I'm going to be honest. The weather has been a bit too perfect so I haven't parked myself in front of the computer to write all those reviews and trip reports I promised you last time.

But if anyone in the world can understand, it's you, right? Good weather means good hiking! (So does bad weather, but that's an entirely different story we can get into at a later date. Once it starts raining.)

I do have lots of interesting hiking news for you, though. Let's gently segue into it so you don't have time to dwell on my inability to come indoors while the sun doth shine ;)

INSPIRING HIKER 90+

If you think the age you are at this moment is “too old” to tackle a hard hike, read about Grey Beard, who just finished the Appalachian Trail at age 91.

Yes, he fell 71 times along the way.

And yes, he wanted to quit at times, but he did it!

Meet Dale Sanders:

Oldest AT Hiker 2026

HIKING RESOURCE: SAVE SOME MONEY

And as a smart hiker, you look for good deals. What's a better deal than good used outdoor gear?

I’m not affiliated with Outandbackoutdoor in any way, just wanted to share another useful hiking resource with you.

Save on hiking gear

And if you're a member of REI Co-op, here's more good news: Now you are eligible for special pricing on AllTrails Plus membership at $24.99/year rather than $35.99/year. The AllTrails Peak membership is $49.99/year ($79.99/year value).

Get all the details here for annual access to unlimited offline maps (meaning you don't need internet connectivity to use them):

REI and AllTrails

NEW U.S. LONG TRAIL

It terminates at the Baja Mexico border.

This "trail" is actually a piecework of trails and routes, woven together to allow hikers to explore the California coastline as it transitions from north to south.

That's some mighty spectacular scenery!

Due to its length, a savvy hiker like you can dip into the northern sections of the trail during summer and then enjoy the central and southern segments in winter.

Lots to explore on this developing trail network! Check it out:

California Coastal Trail

BACKPACK BACKSTORY

Some of us are quite attached to our backpacks, in more ways than one.

We are in good company: humans figured out how to carry stuff efficiently millions of years ago. We're just the latest iteration of the backpack story!

History of the backpack

DO YOU LIKE LISTICLES?

I tend to avoid those “best” articles, case in point being this “7 Best U.S. National Parks For Hiking” article.

The reason?

My “best” might be your worst nightmare.

What does it even mean to be best?

Now that I've got that off my chest, I'm going to turn around and say this list of U.S. national parks is a good place to begin if you want to explore some stellar hiking areas.

The best US national parks

I’d add Isle Royale National Park (Lake Superior) and Olympic National Park (Washington State) to the list, maybe bumping a few off to make room.

Which parks do you think they missed?

Looking ahead

If you identify with one type of hiking exclusively (“just a day hiker”, for instance), maybe it’s time to dream a little.

To help get you started, here is Hiking For Her’s resource of over 30 different types of hiking (with tips, of course) for you to consider.

Types of hiking

I'll leave you with this quote on a card I received recently: "Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower."

Diane a.k.a. Happy October Hiker

diane@hiking-for-her.com

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