I’m so excited to have Sally Keys on the blog again. Sally writes about the Shark Valley Trails in Everglades National Park. And now, that I’ve read about it, I can’t wait to go! You can read more from Sally here. Hiking Shark Valley Is… Read More »Hiking Shark Valley Is A Great Way to Explore the Florida Everglades
National Parks are huge. But sometimes you only have a short period of time to spend in them. That is why I am writing a series of blog post with suggested itineraries if you only have two days. Big Bend National Park is really three… Read More »48 hours in Big Bend National Park
National parks are huge and sometimes you only have a short time to explore them. And when you only have a short time, it can be intimidating to figure out what to do. Olympic National Park is probably the hardest of the parks I have… Read More »48 hours in Olympic National Park
National parks offer so much to do, and it can be intimidating when you only have a limited time to visit a park. If you only have two days to spend in a park, there really is no way to see it all. That is… Read More »What to do with only 48 hours in the Grand Canyon
I have always heard Shenandoah National Park is more beautiful than words can describe. And it really is, but I’m going to try my hardest to tell you how beautiful it is in this blog post. I have also included many pictures to help show… Read More »Shenandoah National Park
I always thought of the Grand Canyon as a place I can get to “some day.” It was never high on my list of places to see. But after making an impromptu trip last March to Grand Canyon National Park, it is now one of… Read More »Grand Canyon National Park Trip Report
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
Summer is approaching quickly, and going to the beach is on many people’s minds. Did you know the National Park Service operates several beaches, which can make for an awesome get-away. Within the National Park Service you can find national seashores and lakeshores, which provide… Read More »National Park Beaches to explore this summer
Hot Springs National Park may be the only national park in The Natural State, but the National Park Service operates a few other parks within the state. These parks include a national river, memorial, military park, trail and – historic sites. Most recently, Zach, nephew… Read More »Exploring Arkansas Post National Memorial
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
If you haven’t considered going to South Dakota for an outdoorsy vacation, you might want to reconsider. The Black Hills in western South Dakota are full of opportunities for adventure tourism. For those of us who are in love with nature, the Black Hills will… Read More »Exploring the Black Hills in South Dakota
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
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
Lazy float and lounging at Buffalo Point The hot and steamy summer of Arkansas drives many outdoor enthusiasts to the water. A great place to dip into a cool mountain stream to beat the summer heat is Buffalo Point. Located on the lower section of… Read More »Buffalo Point Trip
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 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
The Buffalo National River, located in northwest Arkansas, is the first river to be designated a national river. It is also the one of the few undammed rivers in the lower 48 states and is managed by the National Park Service. Because of this the… Read More »Kayaking – Buffalo National River
Many think of the National Park Service to consist of, well, national parks. But in addition to showcasing our country’s natural beauty, it also preserves our historic sites, rivers, seashores, lake shores, and other national treasures. These underrated national parks are definitely worth it to… Read More »Four underrated national parks
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
When Lagena and I were planning our road trip from Arkansas to Glacier National Park in northern Montana, I had originally made a long list of places I wanted to see that were “on the way. Unfortunately with that great of a distance, there are… Read More »Yellowstone – when you only have 48 hours
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
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
Hot Springs, a great place to take a hike One aspect of my hometown, Hot Springs, Ark., that I love so much is that we are so close to hiking trails. They vary in lengths and sites, provide a getaway for any mood. Some trails… Read More »Hometown hikes
Encountering crazy people and bears in the woods Those close to me know I am terrified of being eaten by a bear. In all likelihood, the chances of a bear attack are very slim. Cougars, snakes, wolves, and other animals are also possibilities, but you… Read More »It’s not just bears to worry about
Falling in Love with Big Bend I first started pining to go to Big Bend National Park after scrolling through an online slide show of national park photographs. I had been told several times that it was one of the best national parks, but I… Read More »Besties’ Big Bend Backpacking Trip