Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek Falls

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Activity: Day Hike, Chasing Waterfalls

5.5 miles, 230′ elevation gain, 3.5 hours duration, rated Easy

Date: 6-7-22

After completing Hall of Mosses, a nice nature walk showing off this splendid and magical place, my teen son Alec decided to run the Hoh River Trail while I hiked it.

Wow, how beautiful this place is! The greens are so vibrant and plentiful. The Hoh River runs along much of the trail. The trail is easy, but there certainly will be mud- after all it is a rainforest, so come prepared. All of that rain has made this place exceptional. Everywhere you look are tall firs, stately Sitka Spruce, Maple Trees elegantly dressed out with hanging moss, and ferns- lots of ferns.

Maneuvering around all this mud, walking across logs and picking my way across roots is taking
the Balance portion of ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ to a whole other level. 
Well… it is a rain forest.

The last stop on the trek was the 60′ Mineral Creeks Falls. With the amount of rainfall in the Hoh Rainforest, some 14′ annually, the falls are flowing nicely most all of the time. The Mineral Creek Falls are nestled in a tangle of trees and brush making it pretty picturesque. I decided to get a closer view which ended up was a difficult climb up a steep, slick, muddy hillside through and around thick undergrowth. I grabbed a couple sturdy sticks, using them as climbing axes, I managed my way up. I was rewarded with an exquisite sight of tumbling water cascading it’s way toward the river.

Mineral Falls in the Hoh Rainforest of the Olympic Nation Park.

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure
Hoh River Trail to Mineral Creek Falls
Only way to view waterfalls is in motion. CLICK THE PIC!

“Run, wild and free like a Waterfall.” – Anamika Mishra

Alec and I appreciate your joining us ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ in the Hoh Rainforest. The Olympic National Park is a special place, a place that can lower the blood pressure, fill the senses, and make you just stop and say, “Whoa”. For more ‘Whoa” experiences stay with us by doing a few very simple tasks: LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW and SHARE. If you review the menu above you will see that PBTA travels to many places in this Great West of ours in search of that much needed Balance. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. If you feel strongly about ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ or just want some cool gear then checkout SHOP APPAREL.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursing Balance Through Adventure

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Marymere Falls

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK 

Activity: Day Hike, Scenic View, Chasing Waterfalls

2 miles, 500’ elevation gain, 1 hour duration, rated Easy

Date: 6-5-22

The trailhead for Marymere Falls is near the beautiful blue waters of Lake Crescent in the Olympic National Forest.  Stop by the Storm King Ranger Station for information.  

The trail and the area are exquisite.  So green, so lush, you “just gotta’ luv” the tall fir trees, the draping moss, maple trees, abundant ferns and the overwhelming beauty. When you come upon the rushing stream and cross the wooden bridge, you will then begin switch backs leading to the falls. The Olympic National Park definitely knows how to do waterfalls. It is an enchanted hike to be sure. 

Marymere Falls is a 90 foot waterfall surrounded by a bewitching old growth forest.  This is one of the most popular hikes in the Olympic National Park. Easy hike that is good for the whole family.

The only way to view a waterfall is in motion. CLICK THE PIC!
PBTA YouTube Channel

Crescent Lake in the Olympic National Park

Marymere Falls in the Olympic National Park

“Waterfall don’t ever change your ways, fall with me for a million days, oh my waterfall.” – Jimi Hendrix 

Thanks for joining me on my solo hike to Marymere Falls.  You might ask, What about your son Alec?  Wasn’t he with you?”  Alec slept in on this day in the back of the rig from the location of our last adventure, Hurricane Hill, and while I did the Marymere Falls hike.  Don’t worry he was still ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’.  When I told him on the walkie-talkie-talkie how gorgeous the falls were instead of just joining me for the next hike of the day he used his cross-country skills trail running to the falls and then caught me heading up the steep hike to ‘Storm King.’  The boy’s got wheels!  Stick with us for the upcoming and exciting post regarding ‘Storm King’ by doing a few simple tasks: LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW and SHARE.  If you go to the menu above you will see not only is PBTA journeying to our wonderful National Parks, but extensively throughout this great West of ours.  Each location or activity is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently.   If you like my hat in the YouTube video then I invite you to deck yourself out with your own high quality adventure wear at SHOP APPAREL.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure 

Bridalveil Falls

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

Activity: Chasing Waterfalls

Date: 5-24-22

Driving through the tunnel that opens up to that grand vista, is so extraordinary that it literately takes your breath away. Viewing Half Dome, El Capitan and Bridalveil Falls all at once is almost visual overload. It is surely one of the most spectacular views anywhere.

When we arrived at Bridalveil Falls it was just a short hike to the viewpoint. My daughter Marina, son Alec and I scampered even closer to feel the mist on our face and to stand in awe.

The 620’ waterfall flows all year long with its heaviest flow during the Spring must surely get it’s name from the veil of mist tumbling down the rock as the breeze changes the course of the spray with a gust of wind.

Waterfalls need to be viewed in person, but if not at least in motion. Please checkout the Pursuing Balance Through Adventure YouTube Channel for this episode featuring Yosemite’s outstanding Bridalveil Falls. (Click the Pic)

Bridalveil Falls

Marina basks in the glory of Bridalveil Falls

Waterfall

Gentle murmurs caught in whispering winds quietly flows
Gathering momentum in soft sunlight through willow trees
A cool meandering transparent watery bliss that grows

Over the precipice their curtain hangs moving with ease
Forming eddies whose chorus sings nature’s sweet song 
A mild turbulence of frothy spray rising in a cool breeze

Spreading to either bank rings of bright water flow along
This beautiful sight spread before my deep pensive eye
This image to remain in my heart so incredibly strong

Where kingfishers live alone in the banks dive and try
To catch confused minnows caught up in the rush
Now it’s only a stream flowing along just a gentle sigh

A waterfall can be a foaming torrent or a quiet soft gush
Its rich perspective is a reward that is so pleasantly plush 

David Wood

Marina and Alec at the Yosemite View Point

Thanks for joining Marina, Alec and I at the first stop of our Road Trip from Southern California to the tip of Washington. Yosemite is such a special place and even though we were on an accelerated pace we still took time to stand in awe of it’s beauty. Everyone needs to go to such places at least once a year to bring everything back into balance. We all have very busy lives with many obligations pulling us in different directions, but heed my words, it is important to your soul and your very being to get out into nature and feel it’s magnificence, because that magnificence heals, nature heals. We hope that you will stay with us on this journey and the many journeys that ’Pursing Balance Through Adventure’ can take you on. If you go to the menu above you will discover that PBTA travels throughout the West. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. To stay with us please COMMENT, LIKE. FOLLOW and SHARE. If you are so inclined checkout SHOP APPAREL for your adventure wear needs.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Trail of the Cedars

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Activity: Day Hike

Date: August 14, 2019

Distance 1 mile, 50’ elevation change, 45 minutes duration, rated Easy.

The Trail of the Cedars is a nice stop along the ‘Going to the Sun Road’ through Glacier National Park. The hike is about the half way mark so it is an excellent place to stretch your legs and get out into nature.

The drive through the park along this scenic drive is the most beautiful I have ever experienced. It is also a little hair raising at the same time. The road is quite narrow with rock cliff on one side, right up to the road’s edge, and seemingly encroaching into your lane. On the other-side is a sheer drop off also right up to the road’s edge. Add to this traffic you need to squeeze by, and views you don’t want to miss and you have yourself an adventure to be sure.

The Going to the Sun Road trip is truly breathtaking with beauty that is beyond words. You look out at a view that is the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, but as you gaze to the left and there is another view that is the most astonishing thing you have ever laid eyes on, to the right a view that out does what you have just seen, and so on and so forth around in about a 360 degree circle. I seriously thought to myself what I was seeing cannot be real, that it must be the conjuring of an artist who’s painting was way over the top, and the artist that you can attribute this to is God.

The Trail of the Cedars is a very popular stop with some campgrounds in that area. There is a lot of parking and all of it is full. We had two vehicles, and we lost each other during our search for parking and there was no cell coverage. It took some time for me to find someone who was leaving so that I could park. I was thinking that I had lost my daughter until we exited the park because there was no way for us to get in touch with each other. We both did our own hikes at this location and Lo’ and Behold we found each other along the way some 30 minutes into the adventure.

The Trail of the Cedars is a short easy hike and much of it is along a board walk which makes it kid friendly and also good for strollers and wheelchair access. It wanders through a wonderful stand of trees with markers and signs regarding what you are seeing. At the far end is a beautiful little falls. I might add, and this is a must, even if you don’t have time to do the whole hike, which unfortunately was the case for us, at least start the Avalanche Lake Trail. The trail is along the fast moving Avalanche Creek that has cut into the rock where water turns and churns and tumbles magically over rocks.

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Going to the Sun Road

The snow you see on the mountainside is glacier, Glacier National Park.

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  This one photo: Credit Drew Christian as posted on All-Trails.

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Avalanche Creek

Daughter Marina in Glacier National Park just past the Trail Through the Cedars on the start of the Avalanche Lake Trail.

The best way to experience heaven is to spend the day with Mother Nature.

Thanks for spending time with my lovely daughter Marina and I “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” in Glacier National Park and throughout our journey at National Parks Hiking Pursuing Balance Through Adventure. Please COMMENT, LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW on this website, but please also visit our many other links to different parts of the West at Pursuing Balance Through Adventure. It’s all about stretching your legs, filling your lungs with fresh air, and releasing your soul to soar in Nature. PS- If you need performance hiking-Adventure-casual ware then please see the Shop Apparel link.

Roger Jenkins
Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

This quick video affords a glance into our time at Glacier Nation Park while ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure.’

St. Mary’s Falls

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

Activity: Day Hike

Date: August 14, 2019

Distance: 2 miles, 100’ elevation change, 1 hour duration, rated Easy

There are three waterfall hikes in the area that you could connect with from a couple different spots to include Sun Point. But if you do not have a lot of time the St. Mary’s Fall hike that we took from the St. Mary’s Fall Trailhead is great. I would have liked to include all three falls, but we were limited on time, and I will say what we did was very nice indeed, and I highly recommend this hike. We were there fairly earlier in the morning, but I have heard this is a popular hike and the trail and parking area can get busy during prime season.

The hike through the trees is beautiful with peek-boo views of St. Mary’s Lake and Glaciers. It is an Easy hike so it is great for kids. We were at the falls in mid August and the water flow was generous, although I have seen pictures of it in the Spring when it is bountiful.

I got to do this hike with my wonderful daughter who is away at school so to spend time with her in this extraordinary place is a God sent.

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  Marina Pursuing Balance Thru Adventure at St. Mary’s Falls

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  Marina on the St. Mary’s Falls trail.

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  Saint Mary’s Lake along the Going-To-The-Sun Road.

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“As long as I live, I’ll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I’ll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I’ll acquainted myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can.” -John Muir

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I appreciate you joining Marina and I “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” in Glacier National Park at St. Mary’s Falls. I beseech you go out get some fresh air in your lungs, stretch your legs and fill your soul with such a place, and if you can’t then please experience a bit of nature through these adventures, it will do you good. If you want to see PBTA continue to explore nature and present it on this website then please LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, and SHARE.

GIBBON FALLS

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Activity: Day Hike

Date: August 10 & 12, 2019

Distance: .5 mile, 50’ elevation change, 15 minutes duration, rated Easy

This is more of a view point stop then a hike. Gibbon Falls is near the West Entrance of Yellowstone. It is certainly worth the stop as it is a beautiful falls, and it is fun to walk the whole area so that you can see the falls from different angles.

When I first arrived at Yellowstone I entered through the West Entrance just before dusk and Gibbon Falls was one of the first features I saw, besides an Elk I spied that was a ways off in a field.

My daughter Marina did not arrive for another day, but on the last day of our adventure at Yellowstone I made sure to share the Falls with her.

What is it about a Waterfall?

It has power to beguile… to bewitch.. to enchant… to enthrall. Which made me wonder as we stopped to look… what is it about a waterfall?

Many people we did not know joined us to dawdle in this place. What is it about a waterfall that brings a smile to every face?

The colors surrounding a waterfall are vibrant, alive and bright. But the waterfall retains it’s beauty… when viewed in black and white.

Perhaps it is the power… the force… the energy… the sound… or how something so impressive can fall so effortlessly to the ground.

Perhaps it’s how the mist floats upward or how the water seems to glisten. Perhaps it’s part of nature’s symphony… if we take the time to listen.

Perhaps what we’re hearing are the sounds of time… we listen… then they’re gone… Reminding us how nothing is permanent… how everything flows on.

Reminding us to enjoy this moment… this minute… this hour… this day. Before it reaches the edge of the waterfall… and gently cascades away.

-Jim Yerman

South Rim Trail

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

Activity: Day Hike

Date: August 11, 2019

Distance: 2.5 miles, 280’ elevation change, 1.5 hour duration, rated Easy.

When you conjure up thoughts of Yellowstone you may think of the abundant wildlife, Old Faithful, fir trees and wilderness, but in that mix is magnificent waterfalls. There are multiple great hikes to view Yellowstone’s two famous falls, but probably the best is the South Rim Trail.

This is a popular hike, but most people are getting out of the cars after waiting for a parking spot, and snapping a few “Christmas Card” worthy family photos at Artist Point and then heading out. Parking is extremely busy. The turn around time is quick, but in the height of the season getting there early in the day would be beneficial. But, if you are “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” then you will definitely want to do the South Rim Trail hike. It is quick and easy, and quite scenic, and the bonus is that you will get to see two falls instead of the one that the masses viewed.

The trailhead is at Artist Point and it wraps along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. First you will have great views of the Lower Falls, and much closer up then that from Artist Point. (Artist Point, of course, is still a must do.) Lower Falls is superb, the green streak of deep water going over the falls is something I do not remember ever seeing before anywhere else.

The next falls is Upper Falls and the hike provides several different looks at it. Waterfalls are both enchanting and mesmerizing and these are two outstanding ones and throw in the Yellowstone backdrop and it is something you will always remember.

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  “And every walk with nature one receives more then he seeks.” – John Muir

“Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” is the goal, waterfalls such as these, in the magic they provide, brings us the balance we so desperately seek. Until the next adventure. I hope you will COMMENT, FOLLOW, LIKE and SHARE.

Roger Jenkins, Pursuing Balance Through Adventure