Most hikes don’t start with a boat ride. But a hike in Cascade Canyon in Grand Teton National Park does. Or at least, can. Jenny Lake The hike begins at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center and Trailhead. From here you can walk the 2 mile trail to the west side […]
National Parks
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Camping is the perfect way to unwind after a day of soaking in mountain views while exploring Grand Teton National Park. None of the individual campsites inside the park require or accept advance reservations – which can lead to a nerve wracking first day as you try to find a […]
My time at Yosemite National Park was a whirlwind. Four days was not enough time to explore the park, but I imagine that a lifetime would not be enough time. Yosemite is probably one of the most talked about and photographed parks in our national park system, but there is […]
Four Mile Trail is a misleading name. It sounds easy. Four miles isn’t that far. In reality, it’s a 4 mile hike each way with 3,200 feet in elevation gain. Four Mile Trail connects the valley floor to Glacier Point. Along the way you get full views of both the […]
In the northeast corner of Yosemite Valley lays a natural phenomenon known as Mirror Lake. A grassy, sandy meadow for much of the year becomes a still pool filled with melting snow runoff in the spring and early summer months. Mirror Lake gets its name from the near perfect reflections that can […]
If you’re looking for a flat, easy hike with breathtaking views of Yosemite Falls, walk the Lower Yosemite Falls Loop. This 1 mile paved path is the opposite of it’s Upper Yosemite Falls Trail sister. But still with remarkable views. When the sun and spray work in your favor, you’ll […]
I didn’t have too much prior knowledge about Yosemite National Park, but as I was preparing to go a friend said “Be sure to hike the Mist Trail. You’ll be surrounded by rainbows.” I did a little more research and I wasn’t looking forward to the 600+ granite steps that […]
When I was in fourth grade my family took a trip to South Carolina to visit friends who had moved there from our small town in Pennsylvania. The 10 hour journey was a BIG DEAL to me. At this point our family vacations typically consisted of quick trips to amusement […]
I thought vacations were for sleeping in. When you’re in a crowded National Park with a couple other adventurers, they’re not. Sunrise has become my favorite part of the day in parks. It’s beautiful. Quiet. Deserted. Calm. Chilly. It’s when you’ll see more animals than people. It’s when you’ll find […]
Name a US National Park. If you are like most Americans you probably named Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, or Yosemite – at least those are the Big 3 that have always come to mind for me. I couldn’t complete my #100by100 quest of seeing 100 National Parks before the Park Service […]
The Cascade Mountain Range is an icon of the Pacific Northwest. Stretching from Canada through Oregon, the Cascades parallel the coast and are responsible for the wet weather this area is known for. The Cascades are also known for creating beautiful vistas of snow capped peaks. While I was familiar […]
As part of the National Park Service Centennial Celebration, the National Mall and Memorial Parks organized a scavenger hunt to lesser visited sites throughout the National Mall area. I love games and parks and learning (#nerd) so I was excited for this. But I was also thinking it was probably […]