The Intentional Travelers

Hiking Yellowstone Near Old Faithful

One of the most visited areas in Yellowstone National Park surrounds The Old Faithful Lodge. There are a number of restaurants in the lodge and surrounding facilities and the largest parking areas inside the park. There are a number of trails suitable for short or extended hikes into the backcountry that begin in the Old Faithful recreation area. Here are a number of trails selected by park rangers.

Remember to carry rain gear, food and water, and other emergency equipment when hiking the backcountry trails. Be sure to check in for current trail conditions and bear activity information at the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center before starting a hike.

yellowstaone hiking maps — See larger version below to download

Observation Point

Distance, round trip: 1.6 miles or 2.2 mi
Difficulty: strenuous; elevation gain 160 feet (48.8 m)
Trailhead is behind the Old Faithful Lodge and Cabins. Walk counterclockwise around the Old Faithful boardwalk; turn right at the sign to Geyser Hill. Trailhead is on the right after the Firehole River bridge, approximately 0.3 miles from the visitor center. Switchbacks lead up the hill 0.5 miles to an incredible view of the Upper Geyser Basin. Return the same way or continue west to Solitary Geyser, which erupts frequently, then to the Geyser Hill boardwalk. The longer route is 2.2 miles.

Howard Eaton Trail

Distance, round trip: 5.8 miles
Difficulty: moderate
Trailhead: Park near the Old Faithful Ranger Station, then follow the paved path across the Grand Loop Road. Turn left at the first intersection, turn left again, and follow orange trailmarkers to the beginning of the trail. The trail climbs a burned hill, continues through spruce-fir forest, then down to Lone Star Geyser. Return the same way.

Lone Star

Distance, round trip: 4.8 miles
Difficulty: easy
Trailhead: 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of Old Faithful Overpass, just beyond parking for Kepler Cascades.
This pleasant, partially paved trail follows an old service road beside the Firehole River to the geyser. Cyclists must dismount at the end of the asphaltand walk the last few hundred feet. Lone Star erupts up to 45 feet from from a 12-foot cone approximately every three hours.

Mallard Lake

Distance, round trip: 6.8 miles
Difficulty: moderately strenuous
Trailhead: Southeast side of the Old Faithful Lodge cabins, near the Firehole River. Take the first right turn as you come into the Old Faithful Lodge area and continue down the road past some cabins to the trailhead. The trail crosses the Firehole River, passes Pipeline Hot Springs, and climbs rolling hills of partially-burned lodgepole pine and open, rocky areas to the lake. Return the same way, or if you have arranged a car shuttle, continue via the Mallard Creek trail, for a total of 7.7 miles.

Fairy Falls

Distance, round trip: 5 miles (8.4 km)
Difficulty: easy
Trailheads: Short route—park 1 mile south of Midway Geyser Basin, cross the steel bridge and walk 1.1 mile to the trailhead. Long route—park at the end of FountainFlat Dr. and walk 3 miles to the trailhead. The trail travels through young forest 1.4 miles to the 200-foot falls. Continue 0.65 miles past the falls through a wet area to Imperial Geyser, which has frequent minor eruptions.

Sentinel Meadows & Queen’s Laundry

Distance, round trip: 3.8 miles if you go to Queen’s Laundry
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: 10 miles north of Old Faithful, turn left on Fountain Flat Drive. Park at the end of the road, cross the footbridge over the Firehole River to the trailhead. The trail follows the Firehole River a short distance, then veers toward the meadows. Look for the large sinter mounds of hot springs and the remains of the old, incomplete bathhouse.

Queen’s Laundry

1.9 miles from the trailhead.
This trail is often very wet in spring and buggy in summer. Begun in 1881, construction was abandoned as park administrations and priorities changed. Minerals from the hot springs preserved the structure, which was the first building constructed by the government for public use in any national park. Queen’s Laundry is a National Historic Site.

Cautions: Hydrothermal areas: The thin ground in these areas breaks easily, and often overlies scalding water. Stay on the trail. All Wildlife: You must stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves; and at least 25 yards away from all other animals—including birds. Bears: Although your chance of an encounter is low, your safety is not guaranteed. Minimize your risks by making loud noises, shouting, or singing. Hike in groups and use caution where vision is obstructed. Carry bear spray and know how to use it. Do not hike after dark.

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Taking A Walk Around Florence

There are a number of great cities well suited to urban hiking but near the top of that list is Florence, Italy.

What makes this city so special? It’s because the Enlightenment or Renaissance actually began in the early years of the fifteenth century in Florence. At the time Italy was divided into many city-states each with its own government. Florence was a city state and a Republic with a constitution which limited the power of the nobility and ensured that no one person or group could have complete political control. In fact the power resided in the hands of middle-class merchants, a few wealthy families like the Medici, important art patrons who would later rule Florence and the powerful guilds.

This unique political environment attracted intellectuals, the wealthy and artists from all over Italy and much of Europe and added to the wealth and influence of this remarkable place. Some of these notable residents included Dante Alighieri, poet, Filippo Brunelleschi, famous architect, Giotto di Bondone, painter, Michelangelo, the famous sculptor and painter of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the Medici Family, Girolamo Mei, historian and humanist, Lorenzo Ghiberti, sculptor, Donatello, sculptor, Leonardo da Vinci, painter, inventor, and scientist, Niccolò Machiavelli, famous poet and philosopher, Giorgio Vasari, painter, architect, and historian and Galileo Galilei, Italian physicist, astronomer, and philosopher.

Resulting from that environment is the worlds most stunning collection of art, architecture, gardens and trade skills that survives even today.

The city is divided into two halves by the Arno River each with its own incredible attractions. The north half is home to the cathedrals, high end shopping and the train station, while the southern half is home to more museums and galleries and the incredible Piazzale Michelangelo with its amazing views of the city.

This urban hike starts at the Ponte Santa Trinita, the arched bridge over the Arno River and covers the southern city half. To walk the entire circuit will take two and a half to three hours without visiting the palaces , museums and gardens.

Begin the walk by going south from the bridge along the Via Maggio. A half block on your left is the Palazzo Frescobaldi palace and gardens. The Frescobaldi gardens, accessible through a long entrance hall, is a large grassy space with beautiful azalea bushes and an imposing fountain, an original element that has survived from the 16^th century in the old courtyard. Two bronze sculptures by contemporary artist Arnaldo Pomodoro are found amongst the gardens flower beds.

In another block turn right onto Via dei Michelozzi. After a block you’ll come to Piazza Santo Spirito turn left and walk a couple of blocks along the Piazza. Piazza Santo Spirito is the main square in the Oltrarno area of Florence which is known for its artisans and street markets and has a bohemian and arty character.

Turn left at Via Mazzetta and stroll past numerous neighborhood shops and take-away food shops until you come to Piazza de Pitti and turn left.

On your right for the next several blocks you will pass the Pitti Palace. In the Palazzo Pitti are a number of art galleries, a costume museum and a modern art gallery. Tickets are required for admission to many of these famous collections. Behind the palace are huge and beautiful gardens featuring the Grotta del Buontalenti del Giardino di Boboli or the Buontalenti Grotto in the Boboli Gardens. A fascinating place, where you feel like you walked into a fairy tale. The Grotta also known as Grotta Grande or the Big Grotto was built by Bernardo Buontalenti between 1583 and 1593, and was commissioned by Francesco I de’ Medici.

The city provides excellent signage for finding sights

As you approach the river you will find yourself at a square and the entrance to the Ponte Vecchio, a medieval bridge featuring a number of jewelry and craftsmen shops. Take some time to stroll the bridge.

From the Ponte Vecchio again go south at Oltrarno, head left down Via dei Bardi and continue about three quarters of a mile. You will pass the Bardini Museum on your right with access to the Bardini Gardens. The road changes into Via di San Niccolò and takes you to the door of San Niccolò in piazza Giuseppe Poggi, which was once one of the gates to the city during Medieval times.

To your right are staircases and paths leading up from the “old door”, which now resembles more of a tower than a door. Take the steps up, cross the road past the fountain until you reach the top, where you will find a full size copy of Michelangelo’s David and an incredible view of all of Florence.

Descend through Giardino della Rose, a terraced rose garden, to the wall at Porto San Miniato and turn left on Via di Belvedero. Follow it to Porto San Giorgio where turning right you will see the Villa Bardini and its large gardens. You can walk the gardens paths back down to Costa S. Giorgio toward the Via de Guicciardini where a right turn will take you back to the Ponte Vecchio.

A 3 hour hike around some of the major attractions in Florence Italy. Visit the Pitti Palace and gardens, Piazzale Michelangelo overlooking Florence and the iconic Ponte Vecchio.

The Port of Kusadasi, Turkey

Kusadasi is a popular port of call because of its location near some of the worlds greatest ancient historical sites like Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis.

Ephesus, temple of artemis, house of the Virgin Mary

A Georgia Wine Roadtrip

An Update

A while ago we spent a couple of weeks driving around the north Georgia mountains, doing some hiking and visiting wineries. Georgia wines are a pleasant surprise and deserve more attention. In general, their quality is good and the wineries are fun to visit. Having planned this trip for the spring but after having to postpone we didn’t update our information before heading out. Discovering too late that many of the wineries have reduced hours for summer or were closed. This discovery meant we had to modify much of our plan going forward. Be sure you update days and hours before you head out and pay attention to sample pricing, as each winery has a different charge for sampling.

We started out driving north through Atlanta stopping for lunch at the famous Varsity Hot Dogs next to the campus of Georgia Tech. We had heard a lot about this institution and it turned out to be much bigger than we expected and the food was remarkably good. After lunch we left Atlanta heading north to the small town of Oakwood and our first night on the road.

Ga 1 — *Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville*

Early the next morning we headed for the Atlanta Botanical Garden in Gainesville. The gardens are reasonably new and diverse featuring over 1,200 different plants including 80 varieties of magnolias, oaks and maples. There are some nice lily ponds and a mountain stream flowing through the plantings. The gardens are also home to an impressive concert series in the summer.

From the gardens we drove to A micalola Falls Lodge inside the state park. The lodge was great, with modern, well furnished rooms. It sits atop the tallest cascading waterfall in the Southeast (729 feet). The falls are paralleled by a staircase with 604 steps and the park is also crossed by The Appalachian Trail. That evening it was a treat sitting out on the deck of the lodge watching a mountain sunset. The Lodge also has a decent restaurant with reasonable prices.

While in the area we visited The Cottage Winery in Cleveland, and Cavendar Creek Vineyards, Montaluce Winery and Wolf Mountain Vineyards & Winery near Dahlonega, Georgia. Dahlonega is a quant mountain town that also offers tasting rooms for many of the region’s wineries – sort of one stop shopping and tasting.

From Dahlonega we traveled over to the Alpine town of Helen. The town has been a tourist destination for a number of years. Our first stop in Helen was the Habersham Winery with a nice tasting presentation and gift shop. Years ago the town rebuilt itself as an Alpine village featuring Bavarian food and gifts and offers a number of interesting restaurants and accommodations. The town is also popular for the tubing stream that flows through it. We had lunch at The Old Bavaria Inn, an old-world tavern specializing in imported beers and classic German fare.

After Helen we drove up Brasstown Bald, the highest peak in Georgia at 4,784 feet above sea level. While at the National Park Service facility at the top we got caught in a thunderstorm which brought a bit of excitement to the afternoon, with lightening, thunder and clouds rolling by. After the storm we drove to Hiawassee on Lake Chatuge , checked in to The Lake Chatuge Lodge and then visited the Crane Creek Vineyards in Young Harris for Friday happy hour. It appeared that we should have made reservations as it is a very popular evening event in the area. The staff, however, was very accommodating and we bought cheese, crackers and a bottle of their dry rosé making a great ending to the day.

The Chatuge Lodge is within walking distance of the Fred Hamilton Gardens and the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds opened in 1978, and are home

to several popular events throughout the year including the Georgia Mountain Fair, Georgia Mountain Moonshine Cruizin, Georgia Mountain Fall Festival, Superstar concerts, and Georgia’s Official State Fiddlers’ Convention. Any of those events have impact on room availability and rates so, if you’re planning on going, check dates and make plans well in advance. In the same area we also visited Odom Springs and Paradise Hills Wineries.

We left the lake early Sunday morning and headed for brunch at Tiger Mountain Vineyards & Winery which turned out to be the high point of the trip. The wine and food were delicious. Their Red Barn Café was selected as a top-ten winery restaurant by USA Today and our wine choice, Petit Manseng won a gold medal at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. We would highly recommend this Sunday Brunch.

After leaving brunch we made a brief stop at “Goats on the Roof” in Tiger, a throwback tourist stop featuring gifts, food, ice cream and yes – goats on the roof. We then headed for Tallulah Gorge and another long hike. This is a beautiful and rugged area and was the setting of the Burt Reynolds movie Deliverance as well as Disney’s The Great Train Chase.

Tallulah has an interesting visitors’ center and a number of trails with steps that go to Tempeste and Hurricane Falls and then further down into the gorge. To go beyond the main trail into the creek to slide on the rocks, you need a permit. Only a small number are issued each morning so you need to be there when the park opens.

After a day in the gorge we headed for Mark of the Potter in Clarkesville, an interesting store featuring local pottery and crafts. If you’re looking for additional information on Georgia wineries click on each name below:

CAVENDER CREEK VINEYARDS AND WINERY 3610 Cavender Creek Road, Dahlonega, GA 30533 Phone: 770-823-9255
CENITA VINEYARDS, WINERY AND TASTING ROOM 591 Dock Dorsey Road, Cleveland, GA 30528 Phone: 706-865-7478
CHATEAU MEICHTRY VINEYARDS . 1862 Orchard Lane, Talking Rock, GA 30175 Phone: 706-502-1608
CRANE CREEK VINEYARDS 916 Crane Creek Road, Young Harris, GA 30582 Phone: 706-379-1236
ENGELHEIM VINEYARDS 127 Lakeview Road, Ellijay, GA Phone: 706-635-9463
FAINTING GOAT VINEYARDS 201 Vineyard Way, Jasper, GA 30143
HABERSHAM WINERY 7025 S. Main St., Helen, GA 30545 Phone: 706-878-9463
HIGHTOWER CREEK VINEYARDS, LLC 7150 Canaan Drive, Hiawassee, GA 30546 Phone: 706-896-8963
MONTALUCE WINERY & ESTATES 501 Hightower Church Road, Dahlonega, GA 30533 Phone: 706-867-4060
ODOM SPRINGS VINEYARD 637 Odom Rd, Blairsville, GA 30512 Phone: 706-745-3094
PARADISE HILLS WINERY RESORT AND SPA 366 Paradise Road, Blairsville, GA 30512 Phone: 877-745-7483
SERENBERRY VINEYARDS Morganton, GA 30560 Phone: 706-623-8463
SERENITY CELLARS 265 Laurel Ridge Rd, Cleveland, GA 30528 Phone: (706) 348-1277
SHARP MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS 110 Rathgeb Trail, Jasper, GA 30143 Phone: 770-735-1210
STONEWALL CREEK VINEYARDS 323 Standing Deer Lane, Tiger, GA 30576
TIGER MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS & WINERY 2592 Old Hwy 44, Dahlonega, FA 30533 Phone: 706-782-4777
WOLF MOUNTAIN VINEYARDS 180 Wolf Mountain Trail, Dahlonega, GA 30533 Phone: 706-867-9862

Find More on Georgia Wineries Here

The Sensational Utah National Parks • A Seven Day Roadtrip

Sensational Utah has the largest concentration of National Parks anywhere in America. Featuring The Intentional Traveler’s essential itinerary for a killer Utah driving adventure.

Seeing the National Parks of Utah. Arches, Zion, Bryce Canyon

Roadtrip through the canyons and mountainous terrain of rugged Utah

Page 1

Canyonland with vistas challenging the Grand Canyon

Out of the way Hogs Back hwy and Anasazi excavation

Walking the trails of Zion National Park

A map of Utah showing a park itinerary. Pictures of petroglyphs

Red Rock Inn B&B

Moab Utah

Links To Additional Information On The Parks Of Utah

Arches National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Bryce National Park .

Capitol Reef National Park

Zion National Park

Spectacular vistas greet you at every turn as you travel through the parks of breathtaking Utah. A road trip is the best way to experience this place so get packing…

Pub Hopping in Dublin

Temple Bar in Dublin is famous. Many people mistakenly think it actually was a bar but that’s not the origins of the name. In the seventeenth century a famous Dubliner, Sir William Temple was the provost of Trinity College. Sir Temple owned property along the river Liffey. In the river in front of his land was a sand bar and around that time a breakwater was built at the mouth of the river. That resulted in the sand bar growing and as it built up it became part of the real estate of the city. Locals began to refer to this land as “Temple Bar” and the districts name survives today.

The Temple Bar neighborhood today is an area famous for its nightlife and has dozens of pubs and bars. In 1840 an establishment opened named Temple Bar Pub and today it is still a popular institution. It features good food, libations and live music. Every new visitor to Dublin should put a stop at the Temple Bar Pub on their list of destinations. From early in the day to late at night it is full of energy, serves good, moderately priced fair and features live Irish music.

Dublin has a reputation for good food and we lean strongly toward pub fare. Corned beef sandwiches, fish n’ chips, Oysters & Guinness, Irish stew to name a notable few.

Anywhere you walk in this marvelous city you probably won’t be very far from a good Irish pub.

The Bank Bar and Restaurant opened in 2003 and located on College Green next door to H&M in the heart of Dublin. The name comes from the building originally being a bank and it still has its original character with lots of brass railings, tiles, and an ornate ceiling. It offers primarily a pub menu and features a live piano player to add to the atmosphere. The food deserved high marks.

Murrays Pub located on O’Connell Street just north of the Spire. This pub has a good reputation for food and features live music and Irish dancers in the evening. It had a welcoming, comfortable feeling and they make a good Irish Coffee which is just the thing on a wet afternoon.

Grand Central Café Bar is also on O’Connell Street just south of the Spire. Located in a historic building that was shelled during “The Rising”, it offers a large collection of local beers and cocktails and an extensive menu of dishes, prepared in front of you in an open plan kitchen. It features music and dancing in the evening. Good food and attentive service at reasonable prices.

Dublin has a reputation for good food and we lean strongly toward pub fare. Corned beef sandwiches, fish n’ chips, Oysters & Guinness, Irish stew to name a few. During our recent visit we took advantage of a few and were pleased with them all.

Directly across the street from the Ha’penny Bridge on the south side is The Merchant’s Arch Bar which features live music and good bar snacks. We stopped in around happy hour time and joined in on a few Irish songs and a pint of Guinness. The atmosphere was lively and the staff was friendly and efficient.

For dessert and coffee look up The Wooden Whisk at 94 Talbot Street just a few blocks east of the Spire on O’Connell Street. It has a small deli and coffee shop vibe but after a few days of trying pastries and coffee around the city this was real find and the prices were more than fair.

And than there’s Starbucks. We’ve traveled the world in recent years and there is an American establishment that has become as ubiquitous as McDonalds – Starbucks! From Australia to Thailand to Dublin you will probably walk past several Starbucks in a day. While we prefer local we now carry our Starbucks card with us when we travel, often because we know we can access free wifi. We’ve been told we can pay with funds on our card at any Starbucks worldwide but for some reason we have been skeptical. In Dublin we broke down (I needed to reload a Google map) and were surprised at the transaction. First it was instant. Second the receipt spelled out the transaction in Euros as well as the dollars used and the exchange rate was exactly what the mornings quote showed. Lastly it also showed the balance on the card in Euros as well as dollars.. Two big thumbs up for Starbucks.

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