Have you got a spare three or four hours? If you were in Costa Rica right now, those could be spent hiking around a volcano and petting frogs. Sure, everyone knows the giant Arenal volcano towards the center of the Central American country, but Costa Rica has six other active volcanoes, one of which is Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, located in the Guanacaste province and within its own National Park.

Rincón de la Vieja is serious business as far as volcanoes go. Heading up to its top rim and caldera is no longer allowed (too risky!) but local, experienced guides can easily lead you on a several-hour hike to spot fumaroles (steam vents), bubbly muddy water cauldrons, cute froggies and waterfalls so clear and cool you'd think it was Norway instead.]]> JetSetCD 2011-12-22T15:55:47-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/12/21/131946/06

Volunteers in Colorado are helping to build a completely new hiking trail, called the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), that stretches from Mexico to Canada and across Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Volunteers with the Continental Divide Trail Alliance (CDTA)—based in Golden, Colorado—dig out the trail, clear vegetation and move huge boulders and trees from the established route.

If forging a new trail sounds like a New Year's resolution you'd like to make, CDTA is already lining up volunteers for next season, which runs from April to October. Volunteer trips can last from one day to one week and include trail building, maintaining the existing trail, helping the crew chefs prepare meals, and participating in educational outreach programs. Trip leaders provide all gear, food and water, while volunteers bring their own tents, sleeping bags and day packs. ]]> cmb 2011-12-21T14:31:35-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2011/7/15/11624/1180

In Big Sur, you practically trip over hiking trails that bring you to gorgeous coastline views. But one place to definitely put on your must-hike list is Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

Pfeiffer is probably the most well known among the Big Sur parks, since it follows the Big Sur River and is filled with trees—including redwoods, conifers, oaks, sycamores, cottonwoods, maples, alders and willows—and wildlife—including black-tail deer, raccoons, skunks and various birds.]]> Jennifer Kester 2011-07-15T13:24:35-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/11/5/123210/123

Today, 127 Hours, the new movie by Oscar-Winning director Danny Boyle, opens in theaters, but don't expect another Slumdog Millionaire. The movie stars James Franco as hiker Aron Ralston and chronicles the time Ralson spent trapped in an isolated Utah canyon, including the life-saving decision he made to amputate his own arm.

Even though the movie's graphic realism might make the audience queasy, the scenery is sure to inspire some to take a (safer) adventure of their own. ]]> cmb 2010-11-05T13:05:14-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2010/3/18/23025/7817

Here's your chance to hike the Great Himalaya Trail—and we're not talking like "hike the Appalachian Trail" à la South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. For the first time, a tour operator is bringing groups through the trail on an intensive 157-day hike.

Even experienced hikers will need some help on the Great Himalaya, the longest and highest alpine route in the world. The trail winds between the largest mountains and the most remote communities in the world, connecting Bhutan, China, India, Nepal and Pakistan.]]> Jennifer Kester 2010-03-18T09:45:07-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/8/144017/983

It seems like we're doing a naked travel or nude hiking post every few weeks now, with today's story courtesy of the 11 mile naturist hiking trail opening up in Germany. The eagerly anticipated path goes from Dankerode to the Wippertal dam along the Harz mountain range in central Germany.

Apparently enthusiasts have been lighting up naturist chat rooms over it for months. The Reuters writeup was very specific on this: "Naturist chat rooms."

So scientists believe we started wearing clothes some time between 100,000 and 500,000 years ago. Do you know why our grunting ancestors decided to cover themselves with animal pelts? Because they realized that dirt is dirty. It must have been a radical insight at the time—"hey, all this sticky stuff doesn't get on my skin if I cover myself, and I even feel warmer"—but nevertheless they were able to apply their chimp-like analytical skills to the problem and crack that nut. Not so much with these hippies.]]> Omri 2009-10-08T16:03:56-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/28/155832/406

All this week, Lost Girl Amanda Pressner will be bringing us reports from her recent trip to Costa Rica with her entire family. Any questions about traveling to Costa Rica or family-oriented activities to do while you're there? Let us know.

While the list of natural wonders in Costa Rica is practically endless, few are more revered by the locals (and industrious tourists) than the Osa Peninsula. Located in the far Southwestern portion of the country, the Osa is the home of Corcovado National Park, a dense swathe of jungle that National Geographic once dubbed “the most biologically intense place on earth.” The place is absolutely teaming with wildlife of all shapes and varieties, and contains a greater variety of birds, insects, trees and mammals per square kilometer than almost anywhere else in the world.

Thanks to Costa Rica’s commitment to protecting its most valuable natural resources, primary rainforests once slashed and burned in Osa to make way for pastureland and farming back in the 70s have almost completely returned as secondary forest—and so have a multitude of species that were headed for extinction.]]> juliana 2009-08-28T16:16:11-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/