• ILLINOIS,  Road Trips

    Starved Rock State Park, Illinois

    Starved Rock State Park Illinois has some remarkable parks, Matthiessen, Buffalo Rock, and Starved Rock State Park are all within a few miles of each other along the Illinois River. Utica Illinois is a small town in Northern Illinois in La Salle County about an Hour and Forty-five minute drive from Chicago. This is a relatively low elevation hike with several trails that loop and twist around each other. There are waterfalls, like this one throughout the park. Some trails like the French Canyon have water you will have to walk through, others have elevated paths and railings. No matter your hiking level, this place has a path for you.…

  • Road Trips,  UTAH

    McConkie Ranch Petroglyphs

    Hiking McConkie Ranch Petroglyphs Visiting Vernal Utah is a unique experience and one of the best day trips in the area is hiking the McConkie Ranch Petroglyphs. They’re a fabulous representation of the Fremont People’s petroglyphs and has 200 feet of ancient native American art. It is owned and maintain by the family who owns the land so be respectful of the properties around the trail. They don’t have to allow people to visit and if people are destructive they will close it down to the public. For now, it’s open. Address: 6228 McConkie Rd, Vernal, UT 84078Trail Distance: .8 MilesDog Friendly: Yes, on leash Directions Take a screen shot of…

  • COLORADO,  Road Trips

    Great Sand Dunes National Park

        Great Sand Dunes National Park According to Outsideonline National Parks and National Monuments are distinguished by why they are being protected. “National parks are protected due to their scenic, inspirational, education, and recreational value. National monuments have objects of historical, cultural, and/or scientific interest.” The Great Sand Dunes National Park was designated on September 24, 2004. That being said, Great Sand Dunes is small by comparison but should be identified as a National Park simply because it’s one hell of a view. GSD is the largest Sand dune in North America, and reaches an outstanding 750 feet high. It’s very bizarre to be driving along southern Colorado, and…

  • Road Trips,  UTAH

    Wind Caves Trail, Logan Canyon

    Wind Caves Trail Of all the gorgeous canyons in Utah, Logan Canyon is one of my all time favorites. There’s so many beautiful views, the river is a great spot for fishing and camping and the hiking is spectacular. One of the most popular hikes in the canyon is the Wind Caves trail. Directions Wind Caves TrailTrail: 1.8 Miles, 3.6 round trip.Elevation gain: 1,000 feetGPS Coordinates: 42.231659281533. -111.5598479379 There are two locations to start. Logan, Utah, or Bear Lake, UT. I’ve posted directions for both. Phone signal in the canyon can be unreliable so take a screen shot of the one that works best for you.   Starting In Logan,…

  • Road Trips,  UTAH

    Bear Lake Paris Ice Cave

    Bear Lake Ice Cave Bear Lake is one of the most underrated vacation spots in the western US. It has it all, great water, old-fashioned restaurants, good people, and the view. Oh, goodness that view. The water is so clear and blue it’s ideal for photos and any road trip bucket list must include the Bear Lake Ice Cave Ice Cave While you’re there one of the least known destinations is the Paris Ice Cave. There’s always ice in this small cavern. I felt it cool immediately, even after one of the hottest summers on record the size of the ice chunk was surprising. Directions If you want to visit…