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Havasupai: Mooney, Beaver and Havasu Falls

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Best Time to Visit Havasupai Falls

As I was driving back from Sedona, I immediately began looking forward to my next adventure. I wasn’t sure what that was going to be, but I had certainly caught the bug again. I have developed more of a love for the Southwest, so that was my starting point. When I arrived home, Havasupai came to mind. Havasu Creek running thorough the campground. I was supposed to go to Havasupai with a hiking…

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Sierra Therapy? Yes, Please!

There is something to be said about Sierra therapy. I know people flock to places like Sedona, Arizona or Utah for relaxation and peaceful excursions, but here in California, we have some exciting, yet therapeutic, destinations of our own. I recently shared a post about the vortexes in Sedona and how that visit to the desert affected me in the most positive way. I’ve been making trips to the…

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Exploring Sedona’s Vortexes

Early this summer, I had my sights set on Sedona. It had been on my radar for quite some time, and I was intrigued mainly because of the vortexes. I had read many articles about them with some people swearing by them and others not so moved, so I decided to go and investigate for myself. I set the trip for late September and made it a birthday/girl’s trip with my good friend Carrie. View from…

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Last Day in Moab

The guide from the Hummer tour I went on told me about this hike down in the canyon that we overlooked on the tour. We passed the trailhead heading back from the river rafting trip and I noticed all the cars in the parking lot, so I figured it was a popular place. In addition to the scenery of this magnificent location, what I found really fascinating about the canyon is the man who it was named…

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Adventures of the Arches

After hiking through the Fiery Furnace, I visited the iconic Delicate Arch, a short(ish) hike that packed a bit of a punch and reminded me of the hike to Enchanted Rock in Texas. Standing under Delicate Arch. The next stops were Balanced Rock and the Garden of Eden, which piqued my interest because of the name. I didn’t understand the whole Garden of Eden reference, but the rocks were really…

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Hiking the Fiery Furnace

I had a 7am entry ticket to get into Arches and had gotten a permit to hike the Fiery Furnace, so I set out early for the adventure to beat the crowds and the heat. First, I had to stop at the Visitor Center to pick up the hiking permit and attend the 20-minute orientation. The Fiery Furnace. Rock formations in the Fiery Furnace. I had read about this hike during my initial research into…

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Ultimate Sea Cave Kayaking Adventure

What better way to spend Labor Day Weekend than to visit one of America’s lesser visited national parks? Located about 20 miles off the coast of Ventura Harbor, Santa Cruz Island of Channel Islands National Park is only accessible by boat and the ride can be anywhere from 1-1.5 hours long, depending on the conditions and wildlife sightings. Although this national park doesn’t charge an entrance…

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My Time on the Central Coast

I drove back from San Simeon along the coast since I knew I’d be driving back in the storm. Since the weather was good much of the way, I took a leisurely pace and made some stops along the way. Walking along the boardwalk. It was peaceful and relaxing. My first stop was to check out the surf at the beach. I took a walk along the boardwalk to see how far it went and then turned around when I…

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Hollywood at Hearst Castle

When I first visited Hearst Castle sometime in 2013, it was an captivating experience. I was in awe of the architecture of the castle, the rooms and its rich history. The thing that stood out the most was the Neptune Pool. I loved the Roman influences of the columns and statues and the pool itself looked so inviting. However, no one was allowed to get too close, and we certainly weren’t allowed…

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Hiking Little Lakes Valley

The plan for this Mammoth area excursion was to hike to Mono Pass, beginning at the end of Rock Creek Road. However, we were met with a sign warning of deep snow up ahead, so the road was closed beyond that point and we had to hike a mile in to the official trailhead. After walking up the road for a bit, we discovered that it was mostly dry with only a few patches of snow that a decent car or SUV…

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How I Discovered a Not-So-Hidden Gem via TikTok

While my friends went on an off-roading adventure in the desert, I checked another hike off my list. I came across this hike on TikTok a year ago and it caught my attention, so I looked it up and added it to my growing list of must-do adventures. I vowed that the next time I was in Vegas I was going to do this hike, so I let the girls go and ventured out solo. We’d meet up later for…

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Adventurers Unexpected

After visiting Mono Lake, my friends and I set off to check out a volcanic crater that Danielle had read about online. We had planned to do a short hike later on after we checked out of our Mammoth hotel, but since this outing was particularly for sightseeing, neither of us came prepared. Except for Danielle because she’s ALWAYS prepared. Sunrise at Mono Lake. I was in jeans and a t-shirt, which…

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Girls’ Day Out at Carrizo Plain

Danielle, Carrie and I took a day trip to the high plains to see the blooms. This was Danielle and Carrie’s first trip to Carrizo and my third or fourth (who’s counting, though?) We took the scenic loop entering from the south entrance and drove along Elkhorn Road, which is a sandy, bumpy AWD-friendly adventure. By going this route, I was able to see parts of the park that I had never visited…

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Ice, Ice, Baby

On February 18th, I went into Yosemite early so I could have enough time to do some hiking and sightseeing before the Firefall. I was going to try to hike to Mirror Lake and the Vernal Fall footbridge, but I only ended up having enough time for Mirror Lake. Tunnel View The park was unbelievably crowded, a stark contrast from the day before. I had to park about a mile away from the Mirror Lake…

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Hiking “The Wave”

When I returned to work and my boss asked me how the hike was, the first word out of my mouth was “extraordinary.” He was like, “Wow, extraordinary!?” That is the best way that I could sum up this experience with one word. It was the most amazing trip of my life because I had never seen such a terrain that was so historical and unique in every way. It was like stepping into a different…

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Virgin River Narrows Solo Hike

I was introduced to water hikes by a good friend and hike leader back in 2009, shortly after I began hiking with his group. I was hooked on water hikes after the Santa Paula hike, which was my first adventure with the group and my first ever water hike. My first trip to Zion and to The Narrows was with my friend and his crew, so I couldn’t help but think about him and the other good friends I…