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Best Stops on Highway 1: California Road Trip Itinerary
Post Topic: Best Stops on Highway 1 Our road trip down the coast on California’s Highway 1 was a bittersweet one. It was the start of a long road trip back to the Lone Star State. Randy and I had spent over five months away from home, working remotely, and exploring America’s vast beauty and diversity. We had mixed feelings about heading back to Dallas, but we were just trying to soak up every last minute of our epic trip. After heading up to Redwoods National Park and making it within 5 miles of the Oregon border (still kicking ourselves for not crossing that border), we were a grand total…
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8 Jaw-Dropping Desert National Parks to Visit in Winter
Winter in the best time to visit some of America’s most beautiful national parks – especially the desert parks. Most often I gravitate to the forests and snowcapped peaks of America’s mountainous national parks but every once in awhile I find myself in a desert park that completely blows my mind. The unique landscapes of the desert always leave me amazed. And for some of these parks, winter is the best time to visit due to the more mild weather conditions. So keep reading for the best desert national parks to visit in winter. Like I just mentioned, for many of these parks, winter provides much better weather conditions for…
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Backpacking the Blue Lakes Trail: A Hiker’s Guide
Backpacking the Blue Lakes Trail in Colorado has been on our bucket list for years. This was a trail that we tried to do a couple of years ago when we visited Southwest Colorado during July of 2019. Unfortunately, there was too much snow that year and the trail was not accessible at that time. But over the last couple of years, we kept seeing pictures posted of this incredible trail and knew that we had to make it back to Southwest Colorado one day just for this trail. And this past Labor Day Weekend, we finally decided to make it happen! We spent about 16 hours in the car…
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Best Day Hikes in Yosemite You Can’t Miss
Yosemite National Park is located in California’s Sierra Mountains and is known for it’s iconic granite domes, gushing waterfalls, and scenic alpine landscapes. This park is also home to a plethora of hiking trails. If you love a good day hike then Yosemite is the place for you! Keep reading for a list of the best day hikes in Yosemite that do not require an additional permit. In June of 2021, Randy and I spent a month living and working remotely from the small town of Jamestown in the foothills of California’s Sierra’s. Located only an hours drive away from the park’s entrance, we were able to spend many days…
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Hetch Hetchy: Escaping the Crowds of Yosemite
Yosemite National Park has become very popular over the last few decades and at times it’s hard to visit the park and feel like you’ve even left the city. With the persistent traffic, lines to get into the park, and crowds of people everywhere, is it a national park or Disney World? But let me tell you that it’s still possible to experience an escape from the hustle and bustle, especially the crowds. And you can do that at Hetch Hetchy! Have you heard of Hetch Hetchy? Hetch Hetchy is a lesser known and lesser visited portion of Yosemite National Park that is perfect for escaping the crowds. Planning a…
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5 Best Waterfall Hikes Near Salt Lake City
After spending a glorious month in the desert of Southern Utah, we decided to head to the lush land of waterfalls in Northern Utah. During our one-month stay between Salt Lake City and Provo we were able to hike to many different waterfalls. Keep reading for the best waterfall hikes near Salt Lake City. Until this trip, I had never thought of Northern Utah, near Salt Lake City, as a prime place for waterfall chasing. But it is! Planning a trip to Utah? You may like these articles, too: Antelope Island State Park: The Best of the Great Salt Lake Utah’s Mighty 5 Ranked Best to Worst When to See…
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8 Incredible Things to do in Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef is often the most overlooked National Park in Utah, but it’s actually one of my favorite National Parks. The fact that this park is so frequently overlooked is part of the reason that it’s so special. Can you believe that many people are still unaware that this amazing national park even exists? Well, it’s true. And for now, that’s part of the reason that Capitol Reef is still the least crowded park in Utah. So if you’re looking for a spot to escape the crowds in Utah, this place will certainly deliver. While more people are learning about Capitol Reef and it’s growth in popularity, for now the…
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Utah’s Mighty 5 Ranked Best to Worst
We’ve spent the last month exploring Southern Utah and the best part of it has been the time we’ve been able to spend in Utah’s phenomenal national parks. Utah’s 5 national parks are frequently called the “Utah Mighty 5” because of their grandeur and beauty. Each one of them is unique and amazing in its own way and I highly recommend that you visit each one. Although I understand that not everyone can visit them all at once, so we’ve put together this list of Utah’s Mighty 5 ranked best to worst so you can decided which ones are best for you. The Ranking Criteria When making this list, we…
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How to Spend 36 Hours in Arches National Park
Arches National Park is located right outside of Moab, Utah. This other-worldly national park is home to over 2,000 sand stone arches – the largest concentration of arches in the world. But that’s not all you’ll see at Arches National Park. The landscapes, pinnacles, and other geological features are also worth mentioning. There is so much to see in Arches National Park, so here’s what to see if you’ve only got 36 hours to explore this natural wonder! When to Visit & Weather in Arches National Park The best seasons to visit Arches National Park are Spring & Fall for great weather. Plan to visit March-May or September-November for the…
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Everything You Need to Know About Bryce Canyon’s Fairyland Loop
I just can’t get enough of Utah’s incredible National Parks. They are each so unique and Bryce Canyon National Park is no exception. This park stands apart because it’s incredibly beautiful and unique hoodoos that rise up out of the canyon. These hoodoos are a product of erosion but are also incredibly beautiful. Hiking the Fairyland Loop trail in Bryce Canyon is a terrific way to see these incredible hoodoos up close & personal. Last weekend, we had the joy of hiking the Fairyland Loop Trail. This trail was everything we dreamt it would be & more. The entire trail was views, views, views and more views. Everywhere we looked…
