Hiking – Page 3 – Wonder. Wander. Repeat.

Midwest Garden of the Gods

When you hear someone say “Garden of the Gods,” your mind most likely reels an image loop of the rocky Colorado paradise. But have you ever heard of the Garden of the Gods that resides in the Midwest? That’s right; there is a beautiful, rocky haven in southeast Illinois. I am consistently shocked at the astounding number of people who live in Illinois or a surrounding state that haven’t heard of this utopia. In fact, I shared photos of our adventures on a Facebook travel page that I’m apart of, and several Illinois residents commented on my post, flabbergasted that such a place exists near their hometown. Just five hours south of Chicago lie these western-vibe trails that yearn for hiking boots to step along their paths. Midwesterners, let me show you what’s in your backyard!

Collect Adventures, Not Things

There are two questions that I get asked frequently. “How can you afford to travel so much?” and “How do you find the time to travel?” Since the answers to both are quite elaborate, I decided to dedicate a post specifically to these topics.

An Abandoned Amusement Park

Have you ever stopped to consider what our state parks were before they were deemed “state parks?” Before state governments began funding, operating and protecting these parks, the lands were prairies, wetlands, seashores, battlefields, etc. Learning the history of our protected lands proves to be very interesting, especially when it came to discovering what one of Indiana’s newest state parks once was. In the 1920s, nearly a century ago, Charleston State Park was a booming, popular amusement park. Named Rose Island, this theme park not only offered thrilling rides, but a dining hall, a swimming pool, and a mini zoo. However, in 1937, a massive flood destroyed the theme park, covering the entire area with ten feet of water. Aside from an amusement park, it was also a recreational area used for church camps in the 1800s and served as part of the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant. In 1996, the land was given to Charlestown State Park, which became Indiana’s newest state park.

Surrounded By Waterfalls

Have you ever been completely surrounded by waterfalls? And that no matter what direction you turned, your eyes landed on falling water? Let me tell you, show you, what a beautiful sight this is.

Lookout Mountain: From the Top to the Depths

Cave exploration has always been so intriguing to me. The cool, damp atmosphere; the wet, slippery walls, the sharp stalagmites and stalactites that dangle from the cave’s floors and ceilings; and the sheer fact that someone stumbled upon these underground wonders and crawled through them for days, weeks, months, itching to find more. Well, one man named Leo Lambert discovered the Lookout Mountain Cave system, and what he discovered was nothing short of a national treasure.

A Desert Hailstorm

If you have ever hiked in Arizona, you probably know that the weather can sometimes be extremely erratic. Mix in the differing elevations and you’ve got yourself a big ball of unpredictability. At one point, we were driving through Flagstaff, a flurry of snowflakes blowing around us like a shaken snow globe; an hour later, we were deep in the Grand Canyon, sun shining overhead and temperatures rising, not a single snowflake resting on the ground. A blanket of snow covered the mountaintops while sauna-like heat filled the canyons down below.

Superstition Mountains: A Thunderstorm Hike

The clouds quickly shielded the sun; dark, ominous cumulonimbus clouds clumped together in the sky like scoops of dark ice cream, threatening to burst open. Rumbles of thunder echoed in the distance; an occasional bolt of lightening flashed before our eyes. Suddenly, drops of rain pattered on the windshield as we pulled into the Lost Dutchman State Park parking area. We were about to hike the Superstition Mountains with a thunderstorm looming on the horizon, and we couldn’t be more excited!

Grand Canyon: Hiking the South Kaibab Trail

When I first laid eyes on the Grand Canyon, tears crept into my eyes and threatened to spill over. Not only because I was fulfilling a dream, but because a sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty of the world washed over me in a tumultuous wave and overtook my emotions. I was in literal awe at my surroundings, and the sight of the deep canyons took my breath away. The pictures that I saw didn’t do the canyons justice, and though I worked hard to make sure my photos would help engrave the memories in my brain, I knew that I wouldn’t need a picture to remember the sights that I saw that week. The deep, wide canyons are forever etched in my memory bank.

Kayaking Through Underwater Sea Caves

Crystal clear, jewel-colored water. Zebra mussels etching the lake’s bottom. Cliffs jutting into the horizon. Sunsets painting the sky. Sea caves carved into rocks. All of these attributes describe one magical place. Cave Point in Door County, Wisconsin.

Ultimate Arizona Itinerary

Many ask us what travel agent we go through or who plans our vacation itineraries. The answer is simply, “Us!” If we were embarking on an international adventure, we may hire a travel agent to assist us, but for the most part, we love planning everything ourselves! So you may wonder what goes into the planning process, and the answer is lots and lots of thorough research. Though we love spontaneity and truly believe it adds an important element to adventure, cross-county road trips call for a “bit” of planning! Our research process includes scrolling through photos, internet articles, and recommendations on blogs and travel sites. My wife and I typically research separately, jotting down each of our favorite trails, sights, adventure ideas, etc. We then compare our lists and create a compilation of our ideas, sometimes omitting or adding things along the way. Arizona was definitely our biggest trip to date. By “big,” I mean it involved the most planning. We strategically booked hotels, flights, and excursions, filling in trails and parks into our itinerary. After months of planning, we finally had our dream vacation finalized. If you are planning a trip to Arizona and want some hiking ideas or inspiration for your planning process, here was our paraphrased 8-day itinerary!