My wife and I have been so fortunate to have visited Glacier National Park, twice during the fall season, when the changing leaves provide a stunning display of color. The park is home to a large collection of plant and animal life, including over 1,000 species of plants and hundreds of species of animals. Fall…
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Forest Bathing
Forest bathing originated from the Japanese shinrin-yoku, meaning taking in the forest atmosphere. It was intended to urge folks to spend more time outdoors, especially among the trees. Many cultures, both ancient and modern, have recognized the importance of spending time in nature. Benefits of Forest Bathing Benefits of forest bathing include lowered blood pressure,…
Mineral Ridge Trail and Lake Coeur d’Alene
We spent a night at the Coeur d’Alene Resort and hiked the three mile Mineral Ridge Trail above Lake Coeur d’Alene. The Resort is quite fancy and expensive, but we had a gift certificate for the night’s stay and an excellent dinner. Lucky us! The Mineral Ridge Trail is a 3.3-mile loop that offers outstanding…
Banks Lake and Northrup Canyon
Banks Lake is located in a very unique geological area in eastern Washington dominated by an ecosystem called shrubsteppe. Shrubsteppe is an arid ecosystem found here and in other western states dominated by rolling, grassy plains, or “steppe”, with an overstory of sagebrush and other woody shrubs. Shrubsteppe landscapes contain many habitat features, including streams,…
South Channel Spokane River
We visited Q’emiln Park (pronounced “ka-mee-lin”) in Post Falls yesterday and hiked along the Spokane River below the South Channel Dam. Lots of ups and downs over large boulders added a bit of difficulty to these old bones, but the scenery was well worth the effort. I will have one or two of these for…