Exploring the National Parks

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.

41: National Park Foods (Part 1)

Let’s talk about food in the national parks!
One of the top requests we have received on this podcast is to talk about food. So in this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are talking about three of the most memorable places to eat in the national parks. 
Join us as we cover: 
Where you can find the most heavenly blackberry butter
Where to get a hearty mountain man breakfast
The “famous” ice cream you should pass on
There are so many amazing places to eat in the national parks, and some not-so-great options as well.  We hope these recommendations help you discover some delicious food on your next trip!
If you need help planning your next national park vacation, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

40: Acadia Fun Facts

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are diving into the fun facts of Acadia National Park! 
This park is probably cooler than you think, so we are excited to share what makes it such an incredible park (aside from the gorgeous views!) with you. 
Let’s take a deep dive into the fascinating history that shaped this national park into the awe-inspiring location that it is today. 
Join us as we cover: 
The massive amount of geological history missing from this park
The three major unconformities in Acadia 
The fascinating science behind one of the most striking features of this park
How glaciers shaped this park into what it is today
John’s theory of how this park ties into Greek mythology
The human history of Acadia 
The moment when things started to change historically in this park
The story of how Acadia became a national park and how we can give back 
Thanks for joining us for these Acadia fun facts! We hope this inspired you to finally plan that trip out to Acadia because it is just magical! If you want help planning your next trip, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

39: Swimming Holes in the Parks - Grand Teton, Redwood, and Crater Lake

Are you ready to learn about a few more of our favorite places to cool off in the national parks? 
This is part two of the best swimming holes that the National Parks have to offer. This isn’t an all-inclusive list – we truly love so many swimming places in the parks!  
But today, we are sharing three more of our top favorite places to cool off after a long hike. Let’s discuss the best places for a swim during your next trip!
Join us as we cover: 
The swimming spots with the best views in Grand Teton
The can’t-miss swimming spot in Redwood National Park
Where to swim in the Crown Jewel of the Pacific Northwest 
We hope you enjoyed hearing about the best refreshing places to take a swim and cool off in the national parks. 
If you want more ideas, make sure you listen to part one of the best swimming holes in the parks. If you want help planning your next trip, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

38: Exploring Acadia -- Best Views, Trails, and Activities

Let’s take a trip to Ash’s favorite national park on the East Coast - Acadia National Park! If we’re being honest, Acadia is unlike anything you can see in the West. 
In this episode of Exploring the National Park, we are exploring this magical national park and all of the things that make it such an incredible place to visit. 
Join us as we cover: 
Our favorite spots to visit in Acadia
Why we love the Beehive Trail
The family-friendly mountain hike with incredible views
A fun way to experience the power of the ocean
The Carriage Roads you can utilize in Acadia 
Why you haven’t fully experienced Acadia if you haven’t tried the popovers
The most famous mountain in Acadia and when you should try to see it
Everything we love about Bar Harbor 
The other things you need to eat at this national park
How to find Acadia’s best-kept secret
Where to find the nicest campground in the park and see an area most people don’t see
We hope you enjoyed this episode all about Acadia National Park! This seaside national park is truly unique and beautiful.  
In addition to all the big adventures you can have here, be sure to try the lobster, the blueberries, and the popovers!
To hear our funniest story from our time in Acadia, listen to the funniest stories episode here. If you want help planning your next trip, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com.
Check out the full show notes here.

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.