Above: Descending the Devil's Corkscrew along the Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon National Park. Hiking to the Colorado River and back to the Rim is a fantastic hike. The Canyon is nature's architecture, where you can walk through 2 billion years of work. Sadly, only 1% of Park visitors leave the Rim for a trail.
Corcovado National Park - Located on Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, this Park has several hikes. Start from Carate and hike to the Serena Ranger Station (or reverse). Birds, sealife, and wildlife are thick.
Alaska - Land of superlatives. Hike Crow Pass in the Chugach Mountains for stunning scenery. Denali National Park has numerous trails for scenery and wildlife. Try the Mt. Healy Overlook Trail near the Visitor Center. Definitely plan to take the bus 90 miles to Kantishna to see bear, moose, caribou, sheep. You can hop off/on the bus at any point. Hike Blueberry Hill and view Denali from Wonder Lake. On clear days the Eielson Visitor has views of Denali.
Old Rag Mountain - Shenandoah National Park has numerous trails, including the famous Appalachian, but Old Rag is unique with rock scrambles that will have you climbing under, over, and around boulders, including a boulder that seems to defy gravity. Named for it's ragged appearance, the mountain has a distinct silhouette along the Blue Ridge.
Precipice Trail - Acadia National Park. A short trail with vertical climbs using iron hand/footholds for an upper body challenge. For this reason, it is unique and provides nice views. This trail is popular, so arrive early!
Alaska - Land of superlatives. Hike Crow Pass in the Chugach Mountains for stunning scenery. Denali National Park has numerous trails for scenery and wildlife. Try the Mt. Healy Overlook Trail near the Visitor Center. Definitely plan to take the bus 90 miles to Kantishna to see bear, moose, caribou, sheep. You can hop off/on the bus at any point. Hike Blueberry Hill and view Denali from Wonder Lake. On clear days the Eielson Visitor has views of Denali.
Old Rag Mountain - Shenandoah National Park has numerous trails, including the famous Appalachian, but Old Rag is unique with rock scrambles that will have you climbing under, over, and around boulders, including a boulder that seems to defy gravity. Named for it's ragged appearance, the mountain has a distinct silhouette along the Blue Ridge.
Precipice Trail - Acadia National Park. A short trail with vertical climbs using iron hand/footholds for an upper body challenge. For this reason, it is unique and provides nice views. This trail is popular, so arrive early!
Highline Trail, Glacier National Park - Pick up this trail at Logan Pass. This a great trail to take in mountain views of the Northern Rockies. The Garden Wall is a section of the trail that skirts along a cliff edge but eventually the trail traverses low underbrush. Mountains goats, bighorn, marmots, and birds can be viewed on this trail. The Highline Trail is an out-and-back hike, with no water points.
Wengen, Switzerland - Several hikes in this area provide stunning views of the Alps, including Jungfrau. The Lauterbrunnen Valley is entry to this area. The best are Kleine Scheidegg and Mannlichen. Combine a hike with a high-altitude train ride to Jungfrau, or take the ski lift to Mannlichen.
Ocean Path - Acadia National Park. An easy, family friendly trail on flat terrain with a great views of Frenchman's Bay. Lots of cool boulders to rest on while listening to the waves. In the summer, you must make a reservation with the Park Service because Ocean Drive is well loved.
La Congreja Waterfall Trail - Rincon de la Vieja Park, Costa Rica. A 6-mile roundtrip through a dense forest. The trail is steep and can be muddy. Along the way, you may see birds, monkeys, pumas, and maybe snakes. Stay on the trail. Pack plenty of water as there are no water points after leaving the visitor center.
Wengen, Switzerland - Several hikes in this area provide stunning views of the Alps, including Jungfrau. The Lauterbrunnen Valley is entry to this area. The best are Kleine Scheidegg and Mannlichen. Combine a hike with a high-altitude train ride to Jungfrau, or take the ski lift to Mannlichen.
Ocean Path - Acadia National Park. An easy, family friendly trail on flat terrain with a great views of Frenchman's Bay. Lots of cool boulders to rest on while listening to the waves. In the summer, you must make a reservation with the Park Service because Ocean Drive is well loved.
La Congreja Waterfall Trail - Rincon de la Vieja Park, Costa Rica. A 6-mile roundtrip through a dense forest. The trail is steep and can be muddy. Along the way, you may see birds, monkeys, pumas, and maybe snakes. Stay on the trail. Pack plenty of water as there are no water points after leaving the visitor center.
Architecture
Europe possesses architecture from almost every period of human history. Designs vary widely from ancient Greece in the far southeastern tip of Europe, west to the Iberian Peninsula, where Moorish influences changed architectural style for centuries, and north to France, Germany and Great Britain, where Gothic architecture emerged as Europe struggled to exit the Dark Ages.
The most interesting architecture combines influences from different periods or even different cultures. The Saxons, Normans, Goths, Vandals, and others criss-crossed Europe, bringing their culture and architecture with them. Venice and the former Venetian Empire of the Adriatic has the most interesting architecture because it combines Gothic, Renaissance, and Byzantine.
Not all great architecture is found in Europe, of course. Man's largest creations are the Pyramids of Egypt and the Great Wall of China. The Greek and Roman arch likely originated in Persia. And few structures in the world compare to Petra.
Below: Rector's Palace, Dubrovnik, Croatia
In addition to Venice and The Adriatic, below are some of my favorite locations for photographing architecture, and just generally fun places to explore.
Lisbon, Portugal. Belem Castle guards the entrance to the Tagus River outside Lisbon. This was the last thing Portuguese explorers saw when leaving on their long voyages. The Moorish Castles, Sintra, and Tomar are must see locations, all close to Lisbon.
Petra, Jordan. The Treasury (El Khazneh) built in the 1st Century CE by the Nabataeans. Their prosperous trade network allowed them to carve cities from the sandstone mountains. They borrowed Greek, Hebrew, and Egyptian designs. You can spend two days walking the Petra site, and not see everything.
London, England. Rich with history and architecture from medieval to contemporary. Below is St. Paul's Cathedral, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. London has a lot to offer photographers: Westminster Abby, Parliament, Temple Church, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Eye, and many more.
Magnificent arches of Madrasa Ben Youssef, Marrakech, with ornate carvings in stucco, and marble columns. The Madrasa was originally built as a religious school in the 14th century but also hosted a large library. Moorish architecture crossed the Mediterranean where it is known as Andalusian.
