Your Guide to Our Public Lands

During my time on the road, I’ve spent a lot of time on public land. From my slight obsession with the National Park Service, to using BLM and Forest Land to park my van overnight, I’ve experienced just about every type of public land there is in the United States. The thing is, all these terms can get confusing, and I’ve seen it happen more than once where state parks and BLM land are mistaken for National Parks. Each type of public land is vastly different, has different rules and expectations, and are run by different sectors of the government. This is a complete guide to exploring public land in the United States.

Dispersed camping on BLM land in California

National Parks

National Parks are easily the most popular and the most commonly referenced public land in the US. Many people believe that all public land is Park Land, which is an easy mistake to make. I used to think the same thing! But really, National Park only refers to the 419 sites run by the National Park Service. This includes sites with “Park Status” such as Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Yellowstone, as well as National Monuments (Devils Tower), National Military Parks (Gettysburg), National Historic Parks (Harper’s Ferry), and other natural sites, such as National Lakeshores, Recreation Areas, and Seashores.

The National Park Service (NPS) is my personal favorite because they truly go out of their way to protect their land. National Parks are zones free from hunting, lumber, fishing, and more, and are solely used for recreation, conservation, and education.

Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

Camping is only allowed in National Parks if you are in a developed campground. Lots of NPS campgrounds can be reserved in advance, but some are first come first served, so check on the Park’s website before visiting. Backcountry camping is allowed, but like with all public lands, you must have a permit.

Most National Parks require an entrance fee to visit, and this can range from $20-35 depending on the park. I highly suggest purchasing an America the Beautiful Pass if you are planning on visiting more than 3 National Park Service sites per year.

Glacier National Park, MT

National Forests

While the word “national” often means National Forests get lumped in with National Parks, they are vastly different from each other. The main difference is that National Forests are run by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), not the NPS. National Forests are not necessarily actual forests. They often don’t actually have trees! They’re just called forests by the USDA. Oftentimes, National Forests surround National Parks, and they’re recognizable by their brown and yellow welcome signs.

National Forests are always free to visit, as they often surround roads and highways. You will, however have to pay to camp in most developed campgrounds, and sometimes there is a parking fee for trailheads and picnic areas. An America the Beautiful Pass will waive parking fees for National Forests, but not camping fees.

Cathedral Rock, a trail maintained by one of Sedona, AZ’s many National Forests

The USDA is very different from the NPS in the way that they protect their land. Often, people can secure fishing or hunting permits in National Forests (but, please don’t. You know, respect nature). The USDA will use parts of National Forests for lumber farming, so land is not as protected in a National Forest as it is in a National Park.

The main plus-side of National Forests is something I discovered in the vanlife community, but anyone who camps often will benefit from this as well. National Forests usually allow dispersed camping: camping in undeveloped areas. This means you can park off of just about any dirt road in the Forest, and camp for free, so for overlanders and car campers, this can be a great way to never have to pay for a place to stay during a long road trip. Disclaimer: check the USDA website for the Forest you are in to check if there are any specific dispersed camping regulations in the area.

Fun Fact! The USDA and National Forest sector of our public lands is home to the only National Grassland in the prairie region of the United States. The Sheyenne National Grassland is located in North Dakota and it is absolutely gorgeous and unexpected if you happen to be going through the middle of the country.

Sheyenne National Grasslands, ND

State Parks

Believe it or not, people often also confuse State Parks for National Parks. State Parks are incredibly different from National Parks. State Parks are not run by the federal government like the other public lands on this list. State Parks are run by their state’s specific state government, so their rules and laws depend on those of the state, versus those of the federal government. State Parks are often smaller (other than the beautiful Anza Borrego Desert State Park in CA), and all of them require entrance fees averaging at about $10 across the country. The America the Beautiful Pass will not grant you entrance to a State Park (believe me, I’ve tried, many times), and instead, you must purchase a state parks pass for each separate state you visit.

State Parks include State Forests, State Historic Parks, and State Beaches, and we can just go ahead and lump County Parks and similar in this category as well.

Valley of Fire State Park, NV

BLM Land

BLM Land is one of the most confusing concepts for most people. BLM Land is not run by the National Park Service, or the Department of Agriculture, but is instead run by a completely different sector of the United States Federal Government—the Bureau of Land Management.

BLM Land is mostly for camping, rather than other types of recreation. While BLM Land does have developed campgrounds, it’s most often referred to when speaking about dispersed camping. Just like National Forest developed campgrounds, BLM Land developed sites do usually have a fee, and are usually first come first served. Dispersed sites can be found on the sides of secondary (dirt) roads, and are usually unmarked.

Parked on BLM Land in Alabama Hills, CA

Disclaimer: Dispersed camping in both National Forests and on BLM Land is not for everyone. While “free” might sound enticing, these spots have no facilities, no water, and no bathrooms. You must properly dispose of waste (trash and… you know), and Leave No Trace whenever using these sites.

LEARN LNT PRINCIPLES HERE

While public land is everywhere, it is a concept that usually confuses people. Not all public land is the same, and it’s important to know the difference before you go out and use any of it. But the main thing to remember, as with all public land, it’s important to be respectful. Do some extra research on specific destinations prior to visiting, and leave sites the way you found them. Safe travels!

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Looking to plan a road trip that takes you to public land sites in the US? My 3 month, 48 state road trip route is now available in the SHOP!

Book Review: 100 Drives, 5000 Ideas

(Note: this post is in partnership with TLC Book Tours)

When I first completed my road trip around the lower 48, I had tons of people messaging me for my route. It wasn’t until then that I realized how hard it is to truly plan a road trip if that travel bug isn’t constantly sitting on your shoulder. When TLC Book Tours reached out to me about this book, I automatically thought that it might help some of my new roadtrippers to plan their first journey around North America so I decided to give it a read, and it turns out, I was right!

100 Drives, 5000 Ideas covers 100 different driving routes you can take around the United States and Canada. These drives feature everything from National Parks to historic sites to great Americana (think Route 66). From classic road trips to unique drives even I’d never heard of before, every type of traveler will find something that interests them in this book.

Devils Tower National Monument, WY, one of the places you’ll visit on the Northern Plains Heritage Route

The book is divided by region, so you’ll be able to find a drive that works for your home state, or for a state you’re trying to visit soon (the section that included Alaska was my personal favorite!). And with plenty of suggestions for places to stay during your trip, things to see nearby your route, and even pieces of pop culture that feature the places you’ll see on your trip, this is the perfect book for the person who’s brand new to road trips. Take the Trail of the Ancients and see the entire Southwest, from Colorado to New Mexico, visiting places like Four Corners Monument, Monument Valley, and Mesa Verde National Park. Or, travel to Hawaii on island time and drive the Big Island’s Belt Road, which will take you to spots like Keauhou Bay and the Mauna Loa Lookout. Or, if mountains are more your thing, take the Rocky Mountain Highway through two of my personal favorite states: Montana and Wyoming and explore places like Glacier National Park and Yellowstone.

Glacier National Park, MT, part of the Rocky Mountain Highway route

Personally, I loved looking at the different destinations listed in the book—a lot of them were places I’d been already, and those that weren’t quickly made it onto the list. It was super exciting to see spots like Devils Tower, Pinnacles National Park, and Olympic National Park pop up in a piece of writing like this. These are places that are near and dear to my heart, and simplifying a visit for people through a step by step road trip itinerary might get more people out there to appreciate their beauty.

Yellowstone National Park, WY

With beautiful pictures, clear outlines for road trip planning, and convincing details about each stop on the trip, you truly can’t go wrong with this book as an outline for your upcoming travels (although I do wish they included more maps!). And as for my vanlifers, this might just be a good addition to that van bookshelf, for next time you’re looking for your next destination and just can’t make up your mind. 100 Drives, 5000 Ideas is a fantastic guide book for the new roadtripper, or for the veteran who’s looking for some new ideas, so get ready to add some new spots to your bucket list, after of course, you put this book on your reading list!

Why I Live in a Van

I’ve been living in the van full time for a month now, and the truth is, living in a van down by the river (or in the desert, or woods, or mountains, or city) is the best life ever. But I get it: you might not. And that’s okay, but really, full time travel is something that a lot of people are pursuing these days. I live in a 1997 Dodge Ram 3500 conversion van. It has a full sized bed, refrigerator, running water, solar power electricity, and an emergency toilet, and it’s everything I need to be happy. It’s not all fun and games, but it gives our lives variety. It allows me to have the freedom my soul wants while still being a Responsible Adult. And it’s allowed me to find myself, at least a little bit. So this is my why. Why travel. Why an alternative lifestyle. Why vanlife.

Camping on Joshua Tree South BLM

What is an alternative lifestyle?

We’ve all heard of the 9-5. We’ve all heard of the college, get married, buy a house, have kids, work for 30 years, retire loop that people tend to get stuck in. An alternative lifestyle is the rejection of that. It’s the idea that we are in charge of our own lives, not society. You can really do whatever you want. The thing is, whatever your excuse is, spin it around. If you think, “yeah but… I have to work.” Why can’t you do that from the road? Why can’t you start your own business? “Yeah but… I’m supposed to be buying a house.” Why is that? Who is saying that a house is your next step? There are no written rules for life, so it’s important to understand that we can take charge of our own paths, and do the thing that makes our souls feel full.

Of course, if a 9-5 feels right to you, then amazing! Do that! But for many of the people in my community, there’s boredom in a 9-5, there’s creative blocks, there’s a feeling of being trapped. So listen to that feeling and know that there’s another life out there.

Camping at Anza Borrego Desert State Park

But you can’t just be on vacation all the time…

Whoa whoa whoa… I have to stop you there. This is not a vacation. First I want to talk about something that my guide, Mike, brought up on the first day of my GIVE trip: what is the difference between a vacation and an adventure?

To me, a vacation is an escape from something, usually from a job or school. A vacation has the purpose of being a relaxing break before you return to real life.

An adventure is what this life feels like to me, but it’s more than that: this is my real life. Travel is my lifestyle. I still deal with real life, sometimes more than I would if I was living in an apartment, because in a moving house, things tend to break. I have to fill up my water tanks and dump the grey water when it’s full. I go grocery shopping and cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner every night. And more importantly, I work. I spend about 50% of my time in a place working so that I can afford to be where I am. This is simply life to me—it’s just that my backyard changes.

Loving life in Joshua Tree National Park. Photo by my friend Jared @jaredinthevan.

Why a van?

Now a lot of people romanticize backpacking, which is also long term travel, but yet don’t understand vanlife. Why is that? Honestly, there is a stigma, but when I have friends living in Mercedes Sprinters, it’s hard to understand why that stigma still stands. Honestly, I chose a van because I wanted to travel, but didn’t want rent to pay on top of my plane tickets. I wanted to be going full time, and having a van allows you to have everything you could possibly need with you all the time, no matter where you are.

I chose a van because when I sleep next to a national park I wake up to the sunrise peeking through my windows. I chose a van because ending my day surrounded by somewhere new but under a sky full of the same stars feels more stable and right to me than going home to the same place every night. I chose a van because it could park anywhere. I chose a van because the road feels like home to me, and even more so when I carry my home with me like a snail does. I chose a van because structure doesn’t pair well with me. And that’s okay. There’s a life for everyone where they’re happy.

Me and the van at the RTR 2020. Photo by my friends @lindseyanddannyvanlife

What about friends and relationships?

This is a tricky one. When we’re constantly moving, we don’t find ourselves surrounded by the same people all the time, but at the same time, the people we need to be around will find us when we need them the most. I have an amazing van fam who I caravanned with for about a month, and the thing is, people come and go, and moments do too—it’s just a matter of listening to where your soul wants to be and who it wants to be with.

Me and Emma in Sedona. Emma is one of the van fam and you can find her @emma.goes. Photo by our friend Brien @theotherground.

So… in conclusion…

Basically, vanlife for me is finding my freedom. I felt very stifled in school, and like I never really had the opportunity to make friends who truly understood how I felt about certain things, and through full time travel, through the road, I’ve been able to find both of those things. While people are fleeting, I’ve found my community, and while all roads do come to an end, I’ve found my freedom through the movement. I’ve figured myself out, and what I need, and I think that was something that needed to happen for me to progress as a person. Vanlife isn’t just about the van, it’s about the life and what you choose to do with it.

-HWS

Your Guide to the Southern California Desert

I’ve now pretty much finished Southern California. It’s where I grew up and went to school, so I’ve got a pretty good gauge of its geography. And on top of that, there’s basically no major destination in the southern portion of the state that I haven’t traveled to. There are a few main landscapes in Southern California: from mountains to beaches to deserts. They say it’s one of the only places you can go surfing in the morning and skiing in the afternoon. But a large portion of Southern California is taken up by desert, and a few of these deserts are very worth your visit, while some are just transitional spaces between states (I’m looking at you, Mojave). This is a short guide to the deserts worth seeing, why you should visit, and what there is to do there.

Joshua Tree National Park

Anza Borrego Desert State Park

Anza Borrego Desert State Park is actually known for its correlation with the famous California Wildflower Superbloom that happens in spring seasons that follow winters where we get a lot of rain. While a superbloom is unlikely in 2020, this desert is still worth your visit. It’s the largest state park in the contiguous United States, and touches three counties: San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside. There are also a lot of free campgrounds in Anza Borrego, and you do not need to pay the park entrance fee ($10) to stay in them overnight. You’ve likely heard about Anza Borrego from the Sky Art Sculptures: giant metal sculptures built to work with the landscape or look like they’re a part of it. These sculptures invoke feelings of whimsy, and bring you back to the most childlike parts of your imagination (pictured below).

The Serpent, Anza Borrego Desert State Park

Joshua Tree National Park

I’ve talked about Joshua Tree a lot on this blog, and even have a full guide to the park available HERE, but it needs to be on this list because it’s one of the main desert attractions in Southern California. Home to over 2 million Joshua Trees, a member of the agave family, Joshua Tree National Park is known for rock climbing, photography, and general exploring. It’s a huge park with plenty to do for every kind of traveler. Going with kids? Check out Jumbo Rocks Campground, Skull Rock, and Arch Rock. Adventure Seeker? Go find the Hall in the Hall or Horrors, summit Ryan Mountain, or go scrambling on one of the many rock formations. Just trying to take some good pictures for the ‘gram? Head over to the Cholla Cactus Gardens or stop in any roadside pullout for a good photoshoot with some J Trees! There’s also tons to do in the area, from stopping and grabbing a bomb vegan sandwich and getting some work done at Frontier Café to taking a self-guided tour with The Secret Tours.

Joshua Tree National Park: Sunrise from Belle Campground

Slab City, The Salton Sea, and Salvation Mountain

These spots are important for any SoCal desert tourist, but I honestly can’t see myself going back anytime soon. Salvation Mountain is a famous piece of desert installation art in the middle of Slab City, a strange desert town. It’s definitely worth seeing, and while you’re there, make sure you visit East Jesus—another space for desert art. As for where to stay during your time here, I highly recommend the Salton Sea. It’s close by, but not so close that you’ll feel the general weirdness of the Slabs. The Salton Sea is a huge body of water with a strange history, and the beach is made of fish bones. Just beware—the Salton Sea doesn’t smell its best!

Salvation Mountain, Slab City, CA

The SoCal desert is an incredible landscape that shouldn’t be missed. So many people say they’re coming to California and stop their journey south at Los Angeles, when really, there’s so much to be seen. The desert lies inland, and will give you a much broader scope of what California is made of. The desert is a place of extremes, so you might want to make sure you stock up on water, but also bring your 0 degree sleeping bag with you (don’t have one? Check out my favorite bag HERE!). But above all, make sure you take plenty of pictures—the desert has a certain beautiful magic to it.

My Must-Visit Spots in San Diego, CA

It’s no secret, if you’ve been following me a while, that cities aren’t really my thing. But when I was on my way back to my home base from my 3 weeks in Arizona, I really wanted to see where else I could fit into my route before taking a break from vanlife for a bit to get my WFA certification. A lot of my van fam had headed out to San Diego after Arizona, and it’s kinda the place to go for people in vans in the colder months because we, like birds, go south for the winter.

Now, it’s not that cities don’t have a ton to offer. There’s culture, food, and plenty to do. But there tends to be a bit more chaos in cities than I like. It’s a bit harder to park the van, and there are more rules about where you can sleep at night. I also tend to feel a little disconnected when I spent too much time in a city (truly, the forest is where I belong). But I went to San Diego anyway. So, for anyone in a van (or not!) who’s planning a trip to San Diego, these are my favorite places I went while I was there.

La Jolla Cove

Sunset Cliffs and Ocean Beach

The beach towns tended to have a little more space for big ol’ Sequoia, so the first place I went was Ocean Beach. Sunset Cliffs is a natural park known for towering cliffs over the ocean. Lots of people come here to see the views, surf the waves, or watch the sunset because, well, it’s called Sunset Cliffs for a reason.

Ocean Beach is also home to a very cool nighttime farmer’s market on Wednesdays (starting at 4pm), where they have music, vendors, and tons of vegan food available.

Sunset Cliffs, Ocean Beach

La Jolla

La Jolla is one of the most crowded and complicated areas to visit if you have a van. Parking here is an absolute nightmare, and my one tip is to try to park as far from the actual coves as you can walk. I ended up finding parking over by the La Jolla Underwater Park (I believe), and walked the beautiful cliffside trail to the coves (which was only about a half mile and incredibly gorgeous).

La Jolla is one of the nicest areas I visited in San Diego. It’s full of touristy shops, expensive restaurants, and sea lions. Yes, sea lions. These gorgeous animals are what La Jolla is known for, so make sure you go to the coves and say hi (just don’t get too close! Remember to Leave No Trace!).

The sea lions of La Jolla

Mission Bay Park

This was a great little spot to go and relax, make lunch, and get some work done. It’s definitely not a place to plan on spending your entire day unless you have a kayak or paddleboard, but it did give me some beautiful views while I did some writing. A lot of people come here to walk or ride their bikes along the shore, get a work out in, or let their kids run off some steam. There’s also tons of parking during the day so if you’re looking for a place to just relax, hop on your hotspot, or take a walk, this spot should be on your list.

If you’re interested in pursuing the full time travel life and want to know the best way to make money online, check out Wired Creatives HERE!

Mission Bay Park

Where I ate

I usually don’t talk about veganism on the blog, but honestly, a huge portion of what I do in cities is food related. Cities make it really easy to spend all your money on food. Luckily, because I have a kitchen, I did cook most of my food, and I had plenty of snacks with me, but there were a few points where I did buy food out. A favorite in Ocean Beach is Plant Power Fast Food. I used to work at one of their other locations, and it made for a super convenient place to grab a bite on the days when I was in OB. They also have WiFi, so it was a bit of a win-win.

I did also get an awesome meal at the OB farmer’s market on the Wednesday that I was there. They had tons of vegan spots at the event, but I found a vegan Chinese food place with no line that gave me an incredible amount of food for $12.

I also headed out to the University Heights area near SDSU where I went with a friend for dinner. We met at Plumeria Vegetarian Restaurant, a sit-down vegetarian Thai food place that was almost as good as the real deal.

The last place I ate out at was Loving Hut in Scripp’s Ranch. I wasn’t planning on heading out this way again, and then I found out that my childhood best friend was also in town, so I went out to where she grew up (and where I had visited with her mom a few days before), and she took me here. This place has amazing food and enormous portions. Would definitely recommend!

La Jolla Underwater Park, view from a coastal trail I parked near

San Diego was an interesting first real city experience in the van. I did really enjoy my time there, despite the absolute chaos cities tend to bring. So, if you’re planning your own trip to Southern California anytime soon, make sure these spots are on your list—they’ll be sure to give you a pretty complete San Diego experience.

10 Tips for Making it Through Long-Haul Road Trips

In my world, I do a lot of driving. In the past year, I’ve put about 20,000 miles under my wheels (in two separate vehicles of course), and while I like to keep my drives short (3-4 hours if possible), there are some days when you just can’t avoid that 6-12 hour long-haul. Doing drives like this to get to a destination can be grueling, especially if you’re solo, so whether you’re a full time vanlifer like myself, or a casual traveler looking to get that road trip fix in this spring, here are my best tips for surviving a day on the road.

Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links

My first tiny home, in Badlands National Park, SD

1: Be prepared for time zone shifts

If you’re traveling coast to coast (or in any vaguely horizontal direction, really, if you’re not just road tripping in the states), it’s super important to be prepared to shift in your time zone. This can affect your arrival time greatly, and will affect you more if you’re moving West to East, rather than East to West, since you’ll be arriving an hour later than planned. Keep this in mind when doing any type of long haul drive, so that you can plan accordingly for any way that this might throw off your plans.

Sedona, AZ (photographer: Brien @theotherground)

2: Snacks

Obviously, you can’t have a proper road trip without snacks. But, they’re even more important when you’re putting major miles behind you, especially if you’re driving solo. Calories keep you awake, and sometimes, you won’t want to stop for lunch, especially if you’re trying to make it to a destination by a certain time. I always keep a few snacks with me in the front of the van so that I don’t have to pull over to find something to eat every time I start getting tired.

A favorite healthy snack of mine lately is Bobo’s Oat Bars. They’re vegan, oat based, and super yummy! Pick yourself up a box HERE!

Bobo’s Oat Bars make fantastic road trip snacks

3: Water

As essential as snacks, water is something we often forget about while driving, especially if you’re driving solo. The thing is, being in the car all day singing along to the radio is incredibly dehydrating, and you’ll only get tired faster if your body needs something you aren’t giving it.

If there’s nowhere to fill up my reusable bottle, you’ll nearly always see me sipping on a Surfwater—bottled water packaged in the world’s most recyclable material: aluminum!

Surfwater aka the best water at El Matador Beach in Malibu (photographer: Alex @alx.vu)

4: An amazing playlist

Nearly as essential as food and water, having great, inspiring music to listen to is a must. I have about 10 very similar but very different road trip playlists that I recycle depending on my landscape, but my favorite artists to listen to on the road are: Lord Huron, The National Parks, Frenship, and Mogli. Oh, and the soundtrack from David Attenborough’s Our Planet. Don’t knock it ‘til you try it!

Here are some links to my current favorite Spotify playlists:

Vanlife

The Ultimate Roadtrip Soundtrack

Pacific Coast Highway

Our Planet

The van on Joshua Tree BLM land

5: Take Breaks

I cannot stress this one enough! If you’re traveling solo, please take breaks. This is what rest areas are for, and if there are none, gas stations and truck stops are amazing too. I recommend taking a break every 1-2 hours so that you can breathe, use the bathroom, change your music, make a sandwich, anything! Just take your eyes off the road and your hands off the wheel for 10 minutes. It’ll wake you up and make for a safer and less frustrating drive.

Bison on the road in Yellowstone National Park

6: Be aware of agricultural checkpoints

This might only be a thing in the United States—I’m not sure of agricultural laws in other countries—but if you are driving over state lines in the US, be aware of agricultural checkpoints. This is similar to how you have to declare certain items when you fly into a new country or back into the US. They will ask whether you have any fruits, veggies, plants, etc… in the vehicle, as exposing the local agriculture to those plants could affect the environment. As far as I remember, the only agricultural checkpoints in the continental US are at California entry points.

Hoyt Arboretum, OR. When you drive from Oregon to California, you will be asked if you’re carrying any produce.

7: Comfy clothes

This might go without saying, but driving in comfortable clothes will make all the difference. It’s also important to wear clothes for the weather later in the day. The other day, I drove 6 and a half hours from Tucson to San Diego and while it was freezing in the morning, as soon as I hit the Southern Californian desert near the Mexico border, it was hot and sunny! Considering the fact that my van has no AC, it was important that I drove in clothes made for warm weather so that I wouldn’t need to keep stopping to put on or take off a jacket.

One of my favorite brands of ethical and comfortable clothes is Wholesome Culture. They use organic cotton, water based ink, and donate money to animal sanctuaries for every purchase made. Check them out HERE!

Sporting my favorite Wholesome Culture T-shirt on a hike through Mammoth Cave National Park, KY. It says “There is no Planet B.”

8: Keep an eye on your cell service!

So often during long-hauls we drive into areas with no cell service without realizing it. Especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area, it’s crucial to either download your maps before, carry a paper map (for really remote areas like Montana, Canada, Alaska, and even parts of Utah/Nevada), or make sure that you do not exit your already functioning navigation. As long as you start your navigation in either Google Maps or Apple Maps, it will keep you on track even when you do lose service, but as soon as you exit, you won’t be able to just pull it right back up if you’ve got no bars. When I was driving from Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada to Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah, there was no service for the first hour of my drive, and being my second day on the road, this was incredibly stressful. Make sure you know the general direction that you’re going, and if you can find a Pilot or Flying J truck stop (in the states), go in and ask if they have WiFi so you can download a map—they usually do!

Glacier National Park, MT: one of the most remote places you can drive to. Definitely download your maps before leaving West Glacier!

9: Get off the highway and explore

If you’re not in any rush, why make it a long-haul drive in the first place? Drive in your direction until you find something interesting and then make a little detour. You never know what you might find, and there’s always the chance of an unexpected adventure. Long-haul drives are grueling and unless you have a time limit, unnecessary. Let yourself explore more instead.

One of the best detours I’ve ever made! The Salton Sea, CA. Learn more about this place HERE!

10: Take it all in…

It’s so easy when you’re road tripping to make it about the destination. But the truth is, the journey is often the most fun and beautiful part. Some of my favorite experiences on the road, and my most important revelations have come from the actual driving, not the arriving at my destination. It’s so important to take time to realize the landscapes you’re driving through, the lives of the people in the towns you’re passing by, and really, how small the world is when you really think about it.

Lake Crescent, Olympic National Park, WA

The world is far more connected than we like to think. Nothing is as far away as our maps suggest—really, it’s just one 12 hour drive. Take the time to appreciate the distance, it will make all the difference when it comes to surviving that long drive (oh, and of course, all the other stuff too).

Exploring Tucson's Nature

Saguaro National Park and Mount Lemmon

Generally, I’m the type of traveler who travels for the natural landscapes. I go from National Park to National Forest to State Park and try to avoid cities, but there are a few cities that are so surrounded by nature that exploring their parks has become the main attraction. I didn’t quite realize how engrained in Tucson’s culture Saguaro National Park and Mount Lemmon were until a fellow vanner told me, “There isn’t much to do in Tucson except to visit the national park and drive Mount Lemmon.”

After four nights of weather so cold I had to break out the 0 degree sleeping bag, I finally made it back to the southern part of the state. I had already been planning on visiting the park, but as usual, I didn’t have too much of a plan for my day. I ended up fitting both destinations into my one full day I had in Tucson. Here’s everything you need to know.

**Usually I’d stay a bit longer in a place, but cities are expensive and I have to sleep in parking lots, which can be noisy, so I decided I’d want to stay only for a little bit before heading back to the coast.**

Saguaro National Park: how many different types of cactus do you see here?

Saguaro National Park

There are two sides to Saguaro National Park: the West and the East. Since the East was closer to where I was staying in Tucson and was much closer to Mount Lemmon, I decided that that would be the side I visited during my time there. The West side is a bit out of the way, yet boasts bigger and older saguaro cacti.

East Saguaro has a small park or monument feel (basically, it’s not Yosemite, it feels more like Craters of the Moon). There isn’t too much to do but what there is to see is gorgeous. Since I only had half the day in the park before driving Mount Lemmon, I was recommended to do the Loop Road and walk the Desert Ecology Trail. Between this and getting out of the van to take a few pictures and video with and of the cacti, I felt like I saw the basics of what the park was about.

It’s also worth stopping in that Javelina Picnic Area for lunch, as all the tables are surrounded by desert plants, and it allows you to get up close and personal with the cacti.

Saguaro is a place of desert diversity, and is home to far more types of cactus than just the Saguaro. This National Park is home to 24 different types of cactus, and they’re all incredibly unique.

East Saguaro National Park

Mount Lemmon

If you like saguaros, you’re in luck: the bottom of Mount Lemmon is covered in them—even more than are in the East side of the National Park! Mount Lemmon is known for being a place where you’ll experience all of the different biospheres that you would if you were to drive from Mexico to Canada.

There are five biosphere’s total in this unique National Forest (Coronado National Forest) ranging from Sonoran Desert, to Ponderosa Pines, to Mixed Conifers at the summit. I was so happy to see pine trees again without it being absolutely freezing, so if you’re a mountain person stuck in the desert, this is definitely the drive for you.

Mount Lemmon is also ideal for road cyclists, but be warned: it’s a 27 mile journey to the top!

One of the lower biomes of Mount Lemmon

The entire drive from the bottom to the top of Mount Lemmon takes about an hour and ends at a ski resort. I was unable to go the last two miles to the top because the road had been closed due to snow. Throughout the drive, you’ll pass plenty of roadside pullouts, picnic areas, campgrounds (if you’re into that—I don’t believe any of them are free), and one visitor center that has a museum about the area inside. If you go in the winter, try to go on a warmer day, or a little later in the winter, as there was still tons of snow on the sides of the road.

As close the the summit as they would let me drive, Mount Lemmon, AZ

Tucson was completely full of surprises for me. I of course expected to like the National Park, but I didn’t expect it to be so easily accessible from the city. Mount Lemmon, however, was a total surprise for me—I knew it would be beautiful, but no one expects pine trees in southern Arizona. Basically, don’t take anything at face value—every destination has a hidden gem waiting just around the corner, or maybe, at the top of a summit.

A Vanlife Guide to Sedona, AZ

If you’re a person who lives on wheels, or even just a person who hates winter, it’s no secret that Arizona is the place to be in January. Nearly every person living that vanlife on the west coast (and some from the east!) comes to Arizona at the end of January every year. After the annual gatherings in Quartzite, me and my new Van Fam (follow them at emma.goes and theotherground) headed out to Sedona, a place I’d been dreaming of visiting for about two years now.

Sedona is one of the most powerful spiritual centers in the country, and is home to tons of red rocks and beautiful hikes. Prior to coming out here, I had no idea how easy it would be to be an overlander in Sedona, but the truth is, Sedona is one of the most vanlife friendly cities I’ve ever visited.

Me and Emma at Cathedral Rock. Photographer: Brien @theotherground

Where is Sedona?

Sedona is located in north-eastern Arizona, making it one of the colder areas of Arizona. It is about 7 hours from the California coast, 5 hours from Joshua Tree, and 3.5 hours from Quartzite, AZ.

Where should I park?

As I said, Sedona is incredibly van friendly, but that means it’s incredibly camp friendly too. This isn’t the type of city where vanlifers are lining the streets, it’s a city surrounded by National Forest land. The best spots to park are along Forest Road 525. You’ll be sure to meet plenty of other van dwellers, and if you drive far enough, you’ll reach the Palatki Native American Ruins. You obviously can’t park at the ruins, but there are spots nearby where you’ll have vast views of the red rocks.

At camp, somewhere on FR525. Photographer: Emma @emma.goes

What are the best restaurants?

We frequented two amazing vegan/vegetarian restaurants while we were in Sedona: ChocolaTree and Local Juicery. A few of our friends actually work at Local Juicery, so definitely go say hi and support your fellow vanlifers (plus, their avocado toast is the best I’ve ever had). ChocolaTree is more of a spiritually minded spot. It has more of a sit-down restaurant feeling to it, so it’s worth going if you’re craving a hot dinner.

Where can I get water?

Living off the gird means certain things aren’t as easy as they could be in a house. One of those things is water. Luckily, ChocolaTree has a spigot with fresh spring water outside their restaurant that they allowed us to fill our 6 gallon tanks with.

Me at Devils Bridge—the most famous hike in Sedona! Photographer: Emma @emma.goes

Where can I go to get in a work day?

There’s always Starbucks, but if you’re looking to get in a work day and catch some views, head to Creekside Coffee. Here, you’ll have views of Snoopy Rock, and can snag some WiFi, even outside.

If you’re interested in learning more about making money on the road, check out Wired Creatives HERE!

Cathedral Rock from below

What are the best hikes to do?

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that hiking is a huge reason I go to certain places. Sedona is a huge hiking hub, so we made it a point to hit a few of the Coconino National Forest trails while we were out there.

Devils Bridge: Devils Bridge is easily the most popular hike to do in Sedona. It features a vast, natural bridge photo op and the entire hike is about 4 miles long. Expect crowded parking, but if you have 4WD, you can make it to the real trailhead and skip walking along the dirt road. If there’s no parking, no worries, you can park on the main road too, but it’ll add about a half mile of walking. Prepare for crowds at the top too. We got lucky with a gloomy day, and only had to wait behind about 6 people each, but normally, it’s a crowd of about 150 people at the top.

Boynton Canyon Vortex: This was one of the most powerful vortexes I experienced in Sedona. It’s not a long hike, but it features red rocks and two spires that are said to represent the divine masculine and divine feminine. If you’re a spiritually minded person, you’ll love this spot, and if you get there early enough in the day, you might just catch the flute player who goes up there daily to hand out heart shaped rocks to people.

Cathedral Rock: This was my absolute favorite spot we went during our time in Sedona. It’s a hike basically made of rock scrambles, which made is extremely fun, and had some amazing photo opportunities at the top. Keep an eye out for the vortex trees—trees that appear to have been swirled (this phenomenon happens due to the high amounts of spiritual energy in the area).

Me and Emma at Cathedral Rock. Photographer: Brien @theotherground

Sedona is an absolutely magical spot. Whether you’re a spiritual person or not, Sedona will change the way you see the desert. The hikes here are breathtaking, the camping is quiet and peaceful, and it’s a great place to feel like you have a sense of community on the road.

The Other Side of the Planet

Finding Home in Ban Sop Chem

“I was never not coming here. This was never not going to happen.” -Eat Pray Love

From the moment I landed in Laos, surrounded by mountains and green, something in my soul felt like it had slipped perfectly into place. Back before I started traveling, I spent a lot of time struggling with the meaning of my life and what I was doing. I didn’t think that what I was currently doing had the power to make the impact I wanted it to. So, I went searching, and I found myself in Laos, a country I’d never heard of before signing up to go.

Both times on the boats, when we were arriving in and leaving Sop Chem, I cried. I expected to upon leaving—I hate goodbyes, I always try to frame them as a “see you later,” and this time around I really hoped it was true because the moment we arrived, no, before we arrived, when we were simply traveling down the Nam Ou River with mountains as tall as Montana’s glaciers casting shadows on the water and our boat and the trees, I suddenly felt a whisper of “oh, this is why.”

View from the restaurant in Sop Chem

Why I came here, why I didn’t feel like what I was working on before had much purpose, why I was put on this planet. I was supposed to do something bigger. I arrived as a volunteer, and I left knowing I needed to come back.

I spent the week with the locals, getting to know them by name and spending more time with them than I would ever spend with my neighbors back in California. We were able to connect without language. I played games with children who just wanted to learn from us, I made emotional connections with the village’s women, I tried their food, and stayed in their homes. I pet their dogs, and ate lunch with views of their river, a river that would always symbolize the act of arriving here.

Working with the children was one of the most fulfilling moments for me. I arrived in Southeast Asia expecting to put most of my energy into permaculture—it was sustainability that brought me out there in the first place. But the truth is, the connections with the people is what made me want to stay. In Laos, I worked with the young boys to teach them English. I picked them because I have a little brother, and I knew most people would want to work with the girls anyway, and the boys deserved that attention and love too. I knew they’d be a handful, but sometimes mischief is fun, and it turns out, my favorite students were the troublemakers.

Some of my students, playing in the river

Of course, I loved all of them, and I’m incredibly proud of the progress they made just in the time I was with them, but the ones whose names I’ll forever remember are Khan and Leek, to the older boys (about 8 or 9) who came to the intermediate class to learn English on their last 3 days of winter break. They were mischievous, but that meant they were smart. They didn’t have to be there—they showed up because they wanted to. They came and went as they pleased, but still enjoyed a good coloring book and sticker at the end of the day. Khan can give a high five that will knock your soul straight out of your body. Leek is soft at heart, I can tell, but he likes showing off—being the center of attention.

At the end of the school day, the boys disappeared, like children of the jungle and the mountains, dispersing into the hiking trails and roads and trees, while the girls stick around to play games. Phun is the girl who always picked me as her partner for games, and later in the week, for dancing. She’s about 7 years old and she was never my student. She just learned my name when her friend Noona asked. I wanted to ask her why she always picked me, but she doesn’t know enough English and I don’t know enough Lao and “why” is a hard question to answer in any language, so I’ll just go with the idea that she either liked my energy or my pants. I hope that one day I can ask her, but the truth is, even when I do eventually find my way back there, the odds are, she probably won’t remember me the way Noona would, who remembers every volunteer from the past three years. They’re best friends, those girls, and I wish I could have given them so much more.

After the Baci Ceremony

I sat, on one of my last days in Sop Chem, hanging in my hammock in the restaurant where we always ate our meals, looking out over the Nam Ou River for one of the last times until next time (whenever that may be). My legs were bug bitten and bruised and my Teva tan was back and my soul felt so at peace there that the thought of leaving and never coming back broke my heart. I’d never wanted to stay somewhere longer than I wanted to stay there. I didn’t feel like I was on the other side of the planet from home. It felt like my soul had always been trying to find this place.

My last morning in Sop Chem also happened to be my birthday. The last night of my year had been spent dancing to an hour long remix of songs from my childhood under the stars, barefoot, in the center of a village in the center of mountains with Baci chords tied around my wrists for good luck. I felt so full, that day, even knowing that the morning meant leaving, and as we did, back on the boats that brought us to our new home in Ban Sop Chem in the first place, it didn’t feel like the people on the shore of the river were saying goodbye, not forever, at least, not for me.

Three Must-Visit Spots in Laos

I recently returned from Southeast Asia, where I volunteered for a month in Thailand and Laos with GIVE Volunteers. It’s no question that, of the two countries, Laos made the bigger impact on me as a person, a traveler, and a global citizen. Laos is an incredibly special country, and the truth is, two years ago, like many of you, I had no idea it even existed.

Laos is a small, landlocked country just north of Thailand. It borders four other countries as well: China, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia. It’s known for its mountains, Buddhist culture, and waterfalls.

During our time in Laos, we visited three major spots (IE: one city, one backpacking village, and one remote village). This is the best journey through this beautiful country that will show you the best of Laos, from Luang Prabang to Sop Chem.

View from the Nam Ou River

Luang Prabang City

Not to be confused with Luang Prabang Province, Luang Prabang City is the first part of Laos I got to experience. It’s a clean city with plenty of hostels (we stayed at Mao Pha Sohk Guesthouse), vans available as public transport, markets, and culture.

Luang Prabang is gorgeous, even for a city, and is home to a fantastic array of restaurants (Coconut Restaurant is a crowd favorite), as well as a huge night market that happens daily, starting at 5pm (Laos time). Our first day started with participating in the Alms ceremony, where we gave rice to monks as they made their way to temple. This is definitely something to experience, even though it starts at 5 am daily.

Another must-see in Luang Prabang is Tat Kuang Si National Park. This National Park is home to Kuang Si Falls, the famous waterfalls that are known as being one of the most beautiful places in the world, and the Free the Bears Moon Bear Sanctuary (who accept donations HERE). Both spots are incredibly important to witness for that perfect balance of cultural understanding and natural beauty.

The last must-see in Luang Prabang is the UXO museum. The UXO museum stands for the fact that Laos is the most bombed country and the most affected by the Vietnam War. Still, there is unexploded ordinance scattered throughout the country. True responsible tourism is understanding the culture, and there is no such thing as understanding Lao culture without talking about UXO.

View from Mao Pha Sohk Guesthouse at sunrise

Ban Sop Chem

Sop Chem is easily one of my favorite places on Earth. Sop Chem is a remote weaving village located directly on the Nam Ou River, and the best way to access it is by boat.

Sop Chem thrives on tourism. Most tourists just come for a day trip from Nong Kiaw, but there is a hostel in Sop Chem if you’d like to stay the night and experience this remote village for the night.

Here, we volunteered at the local school and permaculture plot, but also participated in plenty of cultural activities that tourists would also be able to experience, such as shopping for hand-woven fabrics, hiking to the Power China dam site, and exploring Tam Lom, a cave where the villagers of Sop Chem hid during the war (but please don’t go without a guide).

The people of Sop Chem are some of the most welcoming I’ve ever met, so stay a while if you can, pet the dogs, and play cards with the local kids—this is an experience like no other.

Ban Sop Chem

Nong Kiaw

Nong Kiaw was the backpacker village we stayed in on our way back to Luang Prabang from Sop Chem where we stayed in the Sunrise Hostel, and spent my birthday adventuring. There is so much nature to experience in Laos, and a lot of those beautiful places are right in Nong Kiaw.

Two of the most notable are the Pha Thok Cave and Pha Deang Peak hike. The Pha Thok Cave is another combination of nature and culture, as it gives you another perspective into the history of the country during wartime. Pha Deang Peak is a strenuous, approximately 6 mile hike that gains 3,000 feet in elevation from bottom to top. This is a genuine mountain summit hike, but it comes bearing some of the best views in the country.

View from Pha Deang Peak, Nong Kiaw

Laos is truly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. It’s known for village communities, mountains, and rivers, and the culture is like no other. I hear a lot of talk about visiting Southeast Asia, and Laos should be on everyone’s list, if not for the beauty, then for the culture.

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Laos (other than Sop Chem, which is a good break from being on the grid) is incredibly backpacker and digital nomad friendly. Learn how to work and make money online with Wired Creatives HERE!