Ouray, CO

Our first destination in Colorado was Ouray, which was recommended to us by a friend in Denver who we would be seeing later in the week. Ouray bills itself as ‘The Switzerland of America‘. What we found in Ouray is a quaint mountain town. The buildings on main street retain a lot of historic charm…

Canyonlands National Park, UT

Canyonlands National Park is where the Colorado and Green rivers merge together. Of the parks we’ve been to, Canyonlands is one of the least accessible unless you plan to explore it by ATV, mountain bike, or long backcountry trips. The park is divided into three distinct areas; Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The…

Arches National Park, UT

Arches National Park was so spectacular that it quickly became a competition to see who could find the most arches. Days 89 – 91 October 30 – November 1, 2014 Miles 10258 – 10539   We arrived in Moab, Utah on a Thursday evening. A quick drive through Moab was all we needed to decide that it…

Capitol Reef National Park, UT

We didn’t know much about Capitol Reef National Park when we arrived there on Tuesday. Capitol Reef is best known for its Waterpocket Fold, step-like cliffs which run the length of the park. A reef refers to a barrier which inhibits travelers, hence the park’s name. Days 87 – 89 October 28 – October 30,…

Zion National Park, UT (2014)

Zion is a special place for Jon and I. It is where we got engaged and is also the site of our first serious hiking escapades. Our first time in Zion we hiked Angels Landing, The Narrows, and joined a guided canyoning trip, all of which you can read about in our early blog post here.…

Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

I’ve always heard good things about Bryce, but still didn’t know what to expect. Bryce ended up being one of my favorite national parks. Hiking among the breathtaking hoodoos was one of the most amazing hikes of our trip.   Days 84 – 85 October 25 – October 26, 2014 Miles  9436 – 9772  …

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ

Not having seen something as awe inspiring as the Grand Canyon in our own home country is what inspired a large part of our trip around the United States. We finally made it there, and to make things even better, my parents were able to join us for this amazing National Park.   Days 82-84…

Sedona, AZ

Although not a national park, Sedona was filled with outdoor activities and scenery that matched or surpassed many other places we’ve been so far. Days 80-82 October 21 – October 23, 2014 Miles  8709 – 9266   On our way to Sedona we spent one uneventful night outside of Phoenix. Just before getting to Sedona…

San Diego, CA

San Digeo was our last stop on the West Coast which made it a little bittersweet. Luckily we had a great time with friends who went out of their way to show us the city. Days 76 – 79 October 17 – October 20, 2014 Miles  8597 – 8709 We arrived in San Diego Friday…