Category
- Art 1
- Bike Rides 6
- Boondocking 2
- Capitals 1
- Food on the Road 1
- Hikes & Trails 3
- History & Culture 6
- Kayaking 1
- Museum 1
- National Park 3
- Nature & Outdoors 15
- Photography 3
- Sculptures 1
- Shorelines & Water 1
- Travel Journal 11
- Van Life 32
- capitals 11
- hike 1
- historic sites 3
- parks 3
- photography 3
- trails 2
Knife River Indian Villages
Two reset days in Dickinson gave me time to regroup before heading north to Knife River Indian Villages. Walking among the mounds where Hidatsa earthlodges once stood, I could almost picture the families who lived here, farming, trading, and gathering along the rivers. The history was rich, the reconstructed lodge gave it shape, and the trails made it real. My day wrapped up with a not-so-smooth attempt to book a campsite at Lake Sakakawea.
Enchanted Highway
Driving the backroads to Regent, North Dakota, I found myself on the Enchanted Highway, a 30-mile stretch lined with massive scrap-metal sculptures dreamed up by Gary Greff. From geese soaring across a steel sunburst to a 100-foot dragon squaring off with Sir Albert the knight, each piece rises unexpectedly out of farmland. What started in the late 1980s as one man’s fight to keep his hometown alive has turned into a quirky success story that still draws thousands of visitors each year.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit)
The South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park turned into a day of detours, surprises, and reflections. From road construction delays and an unexpected film about the James Webb Space Telescope, to prairie dogs stealing the show on the scenic drive, the trip was less about perfect views and more about the experience of being there—even when the loop ended with a forced turnaround.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit)
The North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park surprised me with its rugged beauty, quiet roads, and some unexpected geology lessons. Driving the 14-mile scenic road brought me to wide river overlooks, bison herds, and one of my favorite features of the park—the Cannonball Concretions. These perfectly round rock formations are still partly a mystery, but standing among them felt like walking through nature’s own sculpture garden. At moments, during the golden hour, the display of colors on the sides of the mountains was spectacularly breathtaking.
International Peace Garden
From foggy Dion Lake to the sweeping symmetry of the International Peace Garden, the day unfolded as a journey across landscapes and ideas. I walked the length of the Formal Garden, lingered at the Promise of Peace sculpture, stood before steel from 9/11, and paused inside the Peace Chapel as a butterfly landed on Viktor Frankl’s words. Every detail—whether the floral flags of two nations or the water flowing along the border—was a reminder that peace, like the garden itself, must be tended constantly.
Pembina Gorge,ND
Rain followed me north from Fargo into the Pembina Gorge. Along the way I found a cathedral rising out of the prairie in Warsaw, the historic Gingras Trading Post on a dirt road outside Walhalla, and the vintage Walla Theater. My hike never happened, but between foggy overlooks, quiet river valleys, and a stranger in a red truck, the day unfolded into its own story.
Drive To Alexandria, MN
A day that was supposed to be filled with hiking and small-town stops along the Otter Trail Scenic Byway turned into a rain-soaked journey of quiet lakes, odd encounters, and booming thunderstorms. From the peaceful headwaters of the Mississippi to a suspicious stare-down at a country church, the road south to Alexandria was anything but ordinary.
Northwest Angle to the Headwaters of the Mississippi
From the quiet sunrise over a mist-covered lake to the winding roads lined with sunflowers, the journey south from the Northwest Angle to Itasca State Park blended small-town charm with sweeping rural scenery. Stops included a visit to the northernmost post office in the lower 48, the quirky border check-in at Jim’s Corner, and photo-worthy relics of farmsteads past. At Itasca, Minnesota’s oldest state park, the 20-mile bike loop revealed a mix of towering pines, shimmering lakes, marshes alive with dragonflies, and rolling hardwood forests. The day ended at the headwaters of the Mississippi, where a modest stream slips quietly from Lake Itasca, beginning its long journey to the Gulf of Mexico.
Visit Angle Inlet
Reaching Angle Inlet—the only spot in the contiguous U.S. you have to enter through Canada to visit—meant a long day of driving, a Canadian border inspection, and a dirt-road finale. I stayed at Prothero’s Post Resort on the shores of Lake of the Woods, where a sudden storm gave way to golden evening light. Between helping drenched fishermen dock their boat and swapping political views with another guest, I experienced the quirky charm and rugged beauty of this remote outpost at the far edge of the map.
From a 1938 Airfield to Voyageurs National Park
A stormy night at a former 1938 airfield-turned-Harvest Hosts stay set the tone for a day steeped in history and nature. Once home to Anderson Airport (MY49), the property still bears traces of its grass runways and rusting landing lights. From there, the journey continued to Voyageurs National Park, a water-rich wilderness straddling the U.S.–Canada border where travel happens mostly by boat.
Ironworld Discovery Center
A day on Minnesota’s Iron Range moves from the history-packed trolley ride at the Minnesota Discovery Center to the towering 85-foot Iron Man statue, a tribute to the miners who built America’s steel backbone. Visitors can wander a rare northern bog in Orr, where carnivorous plants and stunted spruce thrive in soil too poor for most life, before ending the day at a Harvest Hosts stay on a 1938 airfield. Hosts Pat and Dave welcome guests with cookies, a spaghetti squash, and stories before a heavy storm rolls in—lightning flashing so often it turns the fan vent into a strobe light.
International Wolf Center
A visit to the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota offered engaging presentations, immersive exhibits, and one wolf napping by the viewing window. Ely, the Gateway to the Boundary Waters, has small-town charm and a deep outdoor spirit. The day ended at a rural Harvest Host farm, where a hardworking 17-year-old cared for the place while his grandmother was away—a glimpse of the dedication found in these quiet corners.
Cascade River State Park Loop
The Lookout Mountain Loop in Cascade River State Park delivered a three-mile mix of waterfalls, volcanic rock outcrops, wildflowers, and berry-dotted undergrowth. The trail began beneath a cool birch and spruce canopy, crossing a bridge with sweeping views of the rushing Cascade River before winding along rocky ledges and down narrow paths to the water’s edge. A steady climb led to hazy vistas of the Sawtooth Mountains, where ridgelines faded into the horizon like layers of watercolor. Even without clear views of Lake Superior, the variety of terrain and quiet forest beauty made the hike deeply rewarding.
Gooseberry Falls & Split Rock Lighthouse
A smoky sunrise over Lake Superior kicked off a slow Sunday along Minnesota’s North Shore. From a quiet riverside overnight near French River to scenic hikes at Gooseberry Falls and golden-hour photography at Split Rock Lighthouse, the day unfolded with good food, helpful park rangers, and a perfectly quiet night beside an old steam engine in Two Harbors.
Kayaking and River Boat Tour
A full day on the St. Croix River began with a peaceful seven‑mile solo kayak trip past shaded banks, wildlife, and remote campsites accessible only by water, capped by an engaging conversation with a park ranger about the riverway’s challenges and beauty. The afternoon shifted to the Taylors Falls Princess for an 80‑minute scenic paddleboat cruise through billion‑year‑old basalt cliffs, glacial potholes, and legendary rock formations, followed by a nostalgic burger‑and‑shake stop at The Drive‑In—a local staple since 1956.
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness
I spent time exploring the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park — one of the Midwest’s last true wilderness areas. From hiking the rugged trails down to Mirror Lake and spotting wild mushrooms along the way, to scrambling down rocks for a closer look at Nawadaha Falls, it was a day full of solitude, damp forest air, and quiet moments deep in the woods.