A Day In The Henry Mountains

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Since the Henry Mountains are practically in my backyard, I figured it was time to explore them.  I made one whole trip there last year and that was just to Star Springs Campground.  This time we ended up driving almost all of Hillers Loop around Mount Hillers.  As an introduction to the Henry’s, it.  Was.  Awesome.  Mountain views all around.  Desert views all around.  Snow.  Creeks.  An old mine.  Seriously cool.

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Bottom Of The River At Black Canyon Of The Gunnison

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Last year I went to Black Canyon of the Gunnison in Colorado for the first time.  I hadn’t even heard of it until last year and now I’ve made two trips to see the canyon.  Last time it was cold and windy and we just drove on the South Rim Road.  This year it was cold rainy, and foggy and we drove down to the river, which I would highly recommend.

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Packing List For A Seasonal National Park Job

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I had no idea what to bring for my first seasonal job and I want to help you get a better idea of what you might want or need.  If you’re just tuning in, you can read about why you should work seasonally at least once, how to find the job you want, and questions to ask your possible future employer.  This list is to help you avoid forgetting important things like pool floaties and toilet paper.

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Third Time’s The Charm: Hiking Navajo Loop (Finally)

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Bryce Canyon National Park is one of my favorites, at least after my latest visit.  If you’ve been here for a while you probably know I’ve been twice before, once a year the last three years now.  (In 2021 we stopped by again just to get a park mug!)

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mesa verde colorado

Underwhelmed At Mesa Verde National Park

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That title is just the start of a glowing review, right?  Ehh, not really.  But, I keep things real here and that means I’m here to tell you I didn’t love Mesa Verde.  That’s not to say it’s not cool at all, I just enjoyed it less than other places.  I will say though, there’s quite a bit to do here.  Long House, Balcony House, and Cliff Palace all require tours, but there are some dwellings you can see on your own, like Spruce Tree House (if it’s open, check at the visitors center) or Step House.

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what to do on lake powell

18 Pictures To Make You Add Lake Powell To Your Southwest Roadtrip Itinerary

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Lake Powell, at least North Lake Powell, usually gets passed up on Utah Road Trips.  And it shouldn’t be, for good reason.  No, it’s not great for budget trips, but it’s totally worth it to splurge on a boat rental for a day, or even to take a week and gather all your friends to split a houseboat rental.  Trust me, it’s worth it and it’s an awesome way to explore the lake.

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Wind Cave national park bison south dakota

An Afternoon With Bison In Wind Cave National Park

I don’t know how I missed it last year since I stayed 20 minutes away, but I did.  I missed Wind Cave National Park, a short drive from Hot Springs, South Dakota and a couple hours from the Badlands.  It’s neighboring Custer State Parkand close to Mount Rushmore.  I mean really, how did I miss this?  I would also say it’s an underrated national park, and much less visited than nearby Badlands.

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badlands national park south dakota

Back To The Badlands (For Real This Time)

Last year you may recall a post called Back To The Badlands when, in fact, it was my first time there.  Well, buckle up or get ready or something because I actually went back to the Badlands.  Twice.  I bet you’re already impressed and you haven’t even read about it yet.

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Wind Cave national park bison south dakota

Why South Dakota Isn’t Actually The Worst

I always saw the commercials at home for visiting South Dakota.  I always thought why would you want to go there for fun?  I always thought it was flat and boring with nothing to look at SPOILER ALERT: It’s not, that might actually be Illinois (at least until I visit again, maybe.)  Sorry, Illinois.  Sort of.  (Update 2020: It’s Indiana.  Indiana is the worst and I’m not that sorry.)  Anyways, today I’m here to tell you why South Dakota isn’t actually the worst.

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Experience Devils Tower in Wyoming

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Well, after ALL those winter posts, get it ALL like, six of them, it’s time for a little warmer weather.  The only reason there are so few posts for the whooooole winter is because I really didn’t do all that much.  It’s been pretty well covered in those.  So, onto my brief spring travels and the beginning of the summer adventures!  For a quick little catch up, I was in Wyoming for the winter (as you can see from the winter posts) then I went back to Wisconsin for like, ten days.

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moose in Grand teton national park winter

DIY Jackson Winter Wildlife Safari

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Jackson Hole is expensive.  I’m sure it can be visited on a budget, I just didn’t really do that, mostly because I was living there, not just visiting.  

BUT this is one way to save you a pretty penny on your visit to Jackson in the winter (or summer, but most of this applies to winter as I know nothing about wildlife in the area in the summer.)

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Wildlife Of the Wild West

I’ve seen so much different wildlife over the last year, it’s crazy.  Anything from bears to rattlesnakes and moose to prairie dogs.  Today I’m here to share these fun pictures with you.  They were all taken out west in the US, probably in Utah, Wyoming, or South Dakota.  Most of them have been thrown into other posts, but I wanted to make one dedicated to … Continue reading Wildlife Of the Wild West

snowshoeing at flagg ranch yellowstone

Snowshoeing At Flagg Ranch In Yellowstone In Winter

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Flagg Ranch is just outside of Yellowstone and the closest we could get without being on a snowmobile or in a snow coach.  Neither of those was in our plans, so snowshoes would have to do.  It was our first time snowshoeing (my second, but the first was in gym class in high school, so does that really count?) and we hadn’t been driving that direction yet so we figured, why not?

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