But with summer behind and cool, colorful Fall ahead, our plans are set for reinvigorating this journal.

Each month we’ll embark on a virtual hike along a different trail. Maps, photos and highlights. And, of course, our slant remains greener footprints.

You can expect more hiking gear reviews, safe hiking tips, and environmental news affecting outdoor hiking, backpacking and camping venues.

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Using Google Maps and a database of almost 30 site types including parks, aquariums, trails, and preserves, you can easily find a local destination no matter where you are in the country.

And you can filter your search to show only sites that include activities:  NWF events, camping, water sports, snow sports, cycling, walking, and nature events …. to name a few.

Check out my crude screen capture video to get a better flavor of this “you-have-no-excuse” Nature Find.

Nature Find Video

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Urban, suburban or rural hiking trails that are near home or workplace add a bit of outdoor escape to the day’s stale coop.

One of my favorite trails runs through the Albany Pine Bush in upstate New York. With its unique environment and easy access, the Pine Bush offers a refreshing outdoor splash in a very urban area.

• The Albany Pine Bush Preserve Commission

• The Albany Pine Bush Trails

• Amazon.com: Natural History of the Albany Pine Bush A Field Guide and Trail Map

So …. what are your favorite local hiking trails. Let us know. Include:

• How you get there (walk, bike, or auto)

• How often

• Just how far away is that “local” hiking trail

• Whether you’re solo ….  or do you share the trail and time with family or friends

• What, if anything, you pack

• How spontaneous are your local hikes

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Here are ten climate change reports that touch the U.S. National Park system.

Climate Change 101: State Parks Adopts Sustainability Blueprint

A critical component is the goal to eliminate pesticides from parks, especially areas frequented by children, such as beaches, playgrounds, picnic areas, ball fields, campgrounds, and hiking trails. The plan acknowledges areas for which …

Climate change discussion brought to Joshua Tree National Park …

A federal spotlight was on Joshua Tree National Park this week during a congressional subcommittee hearing to discuss how climate change is affecting the country’s parks. Eight parks, conservation and wildlife experts testified at the three -hour … A 2006 Outdoor Industry Association study said that outdoor activities like hiking, fishing and wildlife watching annually contribute $730 billion to the U.S. economy. The most passionate testimony, however, focused on what is …

How climate change may be threatening national parks

Global climate change is “the single greatest threat to the health of our national parks,” says Michael Cipra, California desert program manager of the National Parks Conservation Association. In the case of the Joshua Tree National …

Heatstroke — Hot Topic

Many scales of climate change have occurred, from slow tectonic to the fast changes embedded within glacial and inter-glacial times. Why should an ecologist worry about today’s global warming which is just one more scale? … Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks, Kruger Park in Africa and Tambopata Nature Reserve in Peru, are among places Barnosky selects for closer attention. Small mammal species in Yosemite have changed how they live in the park, …

Is There A New Dawn For the National Park Service? | National …

A massive influx of dollars is heading towards the National Park System, part due to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, some proposed within the Obama administration’s Fiscal 2010 budget proposal. It certainly is a change from …

Of Gray Whales, National Parks, and Climate Change | National …

Migrating gray whales are a common sight in the near-shore waters of the Pacific Coast, and two of the region’s national parks are whale watching hot spots. Now the timing of the gray whale migrations has shifted perceptibly, fewer whales …

Tree-Ring Lab Director Testifies on Impacts of Climate Change on …

“Much of what we have learned about he effects of past and recent climate variations and change on ecosystems has come from studies conducted within the national parks and national forests. In the future, we need to continue and expand …

Are Yellowstone National Park’s Grizzlies Changing Denning Habits …

Are grizzlies in Yellowstone National Park altering their long winter’s slumber due to a changing climate? Federal wildlife biologists think so, and want to take a closer look into this possibility.

AP Interview: New Forest Service chief vows quick spending on …

Tidwell said he will continue many of the policies of his predecessor, Gail Kimbell, including a focus on fighting climate change and reaching out to children to make them more aware of and comfortable with national forests. …. YORK — Tourists in New York can expect to see some construction projects at national monuments in the coming months. The National Park Service said Wednesday that more than $37 million in federal economic stimulus money will be spent on repairs. …

Climate change comes to our National Parks

The problems (frequent 100-year storms, closed roads, vanishing glaciers) are straining the systems. Some conferences begin to grapple with the immense consequences and trade-offs.

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Battered by both baggage-toting tour groups and climate change, the Himalayan mountains and wetlands struggle to maintain their high altitude identity.

The Green Hiker Campaign simply encourages all involved to help reduce their tourism baggage.

Of course, anything brilliantly named The Green Hiker has to be eco-friendly.

Photo by swamysk

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The Salt Creek is not just some eco-friendly experiment or “paean to green”. You’ll want to pack this tent from windy Spring through chilling Fall. The Big Agnes is a 3-season camping workhorse. From the Backpacker Magazine’s review :

“Wind and rain whipped the Salt Creek on trips from high-alpine Colorado to the peaks of northern Wales, and everywhere the green construction proved both durable and weatherproof”.

Specs:

• Packed weight 6 lb 12 oz
• Floor area 36 sq ft
• Head height 38 in
• Single side door with vestibule
• Recycled zippers
• 2 mesh floor pockets
• Hub/pole design makes set up easy
• More specs and features
  

Click here for more info on this great Big Agnes Recycled Tent!

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With a pack weight of just over five pounds, this Sirius tent is ideal for your overnight hikes. It’s easy to set up and maintains its integrity in the windiest conditions. You may have to back order it though. Lots of  folks are taking advantage of this great tent offer.

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The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has released ten hiking trails maps of their entire 382-mile Pacific coastline.

All ten hiking maps are now available in two pdf printer-friendly sizes.

Although the majority of the trails traverse public and private beaches, many hikes include state parks, forests, and county and city roadways.

Landowners provide trail easements for portions of trails on private property.

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• Tom Meade of the Providence Journal spotlights the 136,000 acres of forest and farmlands known as the Pawcatuck Borderlands. Waterfalls, back country roads, moose, ponds, hiking trails, and bears populate Connecticut and Rhode Island’s New England preserves.

• Emilie Le Beau details fantastic outdoor adventures around New Mexico’s Monuments. Many of these hikes are not for novices or the casual walker. But all offer the dedicated outdoor adventurer the magical light and forms found only in the American Southwest. The Bandelier National Monument, the Coronado State Monument, the Petroglyph National Monument, and the Enchanted Circle are excellent hiking destinations.

Click on images for additional info.

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One place to start is Backpacker Magazine’s Green Guide. This compilation places a link list under three categories:  Featured Stories, Nature, and Gear.

So … here comes Super Poison Ivy? (Under the “Nature” category.)

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