Exploring the National Parks

17: Fossils in the Parks -- Dinos, Creatures, and Other Really Cool Stuff!

Today we want to talk about something incredible that you can see in the parks -- fossils!
When we were full-time RVers through the national parks, we noticed some fun themes. In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are diving into the theme of dinosaurs and all of the cool fossils you can see in the parks.
As the parents of two little boys, we all geek out over stuff like this. We are excited to share our favorite national parks with fossils today!
Join us as we cover:
Why you need to see Dinosaur National Monument
A cool trail nearby to find dinosaur bones
The dinosaur bones you can see at Big Bend National Park
Some fascinating dinosaur facts
Where to find some amazing dinosaur footprints
The human history in some of the parks
The footprints that were found in White Sands National Park
The huge collection of fossils you can see at Badlands National Park
Cool instances of people finding amazing fossils
Why the Mammoth Site is a must-see
Fossils of other “really cool stuff” you have to see
What’s cool about the Guadalupe Mountains
The fossils you can see in Petrified Forest
We hope you enjoy our journey on the “dinosaur train” around these amazing national parks!
Check out the full show notes here.

16: Grand Canyon Fun Facts

It’s time for some Grand Canyon fun facts!
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are taking you along with us as we discuss some of the fascinating facts about the Grand Canyon!
Whether or not you have been to the park yet, our goal with this episode is to enrich your knowledge of the Grand Canyon.
Join us as we cover:
How the Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World
The universal wonder and awe of the Grand Canyon
The elevation changes in this park
The staircase of the Grand Canyon
The shocking age of the rocks in this park
The mystery at the Grand Canyon
Why this area is the Reader’s Digest of North America
The amazing animals you can see in this park
The tribes that have a history in this area
Early explorers
The human history of the Grand Canyon is ongoing. We are all part of this tradition of visiting it and standing in awe of this incredible place.
We hope this episode inspired you to get out to the Grand Canyon if you haven’t already and explore it for yourself. If you want a complete itinerary for your trip, head over to dirtinmyshoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

15: Grand Circle Road Trip -- One Trip, Nine National Parks!

Let’s talk about one of the greatest road trips in America!
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are talking about what we consider to be one of the top road trips that you can take -- the Grand Circle. This amazing road trip includes nine western national parks!
You get to see some truly cool stuff on this route, and we are so excited to be sharing what we love about it today.
Join us as we cover:
Where to start when road tripping the Grand Circle
Cool things to do in Zion National Park
What you have to see at Bryce Canyon
Our favorite stops along Highway 12
What we love about Kodachrome State Park
What’s so amazing about Capitol Reef National Park
Why Goblin Valley is a must-see
Why you should check out Little Wild Horse Canyon
What to check out if you love Native American art
What you need to do at Arches National Park
The views in Dead Horse Point State Park
The districts in Canyonlands
The most underrated park that you need to visit
Why we love the Million Dollar Highway
The coolest things about Mesa Verde
Why you should stop at Chaco Canyon
Other off-route stops you might want to check out
The amazing fossils at Petrified Forest National Park
Why you should spend some extra time exploring the Grand Canyon
This epic road trip takes you through four different states and nine national parks. You really get the best of the southwest by traveling along the Grand Circle!
Check out the full show notes here:

14: Exploring the Grand Canyon -- Best Views, Trails, and Activities

Ready to explore the Grand Canyon?
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing our favorite hikes and things to do while exploring Grand Canyon National Park.
The Grand Canyon is such an iconic location. It’s known all over the world, even by people who don’t usually visit national parks! It’s on virtually everyone’s bucket list, which is why we are so excited to be diving into this episode and sharing what we love about it.
Join us as we cover:
Things to see on the South Rim
The coolest trails you have to check out
Tips for escaping the crowds
Our must-see viewpoints
Cultural demonstrations you can see in this park
Wildlife you can see in the area
Our favorite trail in the park
Hiking to the bottom
What we love about the North Rim
What you need to know about the puddles and mud at the Grand Canyon
We love both rims of the Grand Canyon – they each have so much to offer. We can’t wait for you to get out there and enjoy this park too.
Get on the trail, even just for a second, because it will change the way you see it!
Check out the full show notes here.

13: Volcano Parks -- These National Parks are Explosive!

Let’s talk about volcanoes in the national parks!
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are talking about one of the earth’s most powerful forces - volcanoes!
We are so excited to dive into this topic and discuss the coolest volcanoes and where you can see them. Join us as we share some of the most underrated places that have the best volcanoes.
Join us as we cover:
The king of all national parks when it comes to volcanoes
Our favorite things to do when we are visiting Hawaii Volcanoes
What we love about Mount Rainier
The incredible Cascade Mountain Range
Fascinating facts about Mount Mazama
What we love about Lassen Volcanic National Park
The volcano you can drive to the top of in Maui
We hope you enjoy this episode! We love visiting these national parks and standing in awe of these fiery giants, and we hope you get the chance to as well.
Do you have a favorite volcano site? Let us know! And if you want to hear more about the Yellowstone supervolcano, be sure to check out the Yellowstone Fun Facts episode (#12) to find out more.
Check out the full show notes here.

12: Yellowstone Fun Facts - 5 Things You Didn't Know!

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