Two geeks, two cats in an airstream.

Posts for national park

Boston National Historical Park

Boston. Beantown. City on a Hill. The Athens of America. The Cradle of Liberty. So many nicknames for this one city in the state of…

Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad

I've always believed that a fun way to learn history is through the experience of riding a train. There’s something antiquated yet charming about riding…

Driving Tour of Cuyahoga Valley National Park

The Cuyahoga River burned 13 times since 1868. Before Cuyahoga Valley became a national park, numerous industrial plants occupied the area, and for a hundred…

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park

Near the junction Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee and within the Appalachian Mountains, lies an area well-traveled by Native Americans centuries before European settlers arrived in…

Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial

Following part of the Lincoln Heritage Trail, we drive two hours to Abraham Lincoln's third home in Indiana. The Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial marks the…

Stories of Mammoth Cave National Park

I must be honest although Mammoth Cave National Park holds the title of longest cave in the world, it is not as dramatic or as…

Easy Hikes of Great Smoky Mountains

During our stay in the Great Smoky Mountains, I had the unfortunate luck of getting sick with some kind of stomach bug. I was down…

Cades Cove of Great Smoky Mountains

Amid the Appalachian Mountian Chain and Blue Ridge Mountains area, we have decided to visit that famed region of America known as the Great Smoky…

Dry Tortugas National Park

When Juan Ponce de León landed at Dry Tortugas islands in 1513, he and his crew caught hundreds of giant sea turtles, in addition to…

Everglades National Park

If there was a tract of land in desperate need of protection, Everglades National Park is it. In 1947, that's what Congress did; by establishing…

Quiet Side of Acadia National Park

For our next foray into Acadia National Park, we set our sites to the west side of Mount Desert Island. Also appreciated as the Quiet…

Sailing in Biscayne National Park

One early morning in late March of 2017, I urge Hitch to wake up with a nudge, "Get up. It's sailing day!" My excitement feels…

Eastside of Acadia National Park

I once read a quote about Acadia National Park: "You can fish with one hand and sample blueberries from a wind-stunted bush with the other."…

Best Cave Tours of Mammoth Cave

After writing a lengthy article on "How to Visit Mammoth Cave National Park," I feel that I should make suggestions as to which cave tours…

I Fell Into a Waterfall in the Great Smokies

Sometimes you fall in love with nature, sometimes you just fall in nature, sometimes you do both at once. This story takes place in the…

Juniper Springs in Ocala National Forest

Take a moment and eyeball the cover picture on this article. Juniper Springs is seriously gorgeous. Of all the photographs I've taken so far on…

Gulf Islands National Seashore

Gulf Island National Seashore contains a set of barrier islands located both in Mississippi and Florida. The two districts contain a total collection of 12…

Schoodic Peninsula of Acadia National Park

Before we arrived at Acadia National Park back in the Summer of 2017, I sat at a pretty little cafe just outside of Yarmouth researching…

Bandelier National Monument

For our first few days in New Mexico, we took a day to visit Bandelier National Monument, an amazing location. This historical site was designated…

Colorado’s San Luis Valley

Over the course of a few days in October, we set out to explore the San Luis Valley, an area of Colorado that also includes…

Great Sand Dunes National Park

After what seemed like a brief visit to Rocky Mountain National Park, we drove south and east, where we spent a little over a week…

6 Tips for Visiting Rocky Mountain National Park

I'm going to be up front about this: Rocky Mountain National Park is very very crowded. Over 4.5 million visitors flock to this incredible land…

Rocky Mountain National Park: Old Fall River Road

When I think of great American Icons, Rocky Mountain ranks pretty high on the list, right up there with Grand Canyon and Yellowstone. I picked…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Padre Island National Seashore

Off the coast of Texas lies the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world: Padre Island National Seashore. Just over 70 miles long…

Touring the Canyons of Lake Powell

As we drove up to Wahweap Bay, we both let out a long sigh-like "wow".  We beheld shimmering blue-green water and cresting rocks of white, red,…

Big Bend National Park: East Side Trails

For the remainder of our stay at Big Bend, we pushed toward the distant eastern side of the national park. As we drove toward Rio…

Grand Canyon Village Historic District

If you’re into history, the Grand Canyon Village within the Grand Canyon National Park is an excellent place to explore and most of the buildings…