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.