United States

The Siletz Bay region of Lincoln City offers a wide variety of activities. With miles of public beach, there is a lot to see and explore. Despite being the "quiet" part of town, getting here and finding parking will be your biggest issue this whole trip. Parking although free, is very limited, so yo...

Clackamette Park is known for its prime destination right off of the freeway and across from Oregon City's most popular shopping area, but it's frequented for its public boat dock, RV facilities, and handicap-accessible picnic benches. While the rest of Portland's parks freeze over or flood, Clackam...

The trail features a waterfall and is open year-round, but is best used in the spring. Remember to bring $15 cash for the parking fee. The Laguna Beach trail is shared by trail runners, mountain bikers, hikers, and the occasional horseback rider. Dogs are not allowed in Crystal Cove State Park.

The trailhead is located at the Willow Creek Horse Camp. This trail doesn't allow motorized vehicles but you may share it with some horses depending on when you venture onto the trail. The trail itself is pretty easy, it will take about 1.5-2 hours depending on your pace and is shaded for about half...

If you have already stepped foot into Wrangell-St. Elias, you probably arrived via bush plane or by heroically navigating the relentlessly brutal, pothole smothered McCarthy Road. Once across the Kennecott River footbridge, you must take the shuttle from the river's edge to Kennecott (NB: the shuttl...

Mistletoe State park encompasses 15 miles of hiking trails that lead both along Clarks Hill Lake and the river adjacent to it. Although not a necessarily strenuous hike, the 2-mile Cliatt Creek Nature Loop (white blaze) begins at the park’s nature center and features some amazing wildlife as it loop...

Near the border of South Dakota in Minnesota, 30 minutes north of I-90 on County Route 23 or State Route 75 is the historic town of Pipestone. From the center of town heading north on Hiawatha Avenue is the entrance into Pipestone National Monument. Entrance into the monument is free, but may be sub...

From downtown Kodiak drive southeast on W Rezanof Dr, turn onto Anton Larson Bay Rd north towards Buskin Lake. Follow Anton Larson Rd over the Red Cloud River Bridge and there will be a small turnout to park on just after the bridge. Look to your left and you will see a trail cutting through the sal...

It's just a short walk to the beach on this protruding point in Lopez Sound, and all downhill. Immediately upon leaving the trailhead, you come to a junction. Turn right and make a beeline straight for the picnic area at the base of the Spit. Time to explore the Spit. If the tide is high, stick to t...

Lower Dewey Lake is located in the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park near Skagway Alaska. The hike to the lake has a few steep switchbacks and you should plan on it taking about 1-2 hours. There are trails to extend your hike if you want to walk around the lake, to hike to Upper Dewey Lake...

You'll pick up the Lady of the Lake Ferry in downtown Chelan. Take the slowboat or the faster version, and prepare to settle in to an incredibly scenic and enjoyable ride up the 50 mile long Lake Chelan (the largest lake in the state by any measure). Don't forget to wear your sunblock if you sit on ...

Along the downtown Santa Fe plaza, you will run into an obvious architectural beauty. It's the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis de Assisi. It's placed perfectly in the plaza where the sunset will make the massive structure glow or have interesting shadows cast off its facade. The cathedral itself i...

Shelf Road, which was once a toll road from Cripple Creek to Canon City, is now a maintained dirt road that most high clearance two wheel drive cars can make. It will take over an hour to travel the 25 miles or so, and it can be completed going from north to south or the opposite. I will explain the...

The area directly below Lee's Ferry campground is known as the Paria Riffle and Beach. The Paria is a small river that feeds into the Colorado River just north of the campground. Just park at the campground parking lot next to the river and walk a short distance to the sandy beach area where you can...

Southern Idaho offers a lot of unique places to go photograph, but not all places have as good of a spot for astrophotography as Balanced Rock State Park does. Because this spot is quite a ways out from the towns, you don't have a lot of light pollution which allows you to see all of the stars in th...

Harriman State Park offers two yurts that are tucked just inside of the park entrance: Cygnet and Wyethia. With the exception of ADA accessibility, they are both identical in size and amenities. Cygnet is the first Yurt on your right side as you pull down the drive, and Wyethia is a few hundred feet...