Hiking in Elk Island National Park

When I looked up things to do in and around Edmonton, Alberta, Elk Island National Park appeared on every list. Located 35 minutes outside Edmonton, this national park provides an awesome outdoor respite from the city without requiring a huge effort to get there. We were driving from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, toward Edmonton so we decided …

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Top 5 Things to Do in Medora, North Dakota

We met my parents in Medora, North Dakota, and spent three days exploring the outdoors and getting to know the history of the town and surrounding area. I had never heard of Medora before our trip, but some quick research made it apparent there's plenty to do in and around this town. Several of the …

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Exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park

We recently met my parents in North Dakota, checking both a new state and another great national park off our list. Established in 1947 to honor its namesake and his love for the North Dakota Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt National Park comprises three park units - the north unit, south unit, and Elk Ranch unit. We …

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Visiting Indiana Dunes National Park

During our recent motorcycle trip from Wyoming to Ohio, we spent a morning at Indiana Dunes National Park. Redesignated as a national park in 2019, Indiana Dunes has been a hotspot for preservation efforts for more than 100 years. Indiana Dunes State Park, which now resides within the national park, was established in 1926, and …

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Earth Day Inspiration via Literature

I don't usually need a lot of motivation to get outdoors but sometimes I read or learn something that inspires me to try a new outdoor experience or develop an appreciation for a new aspect of nature. This Earth Day I certainly plan to #optoutside, but I'd be fooling myself to think I'll go through …

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A Half-Day in Dinosaur National Monument

As we were creating our driving route from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to West Haven, Utah, to visit our friends, we thought we'd make a loop across eastern Utah, catch up with our friends, and then circle back across Wyoming on our way home. Along our path we discovered Dinosaur National Monument, which straddles the border of …

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Hiking in Arches National Park

We recently enjoyed two days in Arches National Park, opting to visit in March ahead of the summer heat and timed entry reservations that are require from April 1 to October 31. Despite visiting during the off-season, the park was relatively busy the second day of our trip because spring break had kicked off. Note …

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