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4 Wheelin’ in Colorado’s Rio Grande National Forest
A couple of summers ago, I had the amazing opportunity to visit a little known place in Colorado, in the Rio Grande National Forest. Jasper, Colorado is not what I would consider a tourist destination. Jasper is the remnant of an old mining camp from the late 1800s, and it’s really little more than that now! There are no stores, no gas stations – in fact, the only vacation rental that I know of is the Lost Elk Lodge, which is directly across from the above-pictured sign! There are a handful of private residences in the area, and most people don’t live here year round due to the harsh winters…
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Arkansas Roadside Attractions: Inspiration Point
Have you ever been to Arkansas? It’s doesn’t seem to be a top travel destination for most, but it’s definitely a place that I love visiting! I wouldn’t say I’ve “seen it” when it comes to this state. All my travels have been laser-focused on the Northwest corner, and always in May. The Ozark Mountains, Beaver Lake, Eureka Springs, Canoeing the Buffalo River; these are the things I’m familiar with! When I return, (and I will return!), it will most likely be to these same spots! (For those of you wondering, the ‘s in Arkansas’s is grammatically correct! To read a ridiculous article on the subject, click here) Just 5 miles east…
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Gila National Forest: Ben Lilly Memorial & its Secret Waterfall
Hello friends! Sorry that it’s been a long time! It turns out that working graveyard shifts takes some getting used to! (i.e. my brain has been completely and utterly fried…for a month.) I was looking through some pics today while feeding my Shutterfly addiction and I came across something I meant to post ages ago! Ben Lilly Memorial is an interesting spot in the Gila National Forest. It’s not a hike, it’s a pile of natural rocks that’s earned the designation of a Memorial to the man who was known as “the last mountain man in the Southwest”. If you climb atop this giant pile of rocks you are rewarded…
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Tips for Visiting New Mexico’s Gila Cliff Dwellings
Unless you’re from the area, most places in southern New Mexico are not exactly well known. One such place is the small mountain town of Silver City, NM. Driving along I-10, you probably wouldn’t believe that there are thousands of acres of mountainous wilderness just waiting to be explored just 60 miles away! The Gila Wilderness is tucked away deep in the Mogollon Mountains, and is the true definition of the term “wilderness”. It has a rich history which includes the subject of my post today – the Gila Cliff Dwellings. The Gila Cliff Dwellings are one of the top attractions (if not the top attraction) of the Silver City area…so when…
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Fall Colors in Arizona’s Snowbowl: Aspen Nature Loop Trail
I remember 7 years ago when my husband and I were discussing the time of year we wanted to get married. My husband thought October would be the perfect month to celebrate anniversaries: crisp, cool weather, the beginning of the holiday season, and most importantly, fall colors. It turns out that his predictions were spot on! Every anniversary trip I’ve taken so far has landed in perfect, cool weather, towns decorated for fall & Halloween, as well as changing leaves! For our 5th we decided to go to Flagstaff AZ, which happened to be the most amazing fall colors I’ve seen yet! Flagstaff AZ lies at the foot of the San…
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Arizona’s “Route 66” Roadside Attraction: Standin’ On the Corner
There are few things in life better than a road trip to a place you’ve never been before – driving on the highway with the windows rolled down, the music turned up, and singing a song at the top of your lungs! Of course, as I drove through Winslow AZ today, I thought it was only fitting that the song I’d be singing would be “Take it Easy”, by the Eagles! (And for those of you wondering, yes, I am cheesy enough to actually play “Take it Easy” while driving around Winslow…it was definitely a highlight of my trip!!) We were on our way to Flagstaff (a place that I also suggest…
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Hiking the Gila National Forest, Trail 154 – Signal Peak Road
You would never guess driving through southern New Mexico on I-10 that just an hour north of Deming lies 3.3 million acres of pristine wilderness known as the Gila National Forest/Gila Wilderness (pronounced Hee-luh). I love hiking in the Gila National Forest. There are so many trails, and so many scenic drives you can go on – it would literally take you a lifetime to see half of what it has to offer! Another cool thing about this area is the Gila River, which is the last unaltered river in New Mexico. This means that, unlike every other river in the state, the Gila River has not been dammed or diverted for the…
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9 Things You Can’t Miss at the Historic Columbia River Gorge Highway!
(Disclaimer, I wrote this post before the 2017 Eagle Creek Fires. Click here for the most up to date closures) Last summer my sister and I went on a hardcore road trip through Oregon. The trip spanned over 500 miles and lasted 9 days which were jam-packed with adventure! On our last full day, we spent our time hiking in the Columbia River Gorge amongst the waterfalls. It’s a really hard decision to make, but I think I liked the day we spent here best of all. (Of course, I reserve the right to change my mind about that, because every day was monstrously awesome in an epic way.) So…
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Cloudcroft’s Bluff Springs Waterfall
Cloudcroft, NM is located at almost 9000 ft in the Sacramento Mountains of southern New Mexico – and it’s a must-see destination if you are traveling through the area! I suggest pulling off whatever route you’re on and spending the afternoon here if at all possible. When you do come, you gotta stop at Bluff Springs Waterfall! Cloudcroft is a place that I will always think of fondly, having spent many weekends here in the past 3 years! One of the things that I love about Cloudcroft is that you get all the beautiful trees and scenery that you find at 9000ft without the horrible weather! Trust me, Cloudcroft’s 9000ft and Colorado’s…
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Hiking Telluride’s Bridal Veil Falls
So, just to recap, Telluride CO is a must-see destination for you and your loved ones or really anyone that you know. I took the picture below in the middle of town!! I mean, who gets to experience that kind of beauty just lollygagging around town?? That’s right…Telluridians. (I totally just made that word up.) And maybe Switzerlandians. (Or Swiss… but I like my word better.) Once again, I digress! While there are many, many activities that I could recommend for you to do while in Telluride, I think if you only had time to do one thing before skipping town, it should be hiking up to Bridal Veil Falls. It’s not just the…
