Hiking in Badlands National Park

We spent the majority of our trip to Wyoming and South Dakota meeting with property managers to scout rentals in places where we thought we might want to move. However, equally as important was the time we dedicated to exploring the surrounding areas to see what we liked more holistically about each place. I was …

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Black Hills Hikes

Although I've been to the Black Hills National Forest before, our recent trip was my first time tackling a few hikes in the area around Spearfish, South Dakota. Brian found three hikes all accessible from a central parking area behind the Spearfish Canyon Lodge (don't accidentally park at the lodge, which is for customers only!). …

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Belize ATM Tour: What to Know

One of the highlights of our trip to Belize was exploring Actun Tunichil Muknal, the Maya archaeological site known locally as ATM. While there were many different cave excursions available throughout the Cayo District, the ATM tour was situated in the 'extreme adventure' category in our hotel's caving options and there was no question this …

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Sunrise on the Summit: Haleakalā National Park

When we decided to take a long weekend trip to Maui, there were two things we prioritized - driving the Road to Hana, and hiking in Haleakalā National Park. One of the most referenced national park experiences was viewing sunrise from the summit of Haleakalā volcano at 10,000 feet. You need a reservation for this …

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Adventures in Maui: Driving the Pi’ilani Highway

When we decided to drive the Road to Hana during our recent trip to Maui, I decided we would make a big loop of the southeastern area of the island, traveling the Road to Hana, staying in Hana, and then driving the Pi'ilani Highway back to upcountry Maui. I read quite a bit in advance …

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Hiking in Haleakalā National Park

An advantage of driving the Road to Hana and making a complete loop around the southeastern side of Maui was hiking in the small, publicly accessible section of Kīpahulu Valley Biological Reserve in Haleakalā National Park. The Effort to Protect Kīpahulu ValleyIn 1969 ... The Nature Conservancy (TNC) purchased close to 10,000 acres of land …

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Morning Hikes in Saguaro National Park’s East Side

During our recent weekend getaway to sunny Arizona, we spent some time in both the western and eastern sections of Saguaro National Park. Much of what I read online focused on the western side of the park / Tucson Mountain District. I think people prioritize that side because of the big cacti forests: While similar …

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