Tag Archives: Hiking

Hiking the Black Mesa

The Black Mesa State Park and Nature Preserve in the panhandle of Oklahoma is the highest point in elevation in the state, which is not nearly as interesting as it may sound.     I had anticipated spectacular views as I hiked along the mesas, likely an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. I thought […]

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A Stop at Clayton Lake

New Mexico’s Clayton Lake State Park, just east of the Capulin Volcano, is well worth the visit south of state lines. But, I had very low expectations to start, thinking it’d just be a reservoir for boating and fishing. I must admit though, I was pleasantly surprised.     To start with, boating and fishing […]

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Hiking the Capulin Volcano

The Capulin Volcano National Monument is one of several volcanoes in northeastern New Mexico. It sits about a 30 minute drive east of Raton, New Mexico, where the only real chance for lodging, other than camping, is in the area.     Some of the brochures and trailside information list it as dormant and others […]

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Hiking the Lakes of Rocky Mountain National Park

I ran for the cover under the tall lodgepole pine trees. Rain was falling in large, fat droplets at Rocky Mountain National Park’s Dream Lake and I wanted nothing to do with it; I wasn’t prepared with a jacket or even a cap. But I knew, as someone who was taking cover with me joked, […]

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Climbing a Colorado Mountain

My legs shook like trees in the wind as I stopped to take a picture of a stream that ran through the forest on the east side of Mount Elbert, the tallest peak in all of the Rocky Mountains. I paused to rest for a moment – wondering if a few more trips to the […]

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Beginning My Climb to the Top of Colorado

There are fifty-three mountain peaks in Colorado that climb over 14,000 feet into the sky from sea level. That number can be disputed to one side or the other based on certain measurements, but fifty-three, all of which have a 300 foot peak prominence, is a fairly accepted number. Climbing these mountains, some in record […]

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