Where To Go As a First Time Visitor: Rockies

The Rocky Mountain States hold some of the highest elevation in the country, and some of the most beautiful landscapes. From sprawling mountains, to deep thermal pools, this section of the country is on so many people’s bucket lists. From Colorado to Montana, we’re going to explore exactly where you should head if you’ve never been to the area before, so that you can experience the best the landscape has to offer.

Glacier National Park, MT

Colorado: Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado is easily one of my favorite states. There is so much to do, and so many beautiful places to see, but for a first time visitor looking to get the most out of a visit, I’d say don’t miss Rocky Mountain National Park. The Rockies are located in Northern Colorado, and have some of the highest elevation roads in the country. These mountains are home to bears, moose, and more, and are full of winding trails, rivers, pine trees, and everything else you picture when you think of Colorado. Stay in Estes Park and explore the Stanley Hotel (where they filmed The Shining), and the rest of those mountain town vibes when you’re not in the National Park.

Things to do:

·       Go to the Alpine Visitor Center and hike the Alpine Ridge Trail (12,000 feet)

·       Go to Bear Lake

·       Hike Hallett Peak (for advanced hikers only due to the elevation)

·       Do the Scenic Drive

When visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, be aware of the elevation and oxygen levels. Elevation sickness is not uncommon here, so don’t attempt any hikes that are out of your athletic ability.

Wyoming: Yellowstone National Park

There’s no question: you cannot go to Wyoming for the first time and not go to Yellowstone. Yellowstone is not just the National Park—it’s all the surrounding mountain towns, and it’s become a vacation destination. Yellowstone is known for its thermal pools, abundant wildlife, and the famous Yellowstone Falls. There is so much to do just in this park and its surrounding areas, so I’d suggest planning at least a 4 day trip, perhaps even a week if you can take the time.

Things to do:

·       Go see the popular spots: Grand Prismatic Spring and Old Faithful

·       Spot wildlife in the Lamar Valley

·       Walk the boardwalk at the Norris Geyser Basin

·       Go to Artists Point and take photos of Yellowstone Falls

Like at any National Park, please respect the nature when visiting Yellowstone. Stay on the boardwalks, don’t climb over guardrails, and please, DO NOT APPROACH WILDLIFE.

Montana: Glacier National Park

I have a whole post you can read about Glacier, but there truly is no better place to visit if you’re visiting Montana for the first time. Glacier is an incredible landscape full of wildlife, mountains, and of course, glaciers. This national park is also home to the famous Going to the Sun Road, which connects east and west Glacier on one of the most beautiful scenic roads in the country.

Things to do:

·       Hike to Grinnell Glacier (hard)

·       Hike to the Hidden Lake Overlook (easy)

·       Drive the Going to the Sun Road (not open to vehicles over 21 feet long)

Learn more about Glacier at the link below:

The Rocky Mountains are an incredible landscape full of beautiful national parks and tons of wildlife. This is an area I could spend months exploring. Not sure where to start when planning your trip? Head to the shop to schedule a phone call with me and allow me to plan your trip for you!

Colorado’s 4 National Parks, Ranked

For the past 3 weeks or so, my boyfriend, dog, and I have been traveling around Colorado. Colorful Colorado has so much to offer in terms of nature, and while we’d both been before, there were definitely a couple firsts this time around. Colorado is home to 4 beautiful National Parks: Rocky Mountain, Great Sand Dunes, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and Mesa Verde, along with tons of Forest land, state parks, and other NPS designated sites worth visiting. Each one is completely unique from the last, and they each have their own highlights. Now that I’ve been to all 4 Colorado Parks, it’s time to rank them, so that you can best plan your own trip to one (or four) of Colorado’s iconic National Parks.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

#4: Mesa Verde National Park

While we loved all four Colorado Parks, someone has to be number four. The thing about Mesa Verde is, it’s about the history. You truly need to take the time to read each plaque as a way to understand what it is you’re looking at so you can appreciate the fantastic building skills of the ancient Puebloans. I love learning about history and culture, and MesaVerde is almost like a beautiful outdoor museum. The only reason it’s at the bottom of this list here, is because we visited during 2020, and the tours to go inside Cliff Palace were not running. We didn’t feel like we were able to get the full experience at Mesa Verde, so we’re looking forward to when we can go back and experience it in full (hopefully in cooler weather too.

Mesa Verde National Park

#3: Black Canyon of the Gunnison

Black Canyon of the Gunnison is truly a spectacular park. It is one of the steepest and narrowest canyons in the world, and its dark color is what gives the park its name. Here, you can explore by driving the 6 miles of road to the many (dog friendly) overlooks, including Painted Wall and Cedar Point, and drive down into the canyon via the East Portal Road, so you can experience the Gunnison River for yourself. If you’re more adventurous, score a permit to hike into the canyon on one of the three wilderness routes: Gunnison, Tomichi, or Warner. And remember, just because this park ranked #3 doesn’t mean I didn’t like it, I just liked the next two even more!

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

#2: Great Sand Dunes

I absolutely love Great Sand Dunes. It’s like a spiritual escape to me. Walking barefoot on the sand at sunrise—there’s nothing better! Great Sand Dunes is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America. The entire dunes area is considered wilderness, and the park is home to animals like horned toads, bears, and tiger beetles. The sand can reach up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer during the day, but in the evenings and mornings, it’s pleasant, and even meditative to walk on. We particularly love this park because of how dog friendly it is. Much of the dunes area is an area where dogs are allowed, and there are a few trails where they are welcome too!

Great Sand Dunes National Park

#1: Rocky Mountain

There’s no question Rockies had to be #1. This enormous park is located in northern Colorado, and is home to some of the most beautiful sights in the state. From towering mountains to stunning lakes and rivers, no trip to Colorado is complete without seeing the Rocky Mountains. While I personally didn’t spend a lot of time here (it was too risky to visit this time around due to the fires), I’d still say it’s near the top of my list of parks I need to revisit. This green park is known for the presence of bears, moose, and other large alpine animals you’ll only find at this elevation.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado is wild in itself. It’s quickly become one of my favorite states in the country, and the National Parks here are truly something that can’t be compared to! Which one is highest on your list?

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Why Great Sand Dunes is the West’s Most Underrated Park

As we travel through Colorado, I’m slowly falling in love with a state that, last year, I thought was only meh. Having only really explored the northern part of the state last year, I hadn’t really experienced everything this unique place has to offer. Colorado is the last stop in the Western States before you reach the flat Midwest, but that means it has more to offer than most other states. Colorado is part mountains, part plains, and part southwest all rolled into one. Last week, we had the pleasure of visiting Great Sand Dunes National Park. You don’t hear a lot about this park. It isn’t in any way on the same level as, say, Yellowstone or Yosemite in most people’s eyes, but as soon as we arrived, it quickly made it onto my top ten list of National Parks I’ve visited so far.

Great Sand Dunes was my 36th National Park, and it’s easily one of the most unique. This is why Great Sand Dunes is the most underrated National Park of the West, and why it should top your bucket list.

The Tallest Sand Dunes in North America

Great Sand Dunes is home to the tallest sand dunes in North America, reaching over 700 feet above sea level. These dunes stretch far into the distance and are the main attraction in the park. People bring sleds, sand boards, and even skis to experience these unique slopes. While we didn’t have any of these, we still had the time of our lives hiking up the dunes barefoot, and then running down in this low impact environment (perfect for me, who is healing a knee injury). The views at sunrise and sunset are incredible, and the sand is cool as long as you don’t visit in the middle of the day.

A Unique Ecosystem

Great Sand Dunes is more than just sand. In the distance, as you climb the dunes, you’ll see a clear view of stunning mountains, which adds a whole other level to this park. Some of the park is actually alpine zone, which is home to animals like bears and mountain lions. This section of the park is accessible by foot only, which makes it one of the most remote places you can visit within Great Sand Dunes. If you visit in the late spring and early summer, you’ll get to experience the creek that runs through the dunes, creating a unique beach far away from the ocean. The thing to remember is, no National Park is only known for its main attraction, so it’s important to give the rest of the park a chance too!

It’s Dog Friendly

Many National Parks have heavy restrictions when it comes to bringing your dog along for the adventure, but Great Sand Dunes is one of the most dog friendly parks in the country. While they don’t have a Bark Ranger Program, Lassen, our border collie, was able to do everything we wanted to do while in the park. There are a couple trails he could go on, and he was allowed up with us through the first high ridge of dunes. This meant we didn’t have to leave him behind for our sunset or sunrise hikes. Not to mention, he loved it! Running on the sand with us was some of the best fun I’ve seen him have in a long time.

It Isn’t a Popular Park

Both times we entered the park, we got parking right away. This isn’t a super popular park which makes it perfect for those wanting to get away from the crowds and be in nature. Great Sand Dunes is an extremely underrated place in the Western states. So, tell me, is it on your bucket list yet?

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A Guide to the Most Famous Mountain Ranges in the Continental US

It’s no secret that mountains are my favorite landscape. I’ve traveled the entire continental 48 and visited the most famous mountain ranges in the country (minus Alaska). For people who are new to the outdoors, learning the country’s geography can be confusing, especially because some of these mountain ranges are absolutely huge, stretching into Canada at times.

This is my quick guide to the four most famous mountain ranges in the US. You might’ve heard of them, and if you haven’t, you’ll be adding them to your list by the time you’re finished reading.

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Glacier National Park, part of the Rocky Mountains, located in Montana

The Cascade Mountains

The Cascades is one of the bigger mountain ranges in the country, stretching from Northern California to British Columbia, Canada. Many of the western mountain ranges include volcanoes, and the Cascades are no exception. The Cascades are home to famous mountains such as Washington’s Mount Rainier and Oregon’s Mount Hood. The Cascades also include North Cascades National Park in northern Washington, a national park interspersed with forest land, and one of the most dog friendly parks in the country.

I love the Cascade Range. It’s full of incredible views and is located in what I would consider one of the best regions of the United States, the Pacific Northwest. It’s home to some of the most challenging, as well as some of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever completed, and I definitely plan on returning in 2020. I highly suggest having some good gear for your time in the Cascades, and don’t attempt any hikes you don’t know for sure you’re prepared for.

North Cascades National Park, part of the Cascade Mountain Range, located in Washington

The Sierra Nevadas

I’ve visited the Sierras a few times, during small trips to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, two national parks connected by a road through forest land, as well as larger trips to Yosemite. And no matter what time of year you visit, they’re absolutely beautiful, and are home to the tallest mountain in the continental 48: Mount Whitney, which stands at 14,505 feet tall.

The Sierra Nevadas stretch horizontally across the states, rather than vertically like the other ranges on this list, and lie between California’s Central Valley and the Great Basin in Nevada, although most of the mountain range is located in California. It includes both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the Sequoia National Forest, the Inyo National Forest, Devils Postpile National Monument, and the famous Yosemite National Park.

Half Dome in Yosemite National Park, part of the Sierra Nevadas, located in California

The Appalachian Mountains

The most famous mountain range east of the Mississippi, the Appalachian Mountains stretch across the eastern United States. The Appalachians are home to one of the most famous thu-hikes in the country: the Appalachian Trail, and include famous spots such as Great Smoky Mountains National Park (the most visited National Park in the country), and the Blue Ridge Mountains. While these mountains don’t quite reach the heights that the other ranges on this list do, they once did, but due to their age, have eroded. Now, the highest point in the Appalachians lies at only 6,683 feet.

The Appalachians are absolutely gorgeous. I’ve done some absolutely beautiful hiking there, in the Smokies and in Shenandoah National Park. While they aren’t as tall as my mountains out west, they’re often far greener than anything I’m used to seeing due to the amount of rain they get back east.

The Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains, located in Tennessee and North Carolina

The Rockies

The Rocky Mountain Range is one of the largest mountain ranges in the area, stretching from Canada all the way to New Mexico. Of course, the most famous spot in the Rockies is Rocky Mountains National Park in Colorado, which is why we often refer to the part of the Rockies located in the states as the “Colorado Rockies.” You’ll be surprised to find out, though, that some of the other famous mountains in the middle of the country are actually part of the Rockies as well, including the Grand Tetons and Glacier National Park.

The Rockies are home to some of the biggest and most beautiful mountains I’ve ever seen. Most parts of them are extremely cold due to their elevation, the tallest mountain in the range being Mount Elbert in Colorado, standing at 14,440 feet. Apart from tall mountains, I’ve seen some of the most incredible wildlife in the Rockies, from mountain goats, grizzly bears, and big horned sheep in Glacier to elk and deer in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains National Park.

(When hiking in these areas, please carry bear spray, especially if you’re hiking solo. I never once felt that I was in danger, but it’s always good to be prepared for anything.)

The Grand Tetons, part of the Rocky Mountains, located in Wyoming

Of course, there are plenty of other, smaller mountain ranges in the country, and a few I haven’t explored yet, up in Alaska, but if you’re starting to plan your trip around the US, these are four sections of the country you definitely can’t pass up, especially if you’re a hiker, camper, or general lover of the outdoors. These mountains have left a mark on me as a traveler, and I can’t wait to return to them in the future.

Which one is on the top of your 2020 bucket list? Let me know in the comments!

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If you’re planning a 2020 (or whenever!) trip around the US and want to include all four of these beautiful places, my ebook, Around the States in 90 Days will be a great resource for you. Check it out in the shop!