Golden Staff Hikes

The hikes listed on this page have received the prestigious Golden Staff Award.  They represent my favorite hikes in this blog regardless of geography.  Click on the link to view the blog entry for that hike.

Location	Nearby City	Length (mi)	Difficulty	Main Features
2019:
Mississippi Palisades State Park: Sentinel and Sunset Trails	Savanna, IL	2.1	9/10 (Difficult)	Rock outcrops above Mississippi River
2018:
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge: Chesser Island Trails	Folkston, GA	3.3	3/10 (Easy/Mod.)	Swamp boardwalk; Chesser Homestead
Fall Creek Falls State Park: Overlook, Base of the Falls, and Woodland Trails	Spencer, TN	3	8/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Fall Creek Falls and Cane Creek Falls
Glacier National Park: Avalanche Lake	West Glacier, MT	4.8	6/10 (Moderate)	Avalanche Lake
Waterton Lakes National Park: Bertha Falls and Lake	Waterton, AB, Canada	6.8	9/10 (Difficult)	Bertha Falls and Bertha Lake
Mount Mitchell State Park: Mount Craig and Mount Mitchell	Asheville, NC	2.9	9/10 (Difficult)	The 2 highest peaks in the Appalachian Mountains
Blue Ridge Parkway, Peaks of Otter: Sharp Top Trail	Bedford, VA	3	10/10 (Difficult)	Views from Sharp Top
Caesars Head State Park: Raven Cliff Falls Trail	Cleveland, SC	4	5/10 (Moderate)	Raven Cliff Falls
Oak Mountain State Park: Green Trail to Peavine Falls et. al.	Pelham, AL	5.5	9/10 (Difficult)	Peavine Falls
2017:
Big South Fork NRRA: Twin Arches Loop	Jamestown, TN	4.9	8/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Twin Arches; rock shelters; Jake’s Place; Charit Creek Lodge
Porcupine Mountains State Park: Escarpment Trail	Ontonagon, MI	4	9/10 (Difficult)	Lake of the Clouds views
New River Gorge National River: Endless Wall Trail	Fayetteville, WV	4.5	4/10 (Moderate)	Seemingly endless cliffs
Carter Caves State Resort Park: Natural Bridge and Three Bridges Trails	Grayson, KY	3.9	7/10 (Mod./Diff.)	4 natural bridges
Chattahoochee National Forest: Raven Cliff Falls	Helen, GA	5	6/10 (Moderate)	Waterfall inside a cliff
Pinnacle Mountain State Park: West Summit and Base Trails	Little Rock, AR	4.1	10/10 (Difficult)	Views from Pinnacle Mountain
Keowee-Toxaway State Park: Natural Bridge and Raven Rock Trails	Pickens, SC	4	7/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Natural bridge; Lake Keowee views from Raven Rock
2016:
Chattahoochee National Forest, Brasstown Bald: Summit and Wagon Train Trails	Hiawassee, GA	3.6	6/10 (Moderate)	Highest Point in Georgia
Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve	Logan, OH	3	5/10 (Moderate)	Cliff-lined hollow
Yosemite National Park: Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls	Yosemite Valley, CA	4.9	10/10 (Difficult)	2 gigantic waterfalls
Pacific Crest Trail: Loves Falls to Wild Plum Road	Sierra City, CA	5.8	8/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Loves Falls; North Yuba River valley views
Point Reyes National Seashore: Laguna/Fire Lane/Coast Loop	San Rafael, CA	5.1	5/10 (Moderate)	Pacific Ocean views
Table Rock State Park: Table Rock Trail	Pickens, SC	7.1	10/10 (Difficult)	Views from Table Rock
Cypress Island Preserve: Levee and Boardwalk Trails	Lafayette, LA	5.5	3/10 (Easy/Mod.)	Birding; cypress and tupelo swamp
2015:
Pawtuckaway State Park: Mountain Trail to South Mountain	Raymond, NH	4.8	6/10 (Moderate)	Views from ancient volcanic caldera
Bluff Point State Park and Coastal Reserve	Groton, CT	3.7	3/10 (Easy/Mod.)	1600’s house foundation; Long Island Sound views
McCormick’s Creek State Park: Trails #5 and #7	Spencer, IN	3.9	6/10 (Moderate)	Wolf Cave; Twin Bridges; White River
Stone Mountain State Park: Stone Mountain Loop and Middle Falls/Lower Falls Trail	Elkin, NC	6.3	9/10 (Difficult)	Views from granite dome; 3 waterfalls; restored homestead
DeSoto State Park: Lost Falls and Laurel Falls Trails	Fort Payne, AL	2.9	6/10 (Moderate)	3 high watershed waterfalls
Seven Islands State Birding Park	Knoxville, TN	5.1	5/10 (Moderate)	Old barns; river; bird watching
2014:
Francis Marion National Forest: Palmetto Trail, Awendaw Passage	McClellanville, SC	8.6	4/10 (Moderate)	Creek of grass
Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park	Lake City, FL	3.1	1/10 (Easy)	Civil War battlefield; Florida Trail
Hyde Memorial State Park: Circle Trail	Santa Fe, NM	3.2	9/10 (Difficult)	Steep climb to fabulous views
Stone Mountain Park: Walk-Up and Cherokee Trails	Stone Mountain, GA	6.7	10/10 (Difficult)	Stone Mountain views
2013:
Cloudland Canyon State Park: West Rim Trail	Trenton, GA	5	7/10 (Moderate)	Overlooks of Daniel Creek Gorge
Taughannock Falls State Park: Gorge Trail	Ithaca, NY	2	2/10 (Easy)	Tallest waterfall in New York
Letchworth State Park: Gorge Trail (to waterfalls)	Mount Morris, NY	5.1	6/10 (Moderate)	Genesee River gorge; 3 major waterfalls
Talladega National Forest: Chinnabee Silent Trail (to Cheaha Falls)	Oxford, AL	6	6/10 (Moderate)	Cheaha Creek; Cheaha Falls
2012:
Apalachicola National Forest: Leon Sinks Geological Area	Tallahassee, FL	4.1	3/10 (Easy/Mod.)	Sinkholes; swamp
Great Smoky Mountains NP: Juney Whank Falls and Deep Creek Loop	Bryson City, NC	5	6/10 (Moderate)	3 significant waterfalls
Foothills Trail (to Upper Whitewater Falls)	Salem, SC	6	6, 10/10 (Difficult)	Tallest waterfall in the east
Cheboygan State Park: Blue, Green, and Black Trails	Cheboygan, MI	4.1	4/10 (Moderate)	Dunes along Lake Huron
Rib Mountain State Park: Tower/Homestead/Quarry Loop	Wausau, WI	4.2	7/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Views; old quarry and homestead
Breaks Interstate Park: Overlook/Laurel Branch Loop	Haysi, VA	2.9	6/10 (Moderate)	Largest canyon in the east
2011:
Daniel Boone National Forest: Bee Rock Campground	London, KY	6	7/10 (Moderate)	Rockcastle River overlook
Paris Mountain State Park: Sulpher Springs Loop	Travelers Rest, SC	4.9	9/10 (Difficult)	Old fire tower site
Douthat State Park: Tuscarora Overlook Loop	Clifton Forge, VA	9.1	9/10 (Difficult)	Blue Suck Falls; Tuscarora Overlook
2010:
Ohiopyle State Park: Meadow Run Trail	Uniontown, PA	2.8	6/10 (Moderate)	Waterslides and falls
Judge C.R. Magney State Park	Grand Marais, MN	2	7/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Unusual Devil’s Kettle Falls
Catoctin Mountain Park: Cunningham Falls/Blue Ridge Summit Loop	Thurmont, MD	5	7/10 (Moderate)	Cunningham Falls; 2 overlooks
2009:
South Mountains State Park: High Shoals Falls Loop	Morganton, NC	2.5	9/10 (Difficult)	Rocky waterfall
Angel Island State Park	San Francisco, CA	5	6/10 (Moderate)	Golden Gate Bridge view
Jockey Ridge State Park	Nags Head, NC	1.5	4/10 (Moderate)	Barren sand dunes
2008:
Everglades National Park: Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo Trails	Florida City, FL	1	0/10 (Easy)	Wildlife viewing
2007:
Great Smoky Mountain NP: Porters Creek Trail	Gatlinburg, TN	7.4	7/10 (Moderate)	Former Porter Flats community
2006:
Providence Canyon State Outdoor Recreation Area: Canyon Trail	Lumpkin, GA	2.8	5/10 (Moderate)	Unique, colorful canyon
Chattahoochee National River and Recreation Area: East Palisades	Atlanta, GA	2.5	6/10 (Moderate)	Mature forest; scenic river overlook
Grand Canyon National Park: Rim Trail	Grand Canyon Village, AZ	6.3	4/10 (Easy/Mod.)	Grand Canyon views
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area: Moenkopi Trail	Las Vegas, NV	2	4/10 (Easy/Mod.)	Classic Mojave desert
2005:
Chattahoochee National Forest: Lake Winfield Scott Recreation Area	Dahlonega, GA	6.9	8/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Appalachian Trail hike with views
2004:
Franconia Notch State Park: The Flume	Lincoln, NH	2	5/10 (Moderate)	World’s most famous flume
Crawford Notch State Park: Arethusa Falls Trail	North Conway, NH	3	7/10 (Moderate)	Arethusa Falls, highest in New Hampshire
Edge of Appalachia: Buzzardroost Rock	West Union, OH	4.4	6/10 (Moderate)	Best view in Ohio?
Big South Fork NRRA: Leatherwood Loop Trail	Oneida, TN	3.2	7/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Loop to gorge rim
Daniel Boone National Forest: Buffalo Canyon Trail	Whitley City, KY	6	7/10 (Moderate)	Natural Arch
Clifton Gorge State Nature Preserve	Cedarville, OH	2.6	5/10 (Moderate)	Sheer-walled gorge
2003:
Jefferson National Forest: Cascades Recreation Area	Blacksburg, VA	4	6/10 (Moderate)	Overlooks; Little Mountain Falls
Fairy Stone State Park: Little Mountain Loop	Martinsville, VA	4.2	2/10 (Easy)	Large waterfall
2002:
Turkey Run State Park: Trails #1, 4, 10, and 5	Rockville, IN	5.2	7/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Sheer-walled canyons
Twin Falls State Resort Park: Falls, Hemlock, and Cliffside Trails	Mullins, WV	7	7/10 (Moderate)	2 waterfalls; 2 scenic views
2001:
Big South Fork NRRA: Blue Heron Trail	Stearns, KY	6	7/10 (Moderate)	Coal mining history; gorge overlooks
Hocking Hills State Park: Grandma Gatewood Trail	Logan, OH	10.3	8/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Rock formations; Cedar Falls
2000:
Fort Hill State Memorial: Gorge and Fort Trails	Hillsboro, OH	4.3	10/10 (Difficult)	Hopewell Indian fort
Custer State Park: Sylvan Lake Trail	Hill City, SD	1	2/10 (Easy)	Sylvan Lake
1999:
Whitewater Memorial State Park: Red Springs Loop	Liberty, IN	1.2	5/10 (Moderate)	2 lakes; iron-laden spring
Scioto Trail State Park: DeBord Loop Trail	Chillicothe, OH	4	8/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Debord Vista; fire tower
1998:
Natural Bridge State Park: Original/Balanced Rock Loop	Slade, KY	2.6	8/10 (Mod./Diff.)	Natural Bridge; overlooks