United States Travel Articles

Animal Portraits from GloWild at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

Posted on November 4, 2023November 13, 2023By Heather

When the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium announced their GloWild event would return, I jumped at the chance to get tickets for this year’s “Around … Continue ReadingAnimal Portraits from GloWild at the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium

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San Diego Up Close

Posted on October 23, 2023October 23, 2023By Heather

I had already written an extensive post about recommendations for visiting San Diego, but since then, I have frequently returned to visit family and speak … Continue ReadingSan Diego Up Close

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Morning views in Gulf Shores, Alabama

Posted on September 17, 2023September 17, 2023By Heather

Admittedly, I underestimated coastal Alabama as an outdoor travel destination. But when the Outdoor Writers Association of America hosted our annual conference at Gulf State … Continue ReadingMorning views in Gulf Shores, Alabama

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Mountain goats on the McCullough Gulch Trail hike in Colorado

Posted on September 12, 2023September 12, 2023By Heather

Something always stands between me and the goats. I haul all my stupid, heavy photography gear on my back for miles into thinning air, hoping … Continue ReadingMountain goats on the McCullough Gulch Trail hike in Colorado

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River reconnection: backpacking the North Fork Skokomish River Trail in Olympic National Park

Posted on August 23, 2023September 12, 2023By Heather

Why would any sane, rational human being leave the comfort of their home with air conditioning and plumbing, strap 40 pounds of gear onto their … Continue ReadingRiver reconnection: backpacking the North Fork Skokomish River Trail in Olympic National Park

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Skåne, Sweden is for the birds.

Posted on June 28, 2023August 23, 2023By Heather

Tap photos to view full-size. Photos best viewed full-size on desktop computers. I recently traveled to Sweden for a speaking engagement in Stockholm, and added … Continue ReadingSkåne, Sweden is for the birds.

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Peru Creek: Crapping in a Bag & Other Stories

Posted on December 25, 2022August 8, 2023By Heather

This is a story about defeat, joy, and grief. It is full of adventure and misadventure, with a touch of prescience. Twists and turns. Bathroom humor. Summit season 2022 was unsuccessful, but mountain season was a hit. Buckle up; it’s a ride. … Read More >Peru Creek: Crapping in a Bag & Other Stories

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Voyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota

Posted on August 8, 2022August 25, 2023By Heather

It appears that 2022 is the year I visit national parks experiencing extraordinary flooding events. In the spring, massive flooding washed out vast parts of … Continue ReadingVoyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota

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Paradise Valley, Montana: A Cabin at the Foot of Emigrant Peak

Posted on June 25, 2022June 25, 2022By Heather

This story is continued from Western Kitsch: The Black Hills of South Dakota. After our gripping adventure rerouting several hours out of our way from … Continue ReadingParadise Valley, Montana: A Cabin at the Foot of Emigrant Peak

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1% of 1% of Yellowstone National Park

Posted on May 29, 2022August 25, 2023By Heather

June 15, 2022 – Yellowstone National Park Update: I published this story just two weeks before record-breaking floods occurred at Yellowstone National Park, causing widespread … Continue Reading1% of 1% of Yellowstone National Park

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Western Kitsch: The Black Hills, South Dakota

Posted on May 21, 2022August 25, 2023By Heather

We daydreamed about visiting Badlands area for years. We were drawn by the mystique of its wide open spaces, curious about its strange, striated western … Continue ReadingWestern Kitsch: The Black Hills, South Dakota

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Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Posted on March 20, 2022September 10, 2023By Heather

I have been setting my sights on day trip destinations near Kansas City. I’m seeking places to branch out and shoot landscape and wildlife photography. … Continue ReadingLoess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

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Four Seasons of Loose Park Photography in Kansas City, MO

Posted on February 2, 2022August 25, 2023By Heather

One landscape photographer pro-tip I received was to choose a place near your home that you can return to again and again, at all times … Continue ReadingFour Seasons of Loose Park Photography in Kansas City, MO

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50 Miles on the Flint Hills Nature Trail

Posted on November 22, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

My two fitness goals this year were to summit another 14,000-foot peak and do a 50-mile hike in four days. I completed Huron Peak in … Continue Reading50 Miles on the Flint Hills Nature Trail

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Photography from Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

Posted on November 20, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

The Pacific Northwest continues to be one of my favorite parts of the country. On a recent work trip to Seattle, Washington, one of our … Continue ReadingPhotography from Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

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Hiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado

Posted on August 31, 2021August 8, 2023By Heather

Fear has been a consistent companion in my life. At age 10, I negotiated my way out of the deep end of the pool during … Continue ReadingHiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado

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Sunrise at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland

Posted on July 24, 2021July 24, 2021By Heather

I recently had the opportunity to return to Annapolis, Maryland to visit family, and we awoke early to visit the United States Naval Academy yard … Continue ReadingSunrise at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland

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The 50-Miler That Wasn’t: Indiana’s Knobstone Trail

Posted on June 26, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

I set two simple outdoor fitness goals this year – hike and summit at least one 14,000-foot peak, and segment hike a 50-miler. I tend … Continue ReadingThe 50-Miler That Wasn’t: Indiana’s Knobstone Trail

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The Sonoran Desert & Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Posted on May 13, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

The types of cactus and landscape change as we approach Arizona from New Mexico. The saguaros sparse at first, appearing only occasionally among other cactus … Continue ReadingThe Sonoran Desert & Saguaro National Park, Arizona

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White Sands National Park, New Mexico

Posted on April 20, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

The last time I saw White Sands was more than two decades ago, when it was still a national monument. My younger brother and I … Continue ReadingWhite Sands National Park, New Mexico

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Bryce Canyon National Park

Posted on January 12, 2021August 25, 2023By Heather

Bryce Canyon in southern Utah is the last of the four national parks I visited on this road trip. (Prior parks: Capitol Reef National Park … Continue ReadingBryce Canyon National Park

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Capitol Reef National Park

Posted on December 19, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

Capitol Reef National Park was the major destination on my 3-week long national parks road trip. I dedicated the whole day to slow, quiet hiking … Continue ReadingCapitol Reef National Park

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Small Town America: Antimony, Utah

Posted on December 3, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

I said I wanted peace, quiet, and serenity. Did I ever find it in Antimony, Utah. The population of this tiny town is just over … Continue ReadingSmall Town America: Antimony, Utah

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Perspective at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Posted on November 27, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

I booked this Airbnb cottage in Montrose, Colorado because I needed to be close to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. But first, goats. … Continue ReadingPerspective at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

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Shiras Moose Sighting in Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Posted on November 14, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

On the way into Blackhawk, Colorado, where I was staying at a beautiful little cabin in the woods as a home base for my exploration … Continue ReadingShiras Moose Sighting in Golden Gate Canyon State Park

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Autumn in Rocky Mountain National Park

Posted on November 11, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

I have long hoped to string together a series of national parks to form a road trip. With the Covid pandemic still raging around the … Continue ReadingAutumn in Rocky Mountain National Park

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Stillness in Stratton, Colorado

Posted on October 27, 2020November 20, 2021By Heather

It’s hard to stop moving. It’s nearly impossible to sit still, like a stone. Silence is hard to come by. To be truly alone is … Continue ReadingStillness in Stratton, Colorado

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“Humble Peak”

Posted on October 20, 2020August 8, 2023By Heather

I’m terrified of heights. My partner asked me, “Then why do you do it?” (Hike to the top of tall mountains, he meant.) “Because I’m … Continue Reading“Humble Peak”

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Outdoor Attractions at Colorado Springs

Posted on September 30, 2020August 25, 2023By Heather

I’m sitting in front of a fire in my sweats, under a red, chunky knit blanket. I’m in a drafty and strangely decorated stranger’s house … Continue ReadingOutdoor Attractions at Colorado Springs

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Camping & Hiking Quandary Peak in Colorado

Posted on July 23, 2020August 8, 2023By Heather

We have isolated for months in response to COVID-19. All our trips have are canceled. Work jaunts to cities around the country for speaking engagements … Continue ReadingCamping & Hiking Quandary Peak in Colorado