nationalpark

Yosemite Valley, California Road Trip Stops

California, Cat On A Leash, Cats, National Parks, Road Trip, Uncategorized, Waterfalls

If you haven’t been to The Yosemite yet, add it to the bucket list! I give this place an 11/10 for beauty. It truly is one of the most breathtaking places you’ll go to!

I drove in from Los Angeles Overnight. I want to say it was about a 4 ish hour drive! My cat, Charles Lickens, and I got there in time to see a beautiful Yosemite sunrise! Charles and I have been car camping all across America for the last year or so! It’s a cheap and easy way to see the country!

Near the visitors center

You can drive all the way through the park from one side to the other (most the year, be sure to check for snow/weather closures).

There are tons of waterfalls and scenic lookouts! I normally would have stopped to hike but it was super packed, there were endless lines for parking spots and I was there at first light! I also didn’t have a safe place to leave my kitty.

Charles and I did manage to find a nice spot to cozy up for a hammock nap! I also found out you can buy a beer in the little eating area. It’s in the fridge with all of the other drinks (water, pop, tea, etc.). It was a nice little refresher after pulling an all-nighter and walking around all day, kitty in tow!

Hammock chillin’ at Yosemite

I have a double hammock! I like the extra space. I’m able to draw and read comfortably inside! It also fits two people super easily! My friend and I used it together and we had more than enough space. He read on one end and i drew on the other.

Mr Talkative as people walk by lol.

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

There’s a town on the north side of the park, Sonora, California! I stayed the night there. It was so cute! I was told by more than one person that they have the best Mexican food ever there! And I must say, it was one of the best meals I’ve ever had! The place was Called El Arroyo. Yum!

By far the best restaurant you can eat at near Yosemite. But there were also other types of food in this town if you don’t like Mexican!

The best place to eat near The Yosemite.

The drive from Yosemite to Senora is also amazing! Little windy two lane road through the rolling hills of California.

Driving out of the the north side of Yosemite, towards Sonora.

Stunning Scenic Lake In Southern Colorado: Smith Reservoir!

This is an awesome little road trip stop if you find yourself in southern Colorado! This reservoir is small but it’s so beautiful! I drove from Austin, Texas, cut over into New Mexico just before Amarillo and winded through some back highways until I got into souther CO! My grandpa taught me to always take…

Flaming Gorge Reservoir: Road Trip Stop On The Utah/ Wyoming Border

I’m always looking for new and beautiful places to explore around the United States! A lot of the time I will just zoom in on my apple maps on a green area or a body of water, and then research whatever names are posted in that area! That’s how I found the Flaming Gorge. I…

Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado: Rocky Mountain Sand Dunes

Colorado is such a beautiful state! I’m so glad I took this route on my way up to Washington State! I weirdly had never been to Colorado, one of the only states I hadn’t been to yet (aside from the airport)! 🤯 seems like the first place I’d go lol. I also stopped at the…

The Mojave Desert: A South West Road Trip Essential Stop!

This was a quick stop for me on my drive from Las Vegas to Los Angeles! I always try to see any many places as possible when I’m on road trips, even if I only have time to stop for a few hours. This place was nothing like I had never seen before! Growing up…

Ocean Jet Skiing in Destin, Florida: Destin Beach Trip Mini Guide

Destin and the entire Florid Panhandle have a ton of very underrated beaches! If you’re looking for white sand, and bright blue water, this is the spot! And it’s a pretty affordable vacation spot! I’ve been to the Panhandle a handful of time and it’s been a blast for all of them! Pro tip: it’s…

Tennessee Waterfall Hike: Burgress Falls State Park

I wasn’t sure how I was going to like living in Tennessee, after growing up in the beautiful Pacific North West, but I was pleasantly surprised! Tennessee is extremely lush and has hills and mountains. There a lot of waterfalls to visit! (Here’s another one of my favorite Tennessee Waterfalls). This hike is right off…

Middle Tennessee’s Best Hike, Waterfall, and Swimming Hole: Cummins Falls

I lived in Nashville, Tennessee for a couple years and this waterfall and swimming hole is by far my favorite place in the State.  Also… side note! If you’re going to Cummins Falls you should definitely spend some time in Nashville! I will be writing up a post on the best spots to go in…

Hiking Red Rock Canyon: Best Las Vegas Hikes- Calico Hills

I spent a couple months in the greater Las Vegas area! Between the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and Red Rock Canyon National Park! All of which are beautiful in their own way! One of my favorite hikes and hot springs is close by as well! It goes along the emerald colored Colorado river. If you…

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Mount Rainier National Park: Driving to the Top, Photo Gallery

National Parks, Pacific North West, Washington State

Mt. Rainier is one of Washington States most iconic peaks. You can see the mountain clearly from Seattle.

I was fortunate to grow up in Washington. My brother and I decided to take a longer drive to our cousins wedding, and we drove through Mt. Rainier National Park.

Driving to the Mt Rainier Park Entrance

You can drive almost all the way to the top!

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

Gaining elevation as we drive up Mt Rainier

I also brought my adventure kitty, Charles Lickens, along for the ride.

Charles Lickens and I watching the sunset on Mt Rainier
Mt Rainier Trailhead
Get the Mount Rainier Trails Map

Prepare for your trip with this Mount Rainier National Park Trails Illustrated Map. It shows trails, roads and its it’s all in color. On Amazon.

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

Big Tree State Park, Northern California Road Trip

I was making the trip from Yosemite to Lake Tahoe, and of course decided to take the back roads! (Which also lead to another cool discovery and long dead end). I didn’t have a big plan, I was car camping and was stopping and going as I pleased! Luckily I saw the signs for Big…

by Margo

Yosemite Valley, California Road Trip Stops

If you haven’t been to The Yosemite yet, add it to the bucket list! I give this place an 11/10 for beauty. It truly is one of the most breathtaking places you’ll go to! I drove in from Los Angeles Overnight. I want to say it was about a 4 ish hour drive! My cat,…

by Margo

Southern California Road Trip Stop: The Salton Sea

The Salton Sea is the largest lake in the state of California! This lake is very close to where they host Coachella! I made a pit stop here on my South West road trip, traveling from Arizona to Southern California. There isn’t a ton to do in the area, but it’s a super unique place…

by Margo

North Cascades National Park, Washington State: Guide and Photo Gallery

camping, hiking, National Parks, Pacific North West, Uncategorized, Washington State

North Cascades National Park is heaven on earth.

It hugs the Canadian boarder, you’ll even get some “Welcome to Canada” texts if you happen to have service any point!

It encompasses serene alpine lakes, endless mountain peaks and dense forest! Everywhere you drive or go is another breathtaking view! It never ends. For Forests floors are filled with ferns and moss. I’m sure there are tons of huckleberries too but we went a little to early in the year for that!

The hikes we went on were very dangerous, we got stuck more than once, so I’m not going to publicly recommend them! If you want the details, feel free to email me or find me on instagram, or Facebook! 

The dense, lush forest of the Cascades. So beautiful!

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

Diablo Lake:

This lake is one of the most iconic spots in the North Cascades.

Diablo Lake, North Cascades National Park

Yes, the water is this blue in person! It’s breathtaking. This was before we even hiked or camp, just a beautiful stop as you drive thru the park. Every twist and turn has your eye balls exploding out of your head with excitement.

We took these photos at a scenic turnout right off the main road. 

We stayed at a campground just across the lake from the scenic turn out! There was a nice little trail connected to the campground that we went did the first afternoon. It had beautiful views of the lake! There was absolutely no phone service. There was an investigation going on for a missing person and we were spooked so we only stayed at this spot for one night!

The forest there is super dense. You can see how sunny it is outside, but it’s pretty dark still back in the trees! (I’m from WA state so I’m used to it). It also gets super cold at night. Bring winter or warm clothes for night time, even in the summer!

We make sure to bring the Jetboil so we can have hot coffee during the chilly mornings! It’s super lightweight and compact, which makes it easy to bring around. Not sure how I survived without one before with how much I’m hiking and camping.

We also usually do car camping. It’s safer for women and a little warmer and secure than a tent!

Ready my guide for car camping.

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

IMPORTANT!!!

There are both black bears and grizzly bears in these woods. Do not go anywhere without bear spray! I would bring multiple canisters of it to be safe. You can get it at most outdoors stores or get it on amazon! And some knives you can strap to the front of your pack!

Bear Spray on Amazon

We even brought ours to the bathroom every single time. 

Bear Spray

The next morning we went up to the small town of Marble Mount. It’s one of the only place with phone service and amenities! Its about 30-minutes from Diablo Lake. We found a map and hoped online to find an awesome hike. Which we did find, it just didn’t turn out exactly as planned. Ooops.

The Amazing Mystery Hike

I’m not sharing this hike location, it’s too dangerous and I don’t want to set anyone up for failure! I’m sure you can find it on the AllTrails App by comparing pictures! 

North Cascades National Park Hike
What’s better than a PB&J on a hamburger bun via mountaintop?!

Were both very experienced hikers, it was just a tricky hike with very high elevation. We probably would have been fine later in the year. We hiked far up the Grand Tetons in July and there was minimal snow! Those few weeks can make a big difference in the mountains.

With any hike you go on in this park, make sure to bring warm clothes. Even if it’s super hot out! The temperature can drop quickly. These mountains aren’t ones to be messed with! We started the hike when it was in the 80’s and we were shivering by the time we got down. We each brought a long sleeve too. Be prepared for temperature changes as the elevation climbs and as the sun fades!

We ended up summiting this peak on accident! Lol. 

Summit a North Cascade Peak
North Cascades National Park

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

It was incredible but we were stuck up there for a long time. The snow is super easy to climb up, and yet super hard to get down! We fell a long ways at one point! It was super steep. We may or may not have been hanging from bushes with our feet dangling at one point…. while massive spiders crawled over out hands. And no, I’m not kidding. We are both terribly afraid of spiders too haha.

Stranded and stressed. Summit Fever got to us.
Rebuilding energy with a snack on the way back down.

Lesson learned (a few years ago): deeply research every hike before you go on them! And don’t summit a Cascade Peak until at least July! (We went in mid June). Always being extra warm clothes, no matter how short or easy the hike may seem.

There wasn’t a gate or people charging money when we went, but things can change over the year so it’s better to prepared for National Park fees. Mt Rainier National Park was surprisingly the same! No gate but there was a big visitors center at the top.

You can get in for free if you have a National Park Service Pass. The pass costs $75 for the entire year, or you can pay anytime you enter but it adds up fast. A lot of parks charge $20 a car. I always get mine renewed every year! The pass also now comes with a parking pass, which hangs from your rear view window.

Stay safe and stay groovy!

Mount Rainier National Park: Driving to the Top, Photo Gallery

Mt. Rainier is one of Washington States most iconic peaks. You can see the mountain clearly from Seattle. I was fortunate to grow up in Washington. My brother and I decided to take a longer drive to our cousins wedding, and we drove through Mt. Rainier National Park. You can drive almost all the way…

by Margo

Grand Canyon National Park: That Time an Elk Hiked With Me

This was my first time ever going to The Grand Canyon, so you could say I was pretty stoked!  I got up early where I was staying, in Flagstaff, which is just a little over an hour from the park! I threw on my spandex and USA hat and hit the road! I knew I…

by Margo

Grand Canyon National Park: That Time an Elk Hiked With Me

National Parks, Uncategorized

This was my first time ever going to The Grand Canyon, so you could say I was pretty stoked! 

Home Girl Mary (towards the end of the day).

I got up early where I was staying, in Flagstaff, which is just a little over an hour from the park! I threw on my spandex and USA hat and hit the road! I knew I was going to be going to a lot of parks that summer so I picked up a National Park Pass. It’s usually $20 per car each time, or you can buy the year long pass for $75. It makes more sense to me to buy the year long one! 

I had Charles, my cat, with me so I was only planning on staying on the paved areas along the rim. I don’t like to bring him on heavily trafficked hikes, I usually end up carrying him lol. He can be anti social. 

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

We started walking and within the first 10 minutes or so we saw a beautiful female elk! She was about 20 yards from us. I could feel Charles getting stress, so I put him in my backpack and covered him with my flannel. He enjoys it and it calms him down. 

We continued walking and a few minutes later, a guy coming from in front of me started pointing. I looked behind me and Mary, what I named the elk, was RIGHT behind me. She seemed very docile and calm… but ya know I was on a cliff at The Grand Canyon so I was a little stressed to say the least.

I’ve been around a lot of wild life in my days, but nothing like this!

She started to fall further behind and I relaxed. I packed a lunch. Charles and I found a nice rock to sit off just off the side. I let him out to stretch (with his harness and leash). All the sudden my cat starts making this weird howling noise. I looked behind me and MARY was right there! 

Luckily I had my bear spray on me, it gave me some peace of mind! I kept it in my hand the whole time she was near. Elk can get agitated and aggressive. I always bring it, even when there aren’t bears. It works for bad humans and other animals!

Bear Spray on Amazon

Not to mention… I was sitting about 3 feet from the cliff at this point. She was grazing and kept moving closer. She started grazing next to me. It was almost like she was a third wheel to Charles and I for lunch lol.

Sitting right on the cliff as she approached us.

I covered Charles with my flannel and tried to get him into my backpack while she was a little further away. Which worked.

She was still super calm and walked around the little area I was in. When she was about 30 yards away, I got up and went back to the trail. And little to my surprise, she followed me again! Man, I must smell good or something. 

She walked right next to me for a long time! Every time I stopped, she would stop. She grazed her head on my shoulder one time (I never touched her, I would never touch a wild animal). 

Got more relaxed as it went on. Mary was a home girl.

I took a joke picture to make it look like I was being chased to send to my parents hahaha, they had just Face Timed me right before telling me  not to do anything stupid.

Mom and elk is trying to kill me! 😉

And to end the day with a bang, I met some Brits who gave me a good laugh! Check it out. (inappropriate satire, don’t worry they were with their parents, they post a lot of comedy videos).

This day will forever be something that I will never forget. I was at one of the most iconic nature locations in the world, and got to be up close to a big beautiful animal. I’m truly blessed! 

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

North Cascades National Park, Washington State: Guide and Photo Gallery

North Cascades National Park is heaven on earth. It hugs the Canadian boarder, you’ll even get some “Welcome to Canada” texts if you happen to have service any point! It encompasses serene alpine lakes, endless mountain peaks and dense forest! Everywhere you drive or go is another breathtaking view! It never ends. For Forests floors are…

by Margo

Oregon Water Fall Hike: Ramona Falls in Mt Hood National Forest

Ramona Falls in Oregon is a Hidden little gem found in Mt. Hood National Forrest! My friend from Texas found it on the AllTrails app and we went for it! This hike made you feel like you are walking through a tropical rainforest, it was insanely green and lush!  The Trail Head It’s not too…

by Margo

Hiking Mt Hood, Oregon: MnNeil Point Summit

This was hands-down one of the most breathtaking hikes I have ever done in my life! And I have done a lot of hiking in my days. My friend has hiked around America, Europe and South America and he said the same! Mount Hood is Located just outside of Portland Oregon. You can see it’s…

by Margo

Grand Teton National Park: Hiking Up To Delta Lake

Grand Teton National Park, hiking, Uncategorized, wyoming

Delta Lake Hike was one of the most stunning hikes I have ever done in my 26-years of life! The contrast of the bright blue water, green trees and white snow was unreal. I could have stayed up there for weeks and been happy!

Delta Lake, Grand Teton National Park

This was a very challenging hike but it’s doable for most able-bodied people still! I’l write about the hard parts later in the article.

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

What to Bring

I went in the start of July so this is the gear I recommend for mid-late summer and early fall!

  • Your beautiful body!
  • Good hiking shoes, I have some Columbia ones that are awesome!
  • A LOT of water. I bring a Hydroflask with ice AND a camel back on long hikes to be safe.
  • Snacks for the top. It’s a long and hard hike so you are going to appreciate a little energy boost. My friend and I brought the Jet Boil and a lasagna backpacking meal, it was great! Good carb/energy boost. If you haven’t tried a Jet Boil with backpacking meals, I highly recommend it!
Click here for the jet boil I own, this set comes with all the pieces!
  • Back Pack
  • Phone/ Camera
  • BEAR SPRAY (mandatory) and bear bells. We saw 3 bears on this hike! (I’ll talk about that later). Every single review on the All Trails app said they saw bears or some sort of wildlife. You can get them both in town but everything is more expensive by or in national parks so I would recommend buying from Amazon or your local REI before you go!
BEAR SPRAY on Amazon
  • Sweatshirt & Sweats. It can get cold at the top and when the sun goes down. Feels so good to put a dry and warm sweatshirt on after you exert all your energy on a long hike.
Back Packing Meal!

Location

“To reach Lupine Meadows Trailhead (from Jackson, WY) head north into the park on US191. Make a left at Moose Junction onto Teton Park Road. Stay north on Teton Park Road for just over 7 miles where you will then turn left onto Lupine Meadows Road, it is unpaved but relatively well maintained (my FWD sedan made it no problem). Follow Lupine Meadows Road to the end where you will a parking area and the Lupine Meadows trailhead to begin the hike.” (from www.theoutbound.com).

You can always ask a park ranger for help as well if you are having a hard time finding it! We made sure to get maps from the visitor center so we could see where we were at even when we didn’t have service!

Parking is limited, there’s multiple trails that start here. Get there early for guaranteed parking!

There’s also some amazing cliff jumping not too far from the Delta Lake trailhead.

The Adventure Up

The entire hike is beautiful!

This hike is a total of 9 miles up and out with 2,329 in elevation gain. It’s a doozy! A very beautiful doozy.

The first mile or so is fairly easy! Once you get past the first part, the ret of the hike is pretty much all-uphill with no breaks!

bear bells

Don’t be ashamed to take breaks! We took A LOT on this hike and we are both very experienced hikers. When you have a pack on with water, food, bear spray and other goodies, it makes the hike even harder!

The trail splits off into two different trails when you get closer to the top. It isn’t super obvious but you can see it. Delta Lake goes off onto a new trail to the right, while the original trail leads to some other alpine lake. We wanted to do all of them but ran out of time! Look it up on the All Trails app and you might be able to get more specifics on this turn off!

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

After the turn off you hike for a little ways and then you get a to a  massive boulder field. The boulders are easy to climb but it can get confusing on where to go. There are little rock sharons (those little balanced rock towers) throughout the boulder fields, follow those and you will find your way to the top!

You may be tempted to lay out your socks… but don’t do it unless you want it to be a marmot pillow.

As soon as you finish the boulder field you will make it to the lake! It is absolutely BREATHTAKING. You are below the big peak in the Tetons with a bright blue lake. The color of the lake was unlike anything I have ever seen.

Safety Tips

As mentioned before, you NEED to bring bear spray. Do not do any hikes in the Tetons without it. We saw three bears on our way down the hill, a mom and her two cubs. It was scary, but we stayed calm, played music and let the bears know we were there so we didn’t startle them. We each had bear spray and a knife and kept them in our hands until we knew we were completely safe.

Bear bells and bear spray can both help prevent a bear attack! The bells help create noise so that the bear can hear you coming and you won’t startle it.

Make sure to give yourself plenty of time! Give yourself two full hours of sunlight to get down, you don’t want to be in these mountains in the dark!

Stay safe and have fun!

Maryland Hiking and Sunset Locations: Sugarloaf Mountain

Not gonna lie, when I moved from Washington State all the way over to the North East…. Baltimore to be more specific, I did not expect to find a ton of places to explore outdoors. I moved there for a job and was planning on working as much as possible and saving a ton of…

Spokane, Washington Hiking: Big Rock

Growing up in the Pacific North West, good ole PNW, I was spoiled with serene mountainous beauty, clear lakes and endless exploring!  One of my favorite go-to-hikes when I’m back home in Spokane, is Big Rock! It’s right off the Palouse Highway! It’s about 10-15 minutes down the Highway if you’re coming from the South…

Mingus Mountain, Arizona-Near Sedona: camping, hiking and local amenities!

I’m so thankful I accidentally found Mingus Mountain, Arizona. It wasn’t part of my plan. I headed over to California, and almost all nature was closed due to COVID-19. It was super stressful so I headed back to Arizona. It was hot at this point in the year so I needed to get up onto…

Sedona, Arizona: Camping, BLM Land and Hiking Guide

Arizona is an incredibly beautiful state. I appreciate it more and more each time I visit! This previous time… I stayed for 2 months. Ooops! I was there during the chaos of Covid-19, so it felt better for me to stay put for a while! Sedona is one of the most beautiful places you can…

How Toxins Negatively Impact the Body: A list of non-toxic products

A study done by environmental scientists found an average of 200+ chemicals in the umbilical cords of pregnant women after giving birth. That’s a lot of poison being pumped right into our babies! General hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, bleach, shampoos, and popular daily products are loaded with toxins that have harmful effects on your body!…

How to Train Your Cat: Leash Training, Car Rides, Hiking, Camping and More!

Traveling with my cat, Charles, has been so joyful! I wouldn’t have it any other way. Cats can be trained just like dogs, people just choose not to train them for some reason. To prove it, he’s a video of my kitty cat going pee outside! He digs a little toilet, plops on top of…

Breathtaking Hiking in The Las Vegas Area: The Lone Palm

Hot springs are not only beatific and relaxing, they have a lot of benefits to our health! Our skin absorbs the many minerals that naturally occur in the springs through a process of transdermal absorption.  Our skin is permeable and porous and absorbs a lot of what’s in our environment.  Don’t worry, if you can…

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Get the Hydroflask I have on Amazon

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico: sand dunes and sledding

Uncategorized

When I started my second cross-country road trip, I didn’t have the highest hopes for New Mexico (not sure why because it’s gorgeous). I hopped onto my apple maps when I stopped at a gas station; I was tired of being in my car and needed to see some scenery. I zoomed in to a little green spot on my maps…. Yes this is how I find a lot of my hikes and beautiful scenery.

I saw the White Sands National Monument and hopped on instagram and looked at hash tags for it and it looked amazing!! I started driving after spending about 4 seconds looking at pictures of it.

This ended up being one of my favorite stops in 2019!

Follow Charles Lickens (my cat) on Instagram! @charlesadventurekitty

What to Bring

  • Your beautiful body
  • Check the weather and dress for the weather that day. I wore jean shorts and a swim suit top & cover because it was almost 90 degrees that day. The sand is super soft so feel free to go barefoot (easier than walking in sandals)!
  • Portable solar charger for your phone and camera. The one I have folds up small into about the size of a folder and fits well in any backpack!
Portable Solar Charger
  • Water WATER water. Always a lot of water in these dry, hot climates. I brought my Hydroflask, it keeps water ice cold all day!
  • A sled or boogie board ( you can get them at the entrance too but you will have to pay).

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

Location

  • White Sands National monument is location in Southern New Mexico, not far from the Mexico boarder.
  • Located off Hwy 70
  • Easily traveled to from:
    • El Paso, TX (super close!)
    • Las Cruces, NM (Also super close!)
    • Albuquerque, NM
    • Tucson, AZ (and Phoenix if you don’t mind the drive)
    • San Antonio, TX (And most of Western Texas by car)

Arriving at the National Monument

White Sands National Monument

When you pull up to the National Monument, it has a similar vibe as National Parks. Your National Park Service Pass will work to get into the park… although I don’t remember anyone checking! There’s a welcome building, gift shop, restrooms and an area inside the gift shop to rent or buy sleds.

Being the adventure and adrenaline junkie I am, renting a sled was the first thing I did. I checked out the gift shop on my way out because I was too excited. Once you get your sled you head towards the entrance of the park. There was no fee to get in.

Don’t forget to buy wax in the shop for your sled!

Follow Charles on Instagram! @Charlesadventurekitty

Inside the Monument

Right away you get sucked into the unique beauty of this place. Just look at the road driving in.

The road drives through all of the sand dunes and loops around at the end so you can drive back. I found a little spot where there was no people, I like the serenity of silence when you’re in nature alone. I had my cat… per usual so I brought him out along with a blanket and we relaxed in the sun for a while.

I went back to my car and grabbed the sled I had just bought and started to wax it up. I ran up to the top of the sand dune… which is very exhausting after a few times (just warning you but still amazing). I would run and jump onto my sled and fly down the dune. It was so much fun and unlike anything I had done before.

If you are in the area I would highly recommend stopping by! It’s also a great place to take some awesome photos!

Be sure to pack out what you pack in. Leave no trace!!

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

Grand Teton National Park: Hiking Up To Delta Lake

Delta Lake Hike was one of the most stunning hikes I have ever done in my 26-years of life! The contrast of the bright blue water, green trees and white snow was unreal. I could have stayed up there for weeks and been happy! This was a very challenging hike but it’s doable for most…

Hiking Alone is Very Peaceful, Here Are Some Safety Tips

Hiking alone, especially the first time you do it, can be daunting and very intimidating. I for one was very nervous and scared the first time I did it, but now I do it all the time! It’s so freeing and peaceful, it’s almost a form of meditation for me. Nothing but the wilderness and…

Utah Hot Springs: Fifth Water

I had seen a lot of photos of these bright blue hot springs on Instagram but didn’t know where to find them! Luckily, one of my best friends lives in Salt Lake City and she knew exactly where these springs were! We packed our backpacks up early Super Bowl Sunday and headed for the springs…

Sunrise at Yosemite National Park, California

I had been in LA for a few days and one evening I decided to pack up and hit the road and drive overnight to the Yosemite. I mean, the sunrise from the top is every hikers dream so I made it a goal. If you aren’t familiar with Yosemite, it’s a large National Park…

Arizona Hiking and Hot Springs: The Lone Palm on the Colorado

This hike was very challenging but oh so worth it! This is one of those hikes where you really need to listen to the reviews on All Trails and be prepared! There is hardly a trail to follow so it’s extremely easy to get off course once you’re fully into the trail (the start isn’t…

Grand Teton National Park Adventure: Cliff Jumping at Phelps Lake

It had always been on my bucket list to go to Grand Teton National Park and Jackson, Wyoming. I finally made that dream come true in the summer of 2019 during 4th of July week. My best friend and I decided the night before that we were going to go (that’s how we roll), we…

Idaho Mountaintop Hot Spring: Hike up to Goldbug Hot Spring

Goldbug hot springs tops the cake for my favorite hots spring in the United States (at least thus far in my adventures). Adding an amazingly breath-taking view on top of a fully natural hot spring makes it stand out among the rest. Hopefully I will be able to make it back many more times while…

Sunrise at Yosemite National Park, California

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I had been in LA for a few days and one evening I decided to pack up and hit the road and drive overnight to the Yosemite. I mean, the sunrise from the top is every hikers dream so I made it a goal.

If you aren’t familiar with Yosemite, it’s a large National Park in Central California that people come to visit from all over the world! It’s most famous for el Captain, which is a flat faced wall of rock that stands about 3,000 ft tall. A lot of rock climbers travel to venture it. If you watch the movie Free Solo on Hulu you’ll get a weary view of it all as a guy free hands it.

What to Bring

  • That beautiful body of yours.
  • Warm clothes… watching from the top of the valley can be cold any time of the year at sunrise.
  • Blanket
  • Lawn chairs
  • Hot coffee or tea (optional). I use instant coffee crystals and my Jet Boil so that I can have hot coffee out in nature.
  • Your favorite fury friend to snuggle with (optional)

Location

  • Head North on Hwy 41 from Fresno (also known as Wawona Rd)
  • Turn Right onto Glacier Point Rd and follow it up as far as you can go.
  • Sometimes this road is completely closed depending on the time of year you go. When I went in April it said the road was closed but part of it was still open and I was able to get pretty high up for the sunrise.

Along Glacier Point Road there is a marked lookout point where you can see all the way to Bakersfield, California. I saw it both at night and during the day and both are amazing.

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At the Sunrise Location

The valley was amazingly beautiful. You can stay in you car and still soak up all of the beauty. I would recommend stopping at every possible stop you can. My favorite stop was at this meadow about .3 miles before the visitor center. You have a view of the Giant falls, pristine water and a bright green meadow. I pitched a hammock and took a nap to the peaceful sound of the waterfall.

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I initially wanted to stay at Glacier for a few days but I get stressed out when I’m in nature and there are a million people. It was extremely crowded and all of the hikes had long lines just to park.

I made the best of my time and got a nice beer and walked around the valley sidewalks and took in all of the views (because it is one of the most beautiful places in the world).

Soak it up and drive on the side roads and not just the main roads, I promise you’ll find some hidden gems!

White Sands National Monument, New Mexico: sand dunes and sledding

When I started my second cross-country road trip, I didn’t have the highest hopes for New Mexico (not sure why because it’s gorgeous). I hopped onto my apple maps when I stopped at a gas station; I was tired of being in my car and needed to see some scenery. I zoomed in to a…

Grand Teton National Park Adventure: Cliff Jumping at Phelps Lake

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It had always been on my bucket list to go to Grand Teton National Park and Jackson, Wyoming. I finally made that dream come true in the summer of 2019 during 4th of July week. My best friend and I decided the night before that we were going to go (that’s how we roll), we loaded up our car and hit the road as soon as we could!

Phelps Lake, Grand Tetons

We drove from Spokane, Washington to the Tetons, which is about a 9-hour drive. Luckily, it’s an extremely beautiful drive that is littered with different mountain ranges. You also have to drive through Yellowstone to get to the Tetons when you’re coming from the north side of the park.

Yellowstone is always beautiful! We didn’t stop…. Well not intentionally, but we had to stop for a few bison. If you have never seen a buffalo, I highly recommend going to Yellowstone, they are everywhere!

( I’ve had my back packing pack for a long time, so they don’t have the exact one anymore. I love it, it’s super supportive. Here’s the same Brand and similar style).

The Adventure to Phelps Lake:

FYI! Do not hike anywhere in the Tetons without bear spray and bear bells. I saw bears on every single hike there. I get the holster for the bear spray so that I can easily clip it to my backpack. Click here for the exact one I use!

Bear Spray on Amazon

Bear spray also works great for general self defense when you’re not in the woods! I keep a thing of it in my night stand. This stuff is powerful!

When you get into the park, make sure to stop and get all of the maps they have to offer, service is spotty and they are extremely helpful. Parking is limited so I would recommend getting there earlier in the day.

The hike to get to this cliff jumping spot is easy and beautiful! It was about 1.5 miles each way.

The hike in is extremely beautiful. You cross over a lot of streams that are crystal clear and loaded with fish! We stopped and rested on one of the bridges and watched the entire fish swim under us. Photos of that never do justice but just believe me when I say that it is amazing!

You’ll be able to tell when you’re getting close if there are other people out, you can usually hear people yelling and having fun while jumping off. If you follow the trail around the lake you can’t miss it.

The jump was SO FUN but sooooo cold! I would do it 100x again, but nothing will ever prepare you for the feeling of submerging into a mountain lake. It’s well worth it, just do it or you will regret it! My other friend was with me and she got scared and still regrets it to this day.

There’s plenty of other amazing things to do in the Tetons! I think my all time favorite adventure to do in the Tetons is hike up to the teal colored alpine lakes!

Follow me in Instagram for more of my in-the-moment adventures! @maggmountains

Life is too short to not make those leaps! Just make sure to be safe while you do them.

Make sure you take the same trail back as you did on the way in, we learned this the hard way…. We had to walk a couple miles down the road to get back to the right parking lot! We actually hitch hiked cause we were exhausted!

What to Bring

  • Bear spray!!! This is a must. I saw a bear on every single hike I went on in the Tetons. You can get a, affordable can off amazon, click here. Or at any sporting good store (REI, Cabellas, Etc). If you are in bear country, it won’t be hard to find. Most convenience stores will sell the.
  • Hiking shoes!! Click here for the ones I wear on most of my hikes
  • Water! Lots of it
  • Snacks (you never know what’s going to happen)
  • Swimsuit and towel
  • Sweatshirt if you are going to stay there all day. It gets cold fast in the mountains! Better to be safe and prepared.

How to get There

Driving in Grant Teton National Park
  • Go and get a map from the visitor center or a ranger station. Look for Phelps lake and it will tell you how to get to this hike!
  • Ask a ranger for directions! That’s the easiest way to find your way around National Parks, especially if you don’t have service.
  • Follow the Phelps lake trail. It leads you through the woods and next to rivers and eventually to the lake. Follow the trail around the lake and you’ll find the rock!

We came out on a different trailhead than we started accidentally. We ended up hitch hiking back to our original parking lot haha. We hopped into the bed of a truck of a family, so it felt very safe! Something to be mindful about. There are multiple trailheads for this hike!

Follow me on Instagram to see my in-the-moment adentures! @maggmountains