Category: National Parks

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Hallett Peak RMNP June 2025

I arrived in Estes Park an hour later than I wanted to; primarily due to my flight departing late due to the Atlanta weather issue. 

As I drove into this mountain town it was getting dark and I just needed to get something to eat. Luckily, the hotel restaurant had a cool burger restaurant / ale bar.

I tried to orient myself to this place. I’ve been here a handful of times but it all seems so new and was just discombobulated. Nothing seems familiar, which was funny because I used to be the girl who always wanted to see something new but I purposely have been going back to the places I’ve lived or spent time. It was a bit familiar but still seemed new.

I ate a burger and drank an IPA. I took a short walk down the road and saw a sliver of the moon before heading back and going to bed. Tomorrow was a big day.

In my typical fashion, I was wigged out and not sure what I would do. As I packed for the hike I thought maybe I’d just stay in this cute town and walk around instead of doing my hike tomorrow. I think about forgoing the 5am admission to Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park I reserved when they first were available online months ago.

In the morning I was still uncertain what to do. I brushed my teeth. I looked around the hotel room and something in my brain clicks. I put on my trail runners, put in my contacts, filled my bladders with ice and water, and headed to my car ready to hike. I’m ready for this hike. I felt good.

As I drove into the park I thought how I would love to live here again. It just felt right. I knew Tennessee is not my forever place and maybe Colorado was. I missed my dogs and don’t like being without them but they are not allowed on trails in this national park. 

I came here to hike Hallett Peak because I wanted to go back and do what I did when I took the American Youth Hostel trip in 1988. I was 17 and wanted to see the world. 

Now, I want to go back to these places I visited in 1988 and while doing it – think about all the choices I made from that trip to now. This is the second time I’ve done this; last year I went to Glacier National Park. Next year is Yellowstone and Grand Teton.

Here I am, 37 years later. I’m hiking Flattop Mountain Trail and will continue .6 miles on an unnamed trail to Hallett Peak. 

Here is the entry from my journal from 1988 (I’ve kept a journal since 1984)

Today, June 27, 2025, Friday, I entered the park and showed my timed entry to the park ranger. I was nervous about getting a parking spot at Bear Lake but when arriving at 6am the lot was half full – relief. I was feeling inspired and ready to hike. 

I started up the trail to Flattop Mountain and most people I saw turned left to the shorter hikes to the lakes while carrying big cameras and lenses. I don’t see anyone until I see a family of 5 hiking towards me. They told me they weren’t prepared for the terrain and heading back to Bear Lake. I don’t see anyone again until I made a turn on the trail and saw colorful clothes to my left. A family of 3 was sitting on a rock taking in the views. I asked them if they are heading to Flattop and they said yes. Awesome, I reply. I won’t be alone. 

I hiked the slowest I’ve ever hiked. My heart beat hard and I stopped frequently to catch my breath. I’m a fast hiker, but not today. I thought of turning around many times, but my self-talk told me “I have nothing else to do today so I might as well keep going.” This helps.

I seriously have no other commitments and could take as long as I needed to get to the top. This kept me going, plus, I really wanted to get to the top and re-live this memory. Nothing looked familiar. Nothing. 

I stopped several times to take in the views of the mountain lakes and the snowy peaks across the valley, then kept going. I ate and drank, and stopped to breathe. 

I made it above treeline and kept going to Flattop. The views were stunning. My head started to ache. I sat down for a few minutes. I made it to a snow field and then to the junction where Hallett’s trail continues marked by cairns only. I asked a man in running tights how the trail was. “It’s an easy 20 minutes.” 

I was convinced to continue and it was slow going over rocks, much like Mount Washington and the Presidential Traverse in New Hampshire. The last tenth of a mile was scrambling and looking for cairns. This was not easy. Every step I was cautious and intentional. My brain was zombie-like. I had a headache. 

I made it. 

This is seriously the biggest accomplishment for me in 2025. I did what I planned to do. I didn’t injure myself. I didn’t have a heart attack. I didn’t get killed by a wild animal. I made it. 

I don’t stay long and head back down. I’m nervous about running out of water. I have my filter and just need to find a stream. 

At the junction I met three women, all solo hikers. We took a selfie and this was the moment when I knew I’m not a weirdo to do all these hikes solo – so many other brave women were doing it too. In the background is Hallett Peak.

I hiked slowly and methodically because I wanted to remember this moment. I did it. 

I found a stream and filtered water into my bladder and kept going. The sun was strong and I was eager to get into the trees. I made it down and I’m surprised that nothing hurts; my training was good. 

I got back to my car and drove back to Estes Park. I needed food and more water. I don’t have a post-hike plan other than to drive to Leadville after. I should’ve had a plan.

I left the park and head edback to the hotel where I knew I can use a restroom to clean up and possibility get another burger. The burger place was closed so I drove down the road to a Mexican restaurant and ordered a burrito and Pepsi. Just what I needed. 

I looked through my photos of the day while I ate my burrito and I felt so happy. So happy.

Now on to the next hike – Hope Pass at Twin Lakes on Saturday – and a chance at redemption.

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Best things of 2024 – In retrospect

Reflecting on the best things of 2024, here are my best thoughts and actions from 2024

I love trip planning and making my dreams come true. I planned some good ones in 2024. Places I traveled to: Little  Rock, Memphis, Whitefish, Banff, Glacier National Park, Missoula.

Realizing that I’m good at my job and and I’m not here to make people like me. 

Realizing that I might just stay here for a while. 

Finishing the Philadelphia marathon.

Buying a Wahoo trainer so I can ride inside. 

Driving the Cades Cove Loop in Great Smoky Mountains National Park  

What am I doing when I am my favorite self? The answer: when I’m on a trail in the woods, whether hiking or running. Most of the time I’m scared and can’t wait to get home, but my favorite self is out there reaching a goal such as getting to the summit, and hiking fast or running to get there, and then get back home safely. I like being an outdoorsy person who knows how to dress in layers to stay warm. I like doing amazing things outdoors. This is my favorite self. 

I also really like going to work and I like the work I do. I like doing all the tasks I do from project planning and coordination to strategy and master planning. I like all the things coming at me at once and making a plan from chaos. I just have to remember not everyone likes the same things I do, and they don’t approach problem solving like I do. 

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One Year on a National Park Annual Pass

I visited 8 National Parks in one year; October 2023 through October 2024 on the National Park Pass. It’s such a fun adventure to go see the world and learn history up close and personal. Making plans and anticipating what will happen is what makes life so interesting. I’ve always loved having something to look forward to and National Park planning makes me happy and makes me feel so alive. 

It all started in October 2023. When training for Javelina Jundred went badly, and I couldn’t race, I decided to keep my flight to Arizona and go see National Parks that were a day trip from Phoenix. My friend Mark came along for the adventure, and what an adventure it was. 

During that trip we visited 4 National Parks with the pass.

1.) Grand Canyon – my second time and saw more of the park this time. My goal for next year is a Rim to Rim hike. 

2.) Mesa Verde was magical, and cliff dwellings are other worldly.

3.) Petrified Forest – driving and hiking its trails was like being in a painting. It’s in the Painted Desert so it makes sense, but so much more than I ever thought. 

4.) Saguaro  – this park was my home park for three years but seeing it again after being away is like coming home. The thousands of Saguaros all lined up in the distance is a sight to see.

Then in May I traveled solo to Glacier National Park, and back to Glacier again in July using the pass. The first time the park was a side trip and I realized that I had more I wanted to see and do, so the July trip was all about the park. Read my blog post about the trip here. 

In August I visited Harpers Ferry and Shenandoah National Park.

That is 7 National Parks in one year, which is a pretty good use of the pass. 

I live next to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and go there at least four times a month to hike and run but there is no entrance fee so I’m not going to count it. 

I visited two National Historic Sites in Arkansas: Little Rock Central High School and Fort Smith, but didn’t use the pass there either. I also traveled to Banff National Park but it’s in Canada and doesn’t count  for this pass. 

My National Park obsession began when I watched Ken Burns documentary in 2009, but I had been to parks in the western US before watching it. I lived near Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado for 10 years and next to Saguaro National Park in Arizona for 3 years.  

Smoky Mountains National Park is now my home park, just 30 minutes away. I love to trail run and hike the high peaks of this park. The history is pretty fascinating too. I’ve read several books about it, my favorite being Strangers in High Places. Highly recommend if you want to learn about the Great Smoky Mountains and all the people and animals that have lived in the the park: Eastern Cherokee, back-country settlers, lumbermen, moonshiners, bears and boars. 

Missed Opportunities this year:

I would’ve visited more but plans got derailed or I just didn’t have time. It would’ve been so cool to say I visited 11 in one year, but alas, just 8.

In March I was in Little Rock, Arkansas for a race. Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas was a 2 hour drive that I could’ve driven to after my race but my anxiety kicked in and I just wanted to get home. 

Next weekend, I was signed up for a 50K race in Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park, but when I injured my ankle and it wasn’t healing fast enough, training went down the drain so I deferred until next year. I think the race willbe so fun plus, my lodging is in the park. I can’t wait to run this in October 2025.

Hurricane Helene canceled my plan to visit the last state in the US so I can say I’ve been to them all: North Dakota. When the hurricane hit Eastern Tennessee, I was too nervous to leave town, not know what was going to happen with flooding. I opted on Friday, Sept 27 to cancel all plans. I couldn’t leave my dogs in a kennel and just leave when there were so many unknowns. I really wanted to see Theodore Roosevelt National Park but will defer to next year; and finish my 50 States list. I tried to find flights for the following weekends but all the flights were too expensive, and I didn’t want to visit North Dakota in winter. I will get there in 2025.

I’m a bit of a National Park junkie and love planning a fun trip. In 2025, my plan is to visit a few National Parks that are close to me in addition to Theodore Roosevelt National Park:

Ohio – Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

South Carolina – Congaree National Park, South Carolina

West Virginia – New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia – dogs allowed

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Shenandoah National Park in August

I’m entering Shenandoah National Park on a Saturday. I’m nervous about lines and traffic. I  head east in Front Royal, VA. I arrive at the North Entrance Station and there is a line of five cars. A minute later they open a second station and I move over to it. Yay! No wait. I take the obligatory selfie in front of the entrance sign:

I’m still feeling a bit sad about my race this morning and my ankle is pretty sore from the twist and fall. I opt to start driving home today instead of staying another day in West Virginia. I’m hoping the views and short walks around Shenandoah make me happy. 

As I start the drive heading up to Skyline Drive there are several cyclists coming down the hill on road and tribikes. They are hauling –  whizzing by my car. They are going downhill and still pedaling. 

The triathletes are in their aero bars and I’m scared for them. Mind you, that was me 15 years ago on my bike in Rocky Mountain National Park and I smile to myself. I have such great memories of rides in RMNP. 

It’s a good sign when I enter the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center parking lot and spot a New Hampshire license. I’m always looking for a sign and a car visiting here from my home state is a sign. Seeing a NH plate makes me smile despite limping from my car to look around. 

One of the aspects I love seeing while visiting National Parks is how people talk to each other and share stories to complete strangers. You just don’t see that in your regular life. I normally wouldn’t talk to some just because they have a New Hampshire plate but I thought I might ask them where in New Hampshire they live if I see them get in or out of their car. 

I see families talking to other families on the grass overlooking the view west from the visitor center. Everyone is happy to be here and taking in the view. And they are talking to each other!  I go into the visitor center and learn about the monarch butterfly.

After a 40 minute visit and walk about, I drive south and arrive at the halfway mark. Now I see normal cyclists who are looking around, taking in the view and not hellbent on speed. I’m going slower than every car and pull over frequently to let cars pass. I turn a corner and there is a young deer peacefully eating grass by the side of the road. I’m scared for it and try to shoo it away from the road but I’m ignored. As I continue on I flash my headlights to cars heading to me. 

I stop at Elkwallow Wayside at Mile 24.1 for food. There is a long line so I walk into the gift shop instead. 

I almost buy a sticker at the store that said Bike SNP thinking it would motivate me to come back and bike Skyline Drive one day. Instead I buy a mug and a boonie to remember this trip.

I decide to turn right and leave the park at the exit to Luray.  

As I drive down a few switchbacks to get back to the highway I feel like this road is similar to Blue Ridge Parkway when I visited it two years ago. Mark and I traveled around Stuarts Draft, VA after the UROC race. It has a similar feel to being above it all and taking a switchback back to the valley. 

It’s just beautiful on this drive and I reflect that I am so glad I did this trip. What’s so interesting about this park is it’s not busy. I don’t know if it is because kids are all back in school and it’s just not busy on a Saturday. 

I love Virginia and this park road between two valleys is fun to drive. The green valleys is the distance look so peaceful. 

What the National Parks do for me is they give me perspective and a beautiful landscape for reflection. I have such great memories of visiting national parks as a teen and in my 40s.

In 10 months I have visited 8 parks and 2 Historic Sites:

Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Petrified Forest, Saguaro, Glacier National Park, Harpers Ferry and now Shenandoah National Park. I visited two National Historic Sites in Arkansas: Little Rock Central High School and Fort Smith. I visited Banff National Park in Canada.

I like making plans and experiencing these beautiful, majestic parks. 

National Parks remind me that there is so much to see and experience. That our world is so beautiful. And acknowledge that I do not have unlimited time. National Parks remind me to keep going, keep seeking and keep making plans. 

My thoughts as I drive back to  Tennessee: 

I am going to follow through with every plan and make BIG Plans.
I’m going to book my trip to Philadelphia and run the marathon. 
I’m going to Monument Valley to run a race I’ve always wanted to do. 
I’m going to make my life fantastic. 

Visiting Shenandoah National Park did make me happier. Driving through the park and getting home late Saturday was the right decision.

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Miner’s Lady 50K Race Report

I signed up for the August, Miner’s Lady 50K in January as I was plotting my return effort to finish a 100 mile trail run. I was creating a progressive race schedule that would build to a 100 in November. It was difficult to find a 50K in August since it’s just so hot everywhere and there are few races, but I ended up finding this race in West Virginia; a place I’ve only driven through. I chose this race because 1) I needed a marathon or higher in WV 2) it fit into my progressive distance plan 3) it was a trail run in a place I’ve never been. 

It’s far away, probably the farthest distance I’ve driven for a one day race, but I wanted the experience so I signed up. 

The race even got a mentioned in Ultra Running What’s Up This Weekend 

I drove north on Friday for packet pick up and met my carpool buddies at Two Rivers Treads in Ranson, WV. The race organizers enforce carpooling since there is limited parking and for sustainability reasons. I thought it would be nice to drive to the race with two other women who knew the course and starting area’s set up. 

Here is the course map at packet pickup:

I was really excited for this race. This was the first time I felt prepared for a 50K in a really long time. They took photos of all the runners at packet pickup. Here’s me – ready to run!

I drove over to Harpers Ferry National Historic Park to check out a national park I had never visitied. Read my blog post about this amazing park. Then, to find food for dinner.

I didn’t want to sit in a restaurant or eat a big meal so for I stopped at the local grocery store and bought a sandwich and a container of hot mac and cheese, and ate it back in my hotel room. 

As I prepped for the next morning I ate dinner and watched TV. I wasn’t feeling excited or scared at this point; I just felt ready. 

Race Morning: 

I drove to Amanda’s house which was a short 5 miles to the race start. She was still in the process of getting ready when I arrived, and we were a bit delayed getting to the start. It was still dark and parking attendants sent us closer to the staging area so that was great to be parked close to the start. As we set up the tent, it was getting close to start time. 

Then suddenly, the whistle blew and had to run from our area to join the race. Not ideal but it was fine. I had my headlamp on and just started running. 

While I studied the map, I had never been on the course and just followed the group. The course began with a gentle downhill and rolling hills. The course is wooded and beautiful, and as the daylight appeared, I felt like something bit me behind my knee and started rubbing it. A few minutes later I learned that runners were being stung and attacked by hornets. 

I don’t notice the hornets except for what bit my leg, and wondered where they were? In a tree? Just buzzing around? A runner told me they were on the ground and she swatted them and they stung her hand multiple times. Geez! I lucked out on that one. A few people really got stung badly, I learned later.

I just kept running. 

Then came the downhill section. And though I studied the map, I didn’t realize that I was on the out and back section and was surprised to see runners coming toward me. I was feeling good and running downhill, then moved over to make room for the oncoming runner and BOOM – my left ankle twisted, I heard a creaking noise, I fell to my right and landed off trail. 

I was completely surprised, 1) because I haven’t twisted my ankle in two years and 2) I was only 2 miles into the race and 3) it hurt A LOT. 

A runner tried to help me up and I wasn’t quite ready to get up. I was sitting there stunned. After a few minutes, I got up and walked. My right knee was bleeding but I could walk. Then my ankle started to hurt more. Sometimes after a twist like this, I can recover and it’s fine. This wasn’t going to be fine. 

So I hobbled the remaining loop, and ended my day. 

The loop was such a good one. I wanted to run it. I wanted to run it 4 more times. I wanted to finish the 50K but it wasn’t meant to be.

The medic told me that it looked bad and I should go to urgent care. My ankle looked like a golf ball, all swollen. Since I carpooled, my car was 5 miles away. A very kind race volunteer couple drove me to my car and I headed back to my hotel to clean up. 

Every time I get injured my love for running grows. While in the past I can go months without running because I just don’t want to run or I lack motivation, when I get injured running, I miss running so much and can’t wait to get healthy. 

It’s been two weeks since the race and while I can run, my ankle is still sore and not 100% yet. 

I will be back to this race. It’s on my BIG plan of dream races and do-overs. Sometimes it takes me two times to finish a race. Case in point: Colossal Vail 50K. I DNF’d the first time in 2013 and finished in 2021. 

While this race entailed a lot of driving (Road Trip Total Miles from TN to WV: 930 miles) the area was beautiful and I loved the course (minus the hornets). See you next year.

Here is the progression of my ankle over three days: