Sunrise on the ochre face of Mt. Sonder in Australia's West MacDonnell National Park beckons to hikers on the increasingly popular Larapinta Trail. The 138-mile trail can be done as a series of day hikes or as a 12- to 16-day through-hike linking water holes, sweeping viewpoints, and ancient river beds.

Susan Munroe is a professional river guide and freelance writer/photographer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Originally from New Hampshire, Susan has lived and worked in a variety of countries, including Chile, Antarctica, and New Zealand. A co-founder of Ríos to Rivers (www.riostorivers.org), a kayaking exchange program uniting students from the United Staets and Chile to learn about the impact of dams on rivers, Susan has published stories about the exchange program and Chile's energy debate in Fast Company magazine and Canoe & Kayak magazine. More of her writing and photos can also be found at www.susanmunroe.com.