Interested in more hiking posts? You can find more of our Colorado hikes here.
Come along on this short, fun, and extremely kid-friendly hike!
Continue readingColorado Hiking: Mad Creek Trail to the Barn
Category Archives: travel
Posts dedicated to travel, from exploring our backyard to overseas adventures.
Moab Swimming Hole : Mill Creek North Fork
You can find more of our Utah adventures here.
As I mentioned in this post, during our Moab visit the swimming pool at our campground was closed. It was a disappointment, BUT our day turned out even better than expected when we were tipped off about this magical swimming hole.
Continue readingGo Hot Air Ballooning in Moab
We’re still recounting our summer adventures. If you missed it, check out this free camping at Spencer hot springs in Nevada! And if you’d like to see more of our Utah adventures, check out these posts.
In June Calder and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary with a hot air balloon ride! Check out this post for a snapshot of our wedding day.
How did we decide to celebrate with a hot air balloon ride? I think you meant to say, “why not celebrate with a hot air balloon ride?!”
Continue readingCamping at Spencer Hot Springs, NV
I’ve written about camping on BLM land before. For us, it’s the ideal situation: it’s free, often remote & less crowded than campgrounds, and there’s plenty of nature right outside your door.
Finding this perfect stopover so close to a road that we travel every summer was a great reminder to always keep exploring, even when you’ve been there before.
Continue readingPhenology: Observing Mother Nature’s Cycles
This post was originally published on March 12, 2014. Seven years ago! Since then, I’ve moved from PA to CO, and Sarah’s moved from PA to NC to WA. Wow. I can say for certain that both of us are still getting to know our new home states, and something that brings us joy is understanding the seasonal variations.
This desire to know my place came up for me this week. I was hiking and realized that I could identify more plants, even in their deadened winter state, than I could last year. BUT I also realized that I wanted to make a recipe that called for newly developed evergreen needles, and I realized that I didn’t know exactly when the firs and spruces put out their new needles. Is it soon? Do I have to wait until June? I have no clue, but I bet by next year I’ll know.
What do you know about the natural cycles of the plants and animals where you live?
Rothrock State Forrest early spring, before the Mountain Laurel blooms
Field Trip : Botanic Gardens
*This post was originally published in October of 2017. We’re republishing it today as a reminder to everyone that botanic gardens are a great space for relaxation and inspiration.*
Have you ever been to a botanic garden? If not, it’s time to find one in your neck of the woods. You may be lucky enough to have one in your city or town, or you may want to visit one the next time you’re on vacation. Trust us, this is a field trip that’s equally entertaining for both adults and kiddos.
Capital Reef Hike : Cassidy Arch
If you’d like to see more Utah adventures, click here! When we’re in Utah, we often camp on BLM land (it’s free and vast!). You can learn more about camping on BLM land in this post.
In early July, after camping near the Fremont River, we visited Capital Reef and hiked to Cassidy Arch. Want to see more pics and details from that hike? Continue reading
BLM Camping : Capital Reef
For more Utah adventures, click here.
If you’ve never camped on BLM land, read this post where we provide more background information about the perks of BLM camping and share an easily accessible camping area outside of Moab, Utah. Continue reading
Colorado Hiking: Devil’s Thumb Trail
If you want to read about more of our hiking and camping adventures, you can find them here. And if you want more Colorado hikes, they’re here.
Last weekend I went on my first big hike in years, and it felt amazing. Click on to read about my little day hike across the continental divide from one Colorado ski-town to another. Continue reading
Hiking the Hoodoos!
This hike took place during our July 2019 road trip from Colorado to California. Along the way, we also stopped in Escalante National Monument and hiked the Lower Calf Creek Falls trail. And here’s some encouragement from Sarah to visit Utah’s national parks during the off-season.
This was our first visit to Bryce Canyon National Park. And nothing sums up the day better than both boys proclaiming that “this was the best hike” they’ve ever been on. Continue reading