A great way to see all the diversity of Zion National Park is to hike the West Rim Trail. The trail begins (or ends if you are feeling a challenge) on the west side of the park and takes hikers into Zion Canyon. With a… Read More »Hiking the West Rim Trail at Zion National Park
Hiking Big Bluff along the Goat Trail is most definitely not for those who are afraid of heights! The Goat Trail takes hikers along the narrow edge of Big Bluff with a sheer vertical drop to the Buffalo National River in northern Arkansas. However, if… Read More »Big Bluff Goat Trail at the Buffalo National River
Black Fork Mountain stretches from Arkansas into Oklahoma just north of Queen Wilhelmina State Park in the Ouachita National Forest. The trail offers spectacular views, unique forests, and historic places. Black Fork Mountain Trail is great for a long day hike or an overnight backpack.… Read More »Hiking Black Fork Mountain Trail
The Mountains in southwest Arkansas between Glenwood and Mena are my favorite on the entire planet. They are so rugged, remote, and beautiful, you simply cannot look at them without awe. Last month I hiked the Caney Creek/Buckeye Trail Loop in that area for the… Read More »Caney Creek/Buckeye Mountain Trail Loop
Fall is my favorite time to hike, as well as many others people’s. I love living in the Arkansas because in autumn the trees turn so many colors. I believe Arkansas fall hikes are some of the best in the country. One year I traveled… Read More »Favorite Arkansas fall hikes
Have you ever had one of those trips where nothing seems to go according to plan? My recent trip to the White Mountains in New Hampshire was one of those trips. We were supposed to hike the north part of the Presidential Traverse, but didn’t… Read More »My failed Presidential Traverse trip
In March Lagena and I took an impromptu trip to Grand Canyon National Park. Our original plan was to explore Arizona. And we thought since we were there, “Hey might as well go see the Grand Canyon.” When I began researching the trip, I read… Read More »Bright Angel Trail – hiking rim to river Grand Canyon National Park
Arkansas has several long-distance trails, with the longest ones being the Ouachita Trail and the Ozark Highlands Trail. But if you cannot take two to three weeks off from work or simply don’t have the energy to thru-hike, there are many lovely trailheads along the… Read More »Ouachita Trail – Section Nine
Boxley Valley in the Buffalo National River is one of the most picturesque places in Arkansas. Between the natural beauty and historic charm of the area, it is one of my favorite places to hike in Arkansas. The Buffalo River Trail begins here in Boxley… Read More »BRT – Boxley Valley to Steel Creek
Taking on the Athens-Big Fork Trail If you are up for a challenge, or umm maybe death march, you need to try the Athens-Big Fork Trail. I have been told this 10.5-mile trek located in southwest Arkansas is the hardest hiking trail in state. I… Read More »Athens-Big Fork – hardest trail in Arkansas
Nothing “bad” about Badlands National Park Badlands National Park is an unique place. My aunt likened it to exploring another planet, and I definitely felt like I was in another world. The park is located in western South Dakota just east of the Black Hills.… Read More »Exploring Badlands National Park
Part of the reason I love the Arkansas State Parks systems so much is that it does a great job of showcasing each ecosystem the state offers. In Cane Creek State Park you get two ecosystems in one – the Arkansas Mississippi River delta and… Read More »Cane Creek State Park – adventurer’s guide
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is more beautiful than words can describe. It’s also an excellent destination for the adventurer. With kayaking, backpacking, fishing, ice climbing, and backcountry skiing, the park will not leave you bored. Lagena and I spent… Read More »Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
I never thought of Michigan as a prime location for backpacking. But after discovering the outdoor beauty of the state on Pinterest, I knew I had to put it on my list. Backpacking Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula is a must for… Read More »Backpacking Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Olympic National Park, three parks in one Traveling to Olympic National Park is like getting three parks in one. You can explore beaches on the Pacific Ocean. You can hike through giant moss covered trees in a rain forest. And you can climb mountain peaks… Read More »Olympic National Park
How to spend three days in Glacier National Park, and one day in Waterton Lakes National Park Glacier National Park in northern Montana is one of the most majestic mountainscapes our national parks offer. It has high peaks and narrow, deep valleys with sweeping slopes… Read More »Glacier National Park
The Little Missouri River in the Ouachita Mountains in southwest Arkansas is my favorite area – anywhere. Several trails snake through the area with spectacular scenery, but the Winding Stairs segment of the Little Missouri Trail is my favorite. The Little Missouri Trail is a… Read More »Winding Stairs – Little Missouri River
Backpacking is camping while you hike – you carry all of your gear and food with you. There are many advantages to backpacking that make you actually want to carry everything – like seeing a vista that is too far to walk in one day… Read More »First-time backpacking tips
The Buffalo National River is more than a wild and scenic river. The area offers numerous gorgeous hiking trails to explore on foot if you are tired of floating, or simply want to hike. The Ponca Wilderness is a jaw-dropping area to be seen on… Read More »Ponca Wilderness – Centerpoint to Compton
Backpacking is just walking … up and down steep inclines and carrying 30 pounds on your back. When you backpack, you pay a lot of money to pretend you are homeless. But there is something to depriving yourself of modern and sometimes physical comforts that… Read More »Benefit of deprivation and love of backpacking
In a state of natural wonder – falling in love with North Carolina After spending only a week in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park one year for vacation, I knew I would have to return to the area because one week is not near… Read More »North Carolina – naturally wonderful
One of my favorite aspects of epic hikes is being able to start out in on type of ecosystem and view others throughout the hike. In our visit to Olympic National Park in Washington State last summer (2015), Lagena and I really wanted to hike to… Read More »West Fork Dosewallips River Trail
Before hiking the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail, the furthest I had ever hiked continuously was about 20 miles, a one-night backpacking trip in Montana. I asked my brother, Jacob, who is a teacher, if he wanted to do a backpacking trip with me during spring… Read More »Gotta LOViT – the Lake Ouachita Vista Trail
Belly River Backpacking In the summer of 2014, Lagena and I decided we needed to backpack on our trip to Glacier National Park. We eventually ended up picking the Belly River Trail, which was perfect for the two of us. There were two elements of… Read More »Belly River Trail – Glacier National Park
A soggy socked start to the new year Last New Year’s Eve was the first holiday that I went to bed before midnight since I have been old enough to stay up to ring in the new year. Zach and I decided to spend the… Read More »Big Brushy Trail Complex
I first started researching Big Bend National Park a few years back when a friend and I were looking for a destination for a desert camping trip. That year we ended up at another Texas park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, about four hours to the… Read More »Big Bend National Park
First, I’ll tell you that I love the outdoors so much that even when I am not comfortable, because I’m hot, cold, wet, or whatever, I still have a good time. I love to experience life and life is not always perfect. Most of the… Read More »Sometimes life leaves you bruised – biking the Little Blakely Trail