california, Hiking, holidays, outdoors, safety, Travel, Uncategorized, writing

Hiking in a Winter Wonderland

The Cranky Camper shares her experience hiking underprepared in unexpected snow with lessons learned.

Hiking, Historical sites, history, midwest, outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, writing

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Ha Ha Tonka State Park in MIssouri's Ozarks features green forests, lovely vistas, and natural bridges thanks to karst topography. It also protects the ruins of a 1900s European castle.

Food, Hiking, midwest, Opinion, outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, writing

Lake of the Ozarks

On this adventure we stayed in Osage Beach along Lake of the Ozarks, located about half-way between St. Louis and Branson. The area is a popular place for summer vacationers, as it offers many opportunities for recreation with its miles of shoreline and sparkling blue waters, but it was pretty even in the early fall.

american west, california, Camping, Hiking, Historical sites, history, national parks, outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, writing

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir

Hetch Hetchy Reservoir is located in the northwestern corner of Yosemite National Park and provides water for the residents of the San Francisco Bay area. This post explores the history of Hetch Hetchy, along with a brief walk along its shore.

Uncategorized

Stanislaus National Forest

The Stanislaus National Forest is a pretty place to recreate, boasting 898000 acres and many opportunities for camping, hiking, and exploring. We stayed in a national forest campground along the middle fork of the Tuolumne River not far from the Hetch Hetchy entrance station to Yosemite National Park, and about a 45 minute drive to Yosemite Valley.