Putting the ‘Gary’ back into Calgary

I’m in Canada now. I crossed the border next to Glacier National Park yesterday and stayed the night in the burgeoning metropolis of Fort MacLeod. Today I’ll hit up two World Heritage Sites nearby: Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump and Dinosaur Provincial Park. I should arrive in Calgary sometime on Saturday. I’ll be leaving Calgary and visiting …

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The Quick and Dirty Guide to American National Parks

This guide is for both Americans who are looking to explore their own country, and for those from outside of the US who are looking to make a trip to America. It is by no means an exhaustive treatment of the subject, but it should answer some of the obvious questions and give you a …

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Free Fun in the Minneapolis Riverfront District, Minnesota

One of the things I love the most about Minneapolis is that there are so many great things to do outside – for free!  One of the best areas to visit during a trip there for free fun is the Minneapolis Riverfront District, which is part of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, one …

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Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan

Grasslands is an extremely overlooked park. It is not near any major population center, as the nearest major city, Regina, being a four hour drive away. It has no mountains, canyons, waterfalls, lakes and not even many trees. Nonetheless, Grasslands is a great park and one which everyone should try to visit if you are …

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Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta

Waterton Lakes National Park is located on the southern border of Alberta and is adjacent to Glacier National Park in Montana. Together, Glacier and Waterton form the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park UNESCO World Heritage Site. Waterton is much smaller than its neighbor to the south but may be more beautiful. Situated around Lake Waterton, the …

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Torngat Mountains National Park, Labrador

Torngat Mountains National Park is a little-visited park on the northernmost tip of Labrador, yet one of the most spectacular national parks in North America. The park is jointly run by Parks Canada and the Nunatsiavut government. Almost all of the staff who work at the park are Inuit people who live in the region. …

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Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Located due south of Yellowstone National Park and connected by the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, Grand Teton National Park offers some of the most picturesque mountain views in the United States. Named after the largest peak in the Teton Range, the park is home to elk and moose as well as Jackson Lake …

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt is one of my favorite national parks and perhaps the most underrated national park in the entire US National Parks system. I visited the park as part of my 2009 North American road trip. Located in the Western North Dakota Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt was named after the US President who spent time in …

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Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Nevada

Overview Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument in Nevada is one of the newest additions to the National Park Service, having been established in 2014 as a national monument. Given its recent addition to the park service, the site is still underdeveloped and there is little in the way of interpretative or visitor services. It …

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