About Lisa
If you live in Alaska or visit here, you may have seen some of my guidebooks: I write "Moon Alaska," "Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska," "50 Hikes Around Anchorage," and "Alaska Off the Beaten Path."
Hablo un español más o menos fluido, agus tá beag rud Gaeilge agam. (Táim ag foghlaim fós!)
Also a freelance route and collections editor for komoot!
14.2 km
04:31 h
Recent Activity
- LisaDecember 15, 2025
It’s a pleasure to wake up beside this picturesque rock dam and the rapids created by its natural spillway. Normally you can pick your way across the rocks without a problem but, if the water is running high, this spillway becomes very unsafe. In that case you’d need to detour to the south, taking Little
- LisaDecember 15, 2025
Until you reach Giant City State Park, the majority of today’s trail leg is on the lands of Southern Illinois University, which has historically been very friendly and accommodating to the development of the River to River Trail.
Soon after it departs the surprisingly idyllic surroundings of the old lodge
- LisaDecember 15, 2025
Now that you’ve had a bit of rest, it’s time for another long day: About 19 miles on the trail. That is as much effort as it sounds like, but it’ll take you through some of the most spectacular wilderness on the River to River Trail, and help ensure that your camping prospects shake out in a reasonable
- LisaDecember 15, 2025
This is another relatively road-heavy stage. But it’s also much shorter than all the rest at about eight miles total, and the starting and ending points are truly beautiful. Compared to the other legs of this thru-hike you might even consider this a rest day of sorts, with (relatively) plenty of time
Lisa planned a hike.
December 15, 2025
06:24
24.7km
3.9km/h
140m
160m
Lisa planned a hike.
December 15, 2025
04:35
17.0km
3.7km/h
210m
210m
Lisa planned a hike.
December 15, 2025
07:55
29.1km
3.7km/h
390m
460m
Lisa planned a hike.
December 15, 2025
08:24
30.7km
3.7km/h
480m
450m
Lisa planned a hike.
December 15, 2025
03:17
12.2km
3.7km/h
180m
130m
Today’s the big day! Whether you cross Hutchins Creek first thing in the morning, or did it last night before finding a spot to camp on the west bank, your next order of business is hiking up a series of short, steep switchbacks that take you out of Hutchins Creek Valley to the ridge known as Devil’s
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