Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is located in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. The dunes are up to 750 feet tall, making them the tallest sand dunes in North America. The Southern Ute Tribe occupied the area, as well as the Apaches and the Navajo.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a large sculpture carved into the granite face of a mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, created it between 1927 and 1941 with the help of over 400 workers. It features George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. These presidents were chosen … More Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse Memorials, South Dakota

Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota was established in 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Although we were unable to see the caves, we did drive through the park and admire the rolling hills and numerous bison along the way. The park protects the country’s largest remaining natural mixed-grass prairie. The park is named for … More Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota

Badlands National Park protects a Martian-like landscape in South Dakota, composed of pinnacles, buttes, and prairie. The National Park Service manages the northern unit and the Oglala Lakota tribe comanages the southern unit of the park with the NPS. The Wounded Knee Massacre took place just outside of the park on December 29, 1890, where … More Badlands National Park, South Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park protects three areas of badlands in western North Dakota. The Little Missouri River flows through the park where prairie dogs tunnel through hills and bison roam. Roosevelt first came to this region to hunt bison in the 1880’s and later bought the Maltese Cross Ranch. He later bought the Elkhorn Ranch … More Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Redwoods, wine tasting, family. What more could a girl ask for on her birthday? For my 29th birthday weekend, Whit and I went out to California to spend one last weekend with my brother and his family before hitting the road until December. When we arrived at their house on Friday night, I was shocked … More Muir Woods National Monument and Wine Tasting in Sonoma

Saying goodbye is one of the hardest things in the world. Although we are over the moon about our upcoming travels, it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to some of our dearest friends. Bre has been our best friend in Utah since the beginning. We all shared the woes of intern … More Camping in the Uintas

So you know the whole “find your park” motto with the National Park Service? Well, I have now found mine. Glacier National Park is stunning and right up my alley. The rugged peaks, expansive wilderness, untamed nature, and glacial lakes are all incredible. It only took dating a Montanan for nearly 8 years to finally … More Glacier National Park

Telluride Bluegrass Festival is an incredible experience. The San Juan Mountains tower over the picturesque downtown, thousands of people sway in unison to the music, puffs of smoke punctuate the sky. Total peace, that is what it felt like all weekend long. The music was fantastic, including the Punch Brothers, Kacey Musgraves, and our favorite … More Telluride Bluegrass Festival

Mesa Verde National Park is not just a National Park, but also a UNESCO World Heritage Site located just outside of Cortez, Colorado. The park includes over 600 Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings, the most picturesque being Cliff Palace. Cliff Palace is thought to be the largest cliff dwelling in North America. This area was inhabited … More Mesa Verde National Park