The Wandering Hippie

NEW YORK STATE

By now, I’m sure everyone has already figured out that I’m not really a big city type of girl. Sure, seeing the big apple is tempting because it’s so iconic but my soul frequently longs to travel off the beaten path to get some mud on my boots and see some amazing natural wonders. However, we couldn’t pass up the chance to see the famous Niagra Falls. So here we go. First stop: Niagra Falls.

It’s crazy recollecting the memories of seeing Niagra Falls for the first time. I feel like I kind of glamorized the idea of Niagra Falls in my head because after all, it is the most powerful waterfall in the United States, right? In reality, Niagra Falls is made up of three separate waterfalls; Bridal Veil Falls, American Falls and Horseshoe Falls. It also straddles the Canadian border with the best view of the falls being on the Canadian side. As you can see in the photo below, my view of Niagra was a blurry, misty distortion of what I actually thought I would get to see.

Now, don’t get me wrong. You have to go and see Niagra just for the sake of seeing it because it is actually pretty spectacular. But don’t be disappointed when your view looks like mine did. If you want to see Horseshoe Falls (the most iconic portion of Niagra) then it’s best to go by boat or view it from the Canadian side.

Fortunately, the Bridal Veil portion of the falls was a little easier to get a glimpse of and I managed to get a pretty good photo of it.

After seeing Niagra, we drove approximately 48 min east to explore Akron Falls Park. I wasn’t expecting much from this park but I ended up really enjoying the short hiking trail and the beautiful waterfall at the end. Although it was mid November when we visited, Akron Falls reminded me of something you would see in a rain forest with how perfectly the water cascaded over various places of the rock landscape. If we had gone at a time of the year when the vegetation was lush and green, I would have felt like we were in the jungle. All Trails gives a great explanation as to what you can expect when visiting the park. Link here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-york/lower-upper-akron-falls

After spending the night in Buffalo in a small Airbnb apartment, we traveled farther east to Letchworth State Park. Located in Castile, NY this park features three MASSIVE waterfalls along the Genesee River gorge with the tallest cascade reaching as high as 600 feet in some places! Additionally, the trails are easily accessible and mostly comprised of stone or concrete. The sheer size of the falls and the cleanliness and amenities of the park make this park a must see and help win the award for my second favorite destination on our New York trip. More info here: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/79/details.aspx

After leaving Letchworth State Park, we decided to drive another 30 minutes east towards the finger lakes and visit Stony Brook State Park. Located in Dansville, NY this park features multiple waterfalls and swimming holes. The park service has even installed a small dam and created a designated swimming area along the creek! So if you decide to visit in the summer, make sure you bring a swimsuit! While the area does not boast massive waterfalls, it is definitely worth a visit. The trails wind up, over and around the creek and give you beautiful views of the waterfalls and gorge.

Info: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/118/details.aspx

Our final destination for the day was a cozy Airbnb on the shores of Seneca Lake. Our cabin was one of three accommodations on the property and Maura, our lovely host, was gracious enough to leave all the lights on for us since we arrived late that night. If you are ever near Seneca Lake, I highly recommend staying in one of Maura’s cabins. Although simple, it had everything that we needed including a refrigerator, coffee maker, microwave and TV. Maura even provides kayaks and paddle boards for lake adventures and the property hosts multiple fire pits and a boat dock for the optimal Seneca lake experience. Airbnb link here: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1956412?source_impression_id=p3_1578432072_Bv7%2B%2BoCDTu3TwNTr

The next day, we decided to spoil ourselves and drive to Ithaca for some breakfast. I have a gluten allergy so it’s always a struggle for me to find breakfast food that’s gluten free. I LOVE pancakes and waffles and most breakfast places just do not have GF pancakes or waffles on their menu. However, after searching the web for about 15 minutes I managed to find a place called Waffle Frolic that offered multiple GF menu items including all of my favorites! It was delicious! Link here: http://www.wafflefrolic.com/

Next up on our list for the day was Taughannock Falls; a 215 foot waterfall about 15 minutes north of Ithaca. We decided to visit the overlook viewing platform first and then take the gorge trail to the base of the falls so we could get multiple viewpoints.

Overlook Platform, Taughannock Falls, NY

The gorge trail was super easy and absolutely beautiful. We followed the creek all the way to the base of the falls where there is a bridge and another viewing platform that gets you up close and personal to the falls. The unique landscape and various viewpoints made this waterfall my absolute favorite destination of the trip. Although it wasn’t as big as the waterfalls at Letchworth, it had the waterfall wow factor. Set deep in the gorge and supported by a sheer stone backdrop, this waterfall fulfilled all of my dream waterfall criteria. More info here: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/62/details.aspx

After exploring Taughannock Falls, we drove 20 minutes south to Robert H. Treman State Park. Located in Ithaca, this park is occupied by 12 waterfalls including 115 foot Lucifer Falls and winding, stone trails that take you through Enfield gorge. If you want to explore this park and all 12 of its waterfalls, I recommend going in the morning and spending the day there. Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to hike the entirety of the trail but the portion of the trail that we did complete was very unique and unlike anything I had ever hiked on. It appears to be cut into the side of the gorge and gives you spectacular scenic views. Info: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/135/

Lucifer Falls, Robert H. Treman State Park, NY

Our last stop of the day was Buttermilk Falls. Also located in Ithaca, this cascade was right beside the road! We truly got lucky with this one because we were running out of daylight and time to explore. Once we parked, it took less than minute to walk to the waterfall. We ended up hanging out and enjoying the falls until it was almost dark. Then we decided to spoil ourselves again and eat at a place called the Boat Yard Grill. Although we felt severely out of place in this upscale restaurant with our muddy boots and hiking attire on, I’m glad we decided to go because the food was superb. Link here: https://boatyardgrill.com/

After spending another cozy night in our Seneca Lake cabin, we drove approximately 40 minutes west to Watkins Glen State Park. This park boasts 19 waterfalls on its short, 2 mile gorge trail. The waterfalls were beautiful but I have to say that this trail was amazing in other ways as well. The trail takes you through caves and stairwells that have been carved into the rock gorge for a truly memorable experience. More info here: https://parks.ny.gov/parks/142/

Our final destination for the trip was Shequaga Falls; another waterfall plopped right beside the road. Easy to get to and fairly large in size, this waterfall was a great, quick way to end our adventuring for the day. Info: https://beta.nyfalls.com/waterfalls/shequaga-falls/

After seeing this beauty, we headed back to our cabin and decided to hangout by the lake for the rest of the day. We started a camp fire, made some s’mores and watched the sun go down. A relaxing end to our quick NY getaway.

OREGON

Oregon was honestly a whirlwind of waterfalls for me. Justin and I decided to adventure around Oregon for our honeymoon and second to being in love and just getting married, Oregon was like a dream come true. Upon arriving in Oregon we decided to start exploring right away. I had previously made a list of all of the cool waterfalls and places that I wanted to see for our short, week-long trip and Latourell Falls was the closest destination from the airport. The hike to Latourell was very short and extremely easy. In fact, I hiked the entire way in my Chacos and leftover airplane clothes and never missed a beat. It was a great way to start the trip!

Latourell Falls, Guy W. Talbot State Park

Our next stop of the day was the famous Multnomah Falls which is just a short drive from Latourell Falls along the Columbia River Gorge. If you plan on visiting Multnomah, you should know that visitors have to park away from the falls and take a bus to the visitor’s center and hiking trail. This did not matter to us but may hinder some people from wanting to get up close and personal to the falls. After visiting Multnomah, I have to say that I definitely get why it is so popular. Although crowded with tourists, this waterfall really encompasses what Oregon is known for; breathtaking, natural beauty. As you can see in the photo below, the bridge is packed with people. Yet, they look like tiny figurines in comparison to the massiveness of the falls.

On Monday we decided to drive south and visit the tallest mountain in Oregon; Mount Hood. Unlike all of our waterfall hikes, I hadn’t planned this hike out at all. I actually led us to the wrong trail and after about 30 minutes of hiking we turned around and found a different trail where we could get closer to the summit of the mountain. However, we did not summit this mountain because it is very dangerous and you have to book a guide company well in advance to lead you. Poor planning on my part…whoops! Fortunately, we still got some great views taking the Timberline trail!

After finishing our hike at Mount Hood, we drove southwest and stayed the night in the coziest Airbnb near Salem. Our hosts went above and beyond taking care of us and we were surrounded by farm animals! What more could you ask for?! Link to our cottage: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/22619166?source_impression_id=p3_1576094632_XcIkfvRs90rneAwQ

The next day we traveled to Silverton to hike at Silver Falls State Park. To hike here you need a parking pass but it is well worth the money. We ended up hiking about 10 miles and seeing a total of 9 waterfalls! As an added bonus, the trails looped UNDER some of the waterfalls for an awesome 360 degree view! Link to the state park site: https://oregonstateparks.org/index.cfm?do=parkPage.dsp_parkPage&parkId=151

On Wednesday we tackled the Abiqua Falls trail which is a 5.3 mile out and back trail located near Scotts Mills. This trail is fairly hard to find but if you follow the other hikers and trail markers, you can make your way to the falls pretty easily. I recommend reading the tips from AllTrails before you go so that you know what to expect. Link here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/oregon/abiqua-falls-trail

Our next stop of the day was Henline Falls. Located in the Opal Creek Wilderness, the Henline Falls trail is a 1.8 mile out and back trail and is very easy. Although this waterfall isn’t as spectacularly powerful as the others on our trip, it is beautiful in its own way. Folded magically into a small canyon, this waterfall was remarkably serene. The over spray floating down through the air and lightly touching the perfectly translucent pool below was extremely calming.

Our final hike of the day was a 2.2 mile loop along the McKenzie River. This hike featured two waterfalls; Sahalie Falls and Koosah Falls. The pictures below do not do this hike justice. It was an absolutely beautiful trail with such colorfully saturated landscaping that I instantly fell in love and deemed it my favorite hike of the day.

I have a love/hate relationship with our next destination. After spending a luxurious night in our hotel on the river, we spontaneously decided to dismiss our previous plans for the day and hike the South Sister Summit trail. The South Sister is Oregon’s third tallest mountain reaching to 10,358 ft. and the tallest of the three sister chain. Don’t let the sign below fool you. We ended up hiking over 18 miles in one day. Not the expected 12 miles like we were initially hoping. However, the view at the top was worth every grueling mile that we endured. If you plan on hiking this trail make sure you take plenty of food and water, wear comfortable hiking boots, take hiking poles and start early in the morning!

On Friday we decided to sleep in a little later and drive south to do some shorter hikes since we didn’t get back to our hotel until around 10:00 pm and were totally exhausted. Our first stop was Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint. This park features two waterfalls; Barr Creek Falls and Mill Creek Falls. There is a short, distinct trail through the woods to both of these waterfall overlooks which makes this trail quick and fulfilling.

After visiting Prospect State Scenic Viewpoint, we stopped in a very small town about 15 minutes up the road to grab a quick bite to eat. There was only one little restaurant in the town called Beckie’s which was packed (that means it’s good right?!) so we decided to get some ice cream at an adorable ice cream shop and stop in the gift shop to grab some souvenirs.

After getting a snack and some trinkets, we were on the road again driving another 15 minutes northeast to Crater Lake. I knew that crater lake would be one of the most gorgeous places we visited on the trip but I was absolutely in awe of how amazing it really was. Once the haze cleared up, the crystal clear view unveiled the entirety of the lake and the crater brim surrounding it. We decided to take multiple trails around the lake to see the lake from various viewpoints. I highly recommend doing this since it costs about $25 per car to get into the park. Crater Lake National Park link: https://www.nps.gov/crla/planyourvisit/fees.htm

Toketee Falls, another one of Oregon’s most famous waterfalls, was next on our list for the day. Known for its picturesque setting deep in the forest, Toketee falls was a dream hike. Every twist and turn in the 0.8 mile out and back trail made me feel like I had traveled to another planet full of lush greenery and moss covered trees. Not to mention the prize of getting to see a powerful, double cascade waterfall plunging deep into the river at the end of the trail.

Our next destination was Lemolo Falls. Lemolo Falls is located in Umpqua National Forest along the Umpqua River. The Lemolo Falls trail is a 3.2 mile out and back trail located near Crescent, Oregon. Although this was one of my favorite waterfalls, I’m glad we rented a 4×4 vehicle capable of handling jagged, dirt roads for our trip because the journey to this trail was long and rough and there was no cellphone service (I was a little worried we were going to get stuck and not be able to call for help!). Likewise, the hiking trail was a little hard to follow through the woods but so worth the view at the end. With not a soul around, we spent ample time here taking in the ambiance of this hidden gem tucked perfectly into a bluff in the forest.

On our way to the final destination of our trip, we stumbled upon Diamond Lake and had to stop and enjoy the scenery and snap some photos. With the snow-capped mountain in the distance and beautiful blue water, the picture I took below is worthy of a frame and it’s own space on our living room wall one day.

Salt Creek Falls was the last stop on our honeymoon wish list and it did not disappoint. Cascading at 286 feet, it is Oregon’s second highest, single drop waterfall. Although we did not have enough time left in our day to hike to the base of the falls, the view from the viewing platform was stunning enough to satisfy my waterfall obsession.

Salt Creek Falls, Willamette National Forest

ARIZONA

Oh Arizona…I fell madly in love with you and hated you all at the same time. Since this was our first real trip of any magnitude and we were broke college kids, this trip had many ups and downs and taught me a lot about traveling and planning. We didn’t have a lot of money, so we drove all the way to Arizona and ended up camping most nights in a tent in the desert sand (which was super hot and I would not recommend it). If we couldn’t find a campground, we paid for the cheapest hotels we could find (also would not recommend because I regularly thought I was somehow going to contract a disease by simply showering). But in the end we made it out alive and I am forever grateful and humbled by the fact that I got to see and experience some of the most amazing things.

Cathedral Rock is one of the first places we visited when traveling through AZ. Located in Coconino National Forest, this beautiful place is a must see! The trail is approximately 1.2 miles out and back and features overlooks of Arizona’s famous red rocks.

Devil’s Bridge is not far from Cathedral Rock and is one of the coolest bridges I’ve ever seen. Not only do you get an awesome view of the red rocks from this overlook, you also get to venture out to the middle of the “bridge” for a photo opportunity! But be careful! It’s a long way down!

There is so much to say about our 3-day backing packing trip into the Grand Canyon. I knew that this trip would change me as a person but I had no idea just how much. I was already expecting it to be the most amazing adventure that i’d ever been on but I can honestly say that it exceeded all of my expectations. Still to this day it remains one of my absolute favorite places to visit. If you plan on going to Havasupai Indian Reservation to see the falls, I recommend hiring a guide company to take you for your first trip. We used Pygmy Guides and they packed all of our food and camping equipment and cooked us delicious meals. Our guide’s name was Owen he was very down to Earth and knowledgeable about the Canyon. Link to Pygmy Guides: https://www.pygmyguides.com/havasu-falls/

The trail to Havasupai Indian Reservation is not an easy one. It is a very hot, slow 8 mile trek under the desert sun while carrying a back pack full of all of your belongings. At the end of this 8 mile hike lies the town of Supai. Then it is another two miles to base of Havasu falls and the campground.

Havasupai Indian Reservation, Grand Canyon

After hiking all day in the desert sun, Havasu Falls is truly a Godsend. The trail leads you from the top of the waterfall to the base and gives you every possible angle to soak in the fall’s majestic beauty. The water is colored a saturated, turquoise blue and contrasts with the surrounding red rocks creating an oasis. The water may look clear from a distance but you actually can’t see through it at all! This is because the water comes from an aquifer and has an extremely high mineral content.

Havasu Falls, Havasupai Indian Reservation

Close by is Fern Spring and is where all visitors get their water supply for the duration of their stay. It has the best tasting water I’ve ever had due to the natural ground filtration process that the water goes through before it gets to the distribution pipe.

The next day our guide took us on a walk about through the canyon where we traveled to Mooney Falls. I really thought that Havasu Falls would take the cake for my favorite waterfall of all time. However, absolutely nothing can compare to Mooney Falls. Period. I don’t know if it was the gush of adrenaline trying to climb down the “staircase” or simply the awe-like appearance of Mooney Falls that makes this particular place so captivating to me. All I know is that I would probably go back to the reservation every single year to stare at this powerful waterfall if I could.

Antelope Canyon is located in Page, Arizona and was absolutely beautiful. It had so many amazing views. However, be warned that in order to see the canyon you have to pay your way onto a trolley or bus and be led by a guide. Unfortunately, it is often packed with tourists and is hard to enjoy. My advice would be to go at an inconvenient time or day so that less people will be adventuring with you! This makes the adventure more peaceful and relaxing and helps you really enjoy the moment while you are there.

Horseshoe Bend is another must see in Page. It is undoubtedly gorgeous and deserves all of the attention it gets. However, similarly to Antelope Canyon, I recommend going at a day or time that is inconvenient for most. Luckily the hike to this overlook is easy and brings you to a plethora of photo opportunities and various viewpoints.

One of our last stops was Monument Valley. This stop was mostly to check of a box on my bucket list but I have to say that I was definitely not disappointed. Driving through the park was really cool. I felt like I was in an old western movie! The monuments are HUGE and at the end of the drive there is a small shopping area where locals set up shops full of beautiful handmade jewelry, clothes and knick knacks.