Exploring the National Parks

51: Haunted National Parks

Halloween is right around the corner, and today we are talking about some supernatural and paranormal fun in this episode of Exploring the National Parks! We are sharing our favorite creepy stories from around the national parks that we all know and love. 
These parks are incredible, and they have some pretty insane stories associated with them as well. So gather around the campfire with us for a haunted national parks tour! 
Join us as we cover scary stories from: 
Yosemite National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Mammoth Cave National Park
We hope you had fun exploring the eerie side of the national parks with us! If you are ready to plan your next trip to the national parks, head over to dirtinmyshoes.com to get started! Check out the full show notes here.

50: Exploring Zion

Looking for an adventure? We have just the park for you! In this episode of the podcast, we are exploring the incredible Zion National Park. 
We have been fortunate enough to spend a ton of time in this park, and it’s probably our favorite place for anyone looking for a stunning and high-adventure national park to visit. If done right, this is one of the most memorable places to visit, so we are excited to explore this incredible park with you today! 
Join us as we cover: 
Why Zion is such a great place to visit
What you need to know about the Zion Lodge
Everything you can see and do in this area 
Where to find the best views in Zion
Our favorite things to do in Zion Canyon 
Tips for how to do this park if you want to bring your kids
What you need to know before hiking Angels Landing 
Our favorite trails in Zion
The smaller, lesser-known places to visit in this park
The best food in this area 
Our favorite surprising area in Zion 
We hope you enjoyed exploring Zion National Park with us. You really can’t go wrong with this park – it will blow your mind! You’ll have some adventures that you’ll never forget. 
If you are ready to plan your trip and want some help, head over to Dirt In My Shoes to get our Zion Itinerary! 
Check out the full show notes here.

49: Best National Parks for Young Kids

Are you hoping to show your kids the beauty and wonder of the national parks? We are sharing our favorite parks to explore if you have toddlers or young kids in your adventure group! 
We firmly believe that it doesn't matter how young your kids are, you can have a fantastic time with them in the national parks! Sit back and relax as we share our favorite kid-friendly parks to add to your bucket list. 
Join us as we cover: 
What makes a good park for kids? Here’s what to keep in mind
The top 9 parks you’ll want to visit with your kids
Where to go for epic sand adventures
Best places to hike with kids
Where to go if your kids want to hunt for fossils
The perfect park for trains and animal lovers
Gateway towns that you don’t want to miss
Kid-friendly activities in each park
We hope you enjoyed this episode and that you get out there and explore the national parks with your young kids! 
If you are looking for fun, wholesome family destinations without the work and stress, these parks are definitely for you.Check out the full show notes here.

48: Great Smoky Mountains Fun Facts

It’s finally October, which means it is prime leaf-peeping season!  In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are excited to talk about one of our favorite leaf-peeping parks - Great Smoky Mountains National Park! 
If you are looking forward to learning five fun facts that will enhance your visit to the Smokies, this is the episode for you.
Join us as we cover: 
The fascinating roots of the Great Smoky Mountains
The tallest point in the Smokies 
The life and biodiversity in these mountains
The native trees that you can find in this park
The rich human history in this area 
We hope you enjoyed these fun facts about the Great Smokies! This park is truly life-giving, not only for creatures and plants but for the people as well. 
We hope you get a chance to get out there and explore these mountains for yourself in the near future! And if you need any help planning your next trip, check out this Great Smoky Mountains Itinerary.
Check out the full show notes here.

47: Chasing Waterfalls in the National Parks

Is there anything more fascinating to us than falling water? We absolutely love waterfalls! So in this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing some of the best national parks to visit if you want to see waterfalls and some of the best waterfalls that you can’t miss. 
If you are ready to go on a waterfall-chasing adventure, this episode is for you! 
Join us as we cover: 
The six best national parks for seeing waterfalls 
Our favorite tall waterfalls
The most scenic waterfalls
Where to find the most powerful waterfalls
Waterfalls with the best colors
The splashiest waterfalls
Waterfalls with the most adventurous routes
We hope you enjoyed this episode and that you get to check out some of these amazing waterfalls on your next trip to the national parks. We would love to hear from you! What are your favorite waterfall parks? 
Leave us a comment and let us know at dirtinmyshoes.com/podcast. And if you love the show, we would love it if you left us a 5-star review!
Check out the full show notes here.

46: Exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Is there a more life-giving place than Great Smoky Mountain National Park? We don’t think there is! This is the time of year this park really shines, so in this episode, we are exploring everything the Smokies have to offer. 
We know that some of you are heading out there in the next few weeks to see the fall colors, so we are excited to talk about and celebrate this beautiful national park with you!
Join us as we cover: 
Why this park is the most visited national park in America
The most popular part of this park that you don’t want to miss
Our favorite waterfall hike in this park
What you need to know about Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
What we love about Gatlinburg
If you only have time for one trail, this is the one you want to do
What you need to know about the trails - and how to pronounce them
The diverse ecosystems in the park
What to check out on the North Carolina side of the park
The best way to get Smoky Mountain views
We hope you enjoyed exploring this stunning park with us! It is truly amazing, and it deserves all of the hype that it gets. There is so much magic in this park, and we know you’ll love it. 
If you want some help planning your trip to the Smokies and avoiding the massive crowds, grab your Great Smoky Mountains Itinerary before you go!
 
Check out the full show notes here.

45: National Park Foods (Part 2)

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are revisiting one of John’s favorite topics- food! This is Volume 2 of our favorite food that you can find in and near the national parks. 
Food is a huge part of traveling, so we want to make sure you don’t miss any of the delicious eats in the national parks you visit. Join us as we share two great places to eat and one that didn’t quite meet our expectations. 
Join us as we cover: 
The restaurant you can’t miss in Astoria 
The best place to get Sonoran hot dogs in Tucson
The donut shop in Shenandoah that didn’t live up to the hype for us
We hope you enjoyed hearing about our top three picks in this episode! If you head to any of these parks, make sure to stop in and try it for yourself because, hey, what’s a trip without good food?? 
For help planning your next trip to the national parks, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com!  And if you want to listen to National Park Foods Volume 1, you can find it here.
Check out the full show notes here.

44: Rocky Mountain Fun Facts

Who’s ready to learn some Rocky Mountain fun facts?! In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing some fun facts about this park that you won’t find on the NPS website. 
John did some digging and found some fascinating facts, particularly about the rocks and mountains in this park. Let’s discuss what makes this national park so special! 
Join us as we cover: 
How old these rocks really are
Punny jokes you can make in Rocky Mountain to impress your friends your and family
The magma that brought the amazing colors in the rocks
The Boulder Creek Batholith
“The force” that’s raising the Rocky Mountains
How this area of Colorado really wanted to be like Kansas
Why John considers Rocky Mountain the “Reluctant National Park”
The parts of this park that are considered tundra
The fascinating human history of this national park
We hope you enjoy these Rocky Mountain fun facts! The magic of this park is in the small details, and it truly is an incredible place to visit. 
If you are looking for help planning your next trip, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com to get your Rocky Mountain Itinerary!
Check out the full show notes here.

43: Favorite Fall National Parks

Fall is here!  The national parks are absolutely incredible this time of year because the crowds die down, the air is crisp, and the colors are vibrant. 
In this episode, we are sharing our top 10 favorite national parks to visit in the fall! *Disclaimer – this episode is heavy on the Lord of the Rings references.  If you are like Ash and can only handle so much, you can read through the full show notes instead for the list of our favorite fall parks :)
Join us as we cover: 
Our top pick for national parks in the West this time of year
The national park with the best personality
The park where you can see the most fantastic fall colors
The most overlooked national park that is perfect for a fall trip
Why fall is the best time to be in Zion National Park
Why Shenandoah is a must-see in the fall months
The park that you might not think of visiting in the fall, but you definitely should
A small but mighty national park to visit in the fall months
A park that is simply otherworldly this time of year
Where you can see the Northern Lights in September
We hope you enjoy this episode and are able to get out and see some of these parks this fall because the colors are truly so beautiful! 
If you need help planning your trip, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com to check out our national park itineraries and other trip-planning resources.
Check out the full show notes here.

42: Exploring Rocky Mountain -- Best Views, Trails, and Activities

Ready to get Rocky Mountain high? We are heading over to Colorado for this episode of Exploring the National Parks! 
We recently got back from visiting Rocky Mountain National Park again, and we had such an amazing time. Join us as we share some of our favorite spots, hikes, things to do, and more! 
Join us as we cover: 
Everything you need to know about the Bear Lake area
The hike that you can’t miss at this park
Why you should be taking the afternoon thunderstorms very seriously
How to prepare for possible altitude sickness
All of the incredible hiking trails you can check out at this park
The food in Bear Lake…or lack thereof!
The famous creepy hotel you can visit during your trip
Places to camp in Rocky Mountain and the best places to see elk
The star of Rocky Mountain National Park - The Trail Ridge Road
What to keep in mind when it comes to elevation in Rocky Mountain
The insanely cool krummholz trees you can find in this park
The best side of the park for seeing moose
What we love about Grand Lake 
The trail where you get the most bang for your buck
Hitting the trail in Rocky Mountain is where you really see the magic, so we hope you get a chance to get out there and see it for yourself! Any extra time you can spend seeing mother nature in action is humbling, especially while you’re in these mountains. 
If you are ready to start planning your trip to Rocky Mountain, we have you covered. Head over to DirtInMyShoes.com to get your itinerary! 
Check out the full show notes here.