St. Croix River and Ice Age Trail:  Easy Trek from Minneapolis Airport to 2 National Park Service Sites
Explore America / Explore The Outdoors / Explore The Parks / U.S. National Parks

St. Croix River and Ice Age Trail: Easy Trek from Minneapolis Airport to 2 National Park Service Sites

When I was asked to speak at TBEX North America in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, I decided to check off a few National Park Service sites in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The closest major airport to Eau Claire is Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport about 1.5 hours away. Of course I was taking the scenic route to get … Continue reading

Hike to Lily Pad Lake in Silverthorne, Colorado
Explore Colorado / Explore The Outdoors

Hike to Lily Pad Lake in Silverthorne, Colorado

If you’re looking for a quick hike with lots to see and quick access from downtown Silverthorne, Lily Pad Lake is it. This is a wonderful family-friendly hike is filled with views, wildflowers, water crossing, and tall pines on your way to a small lake covered with lily pads. Getting there: You can hike to … Continue reading

Cool Loop to Hike in Pueblo Mountain Park
Explore Colorado / Explore The Outdoors

Cool Loop to Hike in Pueblo Mountain Park

If you want to hike without crowds this is a great option. Pueblo Mountain Park is in the San Isabel National Forest near Beulah and about 25 minutes from Pueblo. It has a cool history tidbit too. In 1919 it America’s first recreational planning/development in a national forest. There are over eight miles of trails … Continue reading

How to Spend an Hour at Scotts Bluff National Monument
Explore The Outdoors / Explore The Parks / U.S. National Monuments & Sites

How to Spend an Hour at Scotts Bluff National Monument

From a distance Scotts Bluff National Monument is impressive. It towers above the surrounding plains and is 800 feet above the North Platte River. The enormous bluff has been a prairie pathway landmark for at least 10,000 years first for indigenous people and then for pioneers on the Oregon Trail during America’s westward expansion. The … Continue reading

Car Art and Roadside Attraction:  Carhenge is America’s Stonehenge
Explore America / Explore The Outdoors

Car Art and Roadside Attraction: Carhenge is America’s Stonehenge

This ranks up there with the quirkiest roadside attractions I’ve visited. It’s a weird and fascinating display of car art off the beaten path. Take a detour north off of I-80 to the tiny town of Alliance in northwest Nebraska. Why? To see a replica of Stonehenge in England, which I visited last November. The … Continue reading

Watching World’s Largest Sandhill Crane Migration is Epic Birding in Nebraska
3 Day Getaways / Explore America / Explore The Outdoors

Watching World’s Largest Sandhill Crane Migration is Epic Birding in Nebraska

Every spring over a million sandhill cranes swoop down on Central Nebraska. It’s the world’s largest sandhill crane migration and one of the last great animal migrations on earth. The nearly 150-mile stretch of Grand Island-Kearney-North Platte is called the Nebraska Flyway as cranes travel north from their winter homes in places like Texas and … Continue reading

Places You Need to Visit on the Plains for Outdoor Adventure
Explore America / Explore The Outdoors

Places You Need to Visit on the Plains for Outdoor Adventure

When you think of outdoor adventure, the Plains probably aren’t the first place that jumps into your mind. Spending more time exploring from the Texas Panhandle to North Dakota, I’ve discovered some amazing outdoor destinations in the states where folks tend to just drive through or flyover. Next time you find yourself in the landscape … Continue reading

Yellowstone National Park’s Season of Snow and Steam – Why You Should Visit Cody Yellowstone in Winter
Explore America / Explore The Outdoors / Explore The Parks / U.S. National Parks

Yellowstone National Park’s Season of Snow and Steam – Why You Should Visit Cody Yellowstone in Winter

If you want to no crowds in Yellowstone National Park visit in winter on a snowmobiling adventure from Cody, Wyoming. Continue reading