Exploring the National Parks

12: Yellowstone Fun Facts

Welcome to the Yellowstone Fun Facts episode!
Yellowstone is John’s absolute favorite national park! That being said, he is going to take the lead and share his top fun facts about the “oldest and best’ national park.
Yellowstone is mysterious and legendary because it’s a supervolcano! This is a fascinating park, and we are so excited to discuss these fun facts with you today.
Join us as we cover:
The science behind the supervolcano in Yellowstone
The thermophiles in Grand Prismatic
The flowers that only live and grow in Yellowstone
Why we think Yellowstone is the true American safari
The cool thing about the buffalo at this park
The unbelievable human history in Yellowstone
Yellowstone is such a special place, and it has ignited people’s imaginations for many years. We hope you get a chance to experience Yellowstone yourself so that you can see all of the epic things this park has to offer!
Check out the full show notes here.

11: National Park Hiking Trails Ranked!

It’s going down!
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing the ultimate trail rumble! Join us as we rank our favorite national park hiking trails.
Buckle up because there will be some fighting. We both made our own lists, and we are ready to see who comes out victorious!
Join us as we cover:
An incredible immersive hike
A great hike to take during the sunset
Trails to see in Sequoia Kings
Trails full of adventure and amazing sights
A must-see trail in Yosemite
Trails we love at Acadia
A couple of epic trails in Mount Rainier National Park
Our favorite mountain trails
It was so hard to rank the trails because there are truly so many amazing ones to see! But we hope you enjoy this fun ranking episode and that it will inspire you to get out on a trail somewhere.
What are your rankings? We would love to hear them! Let us know on Instagram @dirtinmyshoes.
Check out the full show notes here.

10: Exploring Yellowstone -- Best Geysers, Things to Do, and Wildlife

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are diving into one of the parks we get the most questions about - Yellowstone!
Since everyone starts trip planning after the holidays, we figured this was the perfect time to tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful park in case you’re heading there this year. So come along as we explore Yellowstone!
Join us as we cover:
What we love about Old Faithful
Why Grand Prismatic is so cool
Why the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a must for your first trip
Our favorite viewpoint in the Canyon area
Hiking trails you don’t want to miss
Food to try while visiting Yellowstone
What we think of the “Great One Buffalo”
Our favorite things about the Norris Geyser Basin
The wildlife you can find in Lamar Valley
The differences between the northern and southern loop
It’s really amazing how many cool things you’ll see as you drive through Yellowstone! This episode is a helpful introduction to this national park.
If you’re wondering what to do now, I have a full Yellowstone itinerary available to help you plan the perfect trip. You can check it out over at DirtInMyShoes.com. We can’t wait for you to make some amazing memories with your family!
Check out the full show notes here.

9: Everglades Trip Planning

Are you ready to start trip planning for the Everglades?
We love talking about trip planning, and we are so excited to help you make your trip happen. This national park is amazing because it’s a great place to visit during the winter when you’re tired of the cold weather. It’s warm, beautiful, and a really cool place to visit!
Join us as we talk through everything you need to know about visiting the Everglades so that you can make your trip a reality.
Join us as we cover:
Where the Everglades is located
Must-do activities in this park
Crowd levels to expect
Travel tips
What you need to know about closures
The best time to visit
How many days to visit
Other things to see in the area
The best places to stay
The coolest ranger programs in this park
There is so much for you to try out on your trip to the Everglades! If you want some more guidance on your options, make sure to check out my resources at DirtInMyShoes.com. I created an article that splits up the different activities so that you can choose exactly what you’re looking for. I also have plenty of other in-depth articles about the Everglades to assist you every step of the way!
Check out the full show notes here.

8: Everglades Stories

Today on Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing some of our top experiences while visiting the Everglades.
While it wasn’t a park that was at the top of our list of parks we wanted to visit, we were surprised at how much we enjoyed it. Every time we go back, we try something exciting and new! So join us as we dive into our adventures and misadventures inside this unique and beautiful national park.
Join us as we cover:
Our confusing tram ride through Shark Valley
The somewhat scary airboat tours in the Everglades
The surprising Nike Missile Base
How we discovered that we enjoy eating alligator nuggets
Our adventures watching wild manatees
The dolphins in Everglades City
Birdwatching in the area
The adventure that we are looking forward to going on
Whatever type of adventure you’re looking for, you’ll find it in the Everglades! We hope you enjoyed this conversation and can have some adventures of your own!
For more resources to help you plan your next trip, make sure to visit DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/episode-8-everglades-stories

7: Everglades Fun Facts

Welcome to the fun facts episode all about the Everglades!
You may not get the scale or grandeur that you get at a lot of the national parks at the Everglades, but it has some incredible views and wildlife. Join us in this episode of Exploring the National Parks as we share some amazing facts about this beautiful park that you can share with your friends and family on your next trip.
Join us as we cover:
The surprising reason the Everglades became a national park
How it’s actually a giant, slow-moving river
The highest point in the Everglades
The funniest frequently asked question about this park
Interesting facts about crocodiles
The human history in the Everglades
This is such a cool place in so many ways, from geology to ecosystems, habitats, creatures, and the area's history. We hope you enjoyed this conversation!
For more resources to help you plan your next trip, make sure to visit DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

6: Everglades Favorites

In this episode, we are moving on to our next national park – the Everglades! This place is truly incredible. It’s not one of the heavy hitters in the National Park system, but we think it’s because many people don’t realize how awesome it is. It’s one of the most unique national parks in terms of scenery, wildlife, and climate, and we absolutely love being here. There’s so much to do, so today, we are sharing some of our favorite things in this park.
Join us as we cover:
The best places to eat
Where to stay when visiting
Our favorite hikes in the area
The gift shops you need to check out
The coolest animals you’ll see in the area
Our favorite plants to see in the Everglades
The best sections of this park
Must-see viewpoints
What makes this such a cool park
We hope this episode gave you a great list of things you can be excited about and put on your radar for your trip to the Everglades. We’re excited to dive deeper into this beautiful park with you in the coming episodes!
Stay tuned to hear more about why we love visiting this location and our best tips for planning your trip to this park. For more resources to help you plan your trip, make sure to visit DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

5: Bryce Canyon Trip Planning

Are you ready to plan your trip to Bryce Canyon?
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing our best trip-planning tips so that you can plan the trip of your dreams to Bryce Canyon. If your love language is trip planning, then this episode is for you! Let’s talk about how you can make your trip to the park a reality.
Join us as we cover:
Where Bryce Canyon is located
Some Bryce Canyon stats
How to get to the park
Why Bryce Canyon is amazing to visit year-round
Our favorite time to visit
When to go if you’re looking for unique experiences
How many days to stay at Bryce Canyon
Where to stay
The best activities to do in Bryce Canyon
If you’re ready to plan your trip, you want first to decide when you want to go and how many days you want to be there. From there, you just need to make your lodging arrangements, and you’re pretty much set!
If you’re looking for help to ensure you don’t overlook anything or make any mistakes that can be avoided, make sure to check out all of my resources at DirtInMyShoes.com. We love trip planning, and we are here to help you in any way that we can!
Check out the full show notes here.

4: Bryce Canyon Stories

Welcome back to our next installment about Bryce Canyon!
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are going to be sharing some of our favorite adventures and misadventures from our time spent in the park. We’re excited to share these stories so that you can laugh along with us and feel like you’re on your own little Bryce Canyon vacation!
Join us as we cover:
The time we lost my grandpa in Bryce Canyon
The time our son belly-flopped into the orange Bryce Canyon dirt
How we got a room at our favorite inn for $15 a night
Our favorite story about deer
The first time we hiked the Peek-A-Boo Loop
Hiking in the cold
The stars in Bryce Canyon
Golden hour in the park
John’s scary experience at Calf Creek Falls
We hope you enjoy this episode! We loved sharing some of our experiences, adventures, and things that have gone a little awry because we are betting you can relate to a few of them. If you want some help planning your trip, make sure to check out all of the resources we have available at Dirt In My Shoes.
Check out the full show notes here.

3: Bryce Canyon Fun Facts

Welcome back to our second episode all about Bryce Canyon!
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are diving into all of the coolest things that we love about this park. This episode is full of fun facts and fascinating history, and we are excited to take you along with us as we “geek out” about one of our favorite national parks!
Join us as we cover:
The coolest things about the Bryce Canyon hoodoos
Why hoodoos form
Our favorite hoodoos
The Grand Staircase
Why the night skies are a must-see
The Andromeda Galaxy
Our three favorite types of trees
The explorers that came through the Bryce Canyon area
Bryce Canyon legends
We hope you enjoy this fun fact episode! There is so much amazing human history and gorgeous scenery in this park, and we love any chance to chat about it. If you want some help planning your trip, make sure to check out DirtInMyShoes.com. We have tons of resources for you there!
Check out the full show notes here.