The trails at Sylvan Lake provide some of the best views in all of South Dakota’s Black Hills. Hike the easy and flat 1.1 Lake Shore Loop around Sylvan Lake, and add in the 3.1 mile Sunday Gulch Loop for a fun but challenging hike past a creek with several small waterfalls and then up into the mountains of the Black Hills. Other trail options also include Little Devil’s Tower, my favorite viewpoint within the Black Hills, and Black Elk Peak (formerly known as Harney Peak) which is the highest point in elevation east of the Rocky Mountains. The trail to Black Elk Peak gains 1350ft, making it a tough trail. Little Devil’s Tower is shorter with less elevation, but involves a significant rock scramble at the end. There is also a spur trail to Cathedral Spires, a unique set of towering rocks.
Oberg Mountain is a 2.5-mile loop hike with a gradual elevation gain of 500ft. This is a relatively easy hike with amazing views around the entire loop of the surrounding hills, Lake Superior, and Oberg Lake.
Caribou Falls is an approximately 1-mile out-and-back hike, off of MN-61 between Tettegouche and Temperance State Parks. This is a subtly marked hike, meaning that although it is just a short distance away from the scenic highway that runs along Lake Superiors shore, you just might get to enjoy this waterfall by yourself. Enjoy the peacefulness of the Caribou River along your hike to the falls.
Vacation Ideas to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park - Plan a trip for your family.. This post includes favorite hikes, places to visit, and ideas on where to camp.
Here’s your guide to spending the day in Joshua Tree National Park. Included are trail reviews for Bajada Nature Trail, Cottonwood Springs / Mastodon Peak, Cholla Cactus Garden, Arch Rock, Skull Rock / Discovery Trail, Ryan Mountain, Hall of Horrors Slot Canyon, Cap Rock, Keys Viewpoint, Hidden Valley, Barker Dam, and Rattlesnake Canyon.
If you are considering an electric vehicle, most likely you’ve heard the term “range anxiety” meaning the driver feels insecure about how far the electric car can drive in-between charging sessions. I own a 2018 Nissan Leaf which I love, but range anxiety is real. In this post, I will share how I estimate how many miles I can drive before I need to charge when the temperatures are less than 40 deg F. I also include real data from my own driving experiences in this 2019-2020 winter.
Have you ever looked at a beautiful picture and thought to yourself, I want to go there? Have you ever convinced yourself that you actually need to go there and then planned an entire vacation around getting to be in the middle of the picture you saw? Pictures create the itinerary for my family trips. Find some inspiration for your next adventure.
Bees are responsible for one out of every three bites of food that we need, and that is a problem because the bee population has been declining 30% annually for the past 10 years. We need to step in and help re-stabilize and re-build their populations. This article includes basic information about pollination and bees, and describes the main known reasons that the bee population is declining. At the end of the article are 5 simple actions that can make a true difference for the bees - see what you can do and then encourage your family, friends, and neighbors do the same.
If you are looking for a less visited National Park, check out Great Basin National Park. Situated along America’s Loneliest Road, this National Park sees only 90,000 visitors annually, meaning you will have this park to yourself. Enjoy a tour in Lehman’s Cave, hike up to Wheeler Peak, and see the Bristlecone Pine Tree groves (the oldest type of living organism on our planet).
Badlands is one of my favorite National Parks. It is conveniently located off of I-90. Watch the sunrise at Big Badlands Overlook. Hike Notch Trail, Cliff Shelf Nature Trail, and Saddle Pass. Stop and check out the views at White River Overlook, Panorama Point, and Yellow Mounds Overlook. Watch for Mountain Sheep near Ancient Hunters Overlook. Keep an eye out for Bison near the Pinnacles entrance. Stop at the Minute Missile Site for a humbling experience learning about our nuclear warheads. Enjoy a quick supper at Wall Drug.
Capitol Reef, the lesser visited National Park of Utah’s Mighty 5, is a quiet adventure awaiting you with less crowds but just as amazing views. Our itinerary consisted of hikes at Capitol Gorge, Cohab Canyon, Sulphur Creek, and Hickman’s Bridge. We also visited nearby Goblin Valley Sate Park, a must-do if you have children.
What if society were more like nature? What if instead of trying to compete with other for who’s children are on the best sports team and who has the best job, expensive car, cleanest house, we saw what other people needed? What if we helped each other selflessly like the trees in the forest and when we looked at each other we saw the beauty of life instead of judging a difference? What if instead of creating excuses for why we deserve more than another person we took only what we needed? If we were more like nature, would we treat each other differently? Would we care for our planet differently? Would we share our resources more effectively if we thought about our survival through future generations? It would benefit us all to spend more time in wildness of nature, to feel more closely connected with it, and to see ourselves through nature’s lens.
Global Warming and Climate Change are difficult concepts to understand, but they have a real world impact on us. We need to break down the concepts into pieces and stories that we can each understand. The solutions to climate change are out there - the real problem that we need to solve is how to get people to care enough to act. We care about things we understand. This post provides a place to start your journey into understanding climate change and what we can do to make a difference.
A 3-day itinerary to Zion National Park - A guide to trails in and around Zion National Park with recommendations for travelling with children and other ideas if you are a more experienced hiker. Day 1: Kolob Canyon, Timber Creek Overlook, Kanarra Falls, and Pa’rus Trail. Day 2: Angels Landing or Upper and Lower Emerald Pools from the Kayenta Trail, Hidden Canyon, and Riverside Walk. Day 3: Canyon Overlook Trail, Pink Coral Sand Dunes State Park, and Moqui Caverns.
If you are looking for an off-the-beaten path vacation destination with beauty and adventure, spend a few days in Page, AZ. Hike to Horseshoe Bend, take a tour through Antelope Canyon and enjoy a boat ride on Lake Powell. See the Glen Canyon Dam and spend some time exploring the Glen Canyon New Wave.
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is a beautiful, rugged, and off-the-beaten path park. It’s vastness and accessibility challenges can make planning a family trip here a little daunting. Here are some tips for planning a Spring Break hiking trip to Escalante. Trail reviews of Peekaboo and Spooky Gulch, Devil’s Garden, Angel’s Palace, Toadstools, and Lower Calf Creek Falls (as well as others) are included.
