Explore San Diego: 7 Bridges Urban Hike

Only recently have a I heard, much less used, the phrase urban hike.  What makes it a hike rather than just a walk? Because we know I'm not doing any urban running.   

For me it's the element of discovery and exploration with a longer distance than your standard neighborhood walk.    We're looking at an urban setting in a fresh new way.

Last weekend I explored San Diego through the 5.5ish mile 7 Bridges hike through Balboa Park, Bankers Hill, and Hillcrest.     The bridges in Balboa Park were familiar.   I'd also gone on the hunt for the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge last year.    My new favorite after this adventure is now the Vermont Street Bridge.   

Let's go!

This hike starts at Balboa Park on Park Avenue by the Rose Garden and the Cactus Garden.    I love the rose garden because I can enjoy all the flowers without having to do any actual gardening.   

Bridge #1 
Cross Park Avenue and go from the Rose Garden into Balboa Park. 

Bridge #2

After walking through Balboa Park on the Prado, you'll pass the Museum of Man, and then you'll cross the bridge that goes over Highway 163.    It's very dramatic when you're driving under it, but it's hard to capture that when you're walking over it.  

Bridge #3

The First Avenue Bridge 

Fun Fact:  It's the only steel arch bridge in the city 

Views of the harbor to the left and one of the many San Diego city canyons on the right

Bridge #4
Quince Street Bridge

Bridge #5

Spruce Street Suspension Bridge 

This is a fun one!  

Bridge #6

You get some of your fitness between bridges 5 and 6.   Good news, you're strolling along University Ave in Hillcrest and there are no shortages of restaurants and coffee shops if you need to stop.   This is a urban hike - coffee is what we do.   

I had no idea the Vermont Street Bridge existed and now I love it.   It's full inspirational quotes and connects Hillcrest with University Heights.  

Snack Stop

On Sunday the Hillcrest Farmers Market runs from 9a-2pm.     Feeling adventurous, I tried these hot Cheeto spam balls.    This farmers market is great -  good produce, beautiful flowers, and tasty food vendors.  

Bridge #7
The Georgia Street Bridge is currently under construction, so at this point, you have to walk around and imagine that you urban hiked over this last bridge.   

For more fun facts about this hike as well as map, check out this article from the San Diego Reader. 

Looking for other ways to explore San Diego?

How about some Sign Spotting?  

Maybe a visit to Cabrillo National Monument? 

 

 Delicious Places to Eat? 

(Traveler in the Kitchen is the hungry portion of this blog)

Do you love San Diego?    Where do you go?  

Hiking the Waihee Ridge Trail, Maui

Every hike I've taken in Maui has been different and wonderful.    

What I can't believe is that it's taken me 2+ years in Maui to hike Waihee Ridge.  

Waihee Ridge is a part of the Na Ala Hele trail system.   There's a designated trailhead and the trail is easy to follow. 

Follow uphill, that is.    To get to the ridge, you need to climb up.    Legs burning, climb up.  

If it's rainy, the trail will be slippery and treacherous.      You'll also want to start early - not because you like getting out of bed, but because the views are better in the morning before the clouds come in....although walking in the clouds is an experience of its own. 

If you hike all the way to the top, the hike is about 5 miles round trip.     If you don't want to go all the way, hike as far as  the 1.5 mile marker.   You'll have beautiful views of the ocean, the green mountains, and maybe even a waterfall or two.   We enjoyed some wildflowers and baby ferns covered with dew on our hike as well.     It's a hike that showcases so much of the scenery that Maui has to offer.

How to get to the Waihee Ridge Trail:

Drive through Wailuku and then Waiehu.    You'll be on Kahekili Highway (340).    When you see the gate for Mendes Ranch  on the right hand side (ocean / makai) of the road, you know you're almost there.   The trailhead and parking is on the left hand side  (moutain / mauka) - you'll see a sign for a Boy Scout Camp.      You'll park, then walk through a gate marked with the trail sign.     

There's a steep cement road for the very first part of the trail and then it becomes dirt.     Mile marker signs  are clearly marked throughout the trail.    Bring your hiking shoes and water.  

After your hike, I'd recommend stopping at the Wailuku Coffee Company for coffee and a pastry or an early lunch.   Their food is ono!

Do you have a favorite Maui hike?

Hiking the Hanging Lake Trail, Colorado

In 8 years of living in Colorado, I hiked many trails, but never Hanging Lake.      

Maybe it was out of sight, out of mind since the trail head is in Glenwood Canyon,  about 10 miles before you reach Glenwood Springs.    My last stop on I-70 many times was Beaver Creek.   

This trail is another 50 miles past that.  

Now that my sister and I have made the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Experience a Labor Day tradition three years running, we pass the trail head along the interstate.     On the weekends, the parking lot fills quickly and the electronic signs on the highway will let you know before you attempt to exit.   

We opted for Friday afternoon hiking before all the holiday weekend hikers arrived.  

Hanging Lake is not a long hike, roughly 1.2 miles from the trail head.   And the trail head is about a quarter mile of sidewalk from the parking lot.      

I'm going to put it out there:  short hike does not always equal easy hike.  

We were warned.    More than one sign between the parking lot and the start of the trail reminded us that the trail would be difficult.  

If it's on a sign, it must be true

What makes it difficult?    

It's steep.   There is an 1,000 foot elevation gain.     

But the hike is not a race.  It's well-marked.   Enjoy the journey.  

Over Labor Day weekend, the waterfalls along the way were beautiful and lush.   

If you've hiked this trail, these sights will be familiar.    

If you haven't hiked it yet,  enjoy!

Gorgeous Glenwood Canyon

Lush Waterfalls

After those last steep steps, we arrived!

What to Know Before You Hike

• There isn't an exit to the trail head on Westbound I-70
• Take the Grizzly Exit on Westbound I-70 and get on Eastbound I-70 to reach the trail head and parking
• Summer 2015 - there was construction in Glenwood Canyon, so the Grizzly exit wasn't open.   We went into Glenwood Springs and checked with the visitors center and they gave us the update.
• The sign isn't kidding, sturdy shoes are a must.   The trail is rocky in parts and other parts are dirt-packed, which can get slippery if it rains.
• There is 1000 feet of elevation gain over the course of the trail
• You know you're almost there when you see the railing - that's the last section climbing up before you reach the lake
• Bring your water and your snacks
• No swimming in the lake...sorry

Have you hiked Hanging Lake?     What's your favorite Colorado hike?

All the Fun Things You Could Do in Maui (Part 2): The Hiking Edition

I took my first hike of 2015 yesterday.    I went back to one I'd done before here on the west side of Maui, the Ohai Trail.   It's 1.2 miles and not too strenuous.  The drive there is beautiful along the undeveloped coast.  

Views on the Ohai Trail

How do I pick my hikes?   Some are word of mouth when I hike with friends.   I also have two books that I enjoy:  Maui Revealed and Maui Trailblazer.  The latter book focuses on hikes, drives, snorkeling and surfing and provides good detail about the trails/trailheads.    There aren't a lot of roads on Maui, so if you want to see more of the island than what you can see from a scenic pull out, hiking is the way to go.    And the best feeling when hiking in Hawaii?   You're in the tropics and there are NO SNAKES!    

If you're planning to hike, you might want to bring more than your rubber slippahs (flip flops).....just sayin'. Some trails really require hiking boots or sturdy tennis shoes.   For others water shoes with traction (Teva, Keen, etc) are fine.    Don't forget your hat, sunscreen, snacks, water and if you're planning to swim or play in waterfalls, your swimsuit and something waterproof for your keys and phone.        

Hikes to Consider in Maui

West Side of Maui
Ohai Trail
Kapalua Coastal Trail (ok...so this one you could do in your slippahs...walking along the beaches and boardwalks of Kapalua)
Olowalu Valley  (start or finish by having lunch at Leoda's Pie Shop)
Lahaina Pali Trail

Lahaina Pali Trail

Central and Upcountry Maui
Iao Valley State Monument
Sliding Sands  at Haleakala National Park
The hikes at the top of Waipoli Road (past Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm) such as the Waiakoa Trail (before you leave the pavement) or the Boundary Trail (after the gravel road starts)
Waihou Spring Trail
Bamboo Forest (this is a favorite with friends and co-workers since you can swim in, climb up and jump off water falls...it's also unmarked...look for cars parked on the side of the road by mile marker 6.5 on the road to Hana)

Bamboo Forest

Happy Hiking!



Looking for Fun Things Part 1?   Here you go.
Do you have a favorite Maui hike?

It Feels Like Fall: The Waihou Spring Trail, Maui

Aloha Friends!

Hopefully you had a fun Halloween, with just the amount of shenanigans that you enjoy.    It's been years since I've been able to dress up at work, but since Lahaina takes Halloween very seriously, there was absolutely nothing wrong with us dressing up like scary dolls and asking all our co-workers if they wanted to be our friends....for eternity.   

The trade winds are back, so the heat of August and September has abated a little bit.   When you drive into upcountry Maui, the temperature drops in a most pleasant way.    It was in the low 70's at the trail head, compared to to the low 90s when I left the west side of Maui.     Hiking the Waihou Springs Trail felt like hiking back in Colorado or in Wisconsin - the smell of pine in the air, needles underfoot, and a crisp breeze.    It's the closest we're coming to fall here in Maui, as far as I can tell.  

This hike isn't very long.    You may have to jump across the creek depending on the water flow (or use a downed tree, like I did).    The spring trail switch backs down into the valley and on the way down, you can hear the waterfall and if you turn uphill, you can see it.    I was hoping at the bottom of the spring trail that I would see the full waterfall, but that was not the case.   

 

How to get to the trail head:   From Makawao, take Olinda Road up to mile marker 11.9 where there is parking and a sign for the Tree Growth Research Area.   You'll walk through the gate and be on the trail.

It's hard to believe the November 3, 2014 is my one year Mauiversary.    The year has gone by so fast!    When I arrived, it was 2am - after 12+ hours of flight delays.     On the drive to the hotel, I knew the ocean was there, but I couldn't see it.

This was one of the first pictures I after arriving here on the Valley Isle.  

Maui No Ka Oi

Six and a half quick facts about hiking the Lahaina Pali trail

Last weekend some friends and I hiked the Lahaina Pali trail here in Maui.   If you've seen the big wind turbines on the west side of Maui when you're driving to Lahaina from Kahului or Kihei, you've seen the trail.....from a far distance.     Want to get a leg workout while getting up close and personal with some big ass windmills?   This hike is for you.   

Six and a Half Quick Facts About Hiking the Lahaina Pali Trail

1.  There are two trail heads.  You  can do this as a shuttle hike, by parking a car in each lot, or you can carpool and just go up and back from one of them.   We parked at the lot on the Lahaina side before the tunnel and hiked up to the top (sign post 10) and then back down.   

2.    It's all uphill.    Seriously.   Even going down feels like going up (aka work) since you still have to pay attention to where you're going so that you don't slip and fall.   Elevation gain is 1600 feet.

3.   Bring lots of water.   However much you think you should bring, bring more.  

4.  Start early.   I like to sleep.   I really do.   But starting at 7am versus 9am equals two more hours in cooler temperatures.   

5.  You'll see shade where there isn't.  Much.    That scraggly tree with a few leaves?  Suddenly it's your best friend.   Bring your sunscreen and wear your hat.   

Finally at the top!

6.  The windmills are HUGE.   The view of Maui and the ocean is beautiful from  the top.

6.5.  You'll justify the lunch you have a Leoda's pie shop afterwards.   No guilt.   Not one crumb.

Ready to hike?   The Lahaina Pali Trail is part of the Na Ala Hele trail system.

Maui Adventures: The Really Long Haleakala Hike

I moved to Maui in November of 2013.   I'm on a mission to explore my new home!
Here's one of my Maui Adventures:

Prior to moving to Maui, I had been to the island of Maui exactly once.   And I'm pretty sure that we tried to put as much activity into three days as we could.   Luau?  Check.   Whale watching?  Of course.   Getting up in the middle of the night to ride bikes down Haleakala after sunrise?  Who wouldn't?   Snorkeling? Bring it on.

Halekala is not feature that you can ignore on Maui.   It is the prominent feature on the other side of the island.    All those upcountry adventures that I've gone on?  (this one, that one, and the one involving goats).   How do you think upcountry gets its  name?   It's on the side of the volcano.

And the volcano is the reason this piece of paradise exists in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

One of my friends here loves to hike.   In fact, she just came into my office this week, asked if I wanted to go hiking and then said "how's your upper body strength?"  Um.

Not sure if I'm ready for a hike that has that as a prerequisite, although it's probably awesome.

The hike we took at Haleakala National Park is a combination of different trails that becomes a 11.5 mile hike down, through, and up out of the crater.     This handy map was something I only looked at after we were done.  It was probably better that way.

We parked one car at the Halemau'u (Park Rd) trail head, and then drove up to the summit and parked the other car and embarked on our journey on the Sliding Sands Trail.

You start the hike by descending into the crater.    The 'ahinahina, the Halekakala silversword, is a unique and endangered plant to the park that can live for up to 90 years, but only blooms once.   We were fortunate to see many of the silverswords in bloom.          

The landscape during the first part of the hike could be something like hiking on the moon.   

It looks so different than anywhere else.  Amazing.

After hiking 3.9 miles into the crater you turn left.    Seriously.  
See that cone in the picture above?    You'll be a lot closer to it.

The hike continues through the red sand for another few miles.    Then the geography starts to change as you hike towards Holua cabin.

No longer looking like the moon...

At the cabin, you are about 2/3 of the way through the hike.   Of course, the remainder of the trail goes up. Switchbacks, naturally.    From the cabin back to the second car, it's about 1000 feet of elevation gain. It was a little rainy and misty by the time we were making our ascent.    

Climbing, climbing, climbing the switchbacks

But I did find out where, exactly, the red fern grows.  

It was a fantastic hike, and I would do it again.

Our Haleakala Hiking Crew

Things to know:

• Roads in Maui are windy with low speed limits - it will always take you longer to get where you're going if you're comparing it driving on the interstate back home
• It's $10 per car and your entry is good for 3 days
• The summit is 10,000 feet.   It will be cool at night and in the morning.  You're also closer to the sun, so you need to slather on that sunscreen.
• Bring layers of clothes, you will want to start this hike early before it gets too hot.   You'll want hiking boots or tennis shoes for the hike, and a pair of slippers (flip flops) to slide your tired feet in after your hike is over.
• Pack it in and pack it out - there are no trash cans on the hike
• Bring plenty of water - when you realize you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated
• For more information about Haleakala National Park, click here
• For a trail map, click here

Have you hiked Haleakala?