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Pipestem Tower, located in Pipestem State Park, West Virginia was renamed “Bolar Lookout Tower” as a dedication in honor of the sixth superintendent of the park, Steve Bolar

Steve was a leader in the state parks system with a genuine understanding of park operations and public service. He was a mentor to many park employees during his career.

Bolar lost his battle with a terminal illness in July 2009.

The observation tower sits at 3,000 feet in elevation and commands a scenic view of the Pipestem…

Burke Lake Park boasts one of the ten best fitness trails in the nation. That’s the assessment of the American Hiking Society after its trail specialists hiked high and low to find the top 10 candidates in or near a major metropolitan area (close enough to use before or after work or on lunch hours) with portions that can be completed in 60-90 minutes.


Just 25 minutes from Washington, D.C., the Burke Lake Loop Trail follows the shoreline for 4.7 miles around the lake, with bays jutting out from…

I had heard mention of this hike previously, and a friend recently posted a memory of hiking it, and I thought, why not today? I read that the trailhead parking was limited, so I got a reasonably early start, leaving the house around 7:00 am. it was still dusk when I left, arriving at the trailhead parking area around 7:45 am. There were three other cars in the lot when I arrived.

I threw on my pack, grabbed my hiking poles, and was on my way. There are no sign-in trail registers in Virginia,…

On February 1, 2004, Derek (10) and I started to hike these two mountains. Unlike the first attempt, where we were overdressed and overheated, we were better prepared to hike our first of the 46 high peaks this time. It was a beautiful day with clear skies and temperatures expected to be in the low 30s. It certainly made for a beautiful day; the air was crisp. We arrived at the trailhead around 7:30 am and soon started on the trail at 7:45 am on a very hard-packed trail.

We had taken a few…

The last time I hiked this mountain was in 2007 with my wife. At that time, there was no parking lot at the trailhead; you would have to park along the side of the road. Now with the parking lot, it is safer for hikers to park and enter/exit their vehicles. Today the parking lot was full when I got done with my hike, and several cars were parked on the shoulder of Forestdale rd.

I signed in at the register just after 7 am. I would be the first hiker on the trail this morning. It was a brisk…

This fire tower sits on the summit of Cathedral Rock, located on the campus of New York State Ranger School at Wanakena, about 8 miles west of Cranberry Lake, NY.

This tower was erected initially on Tooley Pond mountain in Clare, NY, north-northwest of Cranberry Lake.

For those looking for an easy hike, this would be the one, even for a young family and their Nana.

From the parking area near the ball fields, you pass through a gate on a dirt road. There was no sign-in booth or anything that…