Exploring the National Parks

37: Funny National Park Stories (Vol. 2)

There’s never a dull moment when you’re hiking out in the national parks! In this episode, we are sharing Volume Two of our funny stories in the national parks, and this one centers around our most hilarious moments while hiking! 
Let’s dive into some of our funny and embarrassing moments from the trails. 
Join us as we cover: 
The time we got punked while whale-watching
The lengths we went to in order to find a “hair carrot” in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The muddy puddle that was actually the lake we were looking for
We hope you enjoyed these funny stories! It’s so fun to look back on our adventures and misadventures in the parks. And hopefully, this summer, you’ll be able to go out on some hiking trails in the national parks and have some of your own adventures! 
If you need help planning your next trip, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

36: Hiking Angels Landing

Let’s head to the top of Angels Landing! 
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are covering one of the most epic and well-known hikes in the whole national park system, Angels Landing in Zion National Park! 
This trail has quite a reputation, and it does not disappoint. Join us as we give you all the details and share why this trail is one you can hike with your whole group (yes, everyone!) and a must-do if you are visiting Zion.
Join us as we cover: 
Why this trail is the most popular in the park
What you need to know about hiking this trail
What to do if you don’t want to hike the full trail
Chicken’s Landing
The incredible views you get at the top of this trail
Don’t let this trail scare you away! No matter if you hike part of the way or go all the way to the top, it is incredibly rewarding and the views truly can’t get any better. 
Just getting on this trail will change your whole perspective of Zion National Park. If you need help planning your trip to this park, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

35: Swimming Holes in the Parks - Olympic, Great Sand Dunes, and Dry Tortugas

If you love to be in the water as much as we do, this episode is for you.  We are sharing a few of our favorite swimming holes in the national parks! 
This is not a complete list, just a few of our top favorite places to cool off while visiting some incredible parks. 
Join us as we cover: 
The best jumping dock (in the world? Yes, probably!)
Snorkeling on a tiny island in the middle of nowhere
The disappearing creek
Add these swimming spots to your bucket list!  They are family-friendly and will add an extra dose of adventure to your next national park vacation.
It’s summer, so go out there and have fun with your family! If you need help planning your trip, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

34: Funny National Park Stories (Vol. 1)

Today, we are sharing some funny stories from our adventures! We’ve spent a lot of time camping in the national parks, and we are sharing our most humorous moments from those camping trips in this episode.
Join us as we cover: 
The Beetle Armageddon of Sequoia Kings
Sitting in our skivvies in Big Bend
Nuclear bananas and radioactive mice in North Cascades
We hope you enjoyed Volume One of our funny stories from the national parks! Despite these wild stories, these incredible parks make all the crazy (and gross) experiences worth it. 
Join us next week for more national park fun, and head over to DirtInMyShoes.com to start planning your next trip!
Check out the full show notes here.

33: How to Become a Park Ranger

How do you become a park ranger?
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are answering this question! As a former park ranger, Ash has some insight into what it takes if you want to get started in the park service. 
Join us as she walks through the process of becoming a park ranger for anyone who wants to begin an exciting new career!
This episode covers: 
The different types of park rangers
Special hiring programs 
A cool and unique park ranger job that could help you get your foot in the door
The quintessential park ranger job
A great entry-level position in the park service
Reasons to start out at a smaller park
Admin positions you can get in the parks
The wildlife and science techs that work in the parks
The park police that help keep people safe
Different hiring programs you can check out
How to become a volunteer in the parks
Where to find job listings and when to apply for them
Tips for the hiring process
There are a lot of different ways to find your way into the career that you want, and we hope this episode was helpful! We really want to make park ranger jobs accessible to everyone. Be sure to check out usajobs.gov to find the available job listings for the different parks!
Check out the full show notes here.

32: Grand Teton Fun Facts

It’s time for some fun facts about Grand Teton National Park! 
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are exploring everything that makes this national park amazing. 
Even though Ash was a park ranger at this park, she doesn’t know a whole lot about the geology of this incredible national park, so listen in as John teaches us about the Tetons!
Join us as we cover: 
The youngest mountain range in North America
The geological history of this incredible park
The cool type of rock you’ll find in this park
Why we love Mount Moran 
The magma of Grand Teton
The most interesting mystery of this park
The cool thing about the Teton Fault 
What the glaciers tell us about Grand Teton
The 61 species of mammals in this area and the one that impacted this park the most
The fascinating human history in Grand Teton
How Grand Teton became a national park
The conservation history and natural history of this park are absolutely fascinating – it’s a place that really gets into your soul. We hope you get a chance to visit it soon! 
Check out the full show notes here.

31: Stupid National Park Behavior

We are firm believers that the national parks are a people-watching phenomenon, and you will see things there that you won’t see anywhere else in the world. (And we aren’t talking about nature - we’re talking about stupid behavior!) 
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are discussing some of the wildest things that we have seen in the parks. Join us for National Park Visitor Bingo and Two Truths and a Lie as we share the good, the funny, and the bad! 
Join us as we cover: 
National Park Visitor Bingo
The craziest things we see every time we are in the parks
Two Truths and a Lie
The people who put the wild in wildlife
The things people do for social media 
Why the buffalo is the king of beasts
Sports in the parks
Yes, the water in Yellowstone is boiling
Dumb things the park service has done
Many of these things are funny, but the way that we interact with these national parks has a big impact, so it’s important to know what to do and what not to do! 
Be sure to pick up your National Park Visitor Bingo Card and see the full show notes here.

30: Exploring Grand Teton -- Best Views, Trails, and Activities

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are journeying to Ash’s favorite national park -- Grand Teton! 
Grand Teton is smaller and lesser-known than Yellowstone (its famous neighbor), but it’s gotten a lot more visibility lately and many people are discovering the magic of this gorgeous national park.
Join us as we cover: 
The special connection Ash has to Grand Teton
The movie that was filmed in this park
The road where you’ll find the best Grand Teton views
Where to stay in the Grand Teton area
Ash’s crazy moose stories
The road that takes you to the main viewpoints and mountains
John’s favorite memory of Grand Teton as a kid 
Why Grand Teton is a great place to go rafting 
Our favorite place to eat at this national park
Why we love Paintbrush Canyon
Jenny Lake (and the monster you might need to watch out for)
The best description of Cascade Canyon
The trail that gives you the most bang for your buck
The most magical moments we have had in Grand Teton
There are so many different things you can see in Grand Teton National Park and, in our opinion, it’s one of the greatest national parks you can see in the west. 
If you are looking for some help planning your trip to Grand Teton, pick up an itinerary – we’ve got you covered!
Check out the full show notes here.

29: The Black Hills (Wind Cave, Custer State Park, Jewel Cave, and more!)

Have you ever visited South Dakota? 
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are exploring one of our favorite places to visit in this state – the Black Hills! We could honestly spend so much time here because we just can’t get enough. 
You will never run out of areas to explore in the Black Hills, and today, we’re talking all about our favorite places to go and things to do if you’re visiting this area of South Dakota.
Join us as we cover: 
The understated beauty of Wind Cave National Park
What we love about Jewel Cave
Things to do in Custer
Wildlife sightings and scenic drives in Custer State Park
Why the Crazy Horse Memorial is a must-see
Other cities nearby that you can visit
Our favorite town in the Black Hills
The old west experience in Deadwood
Why we love Devils Tower in Wyoming 
There you have it!  This list of places will give you a nice well-rounded experience on your trip to the Black Hills. 
If you need help planning your trip, we’re here for you! You can find everything you need to make your dream trip a reality at DirtInMyShoes.com.Check out the full show notes here.

28: Badlands Fun Facts

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing five amazing fun facts about Badlands National Park! 
If you haven’t been here, you will want to start planning your trip when you hear about how cool this park is. Let’s dive into the history and wonder of Badlands!
Join us as we cover: 
The geology of Badlands National Park
Why you don’t want to miss this national park
The paleontology and fossils you can find in this area
The fascinating facts about the grasslands in this park
The three major wildlife reintroductions in Badlands
The human history in this park
How water shapes the Badlands
Badlands National Park will absolutely surprise you, and you’ll appreciate what you’re seeing so much more after learning these fun facts.
You can find a full itinerary for Badlands and the other South Dakota parks at DirtInMyShoes.com! 
Check out the full show notes here.