Underestimating a mountain is never a good idea. Mount Hood in eastern Oregon is not as high as many summits in the area, nor is it as long a hike as Shasta and some of the others peaks. However, thousands of climbers attempt Mount Hood every year, many of them beginners who don't realize Mount Hood's dangers.

Cornices
The primary danger on Mount Hood is the cornices that form on the leeward side of the mountain. A cornice is an overhanging ledge of snow that forms from wind and heavy precipitation. It can cause avalanches and falling rock if the wind blows in the wrong direction. If you're climbing a mountain that has cornices, your best bet is to avoid them entirely. Mount Hood, for example, is safest to climb on the opposite side of the mountain. The route is a bit more technically challenging, but you don't have to worry as much about boulders falling on your head.

Rock Fall
When climbing Mount Hood, stick to the snow and the ice rather than trying to gain footholds on the rocks along its face. Rock fall is a significant source of injury on the mountain, mostly for inexperienced climbers who mistakenly believe that climbing on rock will be safer. Not only is this dangerous for you, but also for anyone coming up behind you.

Hypothermia
The below-freezing temperatures on Mount Hood can be excruciating, particularly if you don't think to bring a warm jacket and a pair of insulated gloves. It is also a good idea to bring a compass or other navigational tool just in case you happen to get lost.

Stranded
Inexperienced climbers are far more likely to reach a point in the climb and realize they can't go any further. About 40 people are rescued every year from the face or summit of Mount Hood because they can't go either forward or back. Don't get into this situation; take an experienced climber with you.

Looking for a challenging trail that hikes over a few mountains, sticks you in the wilderness away from your comfort zone and allows you to explore a remote area of New Hampshire that few people ever visit? Then look no further. The Cohos Trail in New Hampshire is it. The Cohos Trail begins its winding way just south of the White Mountains and heads north up to Canada. It crosses several mountain ranges and even climbs up to over 4,500 feet (the peak of Mount Eisenhower), so it's not one for those who don't like heights. It is, however, a beautiful part of New Hampshire, and any nature buff would love hiking on this 160-mile trail.

The Cohos Trail has many delights, including more than 50 species of birds; Table Rock, with one of the scariest views imaginable (you really are that high up, with a straight drop down); waterfalls with a kettle hole; lunch spots with stupendous views; a suspension foot bridge to cross and several high peaks you can climb.

You can hike the entire Cohos Trail, which will take you around 10 to 14 days, or you can do one of many day hikes. For a cool day hike, try the Davis Path to Stairs Mountain near Notchland, Percy Peak Trail or Percy Loop Trail.

The Cohos Trail really is that remote, but recently more campsites have been established, and several information kiosks have been opened along the way. So, if you're thinking of heading up the Cohos Trail, don't hesitate. The campsites are in beautiful spots, there's now a hostel you can stay at only a few miles off the trail, and there's also a new guidebook, which will help you all the way along the trail. The Cohos Trail is also being expanded by another 20 to 40 miles, which are projected to be ready by next year, with some new trails ready as early as spring 2009. Why not be the first to try them out? If you're doing it in the fall or spring, don't forget to pack your winter woolies. You'll need them up on the higher elevations.

From pretty much any vantage point in Seattle, Washington, you can see Mount Rainier. So it makes sense when people think about hiking trails around Seattle, Mount Rainier is one of the first places to come to mind. You could of course hike (and climb) up to the summit, but - at over 14,000 feet - it would take you a fair while. Plus, unless you've done it before, it's also recommended to take a guide and that can be quite expensive. For a challenging, yet not too dangerous hike in the real outdoors, Mount Rainier National Park is still the place, and the Wonderland Trail is the hike.

The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile trail that hits just about every major zone of the park. You can start the Wonderland Trail at many different places along its way, but it will take you at least 10 to 12 days to complete it if you decide to hike the whole thing, so be prepared.

The Wonderland Trail actually circles Mount Rainier, meaning if you do the whole thing, you'll see the mountain from pretty much every conceivable angle (except from the top, of course). There are also ranger cabins all over the park. Because there aren't any places to purchase food, if you do decide to walk the entire trail, you're going to have to arrange to have food packages mailed to several ranger locations for pick up as you hike.

The weather in this area can be a bit iffy, even in the summer. Park rangers will also warn you to watch out for sudden, extreme changes of weather. If you're walking the whole Wonderland Trail, there's a good chance you'll experience some severe weather during the almost two weeks that you'll be hiking. So make sure you're prepared with all the right equipment.

The Wonderland Trail sounds like it could be too much like hard work, but, in reality, it's one of the best ways to see the park. All kinds of flora, fauna and wildlife exist, not to mention the panoramic views. And let's face it, if you've seen anything of Mount Rainier from Seattle, it'd be kinda cool to see it from so close up.

I've always enjoyed hiking long mountain trails and cool forest paths, stopping occasionally to check out interesting plants and animals. There is something cathartic about hiking, something reflective that calms as well as provides exercise. What I'd never considered, however, was hiking through the snow. But that is exactly what has made snowshoeing so popular in Vermont.

Winter sports, such as skiing and snow sledding, are lots of fun and great exercise, but some people aren't quite brave enough to give those dangerous sports a try. Snowshoeing is a great workout but it doesn't present the same possibilities of peril as activities like skiing.

In Vermont, many visitors and residents enjoy snowshoeing through the state's most popular trails, sometimes as a form of ecotourism, but more often a simple way to get exercise and enjoy the great outdoors.

Bear Mountain in Wallingford, Vermont, for example, is one of the most popular destinations for snowshoeing. The trek to the summit is steep and difficult, but the view is amazing, and this is a great way for outdoor enthusiasts to get their exercise without much danger. Of course, beginner snowshoeing hikers should try out easier trails such as Peacham Bog in Groton, Vermont.

If you think you'd like to try out snowshoeing but aren't sure if you would enjoy it, you can usually rent the equipment at ski lodges and outdoor stores. To buy your own pair, you're looking at an investment of between $150 and $500, depending on quality. For many athletes, however, the price is well worth it once you get out on the trail.

Snowshoeing has become such a popular sport in Vermont that there are now races to celebrate the activity, such as the PEAK Snowshoe Race in Pittsfield. Most people, however, just prefer to enjoy the trails and the sights by themselves or with their families. It can be relaxing as well as great exercise.

If you want to try snowshoeing in Vermont, make sure you bring a pair of dark-tinted sunglasses or goggles for the trip to avoid snow blindness. You'll also want a warm hat to protect the top of your head and your ears from the frigid winds that blow during the winter.

One place that's wonderful to visit is Big Sky, Montana. I mean, really, how can you not want to go to a place that has such a cool name? Hiking in a place like Big Sky is also amazing, with all that clear blue sky, mountains and massive amounts of land. The Big Sky area has two great places where you can hike: Gallatin National Forest and possibly the world's most famous national park, Yellowstone National Park.

Get in your head a picture of the movie, A River Runs Through It. Dramatic scenery, fresh air, pretty big mountains, rivers, streams and an incredible blue sky. This is what you'll see if you hike in Gallatin National Forest. Just a few miles away from Big Sky, Gallatin has almost 2,300 miles of hiking trails - it's truly enormous. One of the best hiking areas in the country, bar none, and some of the mountain peaks are over 11,000 feet.

To start off hiking in Gallatin National Forest, it's best to go in the summer when the weather isn't too severe. There are five different mountain ranges you can hike. On all of them you'll see incredibly diverse plants and wildlife, including the area's famous bald eagles and grizzly bears. Be very aware of your surroundings though and watch what you're doing. A fall or a grizzly bear attack on many of these trails could leave you badly injured and miles away from help. To get started, you're better visiting one of the park's offices - the main one being in Bozeman - to collect maps, information on good starting points for hikes, estimated times to complete trails and more. Also carry bear spray and wear clunky boots. Bears don't like a lot of noise, so the noisier you are, the less chance you have of accidentally stumbling upon one.

Yellowstone National Park is only a short drive from Big Sky and has 1,200 miles of hiking trails. One of the trails easily accessible from Big Sky is called Tee pee. It's about 13 miles south of Big Sky, right before you get to Yellowstone National Park. The great thing about Tee pee is it's perfect for all levels of hiker, especially kids, and it eventually enters Yellowstone National Park, where you'll find many more hiking trails to enjoy. Get more information about hiking trails from one of the many Yellowstone visitor centers.

Being prepared sometimes makes the difference between surviving and not surviving. "Saving for a rainy day," quite simply refers to being prepared for a bad situation when it occurs. Whether one is camping, biking, hiking or doing other outdoor sports, it is imperative that a survival gear kit go along with the athlete or weekend warrior.

If looking for a basic survival kit, a top recommendation is theAdventure Medical Kit with Paddlers. This is a very versatile bag, which includes basic survival items as well as some repair gear. Some of the essentials included in the Adventure Medical Kit with Paddlers include Nitrile gloves, infectious bag control, a two-person emergency blanket, wound irrigation system, storm waterproof matches, Aquaseal urethane adhesive, a guide to wilderness and travel medicine, an emergency pamphlet, wound cover strips, bandages, wound care medication, several oral medications, paddlers and more. The Adventure Medical Kit with Paddlers is a must have essential for the outdoor person including athletes adventurers. The kit of survival gear is a great buy at $54.

If you are looking for a smaller kit which contains survival gear an excellent choice is the Adventure Medical Kit with Ultralite Paddlers. This unique kit weighs only 10 ounces and is loaded with great survival gear including: Ibuprofen, Moleskin dressing, Antihistamine, Nitrile gloves, first aid and life threatening emergency instructions, a guide to the wilderness, bandages, gauze, adhesive fabric bandage butterfly clips, antibiotic ointment, Tincture of Benzoin Topical Solution, swabs, safety pins, survival gear for repairing things and much more. This is the ideal survival gear for a weekend getaway, a hike or to even keep in the trunk of a car in case of emergencies. The bag measures approximately 8.5" x 5.25" x 3.5" and weighs approximately 10 pounds. The Adventure Medical Kit with Ultralite Paddlers survival gear retails for approximately $38.

Owning survival gear is a part of being prepared in case of emergencies and increasing one's confidence by influencing coping skills as a benefit of preparedness.

A few years ago, I spent a couple of weeks in Miami with my parents. My parents like to hike so, after a couple of days on the beach, we decided Florida's stellar hiking trails were calling us, and off we set.

Jonathan Dickinson State Park
This park is on the banks of the Loxahatchee River and has some great trails, all mapped out for you by the Florida Trail Association. The trails are all looped trails, so eventually you'll end up back where you started, but meanwhile you'll see some lovely mangroves, swamp land and pine woods. You can also camp here in the designated camping areas. Some of the trails are also board walked, which makes hiking easy. You can concentrate on the beauty around you instead of worrying where you're putting your feet.

South Fork St. Lucie Hiking Trail
This trail is about two and a half miles long, but what makes this trail really cool is it's a hiking-canoe trail that can only be accessed by canoe (at least at the moment, though that's likely to change in the future, so try it out soon). You get to the hiking trail by first paddling your canoe for around three miles, then get out at the trailhead. All along the canoe trail and into the hiking trail you're likely to see turtles and alligators. Make sure you watch where you're stepping though as alligators in Florida have been known to eat people.

Corbett Hiking Trail in Palm Beach County
The Corbett Hiking Trail is a bit further out but well worth going to. It's 16 miles long, which is more than 30 miles if you do the round trip, and goes over flatlands, wetlands and into copious amounts of saw palmetto, the famous Florida fan palm. You'll see a lot of wildlife on the Corbett Hiking Trail. River otters, white-tailed deer, bobcats, woodpeckers, herons and many other species have been spotted from Corbett Trail. The trail also has a 1.2 mile boardwalk, which is a great place to stop, take a rest and check out what might be lurking in the undergrowth. The best time for the most sightings is usually either early morning or late afternoon, when the trail is quieter. Make sure you take your camera too.

Miami doesn't have to be about a flashy lifestyle or a nice tan, it can also be about getting out into nature and trying one of the Miami areas' many hiking trails.

In the middle of Iowa, near Des Moines, you'll find The Great Western Trail. It's 'great' because it's long, almost 17 miles, and also because it's beautiful. You can hike and bike on it and, in the winter, can even cross country ski. In the winter though, be warned, the trail can sometimes be treacherous. At the moment, the trail is actually closed due to the horrendous floods that hit Iowa recently. It's expected to re-open after the floods subside and renovations are completed. In nicer weather, though, it's one of the prettiest spots in Iowa - a perfect blend of urban and rural, with lovely hills, wildflowers (many endangered species of flower) woods and wetlands.

The trailheads for the Great Western Trail are in Des Moines on Valley Drive and in Martensdale on Inwood Street. The trail is full of history (especially that of the railway that used to run through this part of the country), so a hike on the Great Western Trail will be an awesome experience for history buffs. You can even see some of the old railway markers that tell you the distance from one place to another.

Walking the Great Western Trail is also fabulous for nature enthusiasts. It's just so pretty. One really cool thing about the trail is that it's paved, so it's a great place for bike riding and even for taking the kids, because you can tow them in a carrier behind your bike. This also makes it a very easy hike for beginning hikers, although not much of a challenge for the more serious hiker (except for the distance, of course).

The Great Western Trail is lovely in every season. In the summer, you get the trees in full bloom, wildflowers everywhere and birds singing. In the fall, you'll experience the fall colors and a more open trail as the leaves fall from the trees. Then, in the winter, if you're brave enough, you can hike (or use snow shoes) in the snow or, if there's too much snow, cross country skiing is an option. Whichever you choose, the Great Western Trail is almost 17 miles of pure loveliness and a great way to get away from the stresses of normal life.

A few years ago, I went to Las Vegas with my then-fiancé. We were both into hiking, so after a couple of nights of gambling and fun, we decided it might be a good idea to head out of the city and get some fresh air. Now, before I talk about hiking in Las Vegas, I will warn you about one thing - the heat. We were there in November, so it was pretty perfect for hiking. If you're in Vegas in the middle of July though, I'd give hiking a pass. You're likely to get heat stroke or worse. Save the hiking until the winter months. In the winter though, Red Rock Canyon, just outside Vegas, offers amazing hiking trails with incredible scenery and picture-perfect photographic opportunities.

Red Rock Canyon is about a 15 mile drive outside Vegas. Once you get there, you'll find at least 20 trails you can choose from. Before you decide on a trail though, make sure you go to the visitor center. We found its employees to be very helpful, and we also got some handy maps, saw interesting exhibits and bought a couple of books at the bookstore.

When we finally got to hiking, we decided to start out with the First Creek Canyon Trail. The lady at the visitor center said it was quite easy, and for a first trail, that's what we wanted. We took Charleston Boulevard, followed the signs and were soon on the trail. We were thrilled to find it easy going, but with a bit of minor rock climbing and even a couple of small waterfalls in the canyon. The whole trail was only around three miles round trip. After completing this one and emptying the backpack of our packed lunch, we went for something a bit more difficult.

Turtlehead Peak, north of the visitor center, turned out to be five miles roundtrip, had some fairly tough rock climbing sections, and because of a lot of loose rocks on the ground, it required more concentration than other hiking trails. Turtlehead Peak Trail runs along an old river bed then heads up to the peak of Turtlehead (as the trail name suggests). Make sure you hike all the way to the peak, because the view of Vegas from up here is phenomenal and well worth the climb, even if it is a bit strenuous.

Next time you're thinking about Las Vegas, enjoy the gambling but don't forget there are some pretty cool, nearby hiking trails too.

A few years ago, I lived in the San Francisco Bay area for a few months. At the time, I wasn't into any kind of exercise so looking for San Francisco hiking trails was definitely not an option. Nowadays, though, being the fitness guru I am, hiking trails in San Francisco would be right up my alley, and these three easy hiking trails would be perfect places to start.

Cezar Chavez/ North Waterfront Park Trail - This 1.7-mile trail is a very easy hike. It's pretty much flat all the way and follows the shoreline, which is quite unspoiled and has a beautiful view of Angel Island and San Francisco. This hiking trail is also great for dog owners, because you can take your dog with you. There's even an off-leash area where you can let Rover run free. Open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., it also has a perfect hiking climate year round.

Crissy Field - For something that's a bit longer, try this 5-mile hike from Crissy Field. It's flat, so hikers of any age can do it, but what's great about it is you can keep on going as long as you want to get the type of challenge you're seeking. Start out at Crissy Field and walk down Golden Gate Promenade. Then go over the Golden Gate Bridge (gorgeous views!) and into Marin. Right ahead is Sausalito, a fabulous place to stop for a coffee or a snack, then either walk back or grab a bus. Or you can stay at Crissy Field and walk a 1.6-mile hike up to Fort Point. Turn around and retrace your steps to give you an almost 3 ½-mile hike.

Pescadero Marsh Nature Preserve - Just a little south of Half Moon Bay is Pescadero Marsh. It's lovely, with tons of wildlife, flora and fauna, and is a cool place to bird watch. There are three or four hiking trails through Pescadero Marsh, all of which are only 1-2 miles long. Parts of them can be challenging, because you're walking on open sand, but this pretty location makes it worth the extra work.

The San Francisco Bay area has literally thousands of hiking trails. These three are a good, easy start, especially because they're all such beautiful places to hike.

Many of us are looking for the biggest and the boldest in our vacations, something that our friends haven't done or that will make for great stories when we get home. One option is Lake Okeechobee in Florida, which is the largest lake in the U.S. after Lake Michigan.

Lake Okeechobee is 750 square miles of beautiful water and sandy beaches. With nine islands and divided into five counties, you could spend three weeks here and never do everything available in the area. In fact, many Florida families (and people from all over the U.S.) spend their summers here.

One of the most attractive things about Lake Okeechobee is the wildlife. If you suffer from a debilitating fear of alligators, for example, this probably isn't the vacation spot for you. It is also home to a wide range of birds, fish, insects, plants and rodents. If you enjoy taking pictures of animals, you'd better bring your favorite camera.

Called the "Big O" by locals, Lake Okeechobee serves several small towns and villages where fishing is the largest attraction for tourists. From speckled perch to catfish, there is always something on the end of the fishing line, and camp grounds offer numerous outdoor fire pits on which to grill your catch.

You should also take time to visit the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum, which celebrates the Seminole American Indian tribe through ancient artifacts and finds. They have plenty of hands-on events, including a nature walk through the swamp, and kids will enjoy it just as much as their parents.

When you visit Lake Okeechobee, make sure to pack a pair of high-quality hiking shoes, such as the Timberland Sandowns, which come with Gore-Tex membranes for dry, comfortable feet while walking. You'll also want to bring jeans or long pants for hiking through tall grasses.

Make sure that your visit to Lake Okeechobee includes plenty of boat rides across the water, a few hours of lounging by the shore with a good book, and at least a day of antique shopping in Clewiston, one of the most popular lakeside towns. The best times to visit are in fall and spring, when the weather is mild, though many of the villages surrounding Lake Okeechobee have beautiful Christmas decorations in December.

If you're in Georgia and wanting to hike, you can't do any better than checking out The Cherokee Trail and Carter's Lake hiking trails. They're both pretty remote places but offer great scenery and relatively easy hikes.

Cherokee Trail is what's known as a 'loop trail,' which means it goes in a circle, so there's no need to hike back the way you came. Because it runs in a circle, you can start hiking it pretty much anywhere as you'll always end up back where you started. Cherokee Trail (also known as 'Stone Mountain Loop') is an awesome trail for families, because it's not difficult and has some really fun stuff for the kids to see and do. Near the trail, there's a nature garden, the ruins of an old homestead, a couple of large lakes, a play area and even some old Indian village ruins. On your hike, you can also see the largest stone carving in the world, which took over 50 years to complete. The trail has a nice visitor center and clean toilets (which are, all too often, missing in many hiking trail areas).

The second notable hiking trail in Georgia is Carter's Lake Hiking Trail. It takes its name from Carter's Lake, which is an absolutely enormous manmade lake popular with people who like to fish, camp and boat. There are four very nice trails running around the lake, and because there's a lot of wildlife in the area it's also a good place for bird watching. It's also famous for the beaver pond that was built here. The lake has picnic tables and bathrooms, and if you want to get in a bit of fishing after you hike, there are two cement fishing decks that you can fish from - the fishing is fabulous here too!

The other wonderful thing about these trails is the weather in Georgia is quite mild all year; they're accessible just about all the time. If you're looking for a cool place to take the family for the day or even for a weekend camp, Carter's Lake and the Cherokee Trail would be great choices.

Zion National Park in Utah has tons of hiking trails for pretty much everybody. The great thing about Zion National Park is the weather is awesome all year round, so you can hike whenever you want to. The Narrows and The Subway are two of the most popular hiking trails and here's why.

The Subway is a challenging hiking trail but a lot of fun. You get to climb over rocks, into crevices and down steep cliffs, and you even have to swim through some fairly deep pools of water. The water in the pools is very cold, which is awesome in the summer months, but make sure you carry emergency equipment just in case there are any accidents. At the end of The Subway, you'll find water shoots that you can slide down, and somebody told me there are even fossilized dinosaur tracks you can see. But remember, have some common sense and don't attempt this one if it's raining. This area floods really quickly, and you could end up in some serious trouble.

The Narrows is the most popular hiking trail at Zion National Park and for good reason. It's more than 16 miles long and was cut out of the rock over the millennia by the river that runs all the way through it. The first couple of miles into the bottom of the canyon are easy and very beautiful with hanging gardens and little streams. The rest of the hike is pretty strenuous, so much so that it requires a permit if you're planning on doing all of it. You could potentially do this in one day, but most people do it as an overnight hike, camping somewhere in the canyon along the way. Either way, you'll have had an amazing workout when you're done.

Zion National Park is easily accessible for everyone. It even has its own shuttle service, which will drop you off at the beginning of many of the trails. Can't get more convenient than that, eh? And don't forget your camera. The red and orange rocks are simply stunning; you'll want to take as many photos as you can.

I think Virginia is one of the prettiest U.S. states. Lovely weather, green hilly fields and blue skies in the summer, and postcard-perfect fall colors in the autumn - you really can't beat picturesque Virginia. The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is a perfect example of beautiful Virginia countryside. It's also a great place for hiking trails. With 770 miles of hiking available, you can hardly complain about choice.

The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail runs from the Potomac River itself all the way to Allegheny Highlands in the Ohio Basin. There's even a 100-mile, unbroken section of trail where you could actually walk for three to four days without branching off it. There are literally hundreds of different sections of trail you can hike or backpack but check these three out in Virginia's lower Potomac region, as they are probably some of the best.

George Washington's Birthplace - I can't think of a better place to hike than the birthplace of our first president. Popes Creek Plantation is right on the Potomac. It has a nature trail that runs for a mile and lots of little footpaths that you can take to get in a good hike. There are also historically interesting exhibits scattered around that tell you about colonial life and Washington's early years.

The Dameron Marsh Natural Area Preserve - The wetlands here are home to many birds, insects, flora and fauna. There's almost 330 acres of marshland, much of which you can explore, as well as forest with hiking trails. It's a great area to hike just to see the marshland birds you probably won't see anywhere else and to revel in the beauty of the birdsong.

The Voorhees Nature Preserve - If you're really lucky, you might see bald eagles along trails in the Voorhees Nature Preserve, a nesting place for bald eagles. There are almost 800 miles of trails on the preserve, and it is right next door to Westmoreland Berry Farm. So, you can hike and enjoy nature, and then come back to the farm and pick berries to take home for dinner.

The best time to experience any of these trails is spring or autumn, when temperatures are perfect for a strenuous hike. The summer too can be a nice time to visit, as long as you don't mind the heat.

A few years ago, I moved to Denver, Colorado. Now, not being a freezing cold weather kinda gal, that foray into nature didn't last very long before I moved on to boiling hot Texas. But, during my stay in Denver, I did manage to discover some really gorgeous hiking trails. The wonderful thing with Colorado is the scenery. Pretty much anywhere you look it's just beautiful. (How can you not love snow-capped mountains and clean, fresh air?) Colorado's hiking trails also feature the same panoramic views and natural beauty, so it truly is a spectacular place to hike.

One of my favorite discoveries was Mount Falcon Park near Evergreen, Colorado. To get to it, you can drive west out of Denver on Highway 285. Turn off at the Indian Hills exit, drive for about 5 miles, then turn right onto Picutis Road and go to the park's parking lot. There are tons of trails at Mount Falcon Park and most of them are pretty easy going (no need to do any major mountain climbing here). Castle Trail is the most interesting trail, I think, simply because at the end of the trail you can explore the ruins of Walker Castle. (Kids love doing this!) John Brisben Walker was a Denver businessman who used to own most of the land around, what is now, Mount Falcon Park. He built himself a huge house, which burned down in the early 20th century. Known now as Walker Castle, (it's not a castle, just a big stone house,) the ruins are still fascinating to explore.

What's also interesting about Mount Falcon Park is the sadness that surrounds it when you think of how it bore witness to John Brisben Walker's tragic story. A once-successful business man, when Walker died, he actually died destitute.

The Castle Trail at Mount Falcon Park is around 5 miles long. It goes up to an elevation of about 9,000 feet and the view is spectacular up there. So don't forget your camera. You'll get some amazing photos of Rocky Mountain National Park. Also, don't forget to read the signs along the path that tell the story of John Brisben Walker's life.