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7 Hikes. 7 States. 7 National Parks

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7 Hikes. 7 States. 7 National Parks.  Big horn sheep on Mt Ida Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park I love National Parks. Sometimes they can feel like Disneyland, but that goes away once you hit the trails. One of the only downsides I can think of is that dogs are not allowed on most trails in national parks. This is for the safety of both your dog and the wild animals inside the park. Most parks have an entrance fee, but I recommend getting an annual pass for $80. You'll make up the cost after about 3 parks. I've been trying to visit all 62 national parks and am almost halfway through. Here are a few of my favorite hikes I've done in some of my favorite parks. Sorry these all happen to be on the western half of the U.S. (Already a part 2 in the works) Rocky Mountain National Park - Mount Ida Trail 9.3 miles, 2,362 ft elevation gain, out & back I love this hike and this park and this state (Colorado). I truly believe that this hike is very accessible to anyone in rela...
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My Five Favorite Hikes in SoCal

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My Five Favorite Hikes in SoCal On the trail on Sunset Peak I get asked all the time (once or twice a month) what my favorite hikes are. And I always struggle with what to tell people. Some of my favorite hikes are over 15+ milers. While I love them, I am not going to recommend these to a lay person or am I going to just do one willy nilly when I feel like going on a hike. I tried to comprise a diverse set of hikes that have each of the qualities that I look for. I value solitude, views, and diversity of terrain (and when at all possible, a water feature). I tried to choose hikes from all over SoCal and not just the Angeles National Forest that is 15 minutes from my house. These are my top five hikes if you asked me today. (And if you do ask me, now I can just say "Please refer to my blog") Sunset Peak Trail 7.3 miles, 1272 ft elevation gain, out & back The mileage on this hike seems intimidating. But believe me, it is not difficult. The incline on this hike is unbelievab...
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Five Dog Friendly Hikes for Dogs and their Owners who like to Hike

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 Some of my closest friends just happen to be dogs. So when I'm planning a hike for me and my best friends, I have to consider certain hike conditions that I wouldn't normally. There should be plenty of shade, no steep ledges or ridges, and a conservative trail length. Out and Back hikes are always a good idea (you can turn around whenever you'd like and if your dog poops in the first mile you can always bag it up and pick it up on your way back. This way you aren't stuck carrying poop with you for the majority of the hike.) National Parks are not very dog friendly, so stick to National Forests and other State Parks. Make sure to check online to see if dogs are welcome on the trail. Finally, you know your dog's fitness level. If they're tired after a mile walk around the neighborhood, maybe a hike isn't the best activity for them. Here are five hikes that I find to be big time fun and dog friendly.  Sunset Peak Trail 7.3 miles 1,272 ft elevation gain Out ...
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