Three East Coast Hikes to Enjoy This Fall

Hike One of the Best Hikes Hiking Trails This Fall to Relax, Reflect, and Refuel

by Elon Jones*

I always like finding new trails to hike. Whether we’re vacationing in West Virginia, in town visiting my parents, or hoofing it in the urban jungle of L.A., I always love finding a place to hike near me.

Praises have been sung for the epic West Coast hikes from Mt. Rainier to the Tooth of Time, and these stunning East Coast hikes are sure to take your breath away in a whole new way.

And that’s how we ended up atop the Beehive on the eve of my best friend’s wedding wearing shoes 2 sizes too small, and only a pint of water, wondering if I was going to end up carrying the photographer off the mountain.

But first here’s how I find the best hiking trails near me, no matter where I am.

There are Always Great Options for Hikes on the East Coast, How to Find Them

Don’t get excited, it’s nothing flashy or complicated. But I can always find a trail to hike near me using two apps on my phone.

The first is AllTrails. All Trails does a great job of showing you the best biking or hiking trail near you with detailed maps, pictures, the length & elevation change, and the weather for that day. This lets hikers looking for a moderate hike prepare for what’s out there and make sure they are ready for what may come along the way.

The second is Nature’s Atlas. While Nature’s Atlas does have detailed topographical maps, they aren’t the high-quality 3D maps like AllTrails. It does, however, have two other features that I use all the time.

• Live Tracking: As long as you have a signal, Nature’s Atlas shows me my progress and has kept me on the trail even when trails are poorly marked.
• The Nature Tab:All the flora and fauna of a given area are listed right there at my fingertips. So when my kids ask me, “Can I eat this?”,  I can look it up and stop them before they eat water hemlock – not that that’s ever happened to me…

They even include the lithology of your region. So if you’re a rock nerd like me who bores her kids with such things, it’s awesome.

These apps, of course, have several other features like trip tracking and planning for seasoned hikers, bikers & backpackers to use, but I like them because they do the simple things well.

They find a place to hike near me. They give me the information I need to be prepared. And they have pictures to confirm I’m at the right place when I start.

And really the best hikes on the East Coast of the United States are found by accident. Let’s start in Maine…

Acadia National Park: The Beehive Trail is One of the Best Hiking Adventures Out There

Maine is home to fabulous hiking through pristine wilderness. The Appalachian Trail begins (or ends depending on how you hike it) at Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park. The Allagash has several canoe river trail trips and day hikes that will let you commune with nature while appreciating the fall colors.

But Acadia National Park stole my heart because even in shoes that were two sizes too small I enjoyed some of Acadia’s best hikes.

I was there for my best friend’s wedding, but the bridal party had a whole day to kill before the rehearsal dinner that night. So they planned a little day trip to “the beach” – as the maid of honor called it.

That’s how I found myself walking on the pebbles and sharp rocks that the map called “the beach” in dollar store flip-flops – your Florida girl here goes almost everywhere in flip-flops.

Laying aside that this beach was not up to my standards, the grandeur of mountains disappearing into the Atlantic was a new and awe-inspiring sight for me.

After about half an hour on “the beach”, several of the groomsmen decided to hike the Beehive Trail. It’s less than a mile hike to the Beehive. We’ll see some great views, take pictures, and head back down before lunch.

Now I may be a Florida girl, but I know that hiking is one thing I shouldn’t do in flip flops…yet that didn’t stop me from looking longingly up that trail.

That’s when my friend looked at me and said, “You really wanna go don’t you.”

“Yes, but I know there’s no way I can do it in flip-flops.” I shake my head. She sighs, rolls her eyes, and hands me her tennis shoes that she’d already taken off.

The Trail Follows the Heart

And that’s how I wound up with shoes two sizes too small. But hey, the trail’s less than a mile, so I’ll be fine…

The Beehive Trail is a ¾ mile trail beautiful mix of hiking, mountain climbing, and bouldering as we found out.

The way up at times is straight-up. And the view at the top?

100% worth it. One of the most stunning panoramas I’ve ever seen. The deep red of the changing foliage against the blue ocean is magical. Definitely, one of Acadia’s best hikes during this time of year.

I sat down on a large boulder, soaking the mountains and coastline for miles as the wedding photographer – who was a friend of the family – snapped panorama photos.

You feel like you’re on top of the world.

The hike to the summit was fun and exhilarating even with my chafing toes. After a half hour on the summit, I figured we’d better head back down. But the guys had other plans.

Acadia’s best hikes for us that day started with the Beehive Trail, but we didn’t complete the loop trail. We turned southeast towards the Atlantic and Gorham Mountain over the Cadillac Cliffs and Thunder Hole before we finally got back to Ocean Drive and the rest of our party.

Hiking Trails or Hiking Trials?

Long story short. We hiked about 4 more miles on sections of three other trails. We ran out of water. And the photographer sprained his ankle. Though, thankfully, it was mild enough that he could walk under his own power. And we got back just in time to change for the rehearsal dinner.

Would’ve been nice to have time for a shower, and had I known at the time about BODDI, a shower in a bottle, I would have been able to clean my skin and deodorize all in time for dinner.

Are you looking for a challenging hike with 360-degree views? Look no further than this charming East Coast hike with breathtaking fall foliage panoramas. Acadia National Park has the best hikes for you.

Hike New Hampshire: Mount Washington Via the Tuckerman Ravine Trail

When you hike New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest one strenuous hike stands out among the rest.

Mount Washington is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi and a beautiful vantage point to look out over the changing colors of fall. But this hike is not for the faint of heart.

Mount Washington has volatile weather patterns that can change in less time it takes you to climb up it. And I’m not just talking about 30-degree temperature drops. I’m talking about hurricane-force winds at the summit and whipping through the trail passes.

The 4.2 miles to the top follows the Tuckerman Ravine Trail. You’ll gain 4,242 feet in elevation, and it takes the average hiker more than four hours to climb it. So if you’re aiming for a roundtrip plan for more than eight hours of hiking time for the full 8+ mile loop.

So, yeah, not hiking this one in shoes that don’t fit.

Come Prepared

In fact, when you hike Mount Washington, you need to take an extra level of preparedness with you. That means a pack with plenty of snacks and water per person. Don’t skimp on survival equipment like an emergency shelter, first aid kit, and the means to make a fire.

Another item to seriously consider bringing is insulated rain gear because you may have to walk through clouds to get to the top. 

The beauty of this hike is in the climb. From the start, you’re surrounded by the deepening colors of fall. During your ascent, you’ll come to roaring waterfalls and breathtaking views of the White Mountains.

And if an elevation gain of four thousand feet wasn’t challenging enough, you’ll be happy to know that the last leg of the trail is a hardscrabble over rocks and almost vertical climbs in some places.

No one said that hiking on the East Coast was going to be easy. But nothing beats the high of making the summit and looking back down over the conquered trail.

There is an inherent part of any struggle – that when you finally overcome it – you experience the sweet victory.

Mount Washington is the kind of hike that refuels you.

Oh sure, you’re dead-beat tired when you get off the mountain. But your spirit is strengthened.

The thrill of accomplishment is not an arrogant pursuit of building your ego – or at least, it shouldn’t be. It’s about drawing strength from those accomplishments when future trials arise.

That’s why we hike Mount Washington when we are looking for East Coast hiking challenges.

Make the Famous Hike at Harpers Ferry and Reflect

West Virginia is the home ground for half of my family. Every other year we do a family reunion and we always end up back in West Virginia. From New River Gorge National Park to Watoga State Park, West Virginia has everything an adventurous group of cousins could wish for.

But when we set out to hike Harpers Ferry that day, I found something different.

A part of the Appalachian Trail, Harpers Ferry offers beautiful surroundings on the border of Maryland, West Virginia, & Virginia. While the views certainly make it a likely addition to our list of best East Coast Hikes, that’s not why it’s here.

A Lesson Learned?

Hiking with my cousins, we came across three marked graves with headstones so eroded you could barely make out the year: 1862. About three years into the Civil War.

That summer, I completed an internship with the Florida Public Archaeology Network doing survey work in a Civil War-era cemetery. So while everyone else took a water break, I puzzled out the small cemetary.

Only 3 graves.

And here … on top of a no-name mountain in West Virginia.

It didn’t make sense to me.

As I stared at the site, about 3 feet away from the last headstone, I noticed a depression in the Earth. That’s the sign of dirt settling.

The depression was about 6 ft long and 2 ½ ft wide.

Standing at the foot of that depression – having spent my early summer probing for coffins – I knew that I was standing at an unmarked grave.

Once I’d seen that, I looked and found three more unmarked graves.

Have you ever stood at the foot of unmarked graves and wondered who lies here?

What did they fight for? Was it worth it in the end? And more importantly, have we learned anything from their mistakes?

The Civil War was one of the bleakest periods of American History in my opinion. Men treat other men like property. Breeding women like animals.

And then defending such actions as a right to the point that they were willing to kill their own flesh and blood brothers to uphold that depraved premise.

It’s madness.

But standing at those graves that weren’t even marked on the trail map, the Civil War became real. Not a single bloody battle fought here and there, but a running battle through forests and hills, up mountainsides and down valleys that tore us apart.

Some trails take your breath away with their awesome beauty. Some trails are a challenge to be conquered. And some trails make you stop and reflect.

I hike Harpers Ferry to reflect, to remember. Because if we do not remember the mistakes of our past, we are doomed to repeat them.

Share These East Coast Hikes for Fall: Take Time to Relax, Reflect, and Refuel

Each of these East Coast hikes serves a purpose: to relax, to reflect, and to refuel.

So even if you can’t hike these exact trails, find trails that help you relax into the beauty of the world around you.

Truth be told, there are any number of national parks and reserves along the East Coast of the US and they range from a flat trail to a moderately challenging hike and on up to strenuous hikes that will give even the most experienced climber a run for their money.

Here’s a brief list of just a few other options you may want to consider:

• Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Bordering western North Carolina and Tennessee, this is the most visited national park on the East Coast. This subrange of the Blue Ridge Mountains is an easily accessible spot for large populations like Nashville, Atlanta, and Charlotte. They are sure to provide scenic miles of hiking trails in which to enjoy the autumn colors. Don’t forget to visit the 80-foot-high Rainbow Falls, renowned for its impressive views.
• Shenandoah National Park – Further north in the Blue Ridge Mountains is this popular national park in Virginia. It features a rugged land with cascading waterfalls and spectacular views. Not up for a full hike? Take the hundred-mile drive along Skyline Drive for a restorative view of the fall foliage.
• Pennsylvania Grand Canyon – Also known as Pine Creek Gorge, this 45-mile canyon features the dynamic topography of an area of the Eastern United States that’s steeped in history. The steep canyon creates an environment that makes it one of the most popular hikes on the East Coast. The biking trails also provide a nice diversion with rolling hills and accessible paths sure to please.

 

Discover sites that cause you to reflect and look inward to make you a better person.

And take on challenges that refuel your spirit, so you can draw on that strength when other challenges come your way.

About BODDI

Hiking is a beautiful way to spend your time. But sometimes it’s not always easy to clean up after a hike. Maybe you’re camping and don’t feel like taking a cold shower. Maybe you want to grab that post-hike bacon burger without smelling up the restaurant.

That’s why BODDI created the on-the-go, all-natural, no-water cleanser. So wherever your next hike takes you, you can be clean with BODDI.

 

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* Elon is a freelance SEO copywriter for outdoor brands. She’s a Venturing Silver Award Recipient who grew up in Tampa, FL. Now, she lives the camping lifestyle in a travel trailer with her husband and three girls. She believes the world would be a better place if we all got outside more. You can learn more about her at ElonJones.com.