Searching for the sandstone gems hidden away at Mill Bluff State Park

I explored a new state park I've been super intrigued by: Mill Bluff! On way home from a weekend spent kayaking, hiking, and camping at nearby Buckhorn State Park, I headed thirty minutes west to visit another new-to-me state park I've been aching to get to for a long time: Mill Bluff. Part of the Ice Age Nat…

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Backpacking Rock Island State Park: The final day

After a chilly second night, my watch beeped me awake a little after seven, and I began boiling water for a hearty warm meal of dehydrated spicy southwest breakfast hash from Getting up to stretch, slip on my pair of cold hiking boots, a bald eagle flew just feet above the fence of cedars that surrounded my cliffside …

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Backpacking Rock Island State Park: Seeking that northern solitude

Waking up on an early Saturday morning to blue skies, an eerily calm lake, and pristine fall weather.  My beloved Eureka Taron2 backpacking tent stakes its claim at what I'm confident is the most incredible, jaw-dropping primitive wilderness site to call home in the entire state. Remind me next time to bring coffe…

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Backpacking Rock Island State Park: Arriving with the storms

Rock Island is the crown jewel of Wisconsin's state park system. It's also the most remote, hardest to access, and desolate.  Gray skies and cold rain couldn't dampen the smile I had hopping off the second ferry at Rock Island State Park, the 40th state park I've traveled to. When I sat down last Octo…

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Exploring the dreamy wilderness of California's Pinnacles National Park

Originally one of the first national monuments set aside to be protected by Teddy Roosevelt, Pinnacles became our 59th national park in 2013 thanks to former President Barack Obama. In all of my travels, I've never been to any national park properties west of the Rocky Mountains. But that changed when I was able …

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I'm opting outside today, you should too

Today is the Friday after Thanksgiving. I sincerely hope you take time to opt outside and let you nature into your life. The past few weeks we've all been bombarded with commercials and ads about flashy "Black Friday" sales, deals, and discounts. While lower numbers next to dollar signs and special fina…

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NPS announces its 2019 free admission days

Every year, the National Park Service waives entry admission into all of its 418 national monuments, parks, historic sites, memorials and more.  This is always a great way to get out and explore your nearest public lands if you don't have an annual pass or are testing the waters when it comes to buying one. Of th…

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A guide to visiting Iceland's Loftsalahellir cave

On the southern edge of Iceland, minutes away from the black sand beaches of the Dyrhólaós peninsula is a lone cave called Loftsalahellir.  If you're traveling along Iceland's Route 1, commonly known as the "Ring Road," prepare your eager eyes for miles of dramatic scenery you never would have thoug…

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Pausing to reflect on our first snowfall

Happy Friday, welcome to the glorious month of November and...the start of winter? The view out my apartment's bay window at 8 AM was nothing short of perfect. Well Wisconsin received its first measurable snowfall last night, and after being in bed sick all day Thursday, waking up to a winter wonderland in Shorew…

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Tapping into New Jersey's industrial past at Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park

Less than an hour drive from the Big Apple sits a weathered city along the Passaic River, that played an integral role in the early development of American history. It's now a National Park. Paterson Great Falls National Historic Park pays tribute to Patseron, America's first planned city of industry and innov…

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