Do Stuff Outdoors - Hiking & backpacking trip reports & trail history

Hiking Borestone Mountain—but in the winter this time! (ME)

⏳️ 9m / 🥾️ Dec 27, 2024 / 👁️ 347 / 1 Comment

In a previous post, I talked about hiking Borestone Mountain. A lot. Probably too much. That said, I had never hiked it in the winter before. Since our family was back in Maine for Christmas in 2024, I thought I’d make the most of the opportunity. […]

Backpacking through parts of Shenandoah National Park (VA)

⏳️ 13m / 🥾️ Oct 10, 2024 / 👁️ 317 / 1 Comment

I originally planned to return to the Smokies and hike from Newfound Gap to Fontana Dam, but Hurricane Helene intervened. While it’s possible we might have been able to make it west across the state, we opted not to chance it and pivoted toward someplace north instead. […]

AT Backpacking National park Views Virginia Waterfalls Wilderness

Spending the night on a little island in Lake Onawa (ME)

⏳️ 7m / 🥾️ Jul 2, 2024 / 👁️ 308 / 4 Comments

I’m pretty sure it was the day after I hiked the Eagle Rock Trail that I decided to spend a night on an island in Lake Onawa. If you’ve seen (or read) my Borestone Mountain or Barren Mountain videos (or posts), you’ve seen glimpses of Lake Onawa, a spring-fed, coldwater lake (or pond, depending on who you ask) nestled in the heart of Bodfish Valley. […]

Kayaking Maine Overnighting Solo Views

Hiking the Eagle Rock Trail (ME)

⏳️ 5m / 🥾️ Jul 1, 2024 / 👁️ 314 / 1 Comment

While visiting family over the summer, I was looking for day hikes in places I hadn’t heard of before. That’s when I discovered Eagle Rock Trail. It’s not too long—just under 3.6 mi out (and another 3.6 mi back), with a short spur to Raven Ledge which gives you great views to the west and southwest. […]

Day hiking Maine Solo Views

Hiking the Profile and Grandfather Trails at Grandfather Mountain State Park (NC)

⏳️ 10m / 🥾️ May 31, 2024 / 👁️ 344 / 3 Comments

Grandfather Mountain is unique among North Carolina’s state parks: there’s the actual state park, but there’s also the privately owned and operated Grandfather Mountain attraction (that includes the Mile High Swinging Bridge). Five of us traveled to Watauga County for a three-day, two-night “base camping” adventure, splitting our time between the two. […]

Base camping North Carolina State park Views

Hiking (part of) the Weetock Trail in Croatan National Forest (NC)

⏳️ 4m / 🥾️ Mar 2, 2024 / 👁️ 327 / 2 Comments

We were supposed to hike the Neusiok Trail today. We set up a shuttle near Oyster Point Campground, then parked at the Pine Cliff Equestrian Trailhead. The rain was still pounding down, and within a few feet of trail, I stepped in puddles three to four inches deep. […]

Day hiking National forest North Carolina

Backpacking the Tricorner Loop: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC/TN)

⏳️ 12m / 🥾️ Sep 30, 2023 / 👁️ 322 / 4 Comments

[Note: this trip covers four days (well, three and a half, really), but rather than write a separate post for each day of our Tricorner Loop trip, I’m going to consolidate my thoughts into a single post. On YouTube, I posted each day as its own video, but in the future, I think I’ll edit even multiday adventures into an amalgamated whole. […]

AT Backpacking National park North Carolina Tennessee Views