On this 10-day Texas New Mexico road trip itinerary, you will visit four national parks plus make a quick detour to a gem of a state park that just might be one of the big highlights of the trip. Go hiking in Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountains, explore the underground wonderland of Carlsbad Caverns, and […]
The Permian Reef Trail is an awesome hike in the McKittrick Canyon section of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Leave the crowds behind as you ascend to the top of a Wilderness Ridge with spectacular views into McKittrick Canyon and the surrounding area. While everyone else is hiking the other two trails in this area, the […]
Planning a trip to the US national parks in November and don’t know which ones to visit? The cooler weather in November makes this one of the best times of the year to visit the parks across the southern part of the USA. Road trip through Utah’s Mighty 5, go sledding on sand as white […]
In October, fall colors sweep across much of the United States. The majority of the parks that you will see on this list are parks that are ablaze in fall colors. Some of these are obvious picks, such as Acadia and Shenandoah, but a few may surprise you. In this guide, we list 13 beautiful […]
Which are the best national parks to visit in April? In this guide, we list 14 wonderful parks in the USA. On this list are a few of the most popular parks in the USA, several great spring break destinations, and a few remote, quieter parks to visit. About this National Park Series This article […]
Planning a trip to the US national parks in March but don’t know which ones to visit? March brings warmer temperatures to most of the United States. Travel begins to pick up during this month, both because of the warmer weather and because families are hitting the road for spring break. There are a lot […]
The Devil’s Hall Trail is one of the most unique hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. It’s a 4.2-mile round-trip route through Pine Springs Canyon that ends at a narrow limestone slot canyon with 50-foot walls and just 15 feet of width at its narrowest point. Along the way, you’ll scramble through a rocky wash, […]
Tim and I have hiked a lot of national parks, and Guadalupe Mountains is one that genuinely surprised us. We expected a remote desert park with a few good trails. What we found instead was a place with incredible variety — a slot canyon, a fossilized coral reef trail with almost no one on it, […]
I hiked the McKittrick Canyon Trail to the Notch on a March morning during spring break, one of the busiest weeks of the year in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. I started early, around 8 am, and had the canyon almost entirely to myself. By the time I turned around and headed back, I passed hundreds […]
Guadalupe Peak, at 8,751 feet, is the highest point in Texas, and for hikers who make the goal of standing on the highest point in every state they visit, this one is a must. Tim and I hiked to the summit during Spring Break, arriving at the Pine Springs Trailhead parking lot at 7:30 am […]
The COVID-19 pandemic brought huge changes to how we live and work. With lockdowns and social distancing, employees of many businesses began to work remotely. Home offices, kitchens, and spare bedrooms became the new office space for many people. What we thought would be a temporary adjustment has now become a more permanent aspect of […]
Three days in Big Bend National Park is the ideal amount of time to experience all three regions of the park: the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, the Chisos Basin, and Rio Grande Village. We visited in early March and spent our days hiking slot canyons, crossing the border into Mexico, and standing at the edge […]
Big Bend Ranch State Park is an overlooked gem in west Texas. Visitors come to this area to explore Big Bend National Park, but what many don’t know is that there is an amazing state park located right around the corner. Big Bend Ranch State Park is awesome. It has all of the ingredients of […]
Discover the best things to do in Big Bend National Park, including the must-see highlights, unique experiences you won’t find anywhere else, and practical tips to help you plan your visit. Big Bend National Park is one of those places that genuinely surprises you. Tim and I had heard it described as remote and rugged, […]
The Balanced Rock hike is one of our favorite short hikes in Big Bend National Park and one of the most rewarding for the effort required. The trail is only 2.2 miles round trip, with just a brief stretch of rock scrambling near the end, making it accessible for most hikers and genuinely fun for […]
Big Bend National Park is one of the most underrated hiking destinations in the United States. Tucked into the southwestern corner of Texas along the Rio Grande, it packs an extraordinary range of terrain into one park — slot canyons, volcanic rock formations, a full mountain range, and miles of river canyon trails. We visited […]
Emory Peak is the highest point in Big Bend National Park and the Chisos Mountains, and the hike to the summit is one of the best things you can do in the park. The 10.4-mile out-and-back gains nearly 2,500 feet of elevation and finishes with a short rock scramble to the top, where 360-degree views […]
The South Rim Trail is the best full-day hike in Big Bend National Park. This 12.6-mile loop starts in the Chisos Basin and climbs steadily to the South Rim, where sweeping views over the Chihuahuan Desert make every switchback worth it. Add on the short but steep scramble up Emory Peak, the highest point in […]