Spring hiking here in Minnesota wasn’t always high on my list of recommended activities. In fact, before last weekend it wasn’t on my list at all! But I’m older and wiser now. My husband, Nick, and I celebrated our 26th Anniversary over the past weekend with a stay at our favorite North Shore resort, Bluefin … Keep reading…
Devils Tower National Monument, in northeastern Wyoming, has significance to several different groups of people. It’s a sacred Native American site. It’s a world-renowned rock climbing destination. It became America’s first National Monument even before there was a National Park Service, back in 1906. Our family visited the Tower last June, on our way from … Keep reading…
Badlands National Park in western South Dakota has one of the coolest landscapes in the Upper Midwest. Its Enter the Door Trail—just half a mile long—is an easy hike for all ages. The Trail isn’t wheelchair-accessible—there are a few short climbs and descents. It’s not paved. But small children should be able to handle it … Keep reading…
Atlantic City Campground is a tiny little BLM (Bureau of Land Management) campground a few miles from tiny little Atlantic City, Wyoming. Surrounded by open range beef cattle, the campground is nestled in a grove of aspen and pine trees. When I researched campgrounds in the area before our family trip in June of this … Keep reading…
Sitting Bull Campground is in Bighorn Mountains National Forest in northern Wyoming. It’s beautifully situated with plenty of lodgepole pines for shade, a large meadow with a mountain creek and abundant wildlife nearby. The Campground is on the west side of Powder River Pass along Scenic Highway 16, known as Cloud Peak Scenic Drive. Look … Keep reading…
When my family took a camping vacation to Wyoming in June of this year, we discovered the Snowy Range Mountains—the best Wyoming mountain range you’ve never heard of! We’ve been to the Tetons, the Beartooth Mountains, Yellowstone, and past the Wind Rivers. Earlier in our trip we camped in the Bighorns because we had been … Keep reading…
You can’t get more up-close-and-personal to Yellowstone’s famous Lower Falls than on these three stunning hikes. All these trails are steep and strenuous—you’ll definitely get your workout! But none are long, and your efforts reward you with outstanding views of the Lower Falls and Canyon. Two of them get you close enough to feel the … Keep reading…
Of course “the best” of anything is always up for debate. But in this case, the Oberg Mountain Loop hiking trail is absolutely in the running for Minnesota’s Best Fall Color Hike. This hike is known for it’s several spectacular views of Lake Superior as well as views of the surrounding “mountains” and inland lake. … Keep reading…
Minnesota’s Gunflint Trail is sandwiched on either side by one of America’s most unspoiled wilderness areas, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Located in the northeast corner of the state, this 56-mile road begins in the coastal town of Grand Marais (recently voted “Best Midwestern Small Town” by USA Today readers). It winds its way … Keep reading…
The Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park is part of Black Hills National Forest of western South Dakota. Located in the southern region of the Black Hills, it’s a great drive to not only see the wildlife its name implies, but to see some of the Black Hills’ most beautiful scenery. As is usual when … Keep reading…