This is a story of sunsets, traffic jams, map programs, wild fires, and adventurism. Don’t worry; everyone’s fine in the end 🙂 The day began pretty normally. We woke up in a Walmart parking lot somewhere
Black Mesa: The Highest Point in Oklahoma
Some “highest points” are impressive, and others are not. Some seem to have nothing interesting to recommend them, and some have very nice scenery around them. Black Mesa, the highest point in the state of Oklahoma, isn’t exactly impressive, but…
The Wilds of the White Sands
Many people think of White Sands National Monument as a place to spend an hour or less driving the scenic drive and enjoying the peacefulness of the sand – or a place for kids (and kids at heart) to have…
Views at Logan Pass of Hidden Lake
The Going-to-the-Sun Road is probably one of the best known parts of Glacier National Park, and the favorite hike at the top of Logan Pass is almost certainly the Hidden Lake. At only 3 miles (4.8 km) RT, it’s short…
Saddle Pass Trail: Beautiful Views of Badlands
Badlands is beautiful from the road – no doubt. But if you really want to see the Badlands, you’ve got to get out and experience it. A great trail to do this on is the 0.7 miles (1.1 km) (RT)…
Tuff Canyon: For the Children and the Geologist
Need a hike to do with children in Big Bend National Park? Love geology? Just want a fun little hike? Tuff Canyon on the road to Castolon fits the bill. Although it’s not as well-known as other trails in the…
Top-of-the-World Views along the Beartooth Highway
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say again here: there’s nothing quite like top-of-the-world views. There’s something so inspiring about being way high up, looking down over everything. So, when planning a recent trip to Beartooth Pass in Wyoming, I…
Vista Point on the Beartooth Highway
Vista Point, on the Beartooth Highway, is truly a great place to be. Especially if you’re coming from the east, this is your introduction to the Beartooth area, and it’s a great one! The views are spectacular—into the valley, across…
The Best Hikes in Big Bend
After having visited Big Bend numerous times over the past several years, I thought I’d share what I’ve found to be the best hikes in Big Bend National Park, and which trails are overrated. Then, I thought, What if someone…
Mammoth Hot Springs: Should I Go?
Whether or not you want to visit Mammoth Hot Springs depends on a lot of things. First, if you’re looking for short, easy hikes, this is a good one: going over all of the boardwalks will likely take you less…