A simple Internet search is a good place to start. You can find new trails in your area, or a little farther away, or somewhere you’re planning on traveling to soon, very easily. Trails.com also offers this handy list of the top 100 trails in North America for the year, based on popularity. Here are a few dream hikes from around the nation to whet your appetite for new trails:

• Chain Lakes Trail, Washington. This is part of the Pacific Crest Trail, which runs along the Cascades all the way from Canada to Mexico. As its name suggests, this trail is full of scenic lakes.
• Uwharrie National Forest Trails, Asheboro, North Carolina. This location offers several trails to choose from, meaning you can find one of just the right difficulty level.
• Havasu Canyon Trail, Seligman, Arizona. Here the clear blue-green water of the Havasu Creek add to the gorgeous scenery of Arizona’s canyonlands.
• Holy Him Falls Trail, Lake Forest, California. For a scenic day hike, try this 3-mile trail with lots of trees and a 35-foot cascade.

Havasu Canyon Trail

Do you have any dream hikes—trails in far-off locations you dream of hiking? How do you blaze new trails?

Builders are helping customers fulfill their desire to be green with a variety of green technologies, among them:

• Geothermal systems. Geothermal heat pumps use the temperature of the earth rather than the outside air to pump heat and warm a house. The price tag may stop some home owners from installing them—they can run about 2.5 times higher than regular heating and air systems—but they can pay themselves off in as little as five years. Another bonus: there’s currently a tax credit that will reward you for installing one.
• Photovoltaics. The term “photovoltaic” indicates light plus electricity—or harnessing the energy that comes from the sun into a usable form. Photovoltaic systems convert energy from direct-current voltage into the alternating current that powers our houses and appliances. Photovoltaic energy offers the possibility of living off-grid—having no ties to a large electrical source, which means greater independence and the freedom to live in a more remote area.
• Wind energy. Wind turbines aren’t as cost-efficient as solar systems, but wind energy can readily be used to supplement an existing energy system. Of course, you do need to live in a location where there’s enough wind to make the turbine worth it. Experts estimate an average of 10 mph or better.

Geothermal energy

If you’re looking to build a log home and want to incorporate these alternative energy sources, you should have no trouble finding a builder who will work with you. And of course there are ways to maximize an existing system. But that’s a topic for another day. For now, let’s all take a minute to breathe some fresh air in the outdoors we love.

Here’s an excerpt from the official press release:

• On the site you can browse Tackle Boxes created by other users to discover new things or get new ideas, tips and tricks from fellow fishermen. Or create your very own Tackle Boxes and “Hook” all your favorite images on a single web page you can find anytime. Even share your “Hooked” images with your Fishing Buddies to figure out the best tackle for the day before you guys head out.

Of course, FishyPic is not the first outdoors-specific social media site. There’s CamoSpace, which is like a cross between MySpace and Facebook—with member profiles, “friending” capabilities, and a news feed full of hunting stories and photos—and is exclusively for the hunting and fishing set. There’s also GetReeled.com, which offers forums, blogs, photos and member pages, but it’s set up a little differently than other social media sites. It’s kind of an all-in-one thing.

What do you think? Are you into fishing and hunting social media? Let us know in the comments.

A great place to start is with furniture. Distressed finishes and classic farm-style furniture designs go perfectly in a rustic setting. A bench or sideboard in a distressed white finish will add plenty of vintage charm to your dining area, and will only complement your rustic decor.

It’s not just the big things, of course. Little authentic touches, like your grandmother’s tea kettle or crystal serving ware add a genuinely homey effect to your cabin decor. For a country look, crocheted or tatted doilies will give your cabin the traditional feel of a prairie refuge.

Wall décor offers a prime opportunity for vintage and retro looks. Wall art and wall hangings made to look like retro signs add a cheerful, friendly touch to your décor—and one that’s full of vintage charm. This wall hanging designed to look like an old camp sign is the perfect vintage touch for your cabin. In the kitchen, this vintage-inspired tapestry offers an endearing look in a colorful design.

Far from being old-fashioned, vintage looks provide a certain authenticity and toughness to your lodge décor, as well as a welcoming flavor that comes with nostalgic designs.

To choose a chandelier, you want to start by picking a style that works for your room. In a cabin or log home, a classic look is a cut metal art chandelier with a wildlife or western theme. Or, if your kitchen has a more country look, a cottage-style chandelier in a white finish would work beautifully.

Once you’ve determined the style you want, choose the size that will work for you. This article recommends adding the room’s length and width and feet and finding a fixture that is the same width in inches. A 12-foot by 12-foot room, for example, would need a chandelier that measures 24” across. That’s a good rule of thumb to follow in making sure you don’t choose a chandelier that’s too small and gets swallowed up in a cabin great room, or a chandelier that overwhelms a small log home kitchen.

Another rule of thumb will help you choose the wattage that will give you enough light. Multiply the length and width of the room in feet, then multiply that number by 1.5 to determine the total wattage you’ll need to provide ample light for tasks. Having an idea of the number of watts you need will be a really good guide as you shop for chandeliers, since you’ll know what will look good in your room ahead of time.

So you’ve found the chandelier of your dreams. It’s the right style, the right size and the right wattage. How do you install it?

This post from This Old House will walk you through the whole process step by step. Make sure you have a helper! This is not a one-person job. And make sure you turn off the electricity to the room before you start. One tip: installing a dimmer switch will give you control over how much light your new chandelier puts out. You can turn it to full strength if you’re using your dining room table for a quilting session, or you can turn it down for a more ambient glow over dinner.

The right lighting makes a big difference in a room, and a chandelier can be both beautiful and functional, giving your room a luxurious look and plenty of light.

Unfortunately, putting that meat to good use can sometimes present a challenge. Preparing wild game is a slightly different animal (rim shot) than usual cooking techniques, and, quite honestly, sometimes wild animals don’t taste that great.

If you’re on the hunt (seriously, this has to stop) for good game recipes, one excellent resource is honest-food.net, the food blog of hunter-gatherer Hank Shaw. The recipes he provides don’t skimp on flavor in the slightest; his site is pretty much a foodie hunter’s dream come true. It’s also a wealth of general information on cooking wild game.

There are also plenty of cookbooks out there designed for hunters. One title—recommended by Shaw—is Eat Like a Wildman: The Ultimate Game and Fish Cookbook, a compilation of recipes from Sports Afield magazine. And if you were just really, really into the Hunger Games series, there’s even a cookbook inspired by the survival efforts of Katniss and Peeta.

If you’re still in need of wild game recipes, the Internet is full of websites and forums that allow ordinary folks to share their favorites. So you’re just a quick Google search away from some tasty, wild treats. Of course, the outdoor community is far more than its digital outreach; your friends and family members are sure to have some great recipes to share as well. There are plenty of ways to make the catch of the day taste great, and plenty of people who know just how to do it.

• Natural stone. If you’re still in the design phase of your home or cabin, or if you’re looking to remodel, consider using natural stones for the fireplace, or slate tile in your flooring. The smooth look of stone is rugged and natural, yet classic and elegant, and it makes a beautiful addition to a rustic home. If redoing the floors isn’t an option, consider using smaller, smooth river rocks in your decorating.
• Adirondack birch looks. Adirondack style is partly defined by unfinished birch bark and a particular style of twig design. These looks are perfect for a rustic cabin or lodge retreat because they involve those beautifully natural woods.
• Log furniture. Logs that have been finished without losing the tree’s natural characteristics make a wonderfully rustic look. This log bed and nightstand have a look that is both weathered and polished and tree carvings for additional lodge style.
• Natural colors. Greens and browns in natural tones make for a soothing, inviting rustic bedroom or living area. Whether you choose plaids, patterns or solids, a color palette of soft sage green and deep chocolate brown will create a wonderful natural effect in your room.

Nature-inspired designs can make any space not only rustic, but also naturally beautiful. Are natural looks something you love in home décor? Tell us about your favorite natural styles.

So how does cottage style work in the cabin? That country look creates a perfectly welcoming rustic kitchen or living area. The vintage charm and distressed finishes of cottage style work wonderfully in a cabin setting.

Here are a few ideas for adding cottage charm to your cabin:

• Create a cottage kitchen using fresh colors and little cottage touches. This slide from Better Homes and Gardens shows a really cute cottage kitchen that would look great in a cabin. Vintage style oars create a camp look, and wicker baskets add that traditional country touch. These distressed bar stools in turquoise would go a long way toward creating the same effect in your kitchen.
• Use country looks like roosters, gingham and quilt patterns to give your living area an inviting cottage look. Color schemes involving blue and red are particularly good at creating this Americana feel, which would look great in a mid-American cabin.
• A distinct cottage look is the look of turned wood in white. You can find this on furniture, mirrors and lamps and lighting. A table lamp like this one adds a touch of white to a room to add a little cottage style.
• Think vintage. Upcycle old bottles and buckets as vases. Use old farm equipment and tools, like milking buckets and stools, as decorative accents. Find old-style phones, fans and other accents to add a nostalgic look to any room. Little touches like these give a rustic room a homey feel, but also gorgeous style.

Cottage style is a great complement to a rustic room. What vintage touches do you have in your cabin décor?

National fishing organizations, including KeepAmericaFishing, a group that some credit with getting the bill introduced, are thrilled with the Sportsmen’s Heritage Act. But politics wouldn’t be politics without controversy, and while some conservation groups support the measures drawn by the legislation, others are booing the bill’s protection of lead in bullets and tackle. The Sportsmen’s Heritage Act would prevent the EPA from restricting the use of lead in sportsmen’s equipment; otherwise, lead is on the list of toxic substances over which the EPA has regulatory jurisdiction. Some are unhappy with this measure, citing the possible environmental impact of lead, which may include negative effects on wildlife and on hunters and fishermen themselves. Critics are also leery of the attempt to grant greater access to public lands, claiming that hunters already enjoy plenty of hunting space.

Despite the controversy, there are certainly elements in the bill that have a conservationist bent, including a strengthening of the Idle Iron policy, which requires unused drilling platforms to be removed, and other fish-habitat protection measures.  What do you think? Are you an avid fisherman, and do you think this bill will make your sporting lifestyle easier?

Dishware can provide a great and inexpensive way to freshen up a home’s kitchen and dining area. Because they can match any design, they catch the eye of visitors. Dinnerware can be combined and coordinated to create an artistic declaration accompanied with wall art. Dinnerware can also be placed on the table, hung on the wall as decoration, or used as center pieces for candles or potpourri containers. There are so many uses for dinnerware, it makes a great asset, and it’s not too expensive, either.

A rustic style is one that mixes earthy colors with structures of woods and metals. To incorporate this style in a bathroom is to use lots of wood, browns and tans, and green colors. For not-too-pricey bath decor, consider metal or glass canister sets to hold loose items like cotton balls and hair ties. This adds lots of a rustic look in collaboration with those natural earth tones. Wood-framed mirrors and wall hangings will finish off the look. Little updates like these make a big difference for not a lot of money.

Of course, you have the option to revamp the actual structures of the room, such as new flooring and textured walls. Those tend to be spendier home improvements, but it is possible to create a rustic look without totally overhauling your floors and walls. A new rug in a southwest pattern, for example, can add a lot of rustic interest to your floors, and it doesn’t have to be an expensive one. And two-tone paint techniques can create an adobe quality without actually changing the texture of the walls. Topped off with some rustic switch plate covers and window treatments, these updates can make a big difference in the rustic effect of your room.

Little things can make a big difference in a room, and sometimes larger decor items cost less than you might think. Whatever your budget, with a little creativity, you can have a brand-new rustic room.