It may be the season when trees go dormant, bears hibernate and people cozy up near fireplaces, but winter also provides some amazing outdoor fun. If you’re up for a snowy adventure, America’s national parks offer everything from winter wonderlands and wildlife viewing to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.
With their mesmerizing natural beauty and abundant wildlife, America’s national parks aren’t exactly the dream destinations of architecture lovers. At least, that’s what they think. The truth is that you can find gorgeous and photogenic buildings in national parks all over the U.S.
As devastating as floods and forest fires can be, most of those pale in comparison with the potential threat posed by volcanoes. This makes visiting a volcano a more than averagely exciting thing to do. In the United States alone, there are no fewer than ten national parks with volcanoes you can visit.
Once you’ve been there, it’s hard to imagine a coastline that could be more beautiful than the Oregon Coast. Few coasts in America, if not the world, are as downright spectacular and accessible as the Oregon Coast. And it’s that very combination that sets it apart.
Start your day with a cup of fair-trade coffee at a hip coffee bar before picking one of the many nature day trips from Portland. Afterward, you can chill out and relive your adventures at one of the 50+ craft breweries in Portland.
December’s well on its way and winter’s right around the corner. As temperatures drop across America and the days grow ever shorter, nature’s most challenging season draws out winter sports enthusiasts, who relish the opportunity to once again hit the slopes, trails and lakes.
Awe-inspiring, unique, bedazzling and perfect. These are just a few words that have been used to describe Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon. By all accounts and standards, it’s one of the most enticing national parks in America. And unsurprisingly, there are plenty of things to do in Crater Lake National Park.
The definition of a thru-hike is the end-to-end completion of a long-distance hike in one hiking season. For most people, it will be impossible to thru-hike any of the three major long-distance hikes in the US. What is possible, however, —with some willpower, planning and cooperative employers—is hiking these nine awesome thru-hikes under 1,000 miles.
From the calm waters of the Missouri River to the lush Pacific Northwest forests of the Cascade and Siskiyou ranges, national monuments in the West feature a wide variety of ecosystems, wildlife and landscapes. If you’re looking for new adventures in 2018, consider adding these beautiful public protected lands to your list.