Death Valley is a spectacular area to spend a few days in the desert! The park is big enough to hide hidden gems and limit crowds, but it also has popular destinations that are very worth visiting. I’ve visited Death…
Death Valley Oasis at Darwin Falls!
A perennial waterfall? In Death Valley? You’ve got to be kidding! But really – blazing hot summer, parched autumn, or during the (slightly less arid) winter/spring, Darwin Falls in the far west of Death Valley National Park is a beautiful…
Hiking up to the Big Bell Extension Mine
Quite a few weeks ago, I posted about visiting the Keane Wonder Spring and John Cyty’s Mill. Well, that’s a great hike. But for a truly spectacular hike, you can continue up the steep old mining trail behind the mill…
Sneak Peek: A Trip to Utah’s Arches & Canyons!
Well, we’re back! It was the craziest, weirdest, most moment-by-moment changes trip we’ve ever had, but we also saw fantastic scenery, spent time together, and hiked well over 100 miles. We explored central Utah, mostly around Moab (including Canyonlands National…
The Crazy King of Wings!
Deep in the badlands of northwestern New Mexico, there is a rock formation known as the “King of Wings”. It’s pretty remarkable, and it definitely defies gravity. On one end is a kind of hoodoo or pedestal. On the other…
Climbing Goat Peak near Wanless Lake
While researching trails to hike in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness in western Montana last spring, I discovered a couple of things: 1) While there are many trails in the Cabinets, you can’t find good information about most of them, and…
The Best Day Hikes in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
When I first visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison in 2005, it had only been a national park for a few years. In fact, it was so new that some of the rangers still called it a national monument. I’ve…
Cliff Lake and Climbing St. Paul Peak
The Cabinet Mountains Wilderness is considered one of the most remote areas to hike in the lower 48 states. It’s true that it’s pretty remote – at least in terms of the full spectrum of wild animals that call the…
Copper Lake and Chicago Peak – Remote Cabinet Mountain Views
One of the more view-saturated hikes we took in the Cabinet Mountain Wilderness actually has almost no trail. There is a trail – at least as far as Cliff Lake – but if you want to see everything in the…
Early Morning at Pueblo del Arroyo
Pueblo del Arroyo doesn’t get the attention it would get if it was a little further away from other well-preserved Chacoan great houses in Chaco Culture National Historical Park, like Pueblo Bonito. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth a…