Exploring the National Parks

Welcome to the Yellowstone Fun Facts episode!

Yellowstone is John’s absolute favorite national park! That being said, he is going to take the lead and share his top fun facts about the “oldest and best’ national park.

Yellowstone is mysterious and legendary because it’s a supervolcano! This is a fascinating park, and we are so excited to discuss these fun facts with you today.

Join us as we cover:

• The science behind the supervolcano in Yellowstone
• The thermophiles in Grand Prismatic
• The flowers that only live and grow in Yellowstone
• Why we think Yellowstone is the true American safari
• The cool thing about the buffalo at this park
• The unbelievable human history in Yellowstone

Yellowstone is such a special place, and it has ignited people’s imaginations for many years. We hope you get a chance to experience Yellowstone yourself so that you can see all of the epic things this park has to offer!

Check out the full show notes here.

Let’s talk about one of the greatest road trips in America!

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are talking about what we consider to be one of the top road trips that you can take -- the Grand Circle. This amazing road trip includes nine western national parks!

You get to see some truly cool stuff on this route, and we are so excited to be sharing what we love about it today.

Join us as we cover:

• Where to start when road tripping the Grand Circle
• Cool things to do in Zion National Park
• What you have to see at Bryce Canyon
• Our favorite stops along Highway 12
• What we love about Kodachrome State Park
• What’s so amazing about Capitol Reef National Park
• Why Goblin Valley is a must-see
• Why you should check out Little Wild Horse Canyon
• What to check out if you love Native American art
• What you need to do at Arches National Park
• The views in Dead Horse Point State Park
• The districts in Canyonlands
• The most underrated park that you need to visit
• Why we love the Million Dollar Highway
• The coolest things about Mesa Verde
• Why you should stop at Chaco Canyon
• Other off-route stops you might want to check out
• The amazing fossils at Petrified Forest National Park
• Why you should spend some extra time exploring the Grand Canyon

This epic road trip takes you through four different states and nine national parks. You really get the best of the southwest by traveling along the Grand Circle!

Check out the full show notes here:

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are diving into one of the parks we get the most questions about - Yellowstone!

Since everyone starts trip planning after the holidays, we figured this was the perfect time to tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful park in case you’re heading there this year. So come along as we explore Yellowstone!

Join us as we cover:

• What we love about Old Faithful
• Why Grand Prismatic is so cool
• Why the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a must for your first trip
• Our favorite viewpoint in the Canyon area
• Hiking trails you don’t want to miss
• Food to try while visiting Yellowstone
• What we think of the “Great One Buffalo”
• Our favorite things about the Norris Geyser Basin
• The wildlife you can find in Lamar Valley
• The differences between the northern and southern loop

It’s really amazing how many cool things you’ll see as you drive through Yellowstone! This episode is a helpful introduction to this national park.

If you’re wondering what to do now, I have a full Yellowstone itinerary available to help you plan the perfect trip. You can check it out over at DirtInMyShoes.com. We can’t wait for you to make some amazing memories with your family!

Check out the full show notes here.

Are you ready to start trip planning for the Everglades?

We love talking about trip planning, and we are so excited to help you make your trip happen. This national park is amazing because it’s a great place to visit during the winter when you’re tired of the cold weather. It’s warm, beautiful, and a really cool place to visit!

Join us as we talk through everything you need to know about visiting the Everglades so that you can make your trip a reality.

Join us as we cover:

• Where the Everglades is located
• Must-do activities in this park
• Crowd levels to expect
• Travel tips
• What you need to know about closures
• The best time to visit
• How many days to visit
• Other things to see in the area
• The best places to stay
• The coolest ranger programs in this park

There is so much for you to try out on your trip to the Everglades! If you want some more guidance on your options, make sure to check out my resources at DirtInMyShoes.com. I created an article that splits up the different activities so that you can choose exactly what you’re looking for. I also have plenty of other in-depth articles about the Everglades to assist you every step of the way!

Check out the full show notes here.

It’s going down!

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing the ultimate trail rumble! Join us as we rank our favorite national park hiking trails.

Buckle up because there will be some fighting. We both made our own lists, and we are ready to see who comes out victorious!

Join us as we cover:

• An incredible immersive hike
• A great hike to take during the sunset
• Trails to see in Sequoia Kings
• Trails full of adventure and amazing sights
• A must-see trail in Yosemite
• Trails we love at Acadia
• A couple of epic trails in Mount Rainier National Park
• Our favorite mountain trails

It was so hard to rank the trails because there are truly so many amazing ones to see! But we hope you enjoy this fun ranking episode and that it will inspire you to get out on a trail somewhere.

What are your rankings? We would love to hear them! Let us know on Instagram @dirtinmyshoes.

Check out the full show notes here.