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Tag: free admission

Arthur’s Pass

Arthur’s Pass

Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Arthur’s Pass area

Popular route for crossing between the east and west coasts of New Zealand’s South Island with beautiful views and various short stops.

Castle Hill

Castle Hill

Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Castle Hill Basin area

Fascinating area with interesting rock formations with numerous climbing sites; filming location for Narnia.

Garnet Peak

Garnet Peak

Location: California, San Diego area, Cleveland National Forest
Short hike to a peak with a beautiful 360 degree panorama of desert and mountain scenery.

Indian Creek-PCT Loop

Indian Creek-PCT Loop

Location: California, San Diego area, Cleveland National Forest
Nice loop hike utilizing multiple trails in the Mount Laguna area for a wide cross section of scenery and views.

 ⊗ Desperado Canyon

 ⊗ Desperado Canyon

Location: Nevada, Stateline Hills
Nice example of a desert canyon, with a good approach, interesting rock formations, and some nice sculpted rock walls for downclimbs and rappels.

McGee Pass Trail (Day Hike)

McGee Pass Trail (Day Hike)

Location: Northern California, Eastern Sierras, Mammoth Lakes Area
Popular day hike through a valley with beautiful mountain views, excellent fall colors in autumn, and nice wildflowers displays in the summer.

Convict Lake

Convict Lake

Location: Northern California, Eastern Sierras, Mammoth Lakes Area
Easy loop hike around a popular lake with blue waters, scenic mountains, trout fishing, and nice fall foliage.

Lundy Canyon

Lundy Canyon

Location: Northern California, Eastern Sierras, Lee Vining Area
One of the finest hikes in the Eastern Sierras, the route features waterfalls, aspen groves, beaver ponds, and beautiful scenery.

St. Anthony Falls

St. Anthony Falls

Location: Minnesota, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Originally the only major waterfall on the Upper Mississippi, the site was converted to a concrete spillway along with a lock and dam as part of stabilization efforts at the turn of the 20th century.

Gígjökull

Gígjökull

Location: Iceland, Southern Iceland, Thórsmörk
Outlet glacier of Eyjafjallajökull whose surrounding landscape was radically transformed in the 2010 eruption.

Faxi

Faxi

Location: Iceland, Southwest, Golden Circle
Nice, rarely visited waterfall that can be viewed from multiple angles and includes a neat fish ladder.

Old Highway 80

Old Highway 80

Location: California, San Diego area
Travel the once-thriving Route 80 to see historic road side attractions, abandoned buildings, railcars, and modern day ghost towns

Ink Pots

Ink Pots

Location: Canada, Alberta, Banff National Park, Banff area
Lovely green and blue pools of water in a mountain meadow which can be accessed via two different, but equally pretty, routes; nice hike year-round

Johnston Canyon

Johnston Canyon

Location: Canada, Alberta, Banff National Park, Banff area
Classic hike through a beautiful non-technical canyon in any season; in winter the waterfalls freeze and offer ice climbing opportunities

Daley Ranch

Daley Ranch

Location: California, San Diego area, Escondido
3,000 acre reserve of historic ranch land featuring numerous hiking trails and historic barns and buildings

Doane Valley

Doane Valley

Location: California, San Diego area, Palomar Mountain
Hike through pretty scenery including a pond, creek, rolling hills, and the ruins of a 1920’s dam and gauging station

⊗ Little Santa Anita Canyon

⊗ Little Santa Anita Canyon

Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Nice beginner canyon with a straightforward approach, lots of rappels, and an occasional keeper pothole; optional extension on the approach through a historic area with a few ruins

⊗ Allison Mine Loop

⊗ Allison Mine Loop

Location: California, Los Angeles area, San Gabriels
Hike to a great set of abandoned mines and descend via a canyon; overnight option allows additional rappels and more time to explore the mines

Echo Cliffs

Echo Cliffs

Location: California, Los Angeles area, Santa Monica Mountains
Relatively quick approach to some excellent climbing, with climbs appropriate for all levels (beginner to expert)

Hueco Wall

Hueco Wall

Location: California area, Los Angeles, Santa Monica Mountains
Nice approach hike to a less frequented climbing area with intermediate to advanced climbs

Zzyzx ♦

Zzyzx ♦

Location: California, South Central Desert, Northeast of Los Angeles
Abandoned buildings and infrastructure of a 1940’s era Health Resort on the edge of the Mojave Desert

Salton City

Salton City

Location: California, South Central Desert, Southeast of Los Angeles
Failed resort community that currently houses a fraction of the intended population; fascinating as a sort of modern day ghost town

Indio

Indio

Location: California, South Central Desert, East of Los Angeles
Winter escape famous with polo fields, canyons, spring wildflowers, and the Coachella Valley

Villager Peak

Villager Peak

Location: California, Anza Borrego Desert
Hike to the summit of a peak offering sweeping views of the surrounding desert and nice wildflowers in the spring