Crystal Sibson

There are many legends of a lost gold and buried treasures within the Superstition Mountains of Arizona.  The most famous is the story of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine.  In the 1840's, the Peralta family from Northern Mexico mined rich gold ore from the area.  In 1848 during one of the families expeditions to bring the gold back to Mexico, the miners and their crew were allegedly ambushed, corner...

Dolphin Bay, locally known as Laguna Bocatoriti, is popular boating destination in Bocas del Toro and for good reason. The bay hosts pods of dolphins throughout most of the year. June and July are especially good for spotting dolphins as the rougher seas surrounding the islands make the calm waters of the bay more appealing. The bay is surrounded by mangrove trees which draw an abundance of sma...

Skulls and bones of thousands of soldiers line the walls of Ossario di San Martino.  The small chapel houses over 1200 skulls and thousands of other bones that belonged to fallen soldiers who fought in the battle of San Martino during the Second Italian War of Independence.  It was one of the bloodiest battles fought by Northern Italians.  In addition to the Ossuary, a tower and museum were als...

Boca del Drago is one of the best beaches on the island, though the surf can be rough at times. This beach is on the Northern end of the island so its not as protected from the large swells in the open ocean. Just offshore from the beach is a patchy coral and sand sea bottom that offers good snorkeling when the sea is calm and the water clear. There is also a nearby restaurant and snack bar so ...

A private trail just outside of La Fortuna, Costa Rica has a high concentration of sloths that can often be spotted along the short hike. The land here is very dense with vegetation making it a perfect home for the sloth. Most of the land surrounding this 9 hectares lot has been cleared for farming or development.   The sloth tour is located just off the side of the highway between Arenal Volca...

Bird Island is a very small rocky island covered in lush vegetation.  It's famous for being a tropical bird sanctuary.  Many native and migratory bird species nest here.  This is the only place in Panama where you can see the red-billed chough, famous for its long tail feathers. It is also one of only 3 places in the Panamanian Caribbean where the brown booby and red-billed tropic bird can be ...

Due to a geothermically heated underground river, the area surrounding Arenal Volcano has an abundance of hot springs. The majority of these hot springs are in expensive resorts that have tapped into the underground river to create a variety of mineral rich soaking pools. One of the areas best kept secrets is the free hot spring river, Rio Chollin. This is the same river that flows through one ...

For centuries the Agate Bridge, a 110 ft stone log, has laid across an arrow withstanding corrosion from the elements.  The stone log is harder than the surrounding sandstone that it's perched upon.  The sandstone is slowly eroding away around this natural bridge. making it vulnerable to collapse.  In 1911 a group of conservationists felt that the Agate Bridge needed architectural support and i...

This is probably one of the most scenic drives in the Petrified Forest National Park.  From the main road, the loop is only three miles long.  There are many pullouts along the loop where you can get out of your vehicle to snap some photos.  You will see many large pieces of petrified wood strewn across the landscape.  You will also find information signs posted along the loop explaining the hi...

Zebra slot canyon is located in the heart of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument in southern Utah. The trail takes you through sandy washes to one of the areas most popular slot canyons to photograph and explore. The hike starts from the parking lot along Hole-In-The-Rock road. Hole-In-The-Rock is an unpaved road that can become impassible when wet. The trail starts across the street f...

The television series of Gunsmoke was an American classic.  635 episodes aired on prime time television over the course of twenty years, from 1955 to 1975.  The movie set was the largest set constructed in the Kanab area.  After the filming ended, the buildings were not maintained and became heavily damaged.  Due to the state of disrepair, you can no longer access the buildings.  However, they ...

The Moccasin Mountain Dinosaur Tracksite is one of the most diverse track sites in North America.  The site contains hundreds of fossilized tracks from at least five different species of dinosaur.  The tracks have been preserved since the early Jurassic period dating back to approximately 180 million years ago when the site was an oasis.  The footprints have been revealed by the erosion of the ...

Playa Puerto Viejo is a beach in the heart of Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. It's a great place to come relax on the beach, swim or catch the sunset. Just off shore there is the remains of an old shipwreck which is fun to photograph. There's also many venders, shops and restaurants in the area that cater to tourists.  Information on Parking:The beach is in the town or Puerto Viejo where the main roa...

Playa Negra is a beautiful blank sand beach in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. Just off shore there is the remains of an old barge shipwreck that is slowly being reclaimed by nature. The barge is heavily rusted with grass and even a tree growing out if it. The sand is incredibly fine and can be quite hot in the sun. This is a beautiful spot to catch the sunset as the barge makes for some great photog...

Grosvenor Arch is a sandstone double arch located in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.  The arch is named after Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, a president of the National Geographic Society.  To reach the arch, park in the trailhead parking lot off Last Chance Creek Road.  The arches are visible from the parking lot, but you can get a closer view by following the well marked trail to the b...

The Superstition Wilderness is a vast rugged landscape where you can find the cultural remains of ancient Hohokam, Salado, Apache, and Yavapais tribes.  Rogers Canyon Trail takes you to one of the most impressive and best preserved archaeological sites this region has to offer.  These Salado ruins can be found in a series of caves 4 miles into the canyon.   The trailhead starts from the Rogers ...

Colorful lights aluminate the path as it winds its way through the cave to a viewing platform next to the waterfall. The waterfall is so high that you can't see the top from this view point. There is another viewing platform 40 meters above this one. To get to the upper platform go back out of the cave and follow a trail that leads up the mountainside and through a tunnel. After exploring the c...

Hoodoo's are unique rock formations formed over many years by erosion.  In this region, the hoodoos are formed through a process called frost wedging.  This is the process of repeated freeze thaw cycles.  As snow melts the water seeps between the cracks in the rocks then freezes at night when the temperatures drop.  The water expands as it freezes slowly widening the cracks.  This region can ha...

Wild horses have roamed the banks of the lower Salt River since long before the Tonto National Forest was created in 1902.  It is thought that these wild horses have descended from a herd brought to the area by a Spanish missionary in the 1600's.   In 2015 the United States Forest Service had put out a notice of intent to remove all free-range horses from the area.  This notice provoked strong...

The Rio Celeste in northern Costa Rica is most notably known for the famous Rio Celeste Waterfall in Tenorio Volcano National Park. The river has a distinctive turquoise blue color that makes it a popular tourist destination. The best way to experience this river is by tubing down the river through several kilometers of dense rainforest jungle.    You are not allowed to swim in the river within...

The Pantheon is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome famous for its large circular domed cella.  Since the Renaissance, there have been several important burials here, including Raphael the famous painter. Many relics and priceless pieces of art are on display to visitors.  The Pantheon receives millions of tourists every year. An earlier temple commissioned by Marcus Agrippa s...

The Pacuare River flows 67 miles through the jungles of Costa Rica into the Caribbean Sea.  The river is popular for white water rafting, kayaking and river boating.  It is considered by National Geographic to be one of the best and most scenic rivers in the world for rafting.  The lush jungles surrounding the river are home to many exotic animal species such as the jaguar, monkeys, ocelots, an...

Located just outside of Zion National Park's boundaries, Lamb's Knoll is a popular destination among adventure seekers. This area is unique as it offers routes for both climbing and canyoneering. Perfect for beginners, the canyoneering routes at Lamb's Knoll are half day routes that takes you through a slot canyon after a series of rappels.  Lamb's Knoll is a popular canyoneering site for many ...

The drive from Monteverde to La Fortuna/Arenal can be a long one.  Fortunately the waterfalls at Viento Fresco are located halfway between these two popular tourist destinations, giving you the perfect opportunity to stretch your legs and go for a swim. The waterfalls are on private property and requires an entrance fee of $16 to visit.  There is an office/restaurant along Route 145 where you c...