Badlands National Park Secrets
Back in August, I remember my giddy school-girl excitement in the days leading up to our visit to South Dakota and Badlands National Park. I…
Badlands National Park: Castle & Medicine Root Trails
When we visit a national park I usually plan a few scenic drives and a few hiking trips. For Badlands National Park, I set my…
Willows Lodge: Woodinville, WA
Staying at Willows Lodge Tucked in Woodinville's wine country is one of my favorite places along the Sammamish River: The Willows Lodge. The moment you check…
Badlands National Park Scenic Drive
On an early September morning, I roust my husband by frying bacon and brewing a pot of tea; that usually gets Hitch up from a…
Above Wind Cave National Park
I find it sad that a majority of people who visit Wind Cave miss out on half the park. They come for the caves, which…
Camano Island in Washington
Of Natives and Spanish Explorers Until recently, Hitch and I had a chance to stay with a generous friend up at Camano Island. Camano Island…
Wind Cave National Park
Bison, elk, pronghorn, and prairie dogs frolic among the tall grass and rolling prairie coated hills, meanwhile below and hidden from the sun, a complex…
Black Hills National Forest
In the western South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, there stands a forest covering over a 1.2 million acres of hills and mountain lands. Rugged rock…
Preventing a Wasp Invasion in Your Airstream
Last year, Hitch and I decided to stay in the South King County area to spend Thanksgiving with friends and to see our families for…
Learning to Be a Minimalist
I think it was in the last few years where I noticed a trend of needing less stuff in my life, and wanting more experiences…
Jewel Cave National Monument
Nestled within the Black Hills of South Dakota, hides a place of wonders deep within the dark bowels of the earth. Brilliant colored rocks and…
Devils Tower National Monument
Bear Lodge. Bear's Tipi. Tree Rock, Grey Butte. Aloft on a Rock. Bear's House. Bear's Lair. Home of the Bears. Mythic-owl Mountain. Ghost Mountian. Over…
Glacier National Park: Lake McDonald Valley
Many visitors to Glacier National Park use the Lake McDonald Valley as a hub of activity on the west side. Massive glaciers filled the area…
Glacier: Logan Pass
The bright afternoon sun shining over a glossy green field dotted with colorful wildflowers. Turning my head upward, I gape at dozens of craggy mountain…
Glacier National Park: Many Glacier
Many Glacier in Glacier National Park, feels like the Swiss alps. Extensive mountains, live glaciers, and crystal lakes provide a striking backdrop to any hike,…
Glacier National Park: Two Medicine
I regret not staying somewhere on the east side of Glacier National Park. Yes, there are a lot more a amenities on the west side,…
Glacier National Park: North Fork
I wanted seclusion. Guides and rangers told me that the uncrowded areas of the North Fork in Glacier National Park would be my best bet.…
Glacier: Going-To-The-Sun Road
Have you ever seen the 1980 film, The Shining? In the opening credits, we see the Torrance family car traveling northward along a lake and…
Avalanche Lake in Glacier National Park
When one visits Glacier National Park one must always hike to a glacier-fed alpine lake. For our first full day at the park, I set…
Yellowstone Lake
When Hitch and I set out to take a tour of Yellowstone Lake, we invited our friend, Luis, from Seattle. We drove 20 miles south…
Canyon District in Yellowstone National Park
"Yellowstone" originated from a term used by Minnetaree Tribe to describe Yellowstone River: "Mi tse a-da-zi," which literally translates to "Rock Yellow River." French Tappers…
Yellowstone: Roosevelt-Tower Area
On our driving tour of the Grand Loop, we decided to take a late morning brunch at Roosevelt Lodge upon reaching the Eastern half of…
Yellowstone: Norris Geyser Basin
Norris Geyser Basin first came to my attention when my newsfeed presented me with an article about a man who fell into a hot spring…
Yellowstone: Upper Geyser Basin
When I think Yellowstone I instantly think of Old Faithful, but the park is much more than just the one geyser. Earth harbors only about…
Yellowstone: Mammoth Hot Springs
Fissures, Faults & Water Angry steam billows upward in white plumes from bubbling rusty orange puddles swirled in limestone white, while an acrid rotten-egg smell of…
Fishing in Idaho
Ever since we departed Seattle on our nomadic lifestyle, I've been thinking of all the outdoor activities I wanted to try and fishing was pretty…
Caves of Craters of the Moon
Craters of the Moon National Monument has a lot of caves: over 400 documented with the discovery of more caves each year. The most common…
Easy Hikes of Craters of the Moon
Long ago, a huge serpent miles in length, lay where the channel of the Snake River is now. Though the serpent was never known to…
5 Deadliest National Parks
Back in the summer of 2016, I remember reading an article about an Oregonian 23-year-old man who went over 225 yards off the boardwalk trail,…
10 Amazing National Park Units and the Presidents Who Created Them
Just after my visit to Minidoka National Historic Site, I came back to our Airstream and read a flurry of Facebook and Twitter posts on…
Minidoka National Historic Site
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt authorized Executive Order 9066, it seized the freedom of over 110,000 people. Two-thirds were American citizens and half of the…
City of Rocks National Reserve
Officially named as City of Rocks National Reserve, I recently discovered this place after doing a quick search for national parks in Idaho. The 1840s…
Canyonlands National Park: Island in the Sky
Raw and rugged is what best describes Canyonlands National Park. Some call it the Great American Outback, with its relatively unchanged landscape since Powell first…
The Arches of Arches National Park
After the third visit to Arches National Park, I'm beginning to understand why it's such a popular park: many of the viewpoints are easily accessible…
Arches: Fiery Furnace
Within Arches National Park, remains a pocket of wilderness where there is no other destination than what you discover. The Fiery Furnace is a maze…
Arches: Park Avenue
2,000: That's the official estimate number of natural arches found within Arches National Park. Arches may be the stars of this show, but they have…
6 Underrated National Parks to Visit
I watch as the line of cars extends nearly a mile beyond the park boundary and onto the highway itself. Traffic cones beam day-glow orange…
Capitol Reef: Scenic Drive & Capitol Gorge Trail
I love the raw beauty to Capital Reef National Park: the towering cliffs encasing a green oasis of Fruita valley, the mysterious canyons and distant…
Grand Staircase-Escalante: Devil’s Garden
Apparently, there are quite a few places in the world called "Devil's Garden" and the one we explored on this occasion was found in the…
Capitol Reef: Burr Trail Road & Notom-Bullfrog Road
To get to Burr Trail Road, we took Utah Scenic Byway 12 south for 38 miles toward the small town of Boulder from Torrey. SB-12…
Capitol Reef: Lower Cathedral Valley
The best way to visit Capitol Reef National Park is via long road trips on dusty dirt roads, some requiring 4 wheel drive and possibly…
Capitol Reef: Fruita & Fremont River Trail
Capitol Reef National Park feels like a secret. Hidden away in the remote back routes of Utah, and as evident by the low tourist population,…
Scenic Highway 12 and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Scenic Highway 12 Some of Utah's most gorgeous high desert scenery unravels along this all-American highway. The entirety of the road starts near Bryce Canyon…
Bryce Canyon: Mossy Cave and Fairyland Point
Mossy Cave Trail Hitch and I took Highway 12, a little less than 4 miles beyond the SR-63 turn-off. I found this hike exceedingly pleasant,…
Red Canyon, Dixie National Forest
Under the jurisdiction of Dixie National Forest is an excellent prelude to Bryce Canyon, if you are traveling eastbound on Highway 12. When we were…
Bryce Canyon National Park: Highway 63 & Bristlecone Loop
Utah State Route 63 We drove southward from the Bryce Visitor's Center and took SR-63 all the way to Rainbow Point. It's a little over…
Trail’s Six Month Check In
Has it been six months already? It feels so long ago since we've already seen so much and done so many things. I do remember…
Bryce Canyon National Park: Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop Combo
To absorb the true meaning of Bryce Canyon National Park, I felt that I had to descend into the canyon itself. There's a quote from…
Zion East: Driving Nirvana
Zion National Park Scenic Byway From Canyon Junction to Mount Carmel Junction on Utah Highway 9. The drive heads up and east, paralleling Pine Creek,…
Zion National Park: Northgate Peaks Trail
Northgate Peaks Trail Overlook on Kolob Terrace Kolob Terrace, also known as Kolob Plateau, is a less-visited section of Zion and is accessible via the…
