Pack your paddles and lacebrup your boots; resort vacations are so last season. Poolside cabanas andbrbeachfront villas are for the rest of the herd, right? Take the road—orbrriver—less traveled this summer and embark on an adventure vacation. Hiking,brbiking and kayaking are just a few ways to sightsee without setting foot onbrtourist-laden soil.
Hiking the Bend
If thoughts of climbingbrmountains or trekking through the desert send shivers up your spine, then
takebryour pick of climates within the Lone Star State borders to experience thebrultimate in adventure vacations. And we say, if there’s hiking to be done inbrTexas, go Big Bend or go home.
Located in the southwesternbrregion of the state, near the United States/Mexico border, Big Bend Ranch StatebrPark is more than 300,000 acres of desert, mountain and river wilderness. Partbrof Big Bend National Park (the 15th largest national park in thebrU.S.), the state park offers hiking and backpacking options for a variety ofbrskill levels. We picked a trail suited for an expert hiker.
The Rancherias Loop trail is a two-night, three-day camping and hiking experience that is 19 miles ofbrtrue roughing it. The adventure starts 21 miles west of the city of Lajitasbrand loops around back to Highway 170 at the west Rancherias sign within thebrstate park. Before you start the loop, you’ll need to check in at the BartonbrWarnock Visitor Center, located near Lajitas. This center serves as the easternbrentrance to the state park. Once you’re checked in and you’ve paid your fees ($3-$5brper person), you’ll go through a hiking/backpacking/camping orientation. Thisbris an important step since you’ll be making your way through the ChihuahuanbrDesert along trails that are often not marked. There is a lot of climbingbrinvolved, but the views are well worth it. Stargazing at your campsite eachbrnight reminds you just how rewarding adventure vacations can be. TPWD.Texas.gov
Mountain Biking in Brevard
Take a look at the naturalbrwonders surrounding the community of Brevard, North Carolina—think mountainsbrand waterfalls—and it’s easy to see how the small town gives you access to bigbradventures. The rugged terrains of Transylvania County (where Brevard isbrlocated) make for some pretty awesome mountain biking trails that range frombreasy to intermediate.
The Bracken Mountain Trailbris a four-mile intermediate loop starting at the base of Bracken Mountain.brBikers gain an elevation of more than 900 feet, and the trail can take anywherebrfrom 45 minutes to two hours to complete. There are also a number of state forestsbrsurrounding Brevard that offer more amazing mountain biking experiences, such asbrthe DuPont Fawn Lake Trail (nine-mile moderate loop in DuPont State Forest) orbrfor experts, the 22-mile Avery Creek/Black Mountain Loop in Pisgah NationalbrForest.
Now that you know where tobrspin your wheels, you should unsaddle and explore the nature of the forestsbralong the way, and perhaps catch a glimpse or two of one of the 200 waterfallsbrin the Brevard area. Looking for indigenous wildlife? If you are lucky, youbrmight catch a glimpse of a famous Brevard white squirrel. BrevardNC.com
Kayaking thebrCoast
If you are seeking anbradventure-worthy vacation outside the United States, the blue coastal waters ofbrNew Zealand are perfect for kayaking. One of the most sought-after experiencesbrin kayaking is traversing the Abel Tasman Coastal Track, located at Abel TasmanbrNational Park in central New Zealand. Navigating the 38-mile track via kayakbrwill take you approximately eight hours and can be divided into three legs.brYou’ll embark from Marahau and end at Onetahuti, first stopping at Anchoragebrand then at Bark Bay. Since it is not a round-trip excursion, you’ll need tobrarrange transportation back to Marahau. It is highly recommended that you bookbra guided kayak tour and reserve your intended campsites/huts ahead of time.brActually, it is required that you have camping permits in place before you setbrout. This can all be done upon arrival at the national park when you pay yourbrfees to stay the night. However, if you only plan to kayak the coast for thebrday, there are no fees.
You’ll want to disembarkbrfrom your kayak at times throughout the trek for up-close appreciation of thebrnative flora and wildlife. Snorkels and goggles should be your exploration gearbrof choice, as most of the action is just below the coastal water’s surface.brFrom periwinkles and pink algae to sea urchins and live bryozoans (these helpbrmake coral reefs), all sorts of plants and creatures live in distinct bandsbralong the coast. When you come up for more air, be sure to notice the fur sealsbroften found along the coast sunning on the rocks. DOC.govt.nz