John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged hiking · everything

thedyrt.com

From Newbie to Seasoned Pro: Essential Hiking Tips for Beginners and Expert Adventurers

This is a SCARPA-sponsored guide covering hiking fundamentals across skill levels, from choosing beginner-friendly trails to advanced wilderness skills like river crossings and fire-starting. It weaves in tiered footwear recommendations throughout, notably the Rush line for casual hikers and Kailash/Zodiac boots for fourteener-level terrain, while spotlighting the new Moraine shoe's built-in RECCO reflector that lets search-and-rescue teams locate wearers in emergencies. Worth keeping mainly for the practical checklist items—hydration strategy, weather timing, clothing fabric advice, and first aid basics—alongside that RECCO safety tech detail.

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www.explore.com

Beautiful US National Parks To Add To Your October Bucket List

This travel guide recommends 14 U.S. national parks ideal for October visits, highlighting each park's specific autumn attractions—from fall foliage and wildlife viewing to stargazing and cooler hiking temperatures. The parks range from Glacier and Rocky Mountain in the north to Joshua Tree and Big Bend in the southwest, with details on signature trails, seasonal activities like elk rutting season, and practical benefits like fewer summer crowds and lower costs than city travel.

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summitborn.com

The 15 Most Beautiful Destinations to Visit on the American West Coast

This is a travel guide listing 15 major attractions along the USA West Coast, from Washington to California, including national parks, coastal towns, and cities. Each destination is briefly described with its key features—such as Olympic National Park's rainforests, Yosemite's granite cliffs, Big Sur's dramatic coastline, and Napa Valley's wineries—along with recommended activities like hiking, kayaking, and sightseeing. The guide is organized to appeal to various traveler types: nature lovers, adventure seekers, foodies, and culture enthusiasts seeking diverse West Coast experiences.

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Islands

Less Than An Hour From Knoxville Is Tennessee's Stunning Lakeside Park With Swimming, Camping, And Trails

Anderson County Park on Norris Lake, just under an hour from Knoxville, offers a quieter alternative to Eastern Tennessee's major tourist destinations with 196 acres of forested shoreline, about forty campsites with hookups, and a three-bedroom rental house. The park features six miles of hiking and biking trails, swimming beaches, and boat launches for both day-use and overnight visitors, with generally positive reviews despite some reports of uneven terrain. Its limited cell service and Wi-Fi, combined with proximity to Interstate 75 and nearby attractions like Oak Ridge and downtown Knoxville, make it an accessible yet secluded destination for families and outdoor enthusiasts.

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www.amazon.com

Amazon.com: 100% Merino Wool T-Shirt Men - Base Layer Top Undershirt with Hiking Socks (Small, Black Ink) : Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry

This is a product listing page rather than an article — a shopping search result for men's 100% merino wool t-shirts and base layers from brands like Merino.tech, Merino Summit, and WooLogic. It was likely saved as a shortlist for comparing merino tee options (odor resistance, weight, fit) rather than for any editorial content, so worth revisiting when actually ready to buy rather than for insight.

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www.islands.com

Between Chattanooga And Mammoth Cave Is Tennessee's Fall Creek Falls State Park Gateway With Small Town Charm

Spencer, Tennessee makes the case for itself as a low-key basecamp for exploring Fall Creek Falls and a cluster of lesser-known state parks — Rock Island, Bone Cave, and Scott's Gulf/Virgin Falls — all within a 20-to-45-minute drive of town. It lays out which trails and swimming holes to hit at each park, noting Bone Cave requires a guided tour, and rounds out the practical details with where to eat (Mel's Old Times Cafe, The Ugly Mug) and a small history museum for downtime between hikes.

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www.islands.com

Between Nashville And Chattanooga Is Tennessee's Wildly Underrated State Park With Scenic Trails And Lakes

Fiery Gizzard State Park is one of three new Tennessee state parks carved out of the sprawling South Cumberland State Park between 2022 and 2025, and at roughly 7,800 acres it's the largest of the trio, inheriting the famous Fiery Gizzard Trail, waterfalls, gorges, and Grundy Lakes. The piece is a practical primer covering trail options and difficulty, rock climbing rules at Foster Falls and Denny Cove, fishing and non-motorized boating on the lakes, primitive camping costs, nearby towns like Monteagle and Tracy City, and swimming/beach access — useful for anyone planning a visit now that the old South Cumberland name and boundaries no longer apply. Worth keeping as a trip-planning reference for this lesser-known but highlight-packed replacement park.

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www.islands.com

Between Chattanooga And Knoxville Is Tennessee's Growing City Renowned For Fishing And Downtown Fun

Dayton, Tennessee is a quiet, growing town of about 8,000 people roughly 2.5 hours from Nashville, offering a low-key alternative to the state's busier tourist hubs. The piece highlights its historic downtown—home to the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial courthouse-turned-museum and local shops like The Gathering Place and Main Stage Music—alongside its outdoor draws, especially Chickamauga Lake's trophy bass fishing and the waterfalls and trails of Laurel-Snow State Natural Area. It's worth keeping as a practical guide for a scenic, car-friendly detour near Chattanooga and Knoxville.

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www.islands.com

Between Knoxville And Atlanta Is An Underrated Georgia Mountain Lake With Scenic Camping And Trails

Georgia's Lake Winfield Scott gets pitched as a quiet, uncrowded alternative to Atlanta and Savannah tourism, tucked in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest near Vogel State Park. The piece covers the practical stuff worth remembering: the 18-acre CCC-built lake allows only paddle/electric boats and fishing with a license, three connecting trails (including links to the Appalachian Trail) form a 6-mile loop rated highly on AllTrails, and campsites split into north/south loops plus a 10-person cabin. It also lays out booking logistics — reservable April–August, first-come-first-served otherwise, $26-50/night, three-night minimums on holiday weekends, and roughly a 2.5-hour drive from Atlanta's airport.

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www.backpacker.com

The 37 Best Waterfall Hikes in America

This is a roundup piece that compiles four previous waterfall-hike lists into one reference: a 20-fall national ticklist (top pick Alamere Falls, CA), a personal-favorites list highlighting spots like Ricketts Glen, PA, a Colorado-specific list of 12 falls curated by a local guidebook writer, and a bonus list of frozen winter waterfalls like the Apostle Islands ice caves. It closes with practical safety tips—checking flow conditions, wearing proper footwear, and avoiding common accident scenarios near ledges and swift water—making it useful as a season-spanning planning resource rather than a single curated list.

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www.wired.com

This Is Why You Should Try Ultralight Backpacking (2025)

A personal, practical case for ultralight backpacking that traces the movement's roots to Mark Jenkins' 1994 "Less is More," then lays out a working definition (10-pound base weight or less), the "Big Three" gear priorities (pack, sleep system, shelter), and a needs-versus-wants framework for cutting stuff. It argues ultralight is less about gear obsession than a mindset shift—eating separately from camp, cowboy camping, trying quilts—that ultimately makes the whole backcountry experience less burdensome and more enjoyable.

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www.travelandleisure.com

The 15 Least-visited National Parks in the US for Beautiful Views and Adventure Without the Crowds

The article profiles the least-visited U.S. national parks, explaining why remote parks receive far fewer visitors and offering practical context for would-be travelers. It highlights remote Alaska entries such as [[Gates of the Arctic]], [[Kobuk Valley]], and [[Lake Clark]] alongside island and mainland outliers like [[Isle Royale]], [[Dry Tortugas]], and [[American Samoa]], and links low visitation to factors including limited access, seasonal weather, high travel cost, and deliberate preservation policies. The piece summarizes visitation statistics, terrain and wildlife characteristics, access logistics, and recommended planning tips including permits, transportation, safety, and leave-no-trace practices so readers can understand trade-offs between solitude and infrastructure and decide whether an adventurous, less-crowded national park experience is right for them. It also offers suggestions for timing visits to maximize wildlife viewing and photography opportunities while minimizing environmental impact.

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www.outsideonline.com

How to Score the Best National Park Campsites for Summer

National Park Service campgrounds have become increasingly difficult to book, with camping visits exceeding 13 million overnight stays in 2022, so advance planning is essential. The piece details eight of the most coveted and hard-to-reserve campgrounds across the system—from Yellowstone's Slough Creek to Acadia's remote Duck Harbor—providing specific booking windows, fees, best sites, and nearby hiking or outdoor activities for each. The takeaway is practical: start reservations six months in advance through Recreation.gov on a rolling basis, or risk ending up at an RV park instead of your dream national park campsite.

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www.outsideonline.com

The Best Trails Around Asheville, According to a Local Hiker

Sandra Aguirre founded Latinos Aventureros, a 7,000-member bilingual hiking group in western North Carolina, after discovering that mountain hiking helped her recover from depression following her divorce. What began as personal hikes with her three children evolved into weekly group outings focused on introducing the BIPOC community to outdoor recreation across the Blue Ridge Mountains region. The piece includes Aguirre's personalized guide to Asheville, featuring her favorite spots for coffee, swimming holes, sunsets, restaurants, and breweries.

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www.outsideonline.com

Highway 19E Is the Most Underrated Road Trip

Highway 19E, a 60-mile stretch of North Carolina and Tennessee backroad north of Asheville, connects eight major outdoor destinations within 25 minutes of the main road, including Mount Mitchell (the highest point east of the Mississippi), Linville Gorge, Grandfather Mountain, and sections of the Appalachian Trail known for exceptional hiking and scenery. The piece details each attraction—from strenuous mountain hikes and wilderness camping to waterfalls, mysterious Brown Mountain Lights, and world-class trout fishing—with practical information about trailheads, difficulty levels, permits, and seasonal considerations for planning a multi-stop adventure through southern Appalachia.

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www.outsideonline.com

The Best Hike in Every State

This is a state-by-state guide to the best single hike in each of the 50 United States, selected by the publication's writers and editors based on considerations like scenic beauty, terrain variety, and distinctive features. Each entry includes a brief description of the hike's route, elevation gain, length, and what makes it noteworthy—whether that's waterfalls, alpine views, cultural landmarks, or wildlife encounters. The selections range from accessible short walks like Michigan's Pyramid Point (easy family-friendly dune views) to challenging multi-day backpacking routes like Maine's 100-Mile Wilderness and the John Muir Trail in California.

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www.outdoorlife.com

Backpacking Checklist: Don’t Forget These Must-Have Items

This is a comprehensive backpacking gear checklist with product recommendations across multiple categories—shelter, sleep systems, clothing, cooking equipment, and safety gear—organized by price point and use case. The guide includes specific product picks like the Osprey Exos backpack and MSR PocketRocket stove, along with an extensive FAQ addressing common questions about weight limits, packing duration, water treatment, and what experienced backpackers actually need versus what beginners unnecessarily carry. It emphasizes that the "Big 3" items (backpack, tent, sleep system) are the heaviest components and suggests beginners should aim for 25-35 pounds total load.

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www.nytimes.com

The Best Gear for a Walking Vacation

This New York Times gear guide recommends specific shoes, packs, clothing, and accessories tailored to four types of walking activities: casual city strolls, trail running, day hikes, and multiday pilgrimages. Each section lists 3-7 products with prices and explains how their features—like weight, waterproofing, cushioning, or compression—suit that particular activity's demands. The article emphasizes practical considerations like packability for travel, quick-drying fabrics for extended treks, and the importance of proper footwear and sun protection across all walking pursuits.

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www.mentalfloss.com

51 Must-Visit National Park Properties Across America

This is a state-by-state guide to over 400 National Park Service sites across the United States, highlighting one notable property in each state plus Washington, D.C. Each entry provides a brief description of the site's distinctive features—whether geological formations like the Grand Canyon, historical landmarks like Valley Forge, or cultural heritage sites like the Freedom Riders National Monument—along with specific activities and attractions visitors can expect to find there. The guide serves as a practical reference for planning road trips or identifying NPS destinations within driving distance regardless of location.

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www.mensjournal.com

Nine Trails Added to U.S. National Trails System

The Interior Department added 340 miles of new trails across nine states to the National Trail System, bringing the total to over 91,000 miles, with all nine newly designated trails classified as National Recreation Trails rather than the longer scenic or historic trail categories. The additions range from a one-mile garden trail in Alabama to a 158-mile water trail spanning Wisconsin and Illinois, and include greenways, nature parks, and mountain biking destinations designed to support outdoor recreation and local economies.

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