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The Dakotas Road Trip Day 4
My fourth day in the Dakotas was my most rushed day due to calling my trip short which looking back at it was a mistake. I was originally going to spend the night in North Dakota, but I decided to make a day trip of it. This is not something I recommend others do but you live and learn. This day I left Rapid City, SD bright and early to see the town of Deadwood after watching the show on tv for so many years. The town is nice but to be honest just like so many other places it is a noticeably big tourist trap. The town itself has…
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The Dakotas Road Trip Day 3
My time in the Dakotas while jam packed showed me a part of the country, I never thought I would get a chance to see. Day 3 The third day of my road trip was a nonstop adventure of visiting some very touristy spots while also hiking the highest peak in the state of South Dakota. The start of my day took me to visit Mt. Rushmore and check a bucket list item I have had since watching the movie Richie Rich growing up. A weird move to think of the monument but that is just how my mind works sometimes. Driving from Rapid City is smooth with a relatively…
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The Dakotas Road Trip Day 1 and 2
This summer after cancelling multiple plans to travel abroad I settled on visiting two states that had been on my list for a while, North and South Dakota. I have had a goal to visit all 50 states and all 62 National Parks but there are some locations hard to reach than others. The Dakotas have been an area that I have wanted to visit for a long time but also just out of the way enough that I never made my way there. Being the summer of covid and not allowed to really travel abroad I decided to embark on an awesome solo road trip! The original planned ended…
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Hermits Trail Grand Canyon National Park
Hermit Trail in the Grand Canyon National Park is one of the lesser visited trails at GCNP when compared to Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails. The hike is located a quick walk from the Hermit Rest area on the west side of the South Rim off Grand Canyon Village. How To Get There I highly recommend taking the shuttle from the Grand Canyon Village since the walk on the Rim Trail would take quite some time and would wear you out before tackling an already strenuous hike. The shuttles in the Grand Canyon are free and are the best way of covering ground fast across the park. You are…
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Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most visited National Parks in the United States and one that has a very dear spot in my heart. This was one of the first National Parks I visited on my Southwest Road Trip and has one of my favorite campgrounds. The National Park has some amazing hikes and offers something for all travelers. You are able to stay in the main village and enjoy luxury lodges and fine dining or you are able to stay at some of the remote campgrounds and enjoy some of the most amazing views of any park. The same applies for hiking, you are able to…
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Grand Canyon Desert View Campground
There are two main campground areas in the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Mather Campground is right inside of Grand Canyon Village and is reservable while Desert Campground is located in the east entrance of South Rim about 25 miles form Grand Canyon Village and is on a first come basis. You truly cannot go wrong with either campground while visiting Grand Canyon National Park but there is one that stands out to me. The Desert Campground is and will always be my favorite campground in the United States. I could be biased on this due to it being one of the first National Park campgrounds I ever stayed…
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Enchanted Rock One Day Epic Loop
Enchanted Rock State Park is fast becoming one of my favorite State Parks in Texas for multiple reasons. The first reason is just how centrally located it is to so many major cities in Texas and secondly for how much fun you can have by combining multiple trails for all levels of hiking fitness. During my first trip to Enchanted Rock we combined the most popular trails to make a nice 4-5 mile loop that showcases the highlights of Enchanted Rock. Summit Trail Echo Canyon Trail Base Trail Turkey Pass Trail Frontside Trail Summit Trail 1.6 Miles The Summit Trail is the highlight of the park and for most people…
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Enchanted Rock Summit Trail
Enchanted Rock State Park is one of my favorite and most accessible parks in all of Texas. It is located right outside of Fredericksburg, Texas which is centrally located near Austin and San Antonio. I recently visited the park for the first time as a way to get out of the house during our Covid19 quarantine times. You can read more about my first visit HERE and how the new safety protocols Texas State Parks have implemented might alter your visit. You can also read about my tips on travelling during the new health crisis we live in HERE. The Summit Trail The Summit Trail at Enchanted Rock is the…
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Enchanted Rock State Park
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area is a must do stop for everyone in Texas and one that has been on my bucket list for quite some time. The park contains the largest pink granite monadnock in the United States which rises 425 feet above the surrounding area with an altitude of 1,825 feet. The State Natural Area is part of the Texas State Park system and sits right outside of Fredericksburg, TX which is less than 2 hours from San Antonio and Austin, and right around 4 hours from Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston. This means if you are a fan of road trips there is no reason you cannot make…
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Southwest Road Trip Part 5
The last part of my trip took me through most of Colorado and through some of the most scenic drives I have done in my life. If you haven’t seen the previous parts see Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4! Ridgway, Colorado My first stop in Colorado was in Ridgway to spend a few days at the Ridgway State Park for a bit of boating and camping. This was the first time I have spent time in this area of Colorado and it was quite impressive. The best part about Ridgway was its proximity to some of the coolest places I have ever been too! Telluride, Colorado…