As one of the most intriguing and *potentially* deadly volcanoes in America, Mount Rainier has been on people’s radars for a long time. So today, we're thrilled to be delving into the wonders of the one and only Mount Rainier National Park!

This incredible mountain and its surrounding area was created as the fourth national park in the United States! And after our first visit, it quickly earned a spot in our top five favorite national parks. Towering majestically over the surrounding cities, Mount Rainier is impossible not to love! So join us as we explore everything that makes this park such a phenomenal place to visit.

• Sights to see and things to do on the Paradise side of Mount Rainier
• The best places to see waterfalls in Mount Rainier
• The healing power of nature
• The biggest mistake people make when visiting this park
• Tips for hiking our favorite trail in the park
• Other trails and sights in the area
• What you can’t miss on the Sunrise side of the park
• How to get to the most epic viewpoints
• Where to stay when you visit

We hope you enjoyed exploring Mount Rainier with us! This national park will blow you away, and we hope you get a chance to get out there soon.

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Sunrise or Paradise?! Paradise or Sunrise?! We are posting photos so you can see what each area looks like, and you can tell us which one you prefer - even if you haven’t been there yet! Head over to the Dirt In My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know!

Check out the full show notes here.

Today, we are going on an adventure in Ash’s favorite national park—Grand Teton! We’re hiking through Cascade Canyon, the most popular longer trail in the Tetons.

Join us as we visit Jenny Lake, Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point, and even Lake Solitude along the Cascade Canyon Trail! Whether you’re going for a multi-day backpacking trip or a quick hike, you will love the Teton views from up here!

In this episode, we discuss:

• The best season for hiking this trail
• How to see the “Disneyland” of Grand Teton
• Helpful tips to keep in mind while hiking this trail
• All of the must-see spots in Cascade Canyon
• The animals you can see while hiking this trail
• The two forks in this trail and what you need to know about each

We hope you enjoy exploring the gorgeous Cascade Canyon in Grand Teton National Park. It truly is a choose-your-own-adventure kind of hike, and there are so many beautiful and iconic views on this trail.

Click over to Dirt In My Shoes to start planning your next epic vacation to Grand Teton National Park!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Are you Team North Fork or Team South Fork?? Head over to the Dirt In My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know!

Check out the full show notes here.

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are headed back to one of our favorite National Parks — Mesa Verde! We are diving into the fun facts about this park and focusing on the people who lived here.

The incredible human history in this area is what this park is all about, and we are so excited to share it with you! Join us as we take a deep dive into the Ancestral Puebloans who called Mesa Verde home.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The surprising number of cliff dwellings in this national park
• The number of tribes that have special ties to Mesa Verde
• The largest cliff dwelling in Mesa Verde
• The insanely cool things that archeologists have found in this park
• The magic and the mystery of this park

This park protects the heritage of our country in a sacred and beautiful way, and it’s up to us to learn about it and how we can preserve it.

We hope these fun facts will help you cherish this amazing place as you explore it with your family and friends!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Do you think Long House is the *actual* largest cliff dwelling in North America? Or do you stand by the NPS and vote for Cliff Palace? Head over to the Dirt In My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and cast your vote!

Check out the full show notes here.

It’s time to drive one of the most epic roads in any national park – Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road! In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are sharing our insider tips for this gem of a scenic drive.

The Going-to-the-Sun Road cuts right through Glacier as it travels deeper into the park’s majestic mountains! We’re talking all about our favorite viewpoints and activities along this drive, as well as insider tips and fascinating facts you’ll want to know before you go.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Fascinating fun facts about this road
• Helpful things you need to know if you are planning to drive this road
• The stops and sights you don’t want to miss
• Campgrounds and trails you’ll want to check out
• Where you can see Bird Woman Falls in all its glory (John’s obsessed!)
• The Red Bus Tour
• Why everyone loves Logan Pass
• The easiest way to see a glacier in Glacier
• Hiking to St. Mary Falls
• The phenomenal view that’s hard to find
• The best places to get parking

We hope you enjoy driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road with us in spectacular Glacier National Park! Before you go, be sure to check if reservations are needed to enter this area of the park.

If you need a day-by-day plan for your trip and hope to avoid the crowds, or if you need help getting your reservations, pick up your Glacier Itinerary here.

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Head over to the Dirt in My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and tell us which stop along the Going-to-the-Sun Road is your favorite or which one you are most looking forward to!

Check out the full show notes here.

We are exploring Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park in this episode of Exploring the National Parks. This unique national park is for anyone who loves history, especially the fascinating story of the people native to the Southwest!

Mesa Verde is a sacred homeland to 26 different Native American tribes, and it protects the heritage of these incredible people. It represents such an important part of our history as Americans, and we are so excited to dive into this truly special and sacred national park with you today!

In this episode, we discuss:

• The amazing architecture you’ll see in this park
• Some helpful reminders for the drive when visiting this park
• What to skip while you’re in this park and what you can’t miss
• The must-see sights on the Mesa Top Loop
• What makes the Cliff Palace Loop the best part of the park
• Our top favorite tour to take in Mesa Verde
• Where to get the best tacos in Mesa Verde
• Construction to watch out for
• Why we love Long House
• The gateway towns to check out near Mesa Verde

We hope you get the chance to visit Mesa Verde! It’s such an incredible park to visit with so much history. Plan to visit for a couple of days, and be sure to get your advanced reservations if you want to tour the cliff dwellings!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Head over to the Dirt in My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and check out our photo of the Balcony House ladder. Would you climb it?! Leave a comment and let us know.

Check out the full show notes here.

You may not have even heard of this park, so you’re in for a real treat! Today on the Exploring the National Parks Podcast, we’re sharing our favorite fun facts about Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio.

This park is more of a blend between a national historical site and a national park because it has both natural beauty and significant historical landmarks. Cuyahoga Valley is a unique smaller park that many people don’t know much about. Join us as we discuss what makes this park so cool!

In this episode, we discuss:

• What makes the bedrock layers at this national park so interesting
• The fascinating history of the canal
• How this park helped Ohio become one of the most populated states in the country
• How the river in this park became a catalyst for a major environmental movement
• The surprising number of active farms within the Cuyahoga Valley boundaries

We hope you love hearing about this incredible national park! It’s truly like going back to simpler times when you visit Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and we hope you get the chance to visit it soon!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Which of these fun facts surprised you the most? Head over to the Dirt in My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know!

Check out the full show notes here.

Let’s talk about a national park that we know many of you are visiting this summer -- Yosemite! Today on the Exploring the National Parks Podcast, we’re sharing our top 5 favorite classic Yosemite Valley views.

Few places in the world are as picturesque as this national park, and we are excited to talk about the must-see spots you won’t want to miss on your next visit!

In this episode, we discuss:

• The most iconic place to take a photo of Yosemite Valley
• The most popular viewpoint in Yosemite
• Ash’s favorite Yosemite Valley view
• The best 360-degree experience in Yosemite Valley
• The most fun and unique way to see the beautiful valley

We hope you enjoy hearing about our favorite Yosemite Valley views. If you can get to all five on your next visit to Yosemite, you’ll have some amazing photos to remember your trip by!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! If you have been to Yosemite, what is your favorite Yosemite Valley view? Bonus points if you share photos! Head over to our Facebook or Instagram page and let us know!

Need help planning your perfect trip to Yosemite? Grab one of our Yosemite National Park itineraries!

Check out the full show notes here.

We are doing something new on the podcast! We want to start interviewing some of the coolest people on the planet – park rangers!

For our very first interview, we are talking to Ranger Ryan Cooper, who works for Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. His job is to map the Lewis and Clark Trail, so he’s basically a modern-day explorer!

Today, he is giving us a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work as a park ranger, sharing fascinating stories about the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and diving into his other passion: delicious BBQ.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Ryan became a park ranger
• What he does on a day-to-day basis in his job
• Cool information about the Lewis and Clark Trail
• The unique artifacts that have been found by archeologists on this trail
• The fascinating history of the expedition
• The coolest part about Ryan’s job
• The best BBQ along the Lewis and Clark Trail

We hope you enjoy this conversation with Ryan! If you want amazing BBQ restaurant recommendations, be sure to follow Ryan on Instagram @bbqtourist. You can also check out The Smoke Sheet at bbqnewsletter.substack.com.

Let us know if you know of anyone who works for the national parks that we should interview! We are always looking for fun and interesting people to connect with.

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Please let Ryan know that you appreciate him coming on the podcast over on his Instagram page!

Check out the full show notes here.