Need a hike to do with children in Big Bend National Park? Love geology? Just want a fun little hike? Tuff Canyon on the road to Castolon fits the bill. Although it’s not as well-known as other trails in the…

Tuff Canyon: For the Children and the Geologist

The Parks on Holden Beach
Holden Beach is a lovely place to spend a week. The beach is inviting, the roads quiet enough for biking (at least in the offseason), and the houses luxurious enough to enjoy when you’re not outside. However, on a recent…

Historic Flume Trail: Beartooth Highway Side Trip
Do you love history? Fishing? Waterfalls? Picnic areas with mountain views? The Clarks Fork River Valley along the Beartooth Highway offers each of these…from the same parking lot! Also the trailhead for the Flume Trail, the area has a small…

Top-of-the-World Views along the Beartooth Highway
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say again here: there’s nothing quite like top-of-the-world views. There’s something so inspiring about being way high up, looking down over everything. So, when planning a recent trip to Beartooth Pass in Wyoming, I…

Vista Point on the Beartooth Highway
Vista Point, on the Beartooth Highway, is truly a great place to be. Especially if you’re coming from the east, this is your introduction to the Beartooth area, and it’s a great one! The views are spectacular—into the valley, across…

Da Beau’s: Lovely Retreat on Holden Beach (Review)
In early January of this year (2013) we returned to Holden Beach. However, because of some restraints/properties already being booked/price hikes/the need for internet access/etc., we decided to rent a house we’d never been to before: Da Beau’s, 936 Ocean…

The Best Hikes in Big Bend
After having visited Big Bend numerous times over the past several years, I thought I’d share what I’ve found to be the best hikes in Big Bend National Park, and which trails are overrated. Then, I thought, What if someone…

Mammoth Hot Springs: Should I Go?
Whether or not you want to visit Mammoth Hot Springs depends on a lot of things. First, if you’re looking for short, easy hikes, this is a good one: going over all of the boardwalks will likely take you less…

Some of the Best Views in the Cascades from Sahale Arm
Surrounded by Cascade Peaks…overlooks of Middle Earth-like lakes…waterfalls…glaciers…views that take your breath away…yup, that’s Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm in North Cascades National Park. I don’t recall ever seeing a view like this, not because the views are so spectacular…

Marufo Vega / Strawhouse Trails Loop: The Dry Desert
Looking for a very desert-ish trail? The Marufo Vega Trail, located in the far southeast of Big Bend National Park, is the remnants of an old sheepherders’ trail. However, it also offers nice views and, when combined with the Strawhouse…