I love hiking. Most of the hikes I go on in WA (state) are dirt trails that go up. Up, up, and up. Green trees towering all around me, and rivers and creeks streaming below me. While on the east coast I was able to conquer a different kind of hike, one where the trails are not paved. Instead, there are blue markers that you must “find” while crawling over rocks.
Click to make larger.
Megan and I met up with Sophie for a 2 hr hike at Great Falls in Maryland, and we hiked the Billy Goat Trails! Despite the snow and chilly wind, the hike was absolutely gorgeous! The snowy backdrop made for amazing photos.
This was such a unique hike for me. I’m used to having visible paths to follow, so having to hunt for where to go while unleashing my inner billy goat was a ton of fun. I felt like a legit mountaineer. I now feel the need to buy tons of mountain gear and get lost in the woods.
Can you spot the deer?
Yea, this was definitely one of my favorite hikes.
There were times I could barely see these markers…
The season for outdoor exploration has arrived.
Q: Do you prefer easily visible paths, or would you enjoy hunting for your next step?
Blissfulbritt 
33 thoughts on “Unleashing My Inner Billy Goat”
Britta
I love hiking! AND YOUR OUTFITS! I feel like you can tell that you guys are runners… I loving hiking off the beaten path too.. its so much more fun, except when you get lost! I keep forgetting that there is still snow in places – its kinda weird actually. But that’s why we live on the west coast (best coast?) 😉
Brittany
I love that runners are usually easily to spot. Baha. BEST COAST is right!
Nicole Marie Story
Oh, girl, you know that me and G Money love to get lost! It’s marvelous when her nose finds us to safety each time. Exploring the unknown is one of the most thrilling things to me. I’m so glad you had a fab time. xo
PJ Sassifras
OMG! You are a total bada**! The trail is simply beautiful. I think you are part Billy Goat. You know the Tolkien quote “Not all who wander are lost.” Unfortunately, I do frequently get easily lost sooooo, in the woods, I’m more apt to stick to the path.
Brittany
I definitely have some kind of wild animal genes mixed in my body, I’m like a monkey I swear. HAHA. I love that quote.
spectacuLAUR
I would have gotten lost in a heartbeat and missed half of those markers. LOL
Jason
I hate the way trails are marked in the NE!! I basically get lost on a one-lane road with no turnoffs so this is not a good combo
wildlyhealthyblog
beautiful hike! I love exploring by foot 🙂
mom
There were 2 deer in that picture. Super good pics.
Choc Chip Uru
Haha what a beautiful hike, I wouldn’t mind being a billygoat 😛
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
di @ life of di.
I know I’ve said this in comments to you before but I wish there were more places to hike in Ohio. I know we have some ‘mountains’ but it’s no where near as magnificent as the PNW. As for the types of hikes I like to do – I prefer visible trails with a bit of off-trailing (but not too far.) I’m a wuss when it comes to being on the edge of cliff with no visibly marked trail 😀
Matt @ Runner Savvy
I haven’t been hiking in ages!
oddtaylor
Sounds like a fun hike! 🙂
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
I could picture you as a billy goat. You’d be ornery and wear a canteen of coffee around your neck, which would hang just above your billy goat beard. I would name you Petunia.
Brittany
You complete me. That is all.
Luv What You Do
This looks like so much fun! I love the pictures!
kathy@vodka and soda
JEALOUS!!! running and hiking trails is my JAM! we attempted last weekend and had to turn back when we were nearly done because the slopes down were pure ice and we weren’t about to break a leg or slide off the cliff!!
our trails are marked but sometimes the markers fall off and it’s wild turkeys from there on. love the pics!!! if i ever visit your hometown, we’re going hiking! the hillier/tougher, the better!
Brittany
AHHH ICE CLIFFS! NO thank you! I just went on a legit hilly hike yesterday and it kicked my ass in such a wonderful way, you would have loved it. I then ate a fat vegan scone at the top. YES!
Laura
Looks like a fun day! I’m a little paranoid of getting lost, so if it’s cold out, I prefer clearly marked trails!
jessielovestorun
Good for you on adventuring (literally) out of your comfort zone! Nothing beats a good hike with good scenery & friends!
Davida @The Healthy Maven
I’m all about the paths! One time my bf and I were hiking in upstate NY and we somehow deviated off the path. Basically he tried to get me to walk the edge of a cliff claiming it was the right path. I freaked out and started crying. Then someone saw us and told us where to go. I will forever remind C of that time he basically tried to kill me. Boys….
An Unrefined Vegan
Gorgeous hike!
I’m kinda into paths, which makes me feel like a big baby. But there it is. I do enjoy the challenge of hiking in southern Utah on slickrock where often the only markers are rock cairns. As long as Kel is with me.
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl
You give me the urge to go hiking again! I haven’t been in almost a year but it was such a blast!
Change of Pace
Looks gorgeous, and fun you got to meet so many bloggers!
I like all kinds of hiking, but i do think I like lush, green ones the best! Can’t wait- hiking season is just around the corner 🙂
PNWRunner
What a beautiful hike! I’d love to be able to climb up the rocks! I prefer marked trails since I have a fear of getting lost…
Amalia
So gorgeous! I love the look of this hike. I love hiking when its not marked as long as I’m not alone. I figure I have a better chance of getting lost when I’m alone since I’m seriously geographically limited.
apartmentwife
such a gorgeous hike – the steam and the rocks and the sky- oh sigh. last time i read about your hiking adventure i took my own the very next day, but the flat lands of minnesota don’t really measure up that well..
Meghan
Haha baaahhh you bill goat! That does look like quite the fantastic hike. I’ve never seen anything like that at all! I am so happy you have a camera to be a photographer because I just adore all your pictures a million times more!! Take me next time!
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen
That is so much fun!! It’s great to explore but even more fun when it’s a sort of game finding markers. I’d be glad to have them, I get lost going back to my car in the parking lot, lol! You and your girlfriends are so cute:D
Amy
This totally reminds me of our childhood family camping trips to Lake Tahoe! We’d stay at this little campground near Emerald Bay (a tiny bag on the humongous lake), and we’d always hike a trail called Cascade Lake and Cascade Falls. It started out as a well-defined path, but the farther you got, the more you had to create your own trail. And if you wanted to make it to the top of one of those humongous rocky mountains, you definitely were scrambling and making it up as you went! So fun. 🙂 I’m really, really happy that you’re enjoying yourself!!!
Amy @ A Desert Girl
Fun!! I love this exploration work out. It’s like a scavenger hunt for blue marks!
Melanie
What a fun hike! It looks absolutely beautiful! We used to live in New England and we went on a few hikes where we had to “find” the markers too. Love it!
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