John Clairmont

Begin the run at Connor Bayou, where this adventure's directions lead to. You will follow the Idema Explorers trail into the woods, where you will wind around for about 0.4 miles. As soon as you exit the woods, continue to follow the paved trail that leads to the left along the road. After another half mile, you will reach a parking lot just before the bridge. Pass the lot and take a left up th...

Windmill Island features an authentic and operational Dutch windmill called "De Zwaan" (The Swan) as well as gardens planted with over 100,000 tulips. The windmill was built in 1761 and moved to Holland in 1964. Notably, this windmill is not only the oldest authentic, working Dutch windmill in the United States, but it is also the last windmill to ever have left the Netherlands.  Begin your tri...

The Cumberland Falls State Resort Park is home to several waterfalls, with the Cumberland Falls being the largest, most prominent, and most well known. It is also called the Niagara of the South due to its size and volume of water flow. It is famous for being the only place in the Western Hemisphere where a moonbow (rainbow caused by moonlight) is regularly seen, and access to the falls is open...

Each year in May this festival is held all across Holland, Michigan, with schedules of attractions, flowerbed locations, and additional information found at the Tulip Time website. It is well known internationally and has been awarded Best Flower Festival, America’s Best Small Town Festival, and the 2017 – 2018 Tulip Festival of the Year.  If you're familiar with tulips you know that some bloom...

This loop was a phenomenal trip for a beginner/intermediate canoe group. There are longer or shorter trips that can start in the same area, so get creative and draft a schedule that works best for your group! The Lakes: Beautiful and clear, quite deep. The paddling is mostly easy, although you may battle some winds across the bigger lakes. We happened to be out on the first lake during a heavy ...

You will need to take a ferry to the island to access this hike, but the fare is cheap and is worth it for a day trip. This hike starts at the very popular (and thus usually crowded) Arch Rock and takes you halfway across the island to British Landing. Even with the initial crowds, you should be able to capture some great pictures at Arch Rock without people getting in the way. Once you begin ...

This built-to-scale ark is absolutely flooded with information and interactive exhibits for all ages. It was an awesome experience walking through and learning about the culture and technology of the time period, both pre-and post-flood. You can learn things such as how the ark was built, what features it had to keep occupants safe and dry, how the animals fit, what cultures around the world ha...

Unicoi State Park is a pleasant, refreshing park just outside of Helen, GA. There is a hiking trail, kayaking/canoeing launch, paddle boat rentals, camping area, and even a 3 segment zipline course (all three were fantastic)! Fishing is allowed, and when we went last there were a few kayakers fishing along a bank of the lake. There are bathroom facilities and a park office on-site. There are se...

Holland State Park has a variety of activities available, the most prominent of course being swimming and relaxing on the beach. You can lay out towels and sunbathe, throw a frisbee or football in the large sand area away from the water, or play sand volleyball on one of the many courts. There is also a basketball court and a few good trees to set up hammocks. When the conditions are right I've...

Brown County State Park is made for mountain biking. There are literally more mountain biking designated trails than there are hiking trails, though you can hike on the mountain biking trails if you're aware of your surroundings and willing to jump out of the way for bikers.  At the time of publishing this adventure, there are 4 beginner trails, 4 intermediate trails, 3 advanced trails, and 3 ...

Hard Truth Distilling Company only just opened in 2015, and already they have experienced massive growth. There are good reasons for this- their spirits are fantastic, the indoor tour still has the "small company" vibe, and they offer ATV tours of the area around the distillery! The indoor tour includes a spirit tasting where you are allowed to select any three of their spirits to try. I highly...

This pavilion is one of the key features along the New Jersey section of the Appalachian Trail. There is a parking lot a very short hike part way down the mountain, but I recommend backpacking in from a different area to take in more of the beauty of the trail, mountains, and views in this area. Depending on the time of year, you may encounter resting thru-hikers who are willing to share their ...

Of course, you can come any time of the year, this is always a lovely small park! It is guaranteed to be crowded and cost money (unless you have the Ottawa County park pass) in the summer, though, and I've had better luck with parking and personal space at Holland State Park. I've found that the fall is the perfect time to enjoy the sunset and the waves here without getting lost in the crowds a...

Start your adventure by parking along the road or by the church. Head north up what initially looks like a driveway, though you'll want to stay to the right and follow the path. From there keep following the path straight, and when in doubt follow the red/white blazes or the signs for the cross (croce). The path is fairly wide, and you may have to share it with bikers at times since this is jus...

Take the whole family out on an afternoon adventure to Bill Yeck Park!  This park has over 6 miles of hiking trails, spanning all levels of difficulty and terrain, including pavement, crushed gravel, mowed grass, and dirt paths. They range from 0.5 miles (red trail) to 3.0 miles (yellow trail), with the longest one following and crossing over Sugar Creek several times. If you enjoy hiking or ba...

This is one of the best preserved structures of its kind. Originally used for gladiatorial battles, jousts, and circuses, the arena is still in use today but hosts slightly different events. There are mainly operas and concerts held here now, but in 2026 there will be a Winter Olympics closing ceremony! Guided tours are available if you plan far enough ahead, or you could attend one of the many...

Before you get your hopes up too much, I do need to disclose that the castle grounds are barbed-wire fenced and off limits. Hence why this adventure is focused on photographing the castle, not exploring it. The castle was originally built to control the valley floor paths running in the area, with the more popular castle in Soave also supporting this endeavor. You can get some great pictures f...

The start and end of this adventure is at the dead end of Holly Drive. There is a small boat launch parking lot that sometimes has a porta-john, although I would not count on it. You can kayak upstream (to the right) to enjoy a peaceful paddle around and through the reeds, and I have seek many muskrats up that way. This adventure focuses on paddling the ever increasing difficulty that downstrea...

St. Louis is well known for this monument, which was built as a monument to those who had explored the frontiers and enabled the western expansion of the United States. It towers over the city skyline, demanding to be noticed and claiming its dominance. The Arch is located in Gateway Arch National Park, a riverfront plot of land with small ponds, trails, some parking areas (though you may need ...

Beginning in Rocky Mountain National Park near the Deer Ridge Junction (where US 34 & US 36 meet), park your car in one of the 20 spots on either side of the road. Start at the trailhead booth and head north, keeping to the right-side trail at the first intersection about a tenth of a mile from the start (following South Deer Mountain Trail). You'll follow the very obvious trail, skirting a...

You'll walk on the concrete pier just barely out of reach of the waves (for the most part), allowing for some pretty cool wave and shoreline photos. An occasional wave may wash over low areas of the pier, so always be alert! Also, be careful of the slippery algae, especially close to the edges. There are ladders if you accidentally fall in the water, but the waves can be pretty rough here so it...

This course has some tough points, especially with some water hazards, but for the most part is very forgiving. In many places you can retrieve any discs you lose to the creek, and there aren't any areas of dense thicket or tall grasses that are prone to hide discs so well. Most of the holes are par 3, and I appreciate the variety as each hole is quite interesting and distinct. There are elevat...

Just a short hike down from the parking lot lies a half mile of cliffside full of climbing opportunities! Plenty of variety for different skill levels, although someone in your group will need to lead climb to set up the route first. There are hooks already in place on each route, and you are not allowed to drill and add more. Top rope climbing is also not allowed here. When we came, the parkin...

The perspective here is vastly different from other areas in Rocky Mountain National Park as Moraine Park is essentially a large, very flat valley surrounded by tall mountains. You'll want to come during the elks' rutting season, which is between mid-September and mid-October. Park at the lot on South Moraine Road, just off of Bear Lake Road. There will be a large gated fence here that is used ...