• 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.…

  • 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…