Would you believe that there are national parks within a few hours of my childhood home that I’ve never visited? They just never seem to fit into any trip: Too far away for a day trip, too close as a…
Kid-Friendly Hikes in Grand Teton National Park!
One of the great things about taking children to Grand Teton National Park is that there’s so much kid-friendly hiking available! Some of it is short and sweet for little legs and others are longer for those of us who…
Views of Rainbow Canyon from Father Crowley Vista
Father Crowley Vista, also known as Rainbow Canyon Overlook, is little more than a nice parking area and a couple of primitive restrooms on the Darwin Plateau between the western border of Death Valley National Park and the Panamint Valley. …
The Overlook in Colton Point State Park
There is one classic view of the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania from Colton Point State Park. It’s just a little viewpoint along the road, but it gives great views of Pine Creek, the Pine Creek Rail Trail, the Grand Canyon,…
The Best Day Hikes in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness!
Tucked away into a corner of northwestern Montana, the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness is definitely overshadowed by Glacier National Park to the east. And while it’s true that I love the scenery of Glacier more, the Cabinet Mountains offer a near-solitude…
Santanoni Peak: My First 46er!
Last fall I climbed my first 46er in the Adirondacks! It was super challenging on a crazy trail – in fact, it’s more scramble than trail in many places – but the views were great and the forest was peaceful…
Willow Canyon (Dry)Falls
I wouldn’t call Willow Canyon the most spectacular hike in Death Valley. It’s nice, and in many places, it would be awesome and amazing. But Death Valley has so much to offer – even from the same parking area –…
Rocky Knob Overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway
I’ve heard about the Blue Ridge Parkway most of my life, but I didn’t have a chance to really enjoy it until last summer when my aunt and uncle took several of us up to “The Parkway” for the afternoon. …
How to Camp in Death Valley – for Free!
There isn’t half enough camping in Death Valley National Park for all of the visitors. That’s frequent in the national parks. But unlike most national parks, which seem to just throw up their hands and say, “figure it out for…
Death Valley Views from Wildrose Peak!
There are a few great things about climbing Wildrose Peak in Death Valley National Park: 1) You get a great view of Death Valley, 2) You don’t need a 4×4 or high clearance vehicle to get to the trailhead, 3)…