United States Travel Articles

Voyageurs National Park in Northern Minnesota

Posted on August 8, 2022August 10, 2022By 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, 2022June 15, 2022By 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

Domestic Hiking

Western Kitsch: The Black Hills, South Dakota

Posted on May 21, 2022May 30, 2022By 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

Domestic Hiking

Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge

Posted on March 20, 2022May 21, 2022By Heather

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

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Four Seasons of Loose Park in Kansas City, MO

Posted on February 2, 2022August 18, 2022By 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 in Kansas City, MO

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50 Miles on the Flint Hills Nature Trail

Posted on November 22, 2021November 22, 2021By 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

Domestic Hiking

Photography from Snoqualmie Falls, Washington

Posted on November 20, 2021November 21, 2021By 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

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Hiking Huron Peak 14er in Colorado

Posted on August 31, 2021August 31, 2021By 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

Dog-Friendly Domestic Hiking

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

Posted on June 26, 2021June 27, 2021By 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, 2021April 29, 2022By 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, 2021May 14, 2021By 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

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Bryce Canyon National Park

Posted on January 12, 2021January 12, 2021By 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

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Capitol Reef National Park

Posted on December 19, 2020December 19, 2020By 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, 2020September 5, 2021By 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

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Perspective at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Posted on November 27, 2020November 27, 2020By 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, 2020November 14, 2020By 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, 2020November 16, 2020By 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

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

“Humble Peak”

Posted on October 20, 2020September 3, 2021By 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”

Domestic Hiking

Outdoor Attractions at Colorado Springs

Posted on September 30, 2020September 30, 2020By 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

Adventure Travel Domestic Hiking

Camping & Hiking Quandary Peak in Colorado

Posted on July 23, 2020April 29, 2021By 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

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How to Spend 2 Days in Athens, Greece

Posted on October 3, 2019December 19, 2020By Heather

When some friends of ours asked, “Do you want to go to Santorini with us in September?” the obvious answer was an immediate, obvious yes. … Continue ReadingHow to Spend 2 Days in Athens, Greece

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Quick Hits in Tacoma, Washington

Posted on August 24, 2019August 24, 2019By Heather

I spent a night in Tacoma, Washington passing through between Ashford and Mount Rainier on my way to Seattle to speak at a conference. If … Continue ReadingQuick Hits in Tacoma, Washington

Adventure Travel Domestic

Camping & Hiking in Summit County, Colorado

Posted on August 23, 2019August 23, 2019By Heather

This Summit County, Colorado camping and hiking trip seemed like it had all the odds stacked against it from day one. It’s been more than … Continue ReadingCamping & Hiking in Summit County, Colorado

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Mount Rainier & Ashford, WA

Posted on August 11, 2019August 24, 2019By Heather

Mount Rainier has called to me since the first time I saw it with my own eyes nearly 15 years ago. I plan to hike … Continue ReadingMount Rainier & Ashford, WA

Domestic Hiking

Summer Camping at White Rock Mountain, Arkansas

Posted on June 20, 2019November 20, 2021By Heather

My brother and I have been looking for a good excuse to use all the backpacking gear we invested in (hiking to the top of Pikes Peak was its inaugural journey), so we put a camping trip on the books for White Rock Mountain, Arkansas in the Ozark National Forest. … Read More >Summer Camping at White Rock Mountain, Arkansas

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Volunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle, Washington

Posted on May 1, 2019May 1, 2019By Heather

Seattle is one of my favorite cities in the U.S. I frequently visit the Pacific Northwest for work, and I always try to tack on … Continue ReadingVolunteer Park Conservatory in Seattle, Washington

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San Diego Up Close

Posted on March 16, 2019March 16, 2019By Heather

I have already written an extensive post about recommendations for visiting San Diego, however I recently returned to speak at a conference, and want to … Continue ReadingSan Diego Up Close