Kat, Author at Hiking Illustrated

October 17, 2019July 3, 2023

Cowles Bog Trail – Hiking Indiana Dunes National Park

A woman in a colorful dress walks a sandy path in a grassy plain with Lake Michigan in the background.

A nearly private beach and stunning views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago Skyline await on this 4.5 mile hike through the charming forested dunelands in one of the United States’ youngest national parks.

Cowles Bog at Indiana Dunes National Park features diverse habitats and was one of the sites used in botanist Henry Chandler Cowles’ study of ecological succession — one of the driving factors behind efforts to save the dunes from commercial development.

October 11, 2019July 3, 2023

The Perfect Hiking Route at Indiana Dunes

Woman hiker standing atop sand dune overlooking Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes State Park.

If you’re visiting Indiana Dunes, you probably already know about the 3-Dune Challenge, but did you also know that the less-trekked Trail 9 (pictured above) was named best hiking trail in Indiana by USA Today? (Well, kind of — more on that later)

Our curated hiking route combines both experiences as well as the gorgeous shoreline with an easily-customized map for those wanting to hike shorter or longer distances.

June 26, 2019March 1, 2021

15 Awesome Things To Do On a Short Visit To Charleston, SC

A beloved cousin of mine finally convinced the woman he’s been smitten with for years to marry him, so we were off to a mid-June destination wedding in Charleston, South Carolina. We stayed South of Broad in a historic home bed and breakfast. This area is a prime location if you like being able to walk everywhere downtown, and we arrived a few days early so we could explore.

June 9, 2019March 1, 2021

An Unintentional Solo Hike In the Dark

Craggy Gardens, Asheville, North Carolina

Traveling light. Too light.

Before I met Andrew, I’d gotten comfortable taking long day hikes solo — partly to enjoy the peace and quiet of my own experience and partly because I had a hard time finding others who were willing to hike more than 2 miles at a time (thank you German thighs). I’d head off on my own for hours, typically sending my friend Foz a “127 Hours text” saying where I was heading off to hike — a couple bread crumbs in case something went wrong. Other than that text, my preparation was extremely minimal. I’d bring my cell phone and PERHAPS a bottle of water.