So You Want to Start Hiking - Picking Out a Trail

It's been a couple weeks since my last post, and what a crazy couple week's it has been! I always forget how busy the fall season is with events, deadlines, classes, and get-togethers, not to mention prepping the house for the upcoming holiday season! Whew!

Unfortunately in the midst of this super busy time, only a small portion of that has been spent on the trail. I've been so looking forward to hiking this fall season, to see all the beautiful leaves and colors of nature. Which brings me to announcing my 3 part series..

So You Want to Start Hiking?

First of all, let me be the first to say "AWESOME"! Hiking has provided me with so many hours of enjoyment and time for reflection. There's nothing better than sitting on top of a beautiful vista and thinking about life (or escaping from it). It's a great thing to do with your special someone, family, and friends. It builds community, and it gives you a sense of yourself and what you can handle.

But where do you start? If you're not an outdoorsy kind of person, how do you find out where to go, which trails are best for beginners, or even what to take and how to dress (which was obviously a big one for me =P)?? These questions plagued me when I first thought about hiking. Maybe that seems silly, but it's true. If you're like me, a thorough plan is imperative. That's what I hope this series will help you do.

As a beginning hiker, the first thing is to select your trail. Selecting your trail will give you an idea of what else you'll need to have with you. In the Maryland/Virginia/Pennsylvania area, we have a plethora of parks and trails. I am truly grateful for that. If you happened to read my first post, you know that my dad took me on my first trail (and that I wasn't prepared for hiking!). So when Hubs and I set out on our first hike, we went right back to that same trail, and since it's my favorite we tend to go back to it all the time.

When picking out a trail for your first hike, it's easy to be super excited and think "I'm going to scale this mountain and hike 10 miles in 4 hours!".. Ok, so that's a lot of an exaggeration, but you get my point. Take it easy. It's better to spend an hour or two on a short trail and learn what your body can handle, than to kill yourself the first time and never want to hike again.

How does one find a trail to hike? If you aren't familiar with parks in your area, or you don't know of any trails, don't worry! There are resources available to help you find trails. Below are some of my favorite.

1. Everytrail - This is a great resource where users upload trails that they've hiked, including maps and photos. Some even post complete trail guides. Most are free. If you've never hiked before, use a trail guide - it will have the best information about blazes and what to look out for.
2. Mid-Atlantic Hikes - If you're in the MD/VA/PA/WV area, this is a great resource. Not only are the guides fantastic, but you will find maps, GPS files, and even restaurant suggestions for after the trails. I highly recommend this website.
3. Gorp - Another great website to find hikes in your area. It uses an interactive map to help point you to great trails.

There are many other great sites out there that can point you to local trails. This weekend is a great time to get outside, as the trees will be hitting their peak colors in many areas! There's something magical about being outside when the weather is turning towards fall, and the leaves are brilliant shades of reds, golds, and oranges! 

For those of you who are hikers, how do you find your trails? What websites do you use/recommend?

Where are you headed this weekend?

Next up: What to bring with you on a day hike.

Thank you so much for visiting My Journey from High Heels to Hiking Boots! Like me on Facebook and share with a friend - You know you want to ;]  Now get out there and hike! Happy Trails!

Big Schloss Overnight Adventure

Labor Day has certainly not been very laborious for Hubs and I. We've been recovering from our first overnight backpacking experience! I'm happy to report that we didn't get lost or attacked by wild animals! And Hubs hung a bear bag! It was a great weekend, but totally exhausting.

A friend recommended we go down to Big Schloss in VA. It's in the George Washington National Forest. After reading the fantastic reviews from multiple places online, we decided to give it a go. I'd been searching for a good place to do a group weekend hike, and this place seemed perfect! So Hubs and I packed up after work on Friday to scout it out for a group hike next month.

We followed a trail guide from MidAtlantic Hikes again. Just like the last one, it did not fail us. It was simple, concise, and clear. On the trail guide, there were many suggestions of places to camp out for the night, which were very handy. Props to MidAtlantic Hikes on another great guide =].

The fun (hah!) background story to this is that Hubs and I were unable to arrive as early as we planned. In fact, we pulled into the park shortly before dark, and rushed to the first camp site to get set up as quickly as possible. Once we had the tent all set up, it dawned on me that we would be doing the entire hike in one day.. 11.5 miles.. with 25lbs+ on our backs.. O..M..G..

But on the plus side, look how cute our tent was!

So the next morning we packed up and hit the trail. The first part of the hike was the hardest, as it was mostly uphill, but overall the hike wasn't too bad. We enjoyed the quiet of the woods together with the dogs. There were very few hikers on the trail, probably because of the clouds that seemed to be threatening rain at any moment. We had some great views, and I'm really proud of us for hiking so far.

The first overlook we came to.

 

Big Schloss (we didn't climb it this time)

So, while everything might not have worked out as planned, it was the perfect trip for our first overnight adventure! We're looking forward to the next one in a month. Next time we'll actually climb up Big Schloss to see the view. I've heard its spectacular!

After 11.5 miles in one day (another record broken!), you can imagine how tired we've been. The pups are still a bit worn out, too. So while the bathroom is calling out to be scrubbed, I must admit that I'm comfortably tucked into my bed snuggling with my doggies. And after such a weekend, I don't feel bad about it for one second.

Been on any hikes recently? What did you do this Labor Day? I'd love to hear all about it =]

Thank you so much for visiting My Journey from High Heels to Hiking Boots! Happy Trails!