Best Place On Earth

[ianstarboarder]

What are places you love and why? National or local park? Favorite mountain or mountain chain? Favorite trails, beaches, lakes, rivers, ocean, sea, desert, gardens, etc.?What makes it the best places to go? Best skiing, mountain biking, rafting/kayaking, surfing, skateboarding, disc golf, snowboarding, hiking/camping, views, people, memories? What is the insider scoop, secret spots, hidden views, great deals, lesser known spots?
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One of my favorite places is Yosemite, Ca. It is magical, enchanting. Absolutely beautiful and majestic. It is also fun. Someone who has never climbed a rock to professional rock climbers can have the time of their lives. Great trails from easy going to very challenging. There is a ski resort, but I've never visited it, elevation is kind of low campared to Mammoth and June Mt which are both very nearby. Some of the best views I have ever seen.

Secret spot: one of the tunnels leading into the valley you can park outside of. If you walk into the tunnel, about half way through there is a tunnel within that tunnel. A kind of T shape. If you walk to the end of that tunnel there is a ledge over looking the valley. The ledge is barred off but you can squeeze through it.

 

[Falconer]

There are moors over by where I used to live, and that was one of my favourite places to go to escape. After I had a car I'd drive out there and just park up and sit, or get out and walk sometimes, but before I could drive, I'd walked there more than a few times from my parents' house.

Other favourite spots are Cragside House in Rothbury, Northumberland (the house itself is amazing and the grounds magnificent), and Durham riverbank.

I'm sure my list will grow as I see more of the world. ;D

 

[sunrise]

One of mine has to be Sefton Park in Liverpool. I live directly oposite it and can be in the park within five minutes of leaving my house. It has lots of little pathways that lead off in all directions and it is where I do the majority of my photography. It is not the largest park in the world but it is nice to walk around because you can't see the road and I can just switch off for an hour with my ipod.

The second was a place I have not been to since I went the first time. When I was in secondary school I was part of The Venture Scouts, when me and two others finished our GCSEs we went up to what is known as a "bothy", it is effectivly a small building up the side of a mountain that walkers can use for shelter. In our case the evening was warm and pleasent and as a result a load of us slept outdoors. It was perfectly clear skies and with no light there we just thousends of stars, it felt so tranqual and relaxing.

 

[wooly]

Defintiely i think a very special place is Killarney National Park in south west Ireland. It's my local park and it's probably the most beautiful place in Ireland. It's over 25,000 acres and has amazing lakes, woods, mountains, buildings and animals. Even though most of my happy memories of the park are from when i was younger and it was our favourite haunt for underage drinking, i've appreciated it's beauty more and more as i've got older! Here's a few pics:

Spoiler

 

[ianstarboarder]

It is funny how a small local nearby park can bring you back to nature. When I am in Florida I would just go down by the St John's River or go to the Cummer Art Gallery And Gardens. It is near downtown Jacksonville and is right on the St Johns. It feels like you are in the middle of nowhere when it"s smack in the middle a busy area. Or I would take a short drive to St Augustine. It's like a little vacation there. The buildings are all from when America was discovered and very nice beaches. Some nice disc golf parks too.
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One of my favorite mountains is Mammoth Mt., Ca. It is easily one of the best ski resort in the U.S. some might argue it is THE best. It is close to Yosemite and it's sister mountain June Mt is very close by. June is a very quiet resort, you feel like you are the only one there. Mammoth gets crowds but only on weekends and holidays. The snow and terrain are great at both resorts. They both have world class terrain parks; half pipes, rails, jumps of every shape and size. Mammtoh even has a boarder X course. The steeps and length of the slopes are also impressive on both. They both have a town at the base of the mountain. You can walk to the chairlift depending where you live in eithertown.

The summer has what may be some of the most challenging mt biking in the US. The surrounding area have nearly infinite hiking and secret spots. Hot springs and creeks (those are fun in the winter too). Glacier/snowfed lakes, huge mountain chains all around, view that rival Yosemite. Big skateboard community and a few skate parks. Good job opportunities.

The secrets! If it is busy, go to June. Don't want lift lines, if it is kind of busy and you want to stick around Mammoth for the day, hit chairs 12, 13, 14. Chair 14 will get you to the top of the mountain where you can access "the Paranoids", section of the peak. If you are really adventurous, find a local or employee and ask them if they know how to get to "Hole In The Wall". A little backcountry, very unique spot. Great back country accross the street from Mammoth are the Sherwins range. Excellent untracked powder, varied terrain, good avalanche record (safe).

 

[Crouton]

There's this national park in my state where I went for a school camp several years ago. It was pretty amazing. Called the Grampains National Park. We spent 8 days hiking through it.

Some photos from the net:

Also in my state is a large road, we call it 'The Great Ocean Road', and there are some amazing places down there. I always love going for trips to the various small towns and fishing villages along the road, it's surrounded my bushland and rainforest too which is amazing.

The Great Ocean Road:

 

[wooly]

Not for ANY amount of money in the world would i even think about doing that. That is one crazy mo'fo!!

 

[Crouton]

I know right! I've been to some high places like that but never so close to the edge, I'd be shitting myself. I was looking at the pic before and trying to imagine how close I would get. Maybe to that log thing that is sticking up, and hold onto it for dear life, but not with my legs dangling over the edge!

 

[ianstarboarder]

Wow, those places are beautiful. Reminds me of the High Seirra Trail a little in Cali. About a 7 day hike from Dome Rock (if I remeber that name correctly) to Mt Whitney. You leave civilization behind entirely after about the first 3 hours. There are perches similar to the one you posted up on and grand views all around. Some of the trails are downright frightening, but I enjoy heights.

If you like disc golf I have found amazing courses in the US. Fontana Lake ( North Carolina, maybe Tennessee, near the boarder) is one of my favs. Athens, Georgia has 2 courses, one of which is amazing, the other sucks. I think the good one is called Sandy Creek. Salt Lake City has a really nice free course, i believe it is called Creekside. Jacksonville, Fl has a terrific free course at the Ed Austin park. Asheville, N.C. hass a very challenging course, mostly tree holes and not as pretty as those mentioned above.

 

[dDave]

I'm going to Yellowstone this summer, it has the potential to top my post here. But as of right now I say Estes Park.

I spent a week here 2 summers ago. It was absolutely amazing. The scenery was absolutely outstanding.