Even though so many signs of city life were surrounding me, with the canopy of the trees above and birds flitting from branch to branch, and the sound of the shallow creek cascading over the rocky bottom, I felt like I was walking in a forest.

I went out in search of lighthouses along the western coast of Lake Michigan and the southern coast of Lake Erie. I got to dip my toes in the unsalted water and walk right out into the lake without getting wet.

We took a trip down memory lane and ended up at a roadside stream, crossing a ferry, and reminiscing at a little river where I used to catch crayfish.

An easy loop around majestic falls. This trail definitely ranks at the top of our list.

An easy hike on a rainy day where we found mossy trees, lacy lichen, grass growing in the middle of the river, and a glassy pool surrounded by silence.

Two short trails gave us stunning mountain views, beautiful spring flowers, and even took us to a little oasis with a waterfall and dragonflies!

A gorgeous hike on an old dirt road that leads to the ruins of a resort built in 1887 and a beautiful waterfall.

We walked along a wooden path along a lazy river, through a forest of birch trees, and emerged in a field of gold surrounded by gorgeous mountain views.

I went to Alaska! Our first excursion had us walking on crunchy snow on the river's shore, surrounded by breathtaking mountain views.

A surprisingly beautiful oasis with diverse trees and wildlife, right off the freeway in Tucson.

An easy hike up a hill in Lake Shastina with 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. Spectacular!

The trail was covered in snow so we enjoyed the blanket of sparkles and the magical serenity of winter.

With gorgeous views and lots of options to make it easy or difficult, this was the perfect pit-stop on our trip.

A real desert oasis on the way to Vegas - who knew?

This hike follows the path of the Sacramento River and takes you right through a graveyard!

Returning to one of my favorite trails to see what she looks like in the fall, and what the trees were hiding behind all of those leaves.

This beautiful trail follows the lakeshore and crosses Wagon Creek Bridge.

After experiencing the magic of McCloud Middle Falls, we had to check out the surrounding Lower and Upper Falls. They did not disappoint!

This trail allows hikers to get right down to river level and wade in the water.

An easy loop with varying landscapes on each side and two bridges that cross over the creek. A troll just might live under one of them!