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Category: National Parks

Death Valley Travel Guide: Our Favorite Places (and Where We Wish We’d Gone)

Death Valley Travel Guide: Our Favorite Places (and Where We Wish We’d Gone)

Death Valley. The name alone conjures visions of a desolate wasteland strewn with the bones of unfortunate wildlife and a few lonely tumbleweeds rolling in the wind. While we did drive through a dust storm to reach Death Valley National Park, what we found was a place teeming with geological marvels, diverse terrain, and one of the cutest wildlife encounters we’ve had yet. Pin this post for later > Why is it Called Death Valley Anyway? Before we get into…

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Fall in The Rockies

Fall in The Rockies

Phew! It’s been a busy 7 weeks since we hit the road again in Stan the Tan Van. You already know about hiking the Badlands or as Tom likes to call them, the Radlands (Instagram stories peeps, you know what I’m talking about). This week we’re sharing an update on exactly what we’ve been up to and announcing some changes to the blog. Pin this post for later > Fall in and Around the Rocky Mountains After spending time in…

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Badlands Hiking Trail Guide

Badlands Hiking Trail Guide

There is a hike for everyone at Badlands National Park. That’s right I’m saying it, “Get out of your car and take a hike!” No, seriously, while the drive through the park is amazing, Badlands is a place to hit the trail and kick up some dust. Whether you’re looking for a short hike on the boardwalk or a trek though towering spires and flat-topped buttes, this Badlands Hiking Trail Guide will help you find your perfect hike (or hikes)….

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7 Ways to be a Good National Park Visitor

7 Ways to be a Good National Park Visitor

(AKA How to Not be an A$$ in Nature) It’s that wonderful time of year when the days are long and the sun is hot. Summer has always been my favorite season—promising road trips, camping adventures, and many hours in nature. It’s also the busiest time of year at national parks. We’ve already shared some tips for finding solitude in the parks this summer, but with rising national park visitation, comes an increased human impact on these beautiful places. Here’s…

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How to Find Solitude in the National Parks this Summer

How to Find Solitude in the National Parks this Summer

We’re taking a little break from European posts this week to talk about something really important—how to get away from people. I don’t mean you should become a hermit and live in a van down by the river…oh wait…maybe I do? Kidding aside, if you’re planning to explore the national parks this summer, you likely don’t want to spend your vacation shuffling through a mob of sweaty visitors. Instead you’ll want to find solitude in the expansive vistas, quiet trails,…

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Utah Road Trip Itinerary – 2 Weeks in the Mighty 5 National Parks

Utah Road Trip Itinerary – 2 Weeks in the Mighty 5 National Parks

If you’re having déjà vu, (look we already picked up some French😉) you’re not alone. This two week Utah road trip itinerary is a combination of our one week eastern and western national park itineraries. We thought it’d be helpful to have all the details in one place and timeline recommendations for each destination. Plus, we’ve added more awesome things to do in each national park and new photos. If you have 2 weeks to travel around the stunning state…

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Utah Road Trip Itinerary – 1 Week in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks

Utah Road Trip Itinerary – 1 Week in Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks

Last month we published a one-week Utah road trip itinerary for Arches and Canyonlands. Today we’re thrilled to share a Zion and Bryce Canyon itinerary all about what to do in Utah’s western national parks. Zion is one of the most visited national parks in the U.S., for good reason. It’s a vibrant oasis of majestic cliffs, rumbling rivers, and lush vegetation in the middle of the desert. Bryce Canyon (which isn’t a canyon at all—but an amphitheater) is our…

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Mangroves and Manatees – What to do in Everglades National Park

Mangroves and Manatees – What to do in Everglades National Park

A couple of weeks ago we hit the road again with Stan the Tan Van. Our destination? The sunny Florida Everglades. We had high hopes of replenishing our vitamin D and diminishing our resemblance to a couple of pasty vampires. Even though on our first night, I came down with my second bought of flu this season (looks like there’s a flu shot in my future from now on), it felt so good to be back on the road again….

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Utah National Parks Itinerary – 1 Week in Arches and Canyonlands

Utah National Parks Itinerary – 1 Week in Arches and Canyonlands

We promised more itineraries this year so we’re really excited to share this post all about Arches and Canyonlands National Parks with you! It’s the first in a series of Utah road trip itineraries focused on the National Parks. We’ve written a lot about Utah already but it’s such a remarkable place that we think everyone should visit at least once. There are glittering rivers edged with lush green trees cutting through vibrant multi-colored monoliths of rock. There are cool…

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How to Spend 2 Days in Arches National Park

How to Spend 2 Days in Arches National Park

Arches National Park may just be the most iconic place in all of Utah. Delicate Arch particularly gets a lot of limelight. It’s even featured on the state’s license plates. This is just one of the astounding formations in this surreal park that boasts the highest concentration of arches in the world. I’ve seen a bunch of 1-day itineraries for Arches. While it’s a small park compared to some of the giants like Glacier or Yellowstone we think that you…

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