Exploring the National Parks

22: Exploring Glacier -- Best Views, Trails, and Activities

Have you visited Glacier National Park yet? 
This is one of the parks that we get the most questions about! So in this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are exploring this fantastic national park and sharing our best tips for your next trip. 
We love Glacier National Park, and if you’re looking for mountains, waterfalls, hiking trails, and tons of wildlife, we think you’ll love it too! 
Join us as we cover: 
Why Going-to-the-Sun Road is the most epic national park drive
What you’ll find on the west side of Going-to-the-Sun Road
Why Bird Woman Falls is a must-see
Where to find the best hikes in the park
What you’ll find on the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road
The best way to see glaciers
Our favorite hikes on the east side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road
The most dangerous part of visiting this park
Why we don’t like to use the Glacier shuttle
Where to find the best huckleberry foods near the park
Why you’ll love Many Glacier
Where to spot wildlife in the park
Our favorite plants to see in the area 
What to check out at the North Fork Area
Bowman Lake and huckleberry bearclaws
There are so many incredible things to do in Glacier National Park. While it is busy, there are also plenty of trails that you can go to to get away from the crowds and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. 
If you’re ready to plan your trip to Glacier National Park, head over to YouTube to see our trip-planning videos. You can also check out our itinerary to make planning your trip a breeze! 
Check out the full show notes here.

21: Pacific Northwest Road Trip -- California, Oregon, and Washington National Parks!

Have you ever been road-tripping through the Pacific Northwest? 
This is definitely one of our favorite sections of the country! In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing everything we love about taking this road trip and the incredible national parks you can see along the way. 
This route spans three states and six national parks so it is definitely one you need to set aside some time for. Join us as we share our best tips for making this road trip unforgettable!
Join us as we cover: 
Where to start with this road trip 
What we love about Lassen Volcanic National Park
Our preferred route to take 
Why Avenue of the Giants is a must-see
Our favorite ways to see the Redwoods 
Why you should stop at the Trees of Mystery
Our favorite stop in Crescent City 
What you need to see at Crater Lake 
The Oregon Coast
Best places to stop for food 
The most likely place for you to see a Sasquatch 
The Twilight tour you can take in Forks 
Why we love Olympic National Park 
The best trails in Mount Rainier National Park 
The best time of year to make this trip 
Why North Cascades is such an interesting park 
Where to go at the end of your trip
This episode provides a great starting place for structuring your own trip through the Pacific Northwest.  We can’t wait for you to get out and explore!
Check out the full show notes here.

20: Yosemite Fun Facts

Are you ready to learn some cool fun facts about Yosemite National Park?
In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are diving into the nitty-gritty details of Yosemite. This incredible park has such an amazing story – it not only has great geologic history, but it has a fascinating human history as well!
Join us as we cover:
The granite you can find in this park
The cool history of the valleys in this park
The mystery of Half Dome
Fascinating water facts about this park
What makes the Tuolumne Meadows so special
The changing landscape
The incredible trees you can find here
Why fire is required
The value of the land
Yosemite National Park has played a massive role in the conservation and preservation of beautiful places all over America. This episode will enrich your appreciation for this amazing national park before your next visit!
Check out the full show notes here.

19: Parkitecture and Historic Hotels

Have you ever heard the term “parkitecture”?
You’re in for a treat because, in this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are chatting about all things parkitecture and park lodges.
You’ll love learning about the history of parkitecture and why you should be paying attention to it on your next trip to the national parks. We’ll also talk about our favorite national park lodges and some amazing fun facts about them!
Join us as we cover:
What parkitecture is
The history of this style
What the CCC did for the parks
The best inn in Yellowstone
The architects that brought these lodges to life
The amazing lodge at Yosemite
The unexpected first jester at the Ahwahnee Hotel
The must-see hotel in Glacier National Park
Preservation efforts
The fate of the sawmill at the Many Glacier Hotel
Our favorite hotel in Mount Rainier
The best place to stay at the Grand Canyon
The crazy history of the Crater Lake Lodge
All of these lodges built in the “parkitecture” style are so cool and definitely worth checking out. If you want to stay in any of these lodges, we highly recommend it! They really do add to the experience of visiting the parks.
Even if you don’t stay in these lodges, you’ll see examples of parkitecture all over the country. These buildings are an amazing part of the history of the National Park Service!
Check out the full show notes here.

18: Exploring Yosemite -- Best Views, Trails, and Activities

When you think of a national park that has been on your list forever as a place you want to visit, what do you think of? For us, the answer was definitely Yosemite!
Now, having been to Yosemite many times, we never get tired of the soaring granite peaks and massive waterfalls here! In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are talking all about exploring Yosemite National Park.
Join us as we cover:
Our favorite areas in Yosemite
What you need to know about driving to this park
The must-see views on the Mist Trail
Waterfall season in Yosemite
Floating the river
Biking through the Valley
The gift shops and lodges in the area
The underrated but beautiful bridges in the area
What we love about El Cap
The most iconic view of this park
Where you can find Giant Sequoias
What you have to see at Tuolumne Meadows
Ash’s crazy story from the last time she hiked Lembert Dome
The beauty of Yosemite really can’t be overstated. It truly is a must-see and we hope these tips for exploring this park will make your trip memorable!
Check out the full show notes here.

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.