Dog-friendly Adventure in the State Parks: Gulf State Park (AL)
If you want a beach destination with a fancy lakeside cabin or cottage, you can’t go wrong with Gulf State Park. Gulf State Park provides a fantastic, if pricey, cottage experience. It may not be classic CCC styling, but I think we can forgive them for that. It’s hard to be mad when you’re sitting on your screened porch, petting your dogs and sipping coffee while watching eagles fly over the water. Gulf State Park in Alabama has dog-friendly cabins and cottages. It’s not the cheapest dog-friendly option you’ll find. But if you like the gulf coast, you can’t beat this location. And it would be mighty difficult to beat…
Dog-friendly Adventure in the State Parks: Oconee State Park
Oconee State Park in South Carolina has reasonably priced dog-friendly cabins with options for folks who want to bring their pets. But the biggest selling point of this park is the location. It’s a perfect jumping-off point for outdoor recreation in the mountains of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia. This is the first post in a series about dog-friendly State Parks. Finding Your Dog-Friendly Cabin The great part about booking a cabin at a South Carolina State Park is how easy they make it to search for dog-friendly options. This can be hidden a bit more in other state systems, but South Carolina must see/appreciate the demand from…
The Inexperienced Hiker’s Guide to the Grand Canyon
What is a long day hike into the Grand Canyon really like? How should someone prepare for the rim to river hike? What should my fitness level be? These are legitimate questions that should be considered if someone is about to attempt an arduous hike into the Grand Canyon. If you’re an experienced hiker with plenty of challenging hikes under your belt, I might not have much insight to offer you. But if you’re new to the desert southwest and/or long, grueling day hikes? I’m your girl! I have already made the ill-advised missteps, and I’m happy to share them with you. Whether this is “for your information” or just…
Four Pass Loop: Backpacking in the Maroon Bells Wilderness
Four Pass Loop is a 27-mile path encircling the Maroon Bells as it snakes over four mountain passes. It is an exploration of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Area – filled with wildflowers, beautiful views, and the occasional mountain goat. We backpacked the loop over three challenging, but rewarding, days. Why Four Pass Loop? Colorado is something of a wilderness wonderland, isn’t it? There are 58 different “14ers” and more than 40 national wilderness areas! Some are more popular and/or accessible from cities. There are varying levels of seclusion and trail difficulty. If you’re going to plan an outdoor adventure in Colorado, the options can be overwhelming. We were going to…
Rim to River Day Hike: A Grand Canyon Challenge
Back in 2011, I made a new “bucket list” for the adult, “life is short, actually” version of me. And, for reasons I can’t begin to explain or even understand myself, I identified “Hike the Grand Canyon” as one of my many new life goals. Specifically, I wanted to do the Rim to River day hike. Again, years later, I can’t actually explain what exactly was going through my mind. Other than insanity, I mean. I was living in New Mexico, so it didn’t seem like an outlandish destination at the time. But I didn’t define any timeline or specific goals. It was merely a dream – and a dream…
It’s a Dog’s Life at Shenandoah National Park
In March of this year, everyone’s lives changed due to the impacts of the novel coronavirus. At my house, that meant remote work for us both and rarely leaving the house (except for runs/walks in our own neighborhood). Our groceries were suddenly being delivered, we became comfortable with Microsoft Teams for every facet of professional communication, and every bit of work and personal travel was cancelled for the foreseeable future. I will say that my dog certainly finds this to be an entirely positive situation, and her status as the center of our universe is very clear. To her, anyway. Me, though? I was totally and undeniably LOSING. MY. MIND. …
