Yellowstone National Park is one of the most unique places in the entire world. With its steaming geysers and other geothermal features, impressive waterfalls, incredible wildlife, and epic hiking and camping opportunities, it's no wonder the park draws well over four million visitors each year. Also unsurprisingly, one of the most popular Montana bucket list adventures is Yellowstone whi[...]
Few U.S. destinations are quite as iconic as Colorado mountain towns. The Rocky Mountains carve jaw-dropping, dramatic landscapes throughout the state, creating stunning vistas, year-round outdoor recreation opportunities (seriously, if you're not into hiking or rafting, you probably shouldn't visit), and charming, historic mountain communities.Interestingly, each of the best mountain town[...]
One of South Dakota’s Great 8, Badlands National Park is paradise on Earth for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. A rugged, beautiful-in-its-own-way paradise, yes, but paradise nonetheless.The park is full of the colorful namesake badlands formations, vast prairies, and tons of unique wildlife — bison and bighorn sheep, in particular. To best explore this otherworldly landscape, e[...]
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is one of those parks you can visit over and over again and never have the same experience twice. Perhaps that's why it's consistently the most visited national park in the country...by a LOT. GSMNP welcomes at least 12 million visitors a year, whereas runner-up Zion in Utah draws "just" five million. The park's 522,427 acres are divided be[...]
Are you a National Park Annual Pass holder?If not, and you're one of the 327.5 million people who visited a national park last year, you likely spent a substantial amount on admission fees alone.The average cost to enter a U.S. national park is $30 per vehicle, but some parks charge more. Keep in mind, that's just for a single park.If you were, say, road-tripping through Utah and tackling[...]
Arizona is arguably one of the most iconic states, synonymous with the Wild Wild West and the American Southwest. Aside from being stunningly beautiful and richly historic, Arizona is also insanely diverse. Seriously, how many other places can you go from sweating in triple digits in the harsh desert to needing a jacket in the high alpine forest in just two hours?! Regardless of what[...]
Have you ever traveled somewhere and fallen way more in love with it than you expected? That was my experience with South Dakota last fall. I suspect it's not just me, though (right?) — South Dakota is unequivocally, if not largely unexpected, a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and adventurous souls. I don't want to speak for anyone else, but prior to visiting, when I thought of South[...]
In the last couple of years, more people than ever before have discovered the wonders of America's national parks. According to the National Park Service, 15 national parks set visitation records in 2020 alone! I'm thrilled that so many people have a newfound love for The Great Outdoors, but I honestly don't love the crowds. And the traffic. And having to reserve campsites as early as a[...]
I'm unquestionably adventurous, but I'm not necessarily a thrillseeker or what you'd call an adrenaline junkie. I love hiking and snorkeling, and floating the Snake River in the Tetons was one of my all-time favorite experiences — but you're not likely to catch me, say, skydiving. That's precisely why hiking Angels Landing in Zion National Park (or any other most dangerous hikes in th[...]
