My hiking adventures began in the beautiful mountainous, desert of Mt. Charleston to the lush mountains of New Hampshire, then onto the rolling hills of Massachusetts. Each of these states had memorable moments that I will cherish forever.

Las Vegas, Nevada

I started my vacation in Las Vegas, NV visiting a close friend. She and I drove to Mt. Charleston for an afternoon. While driving there, she explained that this area was about 30 degrees cooler than the city.  The view while driving was mountains and desert. Our first stop was an area marked for hiking.  I was shocked to find that the temperature was so much cooler. It was 109 degrees in Vegas and about 75 in the mountains.

As we hiked, we reminisced about our childhood and moments of our 37 years of friendship, with her newborn snuggled to her chest and her dog, Kirby by my side.  The views were outstanding, and my company filled me with love.

After our excursion, we sat at a near by picnic table for some vegan subs. The afternoon was peaceful.  I didn’t see any wild life or many people.

We drove around the area and then stopped at a lodge and restaurant she knew.  There we sat and enjoyed the beautiful view.

Woodstock, New Hampshire

I can only try to express with words the beauty of New Hampshire. Driving to our camp site, we were surrounded by mountains and entering a magical place, The White Mountain National Forest. Traveling and hiking in New Hampshire was my first experience.

We rented a small cabin at Lost River Valley camp grounds. The cabin was very updated and clean and had one full-size foam mattress and bunk beds.   The cabin also had electric and some shelves for our convenience.  In my past, I have stayed in a tent; however, this was the best option for me now. I could still camp but comfortably.

Other Amenities

The restrooms and showers were clean, and the campsite provided a coin operated laundry mat. The camp ground store fully stocked with useful items, such as towels; we forgot them.

Falling Waters Trail

 

We started our hike at The Basin and then onto the Falling Waters trail, which led us to Lonesome Lake.  I believe we covered 30,000 steps according to my boyfriends Fitbit.  This hike was a beautiful moderate hike. Plenty of waterfalls to relax in and cool off during our hike. When we reached the top, we saw Lonesome Lake.

Lonesome Lake

This entire trail is full of natural beauties that are unforgettable. I highly recommend this trail.

Little Haystack

This trail was a quite challenging, and was a great workout! I will say that I felt many times that I wanted to give up, but in the end, I was thrilled that I did not. There were many steep and slick rocks to climb. As we got closer to the peak, we could hear rumbles of thunder and wondered if we would make it to the top before the rain. After several hours of climbing and small breaks to drink and eat, we finally made it to the peak just before the storm.

 

On the way down, the rain storm rolled in. I felt slightly nervous but invigorated. The trees canvased us a bit. In my eyes, there is no greater feeling than working through the tough, elements of nature.  The exhilaration of mental and physical accomplishment recharged my batteries.  Experiences like this are the best times of my life; it reminds me that I am alive!

As for David, my partner, this was his first experience hiking. He loved every moment too! David says “emerging myself in nature was an incredible journey, and I can’t wait to do it again.” “A similar trip will be first on my list.”