In Pursuit of a Hike

Finally, fall! I savored every day of summer, believe me, I did. This summer was one for the books for sure. But now that we've been teased with some days of fall weather, followed by days that feel like summer again, I am ready for full on fall. Fall temperatures, fall food, fall scents, and fall HIKING! And a couple of weekends ago, I got my fix. On the first weekend of fall, the weather settled nicely into the 70's with beautiful blue skies and a breeze. Absolutely perfect for a weekend outdoors. It has been years since we hiked to the Devil's Icebox at Rock Bridge State Park. We've hiked probably every other trail around the area, but we've steered clear of that one simply because there are always so. many. people.  And we just don't like hiking in really crowded places. For one thing, our boys are loud. Just naturally loud. So every conversation we had on the trail was in earshot of a dozen other people. Also, on narrow paths, you always have to...

Oh my goodness. We seriously went on the most incredible hike a few weekends back.  Every once in a while, I just crave a hike that kicks my butt. You know that kind of workout that gets all of your endorphins to kick in? I totally wanted and needed that kind of hike that weekend. And holy smokes people, Ha Ha Tonka was the perfect combination of workout intensity and incredible landscapes. A great last summer hike for sure. It wasn't the longest hike we've taken, but by far the most rigorous in terms of trail conditions and elevation changes. I'll save the specific stats for the end of the post. If you've never been to Ha Ha Tonka, it's a state park in Missouri with an incredible display of geological features including caves, a natural spring, sinkholes, a natural bridge, rock walls, and a turn of the century castle overlooking the Lake of the Ozarks. There is a view almost everywhere you turn. I highly recommend stopping at the Visitor's Center fi...