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8 Jaw-Dropping Desert National Parks to Visit in Winter
Winter in the best time to visit some of America’s most beautiful national parks – especially the desert parks. Most often I gravitate to the forests and snowcapped peaks of America’s mountainous national parks but every once in awhile I find myself in a desert park that completely blows my mind. The unique landscapes of the desert always leave me amazed. And for some of these parks, winter is the best time to visit due to the more mild weather conditions. So keep reading for the best desert national parks to visit in winter. Like I just mentioned, for many of these parks, winter provides much better weather conditions for…
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Backpacking the Blue Lakes Trail: A Hiker’s Guide
Backpacking the Blue Lakes Trail in Colorado has been on our bucket list for years. This was a trail that we tried to do a couple of years ago when we visited Southwest Colorado during July of 2019. Unfortunately, there was too much snow that year and the trail was not accessible at that time. But over the last couple of years, we kept seeing pictures posted of this incredible trail and knew that we had to make it back to Southwest Colorado one day just for this trail. And this past Labor Day Weekend, we finally decided to make it happen! We spent about 16 hours in the car…
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10 Jaw-Dropping Things to Do in Redwoods National and State Parks
Did you know that Coastal California is home to some of the tallest trees in the word? Well it is! But seeing the tallest trees in the world is only one of the incredible things to do in Redwoods National Park. The park is home to incredible lush and tall forests, dense fern canyons, epic coastal views, and lots of wildlife. Redwoods National Park is joined with nearby Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Del Norte State Park. These parks make up Redwoods National and State Parks. The parks are cooperated by the National Park System and the California Department of Parks and Recreation. In…
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5 Tips to Find Amazing National Park Campsites
When we started on our road trip out west, we were still very new to the world of camping. We’d only been on a handful of camping trips but since then, I’d like to think that we are becoming slightly more experienced campers and have found a few tricks and tips to find amazing National Park campsites. We are learning that we LOVE how much money it saves us on accommodations while also allowing us to stay much closer to National Parks than we would have been able to. We’re also learning to love the relaxed pace of cooking dinner over the campfire, spending the afternoon in a hammock, watching…
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A Quick Guide to Colorado National Monument
Post Topic: Things to do in Colorado National Monument Colorado National Monument is located right outside of Grand Junction, Colorado. Although it’s located in Colorado, it is much more similar to Utah in scenery & geological features. I honestly think Colorado National Monument was wrongfully placed in Colorado and should actually be found in Utah. But maybe that’s part of the reason that this place is so special. The national monument is made up of many different canyons, a couple of the bigger and noteworthy canyons are Monument Canyon, Ute Canyon, and Red Canyon. Just about everywhere you look in the park, you’ll see magnificent views of red rock canyons.…
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A Weekend Guide to Broken Bow
Post Topic: Things to do in Broken Bow, Oklahoma I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to visit Broken Bow! Seriously, why haven’t I been to this incredible place? Let’s just say that I was completely blown away by the natural beauty of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. You will be, too! This past August, I visited Broken Bow for the first time for one of my bestie’s bachelorette party. I knew almost immediately that I needed to come back and bring Randy so we could enjoy this spectacular place together! So, we made campsite reservations and headed up to Broken Bow this past weekend for a much-needed escape from the city!…
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How to Prepare for Your First Backpacking Trip
One month ago, I set out on my first backpacking trip. Although I had done a lot of day hiking, up to this point I had never spent a night out on the trail. As the trip approached, I was full of nervous excitement. I was excited to spend a few days out in nature and take in all of the gorgeous mountain views. But I was so nervous that I’d be wildly unprepared or I would forget to bring an essential item. Fortunately, with a lot of preparation and planning ahead we found ourselves prepared and had brought everything that we needed – minus one forgotten spork. There’s a…
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Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail
Post Topic: Everything You Need to Know about the Teton Crest Trail Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. The hardest thing physically, at least. As Randy and I have spent a lot of time in national parks the last couple of years, we have developed a love for hiking and exploring the national parks on foot. But, we had yet to try backpacking to experience an overnight or multi-day hike. We stumbled upon the idea of hiking the Teton Crest Trail, a 3-night backpacking hike through Grand Teton National Park. One of my favorite national parks! Were we a little…
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Epic Colorado National Park Road Trip
Colorado is home to four of the most unique national parks in the United States. Follow this Colorado National Park road trip guide to see some of the most spectacular spots in the whole state. You’ll see snow-capped mountains, 700 foot sand dunes, ancient ruins, and steep dramatic canyons. This guide will navigate you through Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. In that order. So let’s get started! Map of Colorado’s National Parks Here’s an interactive map of this Colorado National Park Road Trip. You’ll find that the four epic national parks and the routes…
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Best State Parks in North Texas for an Outdoor Getaway
North Texas has been my home for the past seven years. However, it wasn’t until recently that I began to have a desire to explore and share my close-to-home adventures. As a lover of the outdoors, I have compiled a list of my favorite state parks in North Texas that are easily accessible from the Dallas/Fort Worth area and provide ample opportunities for adventure. Maybe we can thank the Coronavirus Pandemic for giving many of us perspective and realizing that you don’t have to fly half-way across the world to experience adventure and beauty. I know for me, it took a pandemic to realize that I can find beauty in…
