Author Archives: Jean Nguyen

Alabama Hills & Mt. Whitney

I’ve always said California has everything, and that was before I even knew that California also has the highest AND lowest points (both within ~100 miles of each other) in the contiguous U.S! Last year in Death Valley, we sauntered along Bad … Continue reading

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Joshua Tree

I didn’t think I’d like Joshua Tree National Park.  I typically prefer the more “traditional parks” that consist of deep canyons or mountains, forests, and lakes.  I figured Joshua Tree NP would just be a boring desert with a bunch of cool trees, … Continue reading

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Valley of Fire

Some lesser known state parks can flaunt the grandeur of national parks, and Nevada’s first state park, Valley of Fire, defends that claim.  Originally we planned on driving straight from Great Basin National Park, Nevada to Joshua Tree National Park, California … Continue reading

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Cathedral Gorge

As I quickly made my way in and out of the Great Basin National Park Visitor Center to use the bathroom, curiosity drew me to the information board.  I couldn’t resist skimming over the PLACES NEARBY map, especially with its … Continue reading

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Great Basin National Park

Literally lost in the middle of nowhere across the expanse of a massive desert, Nevada’s sole national park quietly lingers between a cluster of mountains.  It’s a damn easy place to pass by along the lonely highway, and I’m sure most people … Continue reading

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Two Medicine

Leading up to our finals days at Glacier National Park in Two Medicine, Chris and I hiked a total of 49 miles over 4 days, and I tacked on an additional 50 miles by bike on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.  Our final … Continue reading

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Many Glacier

While Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road seems to attract the majority of its visitors (and predominantly the non-hikers), I assume that Many Glacier attracts the majority of its hikers and nature enthusiasts.  There’s no wonder why–it seems as if the … Continue reading

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Going-to-the-Sun Road

Towing a 16′ trailer meant we couldn’t drive through Glacier National Park via the famous Going-to-the-Sun Road, so we took the long route around the park to East Glacier.  The plan was to camp at St. Mary; most campgrounds along … Continue reading

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How to Experience Glacier National Park

I’ve always heard about Glacier National Park—the wildlife, the glacier-carved mountains and lakes, the unbelievable hiking trails, and the sheer size of it all. But then I read about the complaints: the visitor center’s and trailhead parking lots filling by … Continue reading

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South Sister

After our first trip to Bend in 2015, I knew that we’d return. Again and again. Sure enough, exactly a year later, we found ourselves passing through Bend. This time we made sure to summit Oregon’s third highest peak, South … Continue reading

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