Results for "zion"

3 Reasons The Watchman is the Best Trail at Zion National Park

The Watchman Trail in Zion National Park is the most underrated and overlooked trail in the system. That’s to your disadvantage. It may be my favorite of all the hikes in the park. Now, hear me out. I have my reasons. Zion is a hiker’s park. Unlike most other national parks, if you’re going to Zion, chances are you’re also a hiker of some level. Sure you could just drive through and look at the glorious bright red-orange mountains, but...

Kolob Canyon Overlook

Experience a Surprise at Zion’s Emerald Pools

An unexpected surprise awaits hikers at Zion’s Emerald Pools in Zion National Park, Utah. I hiked the Kayenta Trail to the Emerald Pools. The park has 12 trails in Zion Canyon that most visitors traverse, and this one is popular because it’s pretty easy but unique and quick to tack on after one of the more extensive hikes like Angel’s Landing or the Narrows. This trail is listed on the park map as a 1.5-hour hike on an unpaved path...

Monument Valley road

Take an Epic Drive Through Monument Valley in Utah and Arizona

When I took the scenic route toward Monument Valley along US 191 from Moab down into Arizona, I had no idea of the surreal, almost magical drive that awaited me. I’ve been to Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, the Grand Canyon and many other places in the area considered among the most beautiful, but none compared to the simple majesty of Monument Valley. I think perhaps the beauty comes from the simplicity that we so seldom find in today’s world. There...

A white lighthouse sits amid pine street and rugged rocky coast next to the ocean

10 Unique Things About Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park is unique because of being one with the community, sections of it interspersed and overlapping small towns with deep coastal heritage. It’s a place to see if you like hiking, biking, climbing, swimming, camping, boating, fishing, or watching the sunrise. If the rugged coastal landscape, abundant forest, and natural scenery beside the ocean sound appealing, this may be the place for you. I visited Acadia at the tail end of a nearly two-year solo road trip that...

Death Valley

One Day and Night Alone in Death Valley

On my way to Death Valley were palm trees and Joshua Trees. After that, there was nothing except desert sage covered in dust, making everything a monotone beige. Then there wasn’t even that. One can’t help but think of the famous Christian biblical passage when driving into Death Valley, “…into the valley of the shadow of death….” Or is that just me? My drive into Death Valley National Park was about five hours long through the Mohave Desert, so the...

Rene at Mount Rainier

Six Months a Nomad in the USA

I’m from the Midwest, or I was until I became a nomad. I’ve been traveling solo, living out of rented places and camping in my van on weekends. They used to say I was crazy; now they say I’m “living the dream.” Neither is wrong, but it took a lifetime to get here. When I was 17, I had a brief fantasy that I would get in my blue 1987 Camaro and head west without stopping until I felt like...

Utah national park Bryce Canyon

Which Utah National Park is Best? It Depends on What You Value

“Mighty Five” Utah National Parks Ranked I spent five weeks and visited every Utah national park. They call them the “Mighty Five.” What surprised me was that I expected to like the most popular parks most, but I liked them least. Other parks I’d never heard of turned out to be the best. This is my impression of the parks as someone who likes to hike and enjoy the solitude of the wilderness. If you want those things too, you’ll...