These are outdoor adventures that don’t fit into our other destination categories. But they’re just as wonderful!
How Does God Speak to Us? How About Through Hiking Machu Picchu
For us outdoor lovers, God often speaks to us in and through our experiences in nature. That’s what Emilie O’Connor found this summer when she hiked to Machu Picchu. God…
Hiking at Niagara Falls State Park
Niagara Falls is, if not the most, is certainly one of North America’s most dramatic water features. The hiking trail system in the state park there brings you up-close-and-personal to…
Ride a Bike for the Best Mackinac Island Experience
Mackinac Island, Michigan is a truly unique place…and seeing it by bike is the best way to experience it! First, let’s get the pronunciation right. It’s “MackiNAW” not “MackiNACK” despite…
Camping in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
There are several camping options in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP)—two campgrounds, one horse camping area and backcountry camping. The campsites in all of these areas are primitive, meaning there…
Hiking Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the North Dakota Badlands isn’t as well known or traveled as Badlands National Park in neighboring South Dakota. That’s a big plus for those who…
Hocking Hills: Hiking Old Man’s Cave Loop
My daughter, Jamie, and I wanted to swing by Hocking Hills State Park in southeast Ohio on a recent road trip to West Virginia. We learned the main attraction in…
Hike to Lost Creek Falls (Cornucopia, Wisconsin)
We hiked the 3-mile out-and-back Lost Creek Falls Trail for the first time during fall color season. What’s already a very beautiful wooded trail was made extra pretty with the…
“My Favorite Outdoor Destination”
I asked the readers of Active Outdoor Journal to share their favorite outdoor destination (so far). Here’s what they had to say… The outdoors is such a gift. One thing…
Vacationing in South Dakota’s Black Hills
The Black Hills of western South Dakota is a fabulous family vacation spot. There’s a wide variety of both natural and man-made wonders, with plenty to do for all ages….
Badlands National Park: Enter the Door Trail
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…
Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park: Black Hills, South Dakota
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…
Hiking the Botanical Gardens in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is super popular for U.S. vacationers. I’m fortunate to have a sister who’s lived in that area for over 20 years. I was able to spend a…
Things We Never See in Minnesota
I spent a week in the Puerto Vallarta, Mexico area a few weeks ago. My sister has lived there for 20 years, and I went for a long overdue visit….
Camping at Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon
by Alison Givand My husband and I became interested in Grand Canyon National Park after a brief trip to the South Rim while in Arizona. Most people don’t venture below…
Trail Riding the U.S.
There’s got to be hundreds of great horseback rides in the U.S. We love our horses here. Even people who’ve never been on a horse in their lives will pay…
Great Outdoor Destinations
Since we can’t possibly talk about all the wonderful outdoor destinations even in just America, I’m sticking with those we’ve personally been to. Maybe we’ll add a Bucket List Page…