Hiking

Beaver Pond Trail (5.38 Miles)Beaver Pond Trail is a multi-use loop open to hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders. It’s a wide, easy trail, great for hiking, walking, or even trail running. I hiked it clockwise, which meant turning left at the start. About 1.5–2 miles in, you begin to see views of the lake. The…

Walking with the dogs every day, before emails, before breakfast, before the world gets loud. It started as a health thing, but it became a ritual. A sanity-saver. A compass reset. And here’s what I noticed: on days I walk, I make better decisions. I don’t mean life-altering, move-across-the-country decisions. I mean the small ones….

There are some places you don’t really need to hype up. They carry their own weight.Natural Bridge State Park is one of those places. You don’t arrive wondering if it will be impressive. You arrive knowing it will be, and instead, you start wondering how it’s going to feel. Overwhelming? Peaceful? Rushed? Reverent? The answer,…

Let’s get this out of the way: you do not need to spend a small fortune to enjoy hiking solo. If Instagram has you convinced you need top-tier gear, a brand partnership, or a sherpa to carry your organic trail mix, you’ve been duped. Here’s what I actually use: Fancy? Nope. Functional? Absolutely. Solo hiking…

I once hiked a trail I hadn’t finished years earlier, one I’d turned around on halfway because it felt like too much. Even though Zina was with me, I was feeling uncertain and unsteady. And honestly? It wasn’t the view that hit me. It was what I remembered: the first time I tried it, I…

We’ve been sold this idea that adventure requires plane tickets, passports, and a hefty bank account. And as someone who has lived and traveled in Europe growing up, it isn’t all that appealing to me. But what if it just took a tank of gas and an open afternoon? Some of the best adventures I’ve…

Zina and I are always up for a trail day, especially one with a name like the Blue Ridge Railway Trail. It sounds like it should deliver adventure, right? Old rail ties. Scenic bridges. Maybe a touch of ghost train lore. Instead, we got… horses, cows, and the kind of straight-line walking that makes you…

There’s this weird moment on a solo hike when you realize you’re the only one for miles who knows where you are. At first, it’s terrifying. Then, it’s wildly freeing. I didn’t set out to become a solo hiker. I waited for the right time, the right moment to somehow magically get other people to…

Some of the best adventures aren’t marked by big signs or crowded parking lots, they’re found in the places where curiosity outpaces comfort, and a little dirt under your fingernails is just part of the plan. Central Virginia has no shortage of these kinds of spots. If you’re craving something unexpected, something that reminds you…

A good hike can shake loose your soul in all the right ways, but only if you show up prepared. Whether you’re brand new to the trail or you’ve been wandering the woods longer than your knees would like to admit, a clear itinerary isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. Here’s what I include in mine…

One of my favorite things about living in Central Virginia is how history is just woven into the land. You don’t have to go far to stumble across a story from the past, sometimes it’s in a landmark, sometimes in the dirt beneath your boots. If you love a mix of old-world charm, scenic views,…

You don’t always have to head deep into the woods to find fresh air and a little adventure. Some of the best outdoor moments I’ve had have been right in the middle of the city, those little escapes that remind you nature doesn’t have to be remote to be powerful. Here are six ways to…