Explore the journey — one trail, museum, meal, and memory at a time.
The Founders Tree
Driving into the redwoods along the Avenue of the Giants feels like stepping into another world. In Founders Grove, massive old-growth trees rise more than 300 feet, surrounded by a forest that nearly disappeared to logging. This post follows a rainy walk through one of the most important preserved groves in Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the history behind how it was saved.
Route 1 to Point Arena, CA
A quiet morning in Bodega Bay turns into a full day along California’s Highway 1, heading north toward Point Arena. With stops for coffee, coastal views, and a few hours at Manchester State Park, this stretch of road proves to be less about the destination and more about slowing down and taking in the landscape along the way.
Cathedral Gorge and Pioche, NV
From the narrow slots of Cathedral Gorge to the silver mining scars above Pioche, this eastern Nevada road trip blends geology and Wild West history. I hiked Moon Caves and Miller Point, explored original Main Street buildings, ate at the Historic Silver Café, toured the Overland Hotel, and drove north into a storm after missing Great Basin National Park.
Valley of Fire State Park
I spent the day hiking Natural Arch Trail and Rainbow Vista Trail in Valley of Fire State Park, navigating deep sand, red rock washes, and hidden sandstone arches. In eighty-degree heat, the solitude of Natural Arch contrasted sharply with the crowds at Rainbow Vista. A bighorn sheep sighting and an evening drive toward Cathedral Gorge rounded out a long desert day.
Great Salt Lake State Park
Avoiding I-15, I drove through empty stretches of rural Utah, followed signs for the Creekstone Energy project, and spent hours at Great Salt Lake State Park confronting the reality of a lake that was once hundreds of feet deep and now survives on the edge. Wind, industry, and shifting shorelines shaped the day—and changed my plans for the night.