Popular Hiking Trails at America’s National Parks

 

Navajo Loop
Image: nps.gov

Following more than 16 years with Consolidated Edison Company of New York, including 10 years as Division Manager, Paul Angelides established the Syosset, New York, engineering firm Paul J. Angelides, PE, PC. He has led the firm as president for over three decades. Beyond his professional activities, he enjoys staying active by traveling and hiking at various national parks.

When it comes to hiking at America’s national parks, there are few bad choice for trail enthusiasts to make. However, certain parks certainly cater more to the hiking lifestyle than others. The Bright Angel Trail at Grand Canyon National Park, for example, is one of North America’s most well traveled routes. The trail offers a stunning view of the canyon as hikers follow the 12 mile round trip through stifling heat and varying degrees of difficulty.

The Navajo Loop at Bryce Canyon National Park is not as long or challenging as Bright Angel Trail, but that may be exactly what some hikers are looking for. A three mile loop, the Navajo trail provides panoramic shots of some of the nation’s most unique, visually arresting terrain.

Other trails are more technically or physically challenging. For instance, the Sargent Mountain Loop at Acadia National Park is just 2.75 miles in one direction, but requires hikers to negotiate elevations in excess of 1,370 feet. The John Muir Trail, meanwhile, is one of the most comprehensive hiking trails in the world. Spanning numerous California parks, including Yosemite and Sequoia, the John Muir Trail extends for 211 miles and can be subdivided into a number of shorter day hikes. For those interested in a greater challenge, the trail represents one leg of the much larger Pacific Crest Trail.

Hiking Cinnamon Bay Trail in St. John

 

Cinnamon Bay Trail
Image: nps.gov

Since 1987, Paul Angelides has served as the president of an eponymous engineering firm he founded in Syosset, New York. Alongside his work in New York, Paul Angelides resides part time in the Virgin Islands on the island of St. John.

Known for its national park, which encompasses approximately 60 percent of its landmass, St. John draws visitors to hike a diverse range of trails across the island. These hikes include the Cinnamon Bay Trail.

Beginning east of the historic ruins of the Cinnamon Bay Sugar Plantation and across from Cinnamon Bay Campground, the Cinnamon Bay Trail consists of a challenging one-mile hike through forests with trees such as mango and guava. The trail ends at Centerline Road, but some hikers choose to continue on with the Reef Bay Trail to the island’s South Shore.

Taking a side trip to the plantation ruins provides an insight into the history of the island’s sugar processing industry. A spur trail heads off to the ruins from the highest point along Cinnamon Bay Trail.

Ranger-Guided Hikes at the Virgin Islands National Park

 

Virgin Islands National Park
Image: nps.gov

Paul Angelides is a forensic engineer who since 1987 has managed his own firm in Syosset, New York. Before starting this company, he worked as a division manager at Consolidated Edison Company of New York. When he gets the opportunity, Paul Angelides travels to the Virgin Islands where he enjoys activities that range from hiking and boating to snorkeling and swimming.

Located in the Caribbean, the Virgin Islands consist of Saint Croix, Saint Thomas, and St. John in addition to other smaller islands that cover close to 134 square miles of land. The island of St. John houses the Virgin Islands National Park, a United States National Park that contains 7,259 acres of habitat in addition to 5,650 acres of submerged land.

Created in 1956, the Virgin Islands National Park welcomes close to half a million visitors each year. In addition to traditional beach activities that include swimming, scuba diving, sailing, and camping, visitors have access to a number of hiking trails as well as ranger-guided tours. These guided hikes include:

– L’Esperance Hike (November through April) – A hike through the earliest ruins and plantations on the island that allows visitors to experience St. John’s tropical forests as well as its desert-like landscapes.

– Reef Bay Trail (year round) – A hike that focuses on the tropical forest in the Reef Bay Valley in addition to ruins and evidence left behind by pre-Columbian Taino natives.

– Discover Bird Watching Hike (every Friday) – A weekly hike that tours Francis Bay Trail and Salt Pond, allowing visitors to observe local and migrant bird species.