The naturally forming rocks at Arches National Park makes this a memorable place to visit. Because the trails in Arches are short, I was able to combine several hikes into a day, experience much of the park in two days, still not feel exhausted, and visit the three other National Parks nearby.
Glacier National Park gives new meaning to wilderness and was the place I most anticipated experiencing on my road trip. Unfortunately, the wildfires of 2018 interrupted my plans for a three-day adventure. I still managed to see some of the beauty of this magical place - Grinnell Glacier, Going-to-the-Sun Road, Logan Pass, and countless wildlife!
Bryce Canyon National Park neighbors Zion but offers a dramatically different experience. It was an experience to walk (and ride a horse for the first time!) among the famous hoodoos, magical-looking sand structures that cover Bryce. Unfortunately, I didn’t get experience the other hiking adventures Bryce offers because a wildfire closed most of the park.
Zion National Park’s slot canyons, sandstone formations, and rock walls make a spectacular background for a range of adventures. Rocking climbing and canyoneering are popular and well worth experiencing. Zion is also a hiker's paradise with Narrows, a hike in the Virgin River, and the steep and dizzying climb to Angel’s Landing among the most famous.
I ran through a range of emotions climbing up to Half Dome, one of the most recognizable rock faces in Yosemite, holding onto wobbly cables - excitement, awe, fear, anxiety, and exhaustion! And I’d still argue this hike should be on the Yosemite hike list for most people.
Winter came early to Yellowstone (in August!), so I scrapped my hiking plans and opted to drive the much of the loop of Yellowstone National Park. Known for its thermal features, grizzly covered backcountry, stunning waterfalls, and large lakes, it is hard to capture the adventure possibilities of Yellowstone in one blog post.
I spent five weeks on road tripping and adventuring on the west coast. Some highlights of the trip: hiking in snow (Mt. Rainier), sand (Great Sand Dunes), and water (Zion), getting dizzy on a rock face (Yosemite), nearly fainting from heat (Death Valley), and almost encountering a grizzly (Glacier). And the great wildfires of 2018…
On my way to Yellowstone, I made an unplanned stop at Split Rock in Wyoming. The rock outcroppings are feet from the parking lot and offer panoramic views of mountains for miles. The area is also full of history - a major stop for travelers on the Oregon Trail and riders of the Pony Express.
During our road trip this summer, we’re visiting and camping at some of the most popular National Parks in the country. While it’s an amazing experience, camping in National Parks, particularly established campgrounds in popular ones, require advance planning. Given the ground we’re covering in five weeks, we mostly opted to stay in these places... Continue Reading →
National Parks are a popular summer destination, so planning a trip to one much less several requires meticulous and early planning. Ricardo and I started planning our trip in mid-February, which is a little later than advised. It gave us enough time to apply for hiking permits but we were behind on making camp reservations,... Continue Reading →
Hiking Misadventures 