Planning my Grand Teton trip

After leaving Custer State Park and Black Hills National Forest in western South Dakota, we decided to try to find a place to stay around Devil's Tower National Monument. It was late June 2012 and it was hot, somewhere north fo 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It turned out to be the hottest part of the entire trip. So we decided to continue west across northern Wyoming . We were approaching a large mountain range that I thought were too close to be the Rockies so I checked the map. They turned out to be...

Although national parks like Yellowstone , Yosemite , and Grand Canyon in the western United States tend to draw the public spotlight, several national parks back East deserve just as much attention. It may be surprising to some that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, draws more than 10 million visitors each year, making it the most visited national park in the country (Sorry, Yellowstone).  With over 800 miles of hiking trai...

Hemmed-In Hollow Falls: Your Ozark Hike for Stunning Springtime Views Spring has officially sprung. The wildflowers are blooming, the birds are chirping, and the rain is coming down in buckets. Here in the Ozarks, spring rains signify an important time for outdoor enthusiasts.   That’s right, folks— it’s waterfall season.  There’s nowhere better to see the waterworks than Hemmed-In Hollow Falls. Measuring 209 feet high, this is the tallest waterfall between the Rockies and the App...

In the old days, when Grandma and Grandpa had to hike barefoot uphill both ways to their favorite camping spot, campers relied heavily on word-of-mouth recommendations and campground guidebooks to find the best places. Those days are long gone, and the internet reigns supreme when it comes to camping guides.  Finding the best campsites in Virginia state parks largely depends on your camping style. If you’re hauling a travel trailer across the country, your camping needs will be a far cry di...

God is the God of the Mountain and the Valley: The Great Smokey Mountains, Tennesee Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Gatlinburg are located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. The town of Sevierville is situated in Sevier county and is home to approximately 17,000 residents. Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are the most popular destinations because of their bustling attractions. All of these small towns are a part of Sevier county, TN. History The history of Sevier county dates back to the e...