Petrified Forest is known for the Painted Desert and its petrified wood. However, beyond those worthy features are a few other things to see. Puerco Pueblo is the remains of an ancient civilization that once lived in the area, and…
An Old Mining Road & the Climbers Trail to Emmons Glacier Vistas!
Very frequently, when I leave the traditional trails behind on a whim, it would have been better for me to stay on the traditional trail. Not always, of course – I’ve found some very fun and interesting stuff along the…
French Spring above the Maze District
French Spring is one of the minimal number of attractions to see along NP-633 (the road between Hans Flat and the top of the Flint Trail) in the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park.* It’s one of the more difficult…
Official off-trail Views from the Blue Forest Route
After the Wilderness Route, the Blue Forest Route was my favorite hike in Petrified Forest National Park during my visit last fall. The good news? It’s much shorter and much, much easier to follow than the Wilderness Route. So as…
Sneak Peak: Arches, Island in the Sky, and More!
Yesterday, I posted about all of the trails in Arches National Park. Today, I’ll tell you the rest of the story – everything else we did while exploring the area around Moab on my most recent visit to the area. …
The Painted Desert’s Wilderness Loop
My top favorite trail I did in Petrified Forest National Park last fall was the Wilderness Route Loop through the Painted Desert. Actually, it’s not a trail at all; it’s loosely connected GPS coordinates that take you to some delightful…
Golden Stairs Trail to the Fins Trail to Lou’s Spring
A few days ago, I wrote about hiking down the Golden Stairs Trail and (almost) into the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park. After we had descended to the Dollhouse Road, we decided that we 1) hadn’t had enough adventure…
Golden Stairs Trail into the Maze District
It’s not easy to access the true Maze District of Canyonlands National Park. In fact, most of what is known as the “Maze District” is actually the Orange Cliffs District of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This includes Hans Flat,…
Viewpoints and Short Trails in the Needles District
The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park is really only set up for hiking long distances. Chesler Park, Druid Arch, Wooden Shoe Canyon, Big Spring Canyon, and Peek-a-boo Trail all play this out fairly well. It’s also set up for…
A Wheelchair Accessible Guide to Death Valley National Park
Death Valley is known for its rugged landscape, extreme heat, and desert beauty. What it’s not known for is its accessibility. I’ve read that there is only one fully wheelchair accessible trail in the park (and, at the time of…