hiking

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two kayaks on the rio grande river in between two tall granite walls

Experiencing the Wonders of Big Bend National Park on land and water

Big Bend National Park stands alone in a nation of parks. Its remote desolation makes it one of the least visited parks in the United States. That also makes it one of the rarest experiences you can have in nature – solitude, you, and the Earth. If you’re lucky, you’ll see a red snake slither by, a roadrunner dash across your path, and a coyote prowl the landscape. Wild horses and free-roaming longhorn cattle might amble past. You’ll find cactus...

Shoshone Falls, Idaho

5 Great Places to Explore in Idaho Now

I was driving down a winding Idaho mountain road just as the sun was rising over the horizon when I saw them: Three huge white wolves running across the Sawtooth Valley floor. I slowed my car and watched as the two rear wolves caught up to the leader, who had been far ahead but stopped to wait. Then, together, they ran into a patch of trees and I drove on to my destination. This is Idaho. On that same drive,...

Mesa Verde, Colorado

5 Places to See in Colorado When Mountains are Calling

I took a week-long drive through Colorado beginning in Denver. In that week, I’d travel to every corner of the state, stopping only to hike or sleep. After months of nothing but Chicago, I wanted to see something besides concrete. So I mapped out a plan, rented a car, and headed into the mountains. I’d never been to Colorado before and I wasn’t prepared for its savage beauty or wide-open vastness. Mountain roads nearly 14,000 feet high stunned me. The...

Maroon Bells, Aspen, Colorado

Discover Magic Hiking to Maroon Bells in Aspen

Hiking to Maroon Bells and Crater Lake in Aspen’s White River National Forest is worth getting up early for … real early. I rose before the sun and drove nine miles into the White River National Forest to see the most photographed mountains in North America. As I was driving in the dark down the long road to the trailhead, a deer nearly ended its life in front of me. I forged ahead undaunted and hoped it was the only...

An Adventure Finding Waterfalls in Costa Rica

I accidentally went on a hike while looking for waterfalls in the Costa Rica rainforest. The fact that I’m alive to tell this is nothing short of a miracle. I joke, but only sort of. Some people told me there was a beautiful waterfall a few towns over in Hermosa Playa in the Guanacaste province. I could visit by taking a bus. Once there, I just had to walk up a short road, and there would be a beautiful waterfall....