Exploring Notch Trail in the Badlands National Park

Notch Trail in the Badland National Park is a 1.5-mile out-and-back hike that is loaded with adventure. It has some challenging sections, which include a ladder and walking ledge. Ultimately, the path points hikers to the “Notch” for a dramatic view of the Badlands. Meandering through the canyon to the overlook takes some physicality but […]

Read More

Castle Trail in the Badlands Might be the Best

While traveling through South Dakota on our way to Montana, we spent a couple of days at Badlands National Park. Considered the longest route in the park, the 10.3-mile out-and-back Castle Trail was definitely our favorite hike while we there. The overall elevation gain was only 305 feet, so it is relatively flat and considered […]

Read More

White Sands National Park Lives Up to Its Name

When we decided to visit the White Sands National Park, I was less than excited. I don’t know why. Fortunately, my attitude changed for the better when we pulled into the parking lot by the visitor’s center. I instantly found the white sand landscapes intriguing. The visitor’s center was not open when we arrived, but […]

Read More

Slaughter Canyon Cave Trail is Short, Steep and Beautiful

After spending the morning at Carlsbad Caverns, we decided to hike the Slaughter Canyon Cave trail in the afternoon. The trailhead is about 18-miles south of the caverns but still inside the boundaries of the national park. Interestingly, we learned about this hike from a total stranger who we met at the Carlsbad Cavern National […]

Read More

Hiking the Beehive at Acadia National Park

We feel lucky to have hiked Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park and the Beehive at Acadia National Park in the same year! I personally don’t know anyone who can make that claim because they are on opposite sides of the United States. That said, I’m sure there are others who have also achieved this […]

Read More

The Exhilarating Hike to Angels Landing is Special

Our climb to Angels Landing in Zion National Park is a story we laugh about. We were determined to get to the trail early and hike to the top before the crazy crowds of people arrived. Zion National Park is an incredibly busy place. On a daily basis, the park seems to welcome in more […]

Read More

Amazing Splendor at Bryce Canyon

We found amazing splendor at Bryce Canyon National Park. As first time visitors, the cathedral of spires and rock formations were beyond our imagination. Bryce Canyon was the fourth of eight national parks we visited on our trip and it was unlike any of the other parks we had seen. The splendor was undeniable. Sizing […]

Read More

Peekaboo Trail at Canyonlands is Remarkable

Today, we are in the southern section of the Canyonlands National Park called the Needles. After studying the maps and reading descriptions of the hiking trails, we chose to hike Peekaboo Trail at Canyonlands. As it turned out, this is one of the best hikes in the park according to people we spoke to. The […]

Read More

Hiking In Arches National Park

This is our first trip to Utah to visit the Fabulous 5 National Parks and many of their state parks. Arches National Park was our first stop. It is an amazing place. Even though we took several pictures, it is hard to capture the size, beauty, and magnitude of these arches. We arrived early on […]

Read More

Alum Cave Bluff in The Great Smoky Mountains

Hiking to Alum Cave Bluff in the Smoky Mountains was an adventure, just like many of our hikes.  The beginning of this trail is flat and goes through and old hardwood forest. Following the Alum Cave Creek for about a mile, we bragged about how easy the trail was and how fast we were going […]

Read More

Yellowstone National Park

We spent several days in Yellowstone National Park this summer. Our goal was to experience as much of the park as we could while there. This meant each day we arrived to the park early in the morning and left late in the day. We learned quickly arriving early to the park has its advantages. […]

Read More

The Pelican Valley Trail in Yellowstone National Park

On our last day in Yellowstone National Park, we opted to exit the park out of the east entrance. We got an early start that day and decided to have one more hike before leaving. We chose the Pelican Valley Tail. Over the course of the prior three days, we had visited most of areas […]

Read More

The Cades Cove Bike Ride

A Cove is a relative flat valley between mountains or ridges.  Interestingly, Cades Cove is in the southern part of the Appalachian Mountain Range and also part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Cades Cove is an 11-mile, one-way loop that winds in the valley. The wild life and an old community history can […]

Read More