Explore the journey — one trail, museum, meal, and memory at a time.
Fall in Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains
I left Hailey expecting a two hour drive to Stanley, but the Sawtooths had other plans. I kept stopping for mountain views, patches of brilliant fall aspens and photographs as the road climbed into the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. At Redfish Lake, I spent a windy evening along the shore photographing White crowned Sparrows and discovered something unexpected about how closely birds watch our eyes. As darkness approached, I found a quiet place in the National Forest overlooking the Salmon River and settled in for the night.
Creamer’s Waterfowl Refuge
I spent the day exploring Creamer’s Field in Fairbanks, where Sandhill Cranes gathered in the open fields before their fall migration. After photographing the cranes, I followed the trails through the boreal forest to Wander Lake and the Chickadee Loop, eventually circling back to the old white dairy barns.
Chugach State Park
A rare sunny Alaska day leads me to Chugach State Park, where I hike the quiet Eydlu Bena Loop Trail, come face-to-face with a hawk hidden in the forest, photograph wildflowers overlooking Eklutna Lake, and end the evening relaxing in Wasilla after watching SpaceX's Starship launch.
Potter Marsh
A slow day at Potter Marsh near Anchorage turned into an easy wildlife walk with Hooded Mergansers, Tree Swallows, Bald Eagles, Sandhill Cranes, and a female Mallard. Later, I drove south along Turnagain Arm to Beluga Point, watched the tide move across the mudflats, and tried once again to spot Dall sheep high on the cliffs.
Banks Lake Birds & Lake Chelan
A peaceful morning beside Banks Lake in Washington state was filled with frogs, geese, and Red-winged Blackbirds until the mood shifted after witnessing children using air rifles to shoot birds along the shoreline. Leaving the Columbia Basin Wildlife Area behind, the drive continued through Chelan and eventually to Wenatchee in search of a quieter place to spend the night.