Not far from I-70 near Idaho Springs in Colorado lies a small lake. That’s nothing terrifically exciting, as Colorado has lots of small lakes, but the exciting thing about this destination is the glacier that rises above the lake. St.…
Experience Volcanic Remains Up Close at Newberry
There is one terrific thing about Newberry National Volcanic Monument: the volcanic features here are really cool, and you can actually experience them without signs saying, “Say out! Stay off! Unsafe! Fragile!” Some of the areas are like experiencing another…
An Oasis in the Middle of the Desert – Borrego Palm Canyon
Have you ever wanted to experience an oasis? To come along through the heat of the desert and to suddenly see palm trees ahead of you and experience the cool of sitting there next to a spring of cold water? …
A Great Place to see Rocky Mountain NP – Lily Mountain
Just to the west of Estes Park, CO, is a small pull-off and an even smaller sign that reads, “Lily Mountain Trail”. Although it’s easy to miss, especially if you’re not looking for it, it is harder to miss the…
Fantastic Rock Formations at Chiricahua
If you like rock formations, and you’ve worn out Moab, Utah, the place for you to visit is Chiricahua National Monument in southern New Mexico. Here, gray rock towers point skyward in the most amazing shapes and number. Many of…
A “Hidden” Desert Meadow: Hidden Valley, Moab
Located just outside of Moab, Utah, it’s surprising that more people don’t know about Hidden Valley. If this scenic desert meadow was inside of one of the national parks in that area—Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, or even Canyon…
Sylvan Lake: A Lovely Little Lake
Overshadowed by its near neighbors Mt. Rushmore National Monument, Crazy Horse Memorial, and all of the commercializing that goes with those monuments, Custer State Park isn’t as well known as it probably deserves. Still, it’s near enough to these monuments…
An Awesome 13er: Fitzpatrick Peak
At the end of a recent trip to Colorado, we suddenly realized that we’d climbed mountains that were 10,000, 11,000, 12,000, and 14,000 ft high. We decided that we definitely needed to climb a 13er just to complete our record. …
“The Loneliest Road in America” – Route 50
On a recent trip, we were talking to a couple that we met on top of a cinder cone (literally—we’d climbed to the top, and they came up right as we were about to climb down). “You’ve got to do…
Colorado’s Undiscovered National Park: Black Canyon of the Gunnison
Black Canyon of the Gunnison’s north rim has got to be one of the weirdest national parks I’ve ever visited. Typically, national parks are crowded, have lots of services, have lots to do, and have lots of rules, which are…