With a name like Carltonaut, it’s a given that when I’m traveling through Idaho, I need to explore Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve. The area did not disappoint, with lots of hiking trails that work for just about any age group. The popular trails are through the lava tube caves, but during…
One of the best parts of travel is finding a new area to explore on foot. While at a business conference in La Jolla, I learned of the Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, just a short drive north. I decided to spend my final afternoon exploring the best hikes at Torrey Pines before catching my…
Maui offers some very diverse landscapes. One side of the island is similar to the mountain deserts of Utah. The other is lush and green as far as the eye can see. Iao Valley State Monument is so beautiful that you’ll want to hang out for days just enjoying the steep, towering mountains and lush…
I’ve often seen these interesting photos of a really long cave just outside of Zion National Park. It’s known as the Belly of the Dragon. To me, it looks more like the colon of a dragon, but a name like that may dissuade people from checking it out. If you’re visiting Zion National Park or…
Southwest Oregon has a lot of beautiful landscapes. Crater Lake National Park is a very popular spot. The road between Crater Lake and Medford, Oregon, has several stops worth making – like the three majestic waterfalls near the town of Prospect. But there’s one spot you don’t want to miss. Natural Bridge is a two-mile…
Our family enjoyed a drive through Mount Rainier National Park on our way to Seattle. We made it a point to explore some of the simple hikes for our family on our way through. We had a wonderful time driving up the scenic mountain road, hiking among wildflowers and over snow fields, and an uphill…
I’ve heard of narrow slot canyons in Utah. I’ve even hiked through The Narrows in Zion National Park, Little Wild Horse Canyon, and Lower Antelope Canyon in Arizona. But none of those places compare to what my kids and I experienced at Zebra Slot Canyon. We’d tried to hike the canyon several summers ago, but…
Utah has some of the most unique landscapes. Red rock arches, meadows full of wildflowers, rocky mountain peaks and more. But Goblin Valley State Park is almost from another world. The nearly three-square miles of park provides visitors with room to explore. At night, the sky comes alive with stars, planets and the Milky Way….
The Rogue Valley is a beautiful area of southern Oregon. It’s a short drive from the popular Crater Lake National Park, and has a great hike for families to enjoy. Upper Table Rock is a roughly 3-mile loop trail that takes you to a volcanic plateau 800 feet above the Rogue Valley. My wife and…
Hiking in winter provides a whole new outlook on the terrain. Seeing the trees covered in snow while the sun is beating down on you is one of the great things about winter in Utah. My kids suggested we take a hike, so we did. A winter hike up and around Bells Canyon Reservoir in…
