Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the least-visited, but surely one of the most unique, gems in the U.S. National Park system. For most, the highlight is a massive sentinel red brick redoubt, Fort Jefferson, that stands resolute and in stark contrast to the bright blue skies and crystalline Gulf of Mexico waters that …
Canada is a vast country with endless beauty spanning many diverse landscapes. With one lake for every 18 people in Canada, there’s no shortage of pristine wilderness and outdoor adventure. A road trip through Canada is one of the best ways to see the changing landscapes of the country. And Canada’s National Parks are the …
I promised my grandmother before I went to Alaska’s Kodiak Island that I wouldn’t go near the bears. Unlike most tourists to the area, the bears weren’t really my thing. There were so many other reasons I wanted to head to Kodiak, the impressive Kodiak bears just weren’t part of the equation I assured her. …
Wapusk National Park is a Canadian National Park located outside of Churchill, Manitoba. It is a sub-arctic park which is located along the shore of Hudson Bay and it is home to one of the largest polar bear denning areas in the world. The word “wapusk” comes from the Cree word for polar bear. The …
Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the United States, with only 60,000 visitors per year. This is primarily due to its remote location 70 miles west of Key West, Florida. It is also the most aquatic of all the U.S. national parks with 98% of the park consisting …
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the first national parks when I began traveling full time. I had previously been to Volcanoes in 2006 as part of a geology department trip with the University of Minnesota. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of the few places on Earth where you can see an active …
The Grand Canyon is one of the greatest natural attractions on Earth. It’s a vast and visually powerful landscape with plunging cliffs and variegated colors slashing across the ancient rocks. Known for its multihued toned, the colors of the rocks change color through the course of the day, culminating in a spectacular sunset. It also …
Zion National Park seems to be a favorite of almost everyone who has visited the park. The heart of the park is Zion Canyon which was cut by the Virgin River. The result is a stunning landscape created by the combination of mountain, valley, and river. One of the things which makes Zion so popular …
Banff is probably the best known national park in Canada. Located in the Canadian Rockies, just a 90 minute drive from Calgary, it is also one of the more accessible national parks in Canada. Part of the fame of Banff comes the fact that it is also Canada’s oldest national park. Established in 1885, just …