Since it is October, it is Cool Bloggers Walking Club month! So, without further ado, I thought I would make this list about some of our favorite walking and running places! If you are looking for inspiration for your next walking holiday, here are some ideas! As always, crowd participation is welcomed so don't forget to let us know where your favorite walk or run is!
You can see other posts in the Twenty Questions series here. Also, if you want to be featured in a future list, don't forget to fill out --> THE QUESTIONNAIRE!
1. Lisa (MN) said: I love to run around Lake Harriet! [I've done this!]
2. Ernie (IL) said: Hmm- I usually walk in my neighborhood and the neighboring subdivisions. But coach and I took the little girls to Starved Rock and that was really cool. That’s about an hour away. [Wow, those rock formations are crazy!]
3. Melissa (AU) said: Ferny Creek [this looks nice!]
4. Diane (VA) said: Sligo Creek Trail because it is close, a 1/4 mile from my house. For views, Great Falls National Park. Or the Tidal Basin during Cherry Blossom season. Though only on weekdays because it gets really crowded at night. [I have been to the Tidal Basin, but not the other two!]
5. Nance (OH) said: I love to walk my neighbourhood and see the small changes each day and each season. And give biscuits to the dogs. [I love this!]
6. Tobia (Germany) said: Tough... not sure I have a favorite since I don't do nearly enough to have it. However I always liked this one where we went a few time as a child. A couple years ago I wanted to share it with my friend and her kids but they rebelled because of the mosquitos. [I also am not a fan of mosquitoes, but that park looks nice!]
7. San (CA) said: American River Parkway [I used to run there!]
8. Stephany said: Walsingham Park [Looks fun, and there is canoeing!]
9. Kat (VA) said: The Custis Trail in Arlington, VA… I’ve since moved further away but I used to live down the street and I walked/ran probably 10,000 miles on it between 2020-2024… “I see you out here more than I see myself!” someone said to me as I passed by once lol. It’s an urban/commuter trail so not the most beautiful/serene, but it was such a comfort to me during the pandemic that I’ll always feel sentimental about it. [I know that feeling! I did one of those "run every street" projects in 2020 and I covered a lot of ground!]
10. Suzanne said: I love walking in the park near my old house! It's a beautiful little oasis of greenery in the middle of a bustling suburb and I find it endlessly fascinating to watch it change across seasons and years. [Do you still go back now that you have moved?]
11. Nicole said: Every day Rex and I walk the Mission Creek Greenway, but in not-summer we like to go up Knox Mountain. [I love the greenway! And there is cycling! And Knox Mountain has pickleball!]
Thanks ladies!!...and now, here is a random list of some places I like to walk and hike! Excuse the formatting for the photos; I'm doing this from my phone and I sometimes get huge and/or random justification...so, sorry in advance!
12. The Marin headlands, North of San Francisco. Not only can you get here in less than a half and hour from the city, but you will be treated to views of the ocean, redwoods, and the rolling golden hills. People from San Francisco used to have "summer homes" in Marin county, and it wasn't until after the 1906 earthquake that some of them were made into more permanent residences. However, the Golden Gate bridge was not built until roughly 30 years later. (Seen below: Stinson Beach)
13. The Via Transilvanica, Romania. This is a 1,400 km / 870 mile trail from east to west through the small villages of Romania. Like the more well known Camino, you can easily hike it without needing a tent, and you can easily walk a section of one or two or three days, using public transit to get from one end to another and seeing lots of cool tiny towns along the way. (Seen below: Biertan, Romania)
14. Forest Park, Portland, Oregon. I've talked about this one before but it's a great park right near downtown and you feel like you're all alone I'm within about two minutes of starting the trail!
15. Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC. This is similar to Forest Park, where although you're still in the city, it doesn't feel like it! Plus there's a good bike and running late around the perimeter/seawall and I do love a good run along the sea!
16. The Quiraing, Isle of Skye, Scotland. Big rocks! I love them! The formations here are wild and you can get to them within a mile or so from the car park! (Seen below: The Prison)
17. Bansko, Bulgaria. This is such a fun mountain town. Whether you just want to explore town, or get out into the trails, or tackle several summits, you will have your chance here! There is also mountain biking and skiing, so no matter the season, you will not be bored! (seen below: downtown Bansko)
18. The San Juan mountains, Colorado. The colors are stunning and it's basically head on a swivel the entire time. I especially love this area in September when the fall colors are popping!
19. Emigrant Wilderness, California. Yosemite's lesser know little cousin, this stretch of wilderness sits just north of it's popular big cousin, and has rocks and lakes and beautiful views galore. Also, only a self submitted permit is needed rather than the more difficult lottery process for some of the more popular trails. (Seen below: Bugsy near Big Lake)
20. The PCT, aka there's no place like home. You may have heard of it!? It's roughly 2,600 miles long, but you don't have to do it all! There are some great day hikes along the length of it, and it crosses some highways so you can access it easily. Unfortunately much of the surrounding areas were burned but I still love going home and doing my regular out and back! (Seen below: home sweet home)
Your turn! Have you walked or hiked any of the places we mentioned? Where is your favorite walking or hiking place? Or tell me, where are you walking this month!?
I’ve walked, ran and biked in Stanley Park! I love that area of Vancouver! I have also done a hike with you in Marin when Phil and I visited. That was one of my favorite hikes - tacos at the beach can’t be beat!
ReplyDeleteThese days most of my walks are among Minnehaha Creek which is right by our house. I usually go to Starbucks on the way for a latte and then walk for an hour+. A lot of the time I am with a friend as lots of people have been checking in on me.
Tacos, and beer!! That was a good hike! I love your trails near the creek and have had fun running, walking and cycling on them! I am glad that you're getting out and are feeling up for walks and I am sure it's nice to have some company.
DeleteA place that I have been on this list: Stanley Park! I was on the bike, but it still counts.
ReplyDeleteA place that I will go to the next time I am in Illinois, so probably in the next 6 months: Starved Rock!
My favorite hiking places in Ohio are: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Mohican State Park (on my list for the next few weeks), Hocking Hills (big impressive rock formations), and Indian Mound Reserve.
Wow, so many places to add to my list! Since I've never been to Ohio, obviously I've never been to any of those so I'll be in touch when I'm headed that way! I love big rocks so Hocking Hills sounds right up my alley!
DeleteStanley Park! How gorgeous is it? I've actually been there twice, but not for the hiking, per se. I did walk a bit, but just to take in some beauty and the air. Honestly, how wonderful is Vancouver? Holy crap, that was 50 years ago the first time and over 15 the second time. Yikes, I am OLD.
ReplyDeleteWhen I am in Ontario, I love walking in the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens right on the parkway. It's almost 100 acres of lovely plantings and trees and includes a butterfly conservatory. You can park anywhere along the parkway and just walk all along the river, stopping to picnic and enjoy lots of beautiful views, Fort George, a few wineries, and other things depending upon how far you wish to go.
Ohio has the Emerald Necklace, the Metroparks network of parks and trails to walk that spans about 300 miles of trails for hiking and biking and horseback riding through some truly beautiful natural areas that are well-kept and accessible.
I actually rode through the Niagara area last year and I think I went past the botanical gardens! It was nice for sure and I'd like to go back for more. The Emerald Necklace sounds great. I love a place with good biking infrastructure! And hiking obviously!
DeleteHow fun to hear about where people are walking! And how fun to see your photos of beautiful favorite places. My walks are all on the dirt road that runs through our ranch. It's perfect for me!
ReplyDeleteYour walks sound great! I have a old blogger friend who has a ranch in Montana and she used to post her running pics and I remember loving them!
Deletethese walks/hikes look amazing. I'm sort of stuck in my local area at the moment. Too hard to go far, but I do love walking around Notre Dame's campus and I got to run there a few weeks ago. It was a beautiful morning for a run with great scenery.
ReplyDeleteRunning around a place really gets you into the nooks and crannies a little, doesn't it? I used to run through the UC Berkeley campus a lot and it was so fun to explore.
DeleteThese are great recs that I’ll be taking note of! I’m especially intrigued by Bansko given this and your previous post about Bulgaria. Fascinating. Not surprisingly as a fellow DMVer the places I’ve been are Sligo Creek and Great Falls! My now-husband lived a mile from Sligo when we were dating and we walked it all the time, and one of the pics on the app where I met him was me at Great Falls, ha. So good associations with those trails. This month I’ll be doing some walking in NYC, which I’m excited about. I’ve been there several times but not for a couple years… was supposed to go in Feb but I destroyed my ankle/foot just prior and had to postpone bc it’s a tough city to visit if you can’t walk!
ReplyDeleteI love walking around NYC! Whether it's the parks or just the interesting neighborhoods you can't go wrong! If you get a chance to wander around Brooklyn, I like that side a lot. If you walk from Flatbush to Greenpoint and Williamsburg, you will basically feel like you are going through several places in one day! You can get a Jamaican meat patty for breakfast and a Polish pierogi for dinner and several other things (and beer!) along the way!
DeleteThe Forest Park walk looks beautiful! I haven't been to Vancouver, but it's on my list!
ReplyDeleteIt's a wonderful city! Plus if you're into hiking, it's super close yo lots of beautiful mountains!
DeleteMy favorite walks would be in Paris I think, so not a lot of nature, but beautiful parks. Second would be Forest Park. My dad and step-mom’s house is about 2 blocks from an entrance, in Willamette Heights, so our visits usually include at least one hike. And while I haven’t been in years, Yosemite is always stunning.
ReplyDeleteCloser to home, I love walking through the nearby park, Heather Farm, and like Nance, I like walking my neighborhoods and seeing all of the changes.
You have some epic and wonderful walks listed!
That would be perfect, being so close yo Forest Park! I bet they love it there! My friend lives in Beaumont so it's not super close but I get over there whenever I can.
DeleteI love Yosemite. When I was home I would go hiking there at least once a year! You have to go in the shoulder season or stay at the top (Tioga pass) though because the valley gets mobbed in the summer!
So many fun trails here. So much inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI love that I managed to have one I already did – we biked around Stanley Park and I have the (almost) exact photo of the totem poles. So fun.
I have hiked in Romania but a different area I believe. But it's a beautiful county.
I'd love to go see the Marin headlands. They look fun.