Hiking

Unveiling the Best of State Parks: An Adventure Travel Guide Series

January 31, 2024
Melissia & Alex
Adventures, Camping, Hidden Gems, Hiking, Hot Springs, Nature, Planning, Recommendations, Recreation, Things To Do, Tips, Travels
No Comments

If you’re like us, you’re already deep into planning your 2024 (and even 2025!) outdoor travel destinations. While national parks tend to top people’s lists of places to go, state parks don’t get as much love. We’re here to help you avoid making that mistake. Enter our Best of State Parks Adventure Travel Guide Series! Not only are state parks just as spectacular as our national parks, they’re less crowded, have more opportunities for recreating, and are probably closer to…

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person waking on hill

6 Simple Tips for Hiking on Your Own with Confidence

October 29, 2023
Melissia & Alex
Hiking, Planning, Recommendations, Safety, Tips
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It’s so much fun experiencing a hike with friends. The trails lend themselves to deeper conversations mixed with comfortable and relaxed silences as you soak up all that being outside has to offer. You know what else is fun? Hiking on your own. You might be thinking, “yeah right Melissia, that actually sounds sucky.” Hear me out on this one. There’s something about being on a trail without another person nearby that can be like meditatingโ€ฆ..sure, you might be sucking…

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Sprinter van parked at a camp site in Devils Garden Campground in Arches National Park

Camping in Arches National Park

December 17, 2022
Melissia & Alex
Camping, Hiking, Leave No Trace, Recommendations, Things To Do, Travels, Winter
One Comment

One of the fun things about road tripping, or traveling in general, is finding cool spots to stay along the way. Our cross country trip this year was no different. It can be a bit more challenging to find places that are open or accessible during the colder months of the year but you also have the benefit of being able to find spots without reservations when you otherwise wouldn’t be able to. We were fortunate enough to snag prime…

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couple with their two dogs posing at Arches National Park at a campground site. They are dressed warmly because it is December.

Best Time to Visit Arches National Park

December 11, 2022
Melissia & Alex
Camping, Dogs, Hiking, Leave No Trace, Nature, Recommendations, Travels, Winter
One Comment

Planning to visit Arches National Park, or any popular national park for that matter, can be fun and overwhelming at the same time. You want to see so many popular sites but worry about dealing with all the crowds, figuring out where to park, how long you might need to wait in line for pictures (unfortunately this can happen), and potentially not getting to have the experience you were hoping to. Don’t worry! With a little bit of planning, you…

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Group on McPhillips Beach in Pacific City, Oregon with Haystack Rock in the background

Why You Should Visit Pacific City

September 27, 2022
Melissia & Alex
Camping, Hiking, Leave No Trace, Recommendations, Things To Do, Travels
2 Comments

Which seaside towns come to mind when you think about visiting the Oregon Coast? Cannon Beach, Newport, Lincoln City, Seaside, and Astoria are ones that pop into my mind first. After our recent trip earlier this month, Pacific City is at the top of our list. Here are a few reasons why you should visit Pacific City next time you are on the Oregon Coast. History We enjoy learning about the history of places we visited. Here are some interesting…

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Blue Lake in Idaho

The Seven National Forests in Idaho

July 27, 2022
Melissia & Alex
Camping, Hiking, Hot Springs, Leave No Trace, Things To Do, Travels
One Comment

Did you know there are seven national forests in Idaho and that they cover nearly 40% of this beautiful state? We’ve explored 6 of these areas but nowhere near everything in each one. In other words, there is plenty of adventuring and discoveries to make for many years to come! According to the forest service website (fs.usda.gov), there are almost 400 campgrounds (with many more boondocking areas) and 250 trailheads. Do you enjoy exploring on ATVs or other motorized vehicles?…

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Hiking trail in the foothills

Celebrating Earth Day

April 21, 2022
Melissia & Alex
Camping, Hiking, Hot Springs, Leave No Trace, Recommendations, Travels
No Comments

Celebrating Earth Day happens yearly on April 22nd. Each year a theme is chosen; for 2022, the theme is Invest in Our Planet. While this day shines a light on the importance of doing our part to make positive impacts, you shouldn’t limit your activities to one day a year. If you’re like us, we want to do all that we can to educate ourselves and take action to preserve the precious resources we are fortunate enough to enjoy. Earth…

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Winter on the middle fork of the Boise River

Adventures Along the Middle Fork of the Boise River

February 28, 2022
Melissia & Alex
Camping, Hiking, Hot Springs, Travels, Winter
3 Comments

Picture this: Sitting on the private deck of a cute cabin looking out over the Middle Fork of the Boise River. You start to get a little chilly so decide to warm up by climbing down into the hot tub that is fed from a natural hot springs source. Sounds like a pretty ideal spot doesn’t it? Well this is what you get when you enjoy a stay at the Twin Springs resort! Alex and I recently had the pleasure…

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Shoshone Falls in Twin Falls, Idaho

Adventuring Close to Home – Weekend Warriors

January 16, 2022
Melissia & Alex
Camping, Fall, Hiking, Hot Springs, Leave No Trace, Spring, Summer, Travels, Winter
No Comments

A weekend warrior is defined in the Oxford dictionary as someone “who participates in an activity only in their spare time.” That’s what Alex and I are. We LOVE traveling and going on adventures but we both have full-time jobs. Contrary to what some may think – we don’t get paid to travel (we wish!). Lately people have surprised me by saying something similar to, “you guys are so lucky to be able to go on so many adventures! I wish…

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Hiking Cathedral Rock – Sedona

January 1, 2022
Melissia & Alex
Fall, Hiking, Leave No Trace, Sedona, Travels
No Comments

While in Sedona last summer, my sister-in-law Celeste, our friend Daryn, and myself wanted to get at least one of the more popular hikes in. We happened to be staying down the road from Oak Creek where the Baldwin Trail can be accessed. This is one of the ways you can get to Cathedral Rock. If you use the AllTrails app, you can find this particular route under Cathedral Rock to Red Rock Crossing. It’s a 4.3 mile out and…

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