how much they value and cherish their guests,” says Mansour, who created a short film about the RSMT after hiking there in 2019. Walking alongside of Bedouins who knew every plant and every animal, she felt deeply secure.

Exploring with local guides is a highlight of hiking the Red Sea Mountains, Hoffler thinks, as it turns an experience in the great outdoors into a chance to learn about traditional life. “The old ways are still alive,” says Hoffler. “You meet the last guardians of this very ancient nomadic culture.

Maintain and change traditions

Sheikh Merayi Abu Musallem, who heads the more than 1,500 families of the Kushmaan clan, is among those working to preserve this culture. The RSMT offers young members of the clan the possibility of finding work in the mountains, explains Musallem, co-founder of the trail. It is a livelihood that preserves ancient knowledge while creating opportunities for sustainable employment and cultural exchange.

“The path teaches a lot of things to the younger generation,” he says. “I am amazed at how quickly young Bedouin learn. Musallem adds that he would like the Kushmaan girls to train as hiking guides as well, a break with tradition he considers important.

(Discover the revolutionary idea behind America’s urban trails.)

Learning, he says, is mutual. Hikers from outside the Red Sea mountain range, like Ghenem and Mansour, tell their own stories at campfires where travelers congregate after long days on the trail. If they leave the mountains feeling changed by what they encounter there, Musallem says their Bedouin hosts are also transformed by such experiences.

“When the guides sit down at night and talk after dinner, that’s a plus. They learn from visitors, and that gives the Bedouin more diversity, ”says Musallem. “We are learning the best things on the track.

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) – Three people trying to retrieve the body of a hiker on a Colorado mountain were injured Wednesday after being struck by a “massive rockfall” likely triggered by other climbers above the mountain. ‘them, the authorities said.

Mountain Rescue Aspen’s most seriously injured member at Capitol Peak was airlifted to a Denver-area hospital for emergency surgery, after a boulder hit the rescuer “about 20 feet (6 meters) through the air in a “rag doll,” or somersaulting motion, “the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office said. The other two members were treated and released from nearby Aspen Hospital. .

The incident delayed the recovery of the body of Kelly McDermott from Madison, Wisconsin, who was spotted by a search helicopter earlier Wednesday. McDermott was reported missing after failing to return from a 14,137-foot (4,309-meter) mountain climb on Sunday.

His body is located in a precarious location about 500 feet (152 meters) below the Knife Edge, a ridge that leads to the last ascent to the top of the mountain. Due to the location, it may take some time to recover his body, Deputy Sheriff Alex Burchetta told The Aspen Times.

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If you are already into hiking or running, you are probably familiar with all the physical and mental health benefits. It strengthens your muscles and core, improves balance, helps regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, improves your mood, reduces anxiety, and lowers the risk of heart disease – and that’s just the start.

What you might not know is that night hiking offers all of these same benefits, plus several more. Exploring nighttime hiking trails helps sharpen your senses, increases self-confidence, and improves skills, including survival and orientation. And of course, you’ll also get to experience the scenery in a whole new way on some of the best night hikes.

If you’re ready to give night hiking a try but don’t know where to start, literally you’ve come to the right place.

The basics of night hiking

ActionHub has published a guide to safely exploring nighttime hiking trails, but it’s also worth reiterating a few key points here.

• First and foremost, it is important to know that you have to take all the same precautions and prepare in the same way for the night hike as for the day hike. Drink plenty of water and wear appropriate clothing, including diapers and sturdy shoes. Leave the hiking sandals at home for this special adventure.
• Do not walk a new trail for the first time at night; stick with those you are familiar with. Likewise, don’t venture too far from home on an overnight hike.
• Wear a headlamp with a red light function, as it is much less harsh on the eyes and actually improves night vision.
• Use the buddy system if possible. We’re all for solo hiking, but at night everything is inherently a little more dangerous. Bring a friend and if you absolutely must hike on your own, at least tell a few people about your plans. Be specific and let them know when and where you plan to hike, as well as when you should be back. And most importantly, don’t forget to send a follow-up SMS when you’re done!
• Consider camping overnight to make the most of the experience on the overnight hiking trails. This will allow you to both star gaze and catch the sunrise on the trail!

Best Nighttime Hiking Trails in the United States

From coast to coast (literally) there are some truly breathtaking night hikes in America:

Joshua Tree National Park, California

You might not associate Southern California with the best night hikes – after all, it’s one of the most densely populated areas in the country. And where there are people, there is light pollution. Joshua Tree National Park, however, has some of the darkest skies in the state. In fact, it is an official International Dark Sky Park.

Visitors can enter the park day or night, but remember this is a fragile desert environment and use extreme caution. Wear closed-toe shoes, watch your steps, and carry emergency supplies even if you go for a short hike. The park has plenty of roadside setbacks with easy access to the best night-time hiking trails, but be aware that the day-only areas are just that – they’re closed from dusk until dawn.

In particular, discover the section of Pinto Basin Road that runs between Cottonwood and Cholla Cactus Garden.

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Northern Michigan’s scenic Mackinac Island is unique in that there are no cars allowed. No taxis, carpools, or even golf carts, outside of the actual golf courses. In fact, the island’s M-185 is the only national highway in the whole country that prohibits motor vehicles! Instead, people get around on foot, by bicycle or in horse-drawn carriages.

This lack of cars keeps light pollution to a minimum and means Mackinac Island has some of the best nighttime hiking trails in the country. Climb up to Fort Holmes, the highest point on the island, for the best views of the sky and shore. The hike itself is short and relatively easy, but requires climbing up a steep hill, so wear sturdy shoes and a headlamp.

Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania

Home to some of the darkest and clearest skies east of the Mississippi River, Cherry Springs State Park is designated an International Dark Sky Park. North Central Pennsylvania Park is located in the Susquehannock State Forest and includes several areas dedicated specifically to stargazing and night sky viewing.

The combined park and state forest offer over 85 miles of trails, including several shorter ones considered to be the best night hikes on the east coast. Hike the short and pleasant 1.5-mile interpretive trail, then head to the public night sky viewing area if you’re only staying a few hours. There’s also the Overnight Astronomy Observation Field, available to those who register in advance. Whichever area you choose, you will enjoy stunning 360 degree views.

Phoenix, Arizona

Hiking is a major pastime in the Phoenix metro area – more like a way of life, really. And with warm weather all year round, you can almost always enjoy the nighttime hiking trails. In fact, let’s be honest, it gets so hot for much of the year that if you want to hike you almost have to do it at night!

The locals call Phoenix “The Valley” because it is completely surrounded by mountain ranges. There are no less than seven surrounding the sprawling city, plus a small range (aptly named the Phoenix Mountains) running through it. With such easy access, you would be hard pressed to find a better night hike.

For some of the best night hikes in Phoenix, try Piestewa Peak, Moonlight Trail in the San Tans, or one of the loop trails in the McDowell Mountains.

Shining Rock Wilderness, North Carolina

Western North Carolina, home to the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachians, and Great Smoky Mountains, is full of epic hiking trails. However, none offer the best night hikes like the Shining Rock Wilderness. The area is defined by a high rock ledge that literally shines with a high concentration of quartzite. This smooth rocky peak is a popular spot for meteor showers and stargazing.

The hike to the top isn’t particularly difficult, but it’s 6.5 miles long. You may want to start before sunset so you only hike in the dark, or even consider camping overnight along the trailhead. Since Shining Rock is a dedicated wilderness area, you don’t have to get a permit or pay a fee, but all of the Leave No Trace principles still apply.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Located directly on the US-Mexico border, Big Bend is perhaps the most unique national park in the country – and by far the most remote. And just like Phoenix, the mild (i.e. rather hot and dry) weather year round makes it ideal for exploring the park’s nighttime hiking trails.

With the mighty Rio Grande running through the park (and, fun fact, serving as the official international border), countless distinct rock formations, and some of the darkest skies in all of America, Big Bend is a night hiker’s paradise. In fact, Big Bend has the darkest sky, a certified Class I dark sky on Bortle’s map – quite literally as dark as it gets.

Park rangers offer moonlit walks and guided night hikes throughout the year; check at the visitor center for information on upcoming events.

Point Reyes National Seashore, California

Just an hour north of San Francisco, Point Reyes is a nature lover’s paradise who feels removed from civilization. The coastline features spectacular rocky cliffs, deserted sandy beaches, beautiful old growth forest, and a wide variety of wildlife. The area also has dozens of hiking and backpacking trails, a few of which are some of California’s best night hikes.

Discover Abbott Lagoon, Bass Lake, and the Limantour Beach Trail for some of the most expansive views of the clear, unpolluted night sky.

There are a few important things to note about the night hiking trails in Point Reyes. First, there are often wildlife on or near the roads, including deer and elk. Drive slowly and carefully. This region is also notoriously cold and windy, even in summer, so dress appropriately.

The coast of Maine

There is very little light pollution in Maine to begin with, so you’ll find spectacularly clear and dark skies just about anywhere in the state. Along the coast, however, and particularly the central coast, you’ll also find craggy cliffs, nearly empty beaches, historic lighthouses, and windswept sand dunes. In other words, Maine has some of the best night hikes in the country.

One of Maine’s best-known nighttime hiking trails is Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park. You can choose between the South Ridge Trail (7.1 miles) and the North Ridge Trail (4 miles), but either way you’ll want to schedule your night hike to be at the top at sunrise. Maine has the first sunrise over the continental United States, and Cadillac Mountain is one of the best places to see it!

Taryn Shorr is an avid outdoorsman, frequent traveler and aspiring photographer based in Southern Arizona. She lives for the opportunity to explore the great outdoors, both at home and in new destinations, and firmly believes that nature is a form of both therapy and religion.

Located on the edge of the Monadnock area, for hikers, Stratton Mountain in Northfield, Massachusetts, is well worth the short drive.

Most people associate Stratton Mountain with the popular ski area of ​​Vermont.

But in Northfield, Massachusetts, there is another mountain by this name.

Earlier this summer my longtime hiking companion Curtis Carroll and I made the short drive from Keene to see this lesser-known peak on the edge of the Monadnock region.

Most people associate Northfield – established in 1673 – with a distinguished old New England town known for its two-mile wide Main Street, beautiful homes, and history.

But this small town which borders Winchester (NH) to the south also offers many possibilities for hiking.

The topography of Northfield is very contrasted. The western part of the city sits on the rich alluvial floodplain of the Connecticut River. But in the east, the landscape rises sharply towards wooded hills.

Thousands of acres and 17 miles of trails are open to the public.

At 1,289 feet, Stratton Mountain is the highest point in this chain of hills.

We started our hike from the Gulf Road kiosk following a 3.3 mile one-way section of the New England Trail (NET) – formerly the Monadnock-Metacomet Trail.

The New England Trail, 125 miles, is a long-distance hiking trail that runs from Long Island Sound in Connecticut to the New Hampshire / Massachusetts border.

The trail climbed into a wood of tall pines, maples, beeches, and birches with striped maple (sometimes called goosefoot because the leaves of the small tree resemble the shape of a stalk). goose) growing below. Striped maples and tramp bushes (which we would see much later) are typical of the understory of a northern deciduous and coniferous forest.

Although we had no clear views until the very end of the hike, the tall trees providing shade over long wooded areas, both hardwood and hemlock stands, were much appreciated .

Several minutes after starting the hike, we arrived at the west junction for the Bald Hills Blue Loop, an optional side path that crosses the top of the ridge above Gulf Road and joins the NET at the east junction.

We chose to bypass the loop and stick with the NET, which continued over slightly hilly terrain and past a variety of ground cover including wild lily of the valley, the starflower – a low growing wildflower with 5 lance-shaped leaves arranged in a single whorl near the top of the stem – princess pine and partridge.

The tattoo of a hairy woodpecker – short, with strong, deliberate, and well-spaced strokes – and the chipmunks “chip” provided familiar sounds of nature. The name chipmunk derives from the jagged call these bulky little rodents make when surprised.

Curtis, a geology enthusiast, stopped to extract a flat garnet shale rock and tucked it into a side pocket of his backpack.

“There are shards of garnet mixed in. They polish them and use them for countertops,” he said.

Ten minutes from the start, the trail began a long, steady descent into a deep valley.

We knew the hike required a moderately steep climb out and back.

“It will be a steep climb,” Curtis said.

After passing through an impressive bed of ferns, a ledge area, and huge oak and white birch trees, we came to the east junction (left) for the Bald Hills Loop. We continued on the NET which was going down steadily.

An interesting stone wall rolling down the hill caught our eye. This ancient barrier, like many old stone walls in the woods, was “dry stacked” (mounted without mortar). A stone wall assembled in this way has many cracks. But don’t let the dry stacked method of building a stone wall fool you about its strength. The dry stone walls last for hundreds of years. If there is movement in the ground, they can flex, move and settle.

The trail descended into a hemlock ravine.

Here we saw thick clusters of tramps. The scattered shrub seemed to follow us for the next part of our hike. Hobblebush has dangling branches that can trip over or “hinder” walkers, hence the name. It thrives in damp, damp woods and often forms an understory in hemlock forest.

The trail passed two huge boulders (left) covered in rocky, paper-like guts – a large lichen resembling a leathery, coiled lettuce leaf tied in its lower middle to the rock. It sort of looked like peeling paint on the side of an old house.

Unless the day is humid, rock guts are likely to be rather dry and brown.

We continued through hemlock forest along the west side of Hidden Pond passing more rocks and bums. Soon the trail moved slightly uphill over a surface of drier, matted oak and beech leaves.

A sudden movement on the forest floor, a flash of emerald, caught my attention. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an emerald ash borer. Although only half an inch long, this shiny metallic green beetle is capable of cutting down ash trees thousands of times its size, digging into the tree, feeding on tissue under the bark, and ultimately pulling it down. to kill. Native to Asia, the small beetle is said to have entered this country hidden in wooden packaging materials. How can something so beautiful be so bad?

An hour and 20 minutes after starting the hike, we reached the junction with the Collier Cemetery trails.

Turning left we followed the NET uphill on a wide path. “It’s probably an old road (of the woods) because there is a graveyard nearby,” Curtis said.

A few minutes later we turned right and exited the old forest road. After passing an impressive flat horizontal ledge (left), we saw a patch of blue through the trees indicating that we were approaching our destination.

A few minutes later, we got to the top (East View).

Here we found an AMC shelter and a wonderful 180 degree view.

Mount Grace in Warwick, Massachusetts dominated the foreground with Mount Monadnock prominently on the horizon to the northwest. Mount Ascutney was visible on the far horizon to the far left.

After picking a few blueberries that were starting to ripen, watching the cloud shadows drift over the hills, and checking out the Richardson-Zlogar hut built by AMC volunteers in 2001, we returned home – refreshed and ready for the ” steep climb “.

To get to Stratton Mountain, from Keene, travel south on Route 10 to Winchester. At the junction of Routes 119.78 / 10, continue on Route 10 South 7.2 miles to Northfield. Turn left on Maple Street, which becomes Gulf Road, and continue for 3.2 miles to the trailhead (right).

To learn more about the Richardson-Zlogar Hut, visit newenglandtrail.org. Night pitches.