What did I expect of Canyonlands National Park? Canyons, of course. Big empty vistas. Dust. I’ve read that it’s a favorite park for a lot people, but didn’t really understand why. Could it compare to Zion’s majesty? The vividness of Bryce? Arches’ strange formations? Yes, yes and YES. I don’t know what it’s like to drive through and observe it from viewpoints. I imagine disappointing. These places are too big for cars and a single afternoon. But in the intimacy of three days in the backcountry, we walked across sandstone benches so vast they could have contained cities. In the distance you could see more canyons, and then mountains, and then sky. The glittering, cloudless sky rolled over us every night. You might hear voices from people in the canyon below you, or perhaps one ridge over, or perhaps many. You could have walked until daylight ended. You could have walked, it seemed, forever. I wanted to. I’ll be back. @canyonlandsnps @nationalparkservice @womenwhohike @outdoorproject @visitutah @weliveelevated
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#canyonlandsnationalpark #canyonlands #canyoncountry #needlesdistrict #canyonlandsnps #canyonlandsneedles #utah #utahgram #utahunique #livelevated #lifeelevated #exploremore #optoutside #getoutstayout #hikingadventures #backcountry #backpacking #keepitwild #womenwhohike #moab #findyourpark #nationalparksgeek #sandstone #outdoorproject #theoutbound #findmeoutside #wanderlust #publiclands
Not sure I’ll ever tire of ancient art. Yesterday we spent hours zooming in and out of google earth maps, trying to find the unmarked, protected location of the largest petroglyph panel in Southern California. A few sketchy blogposts said these were probably created by the Chemehuevi people some 2,000 years ago. Took a long, hot, dusty ride on dirt roads, but we found them. Thanks @flyingfarmer09 @joeblackracing @sallieblack65 for patiently accommodating my passion. #petroglyphs #pictographs #ancientart #chemehuevi #mojave #mojavedesert #mojavenationalpreserve #californiadesert #california #barstow #californiaadventure #optoutside #getoutstayout #wanderlust #johnsonvalley #blm #findyourpark #wilderness #keepitwild
I took this photo over a year ago. I remember coming away from this slot canyon feeling discouraged and like all my photos sucked. The glass fell out of my favorite lens the night before. I’d stupidly forgotten my tripod. I didn’t really know how to shoot in a slot canyon, and I felt intimidated by other photogs on the tour who definitely knew what they were doing. The next day, I shook it off and fell in love with the Grand Canyon and, for a whole year, managed to forget how disappointed in myself I felt on this particular day. I’m going back to this area in a few weeks and decided to revisit my photos from that trip to troubleshoot where I went wrong. But then I found this. It reminded me that I really am my own worst critic. And for what? I took this beautiful photo, but at the time I couldn’t even let myself see it. I’m so glad I was wrong. @womenwhohike @visit_arizona @outdoorproject @capturearizona @horseshoebendtours #slots #slotcanyon #antelopecanyon #secretcanyon #waterholescanyon #page #pageaz #pagearizona #arizona #visitarizona #arizona_hiking #arizona_landscapes #arizonahighways #explorearizona #arizonaisgorgeous #navajonation #exploremore #optoutside #getoutstayout #wanderlust #desert #nature #weliveelevated #glencanyon #lakepowell #southwestisbest #southwest #womenwhohike #womenwhoexplore #canon
Found treasure in my harddrive. When I saw it I thought, “Oh my god, look at us, we were so young and beautiful.” And then I remembered that this was only a year ago! It’s so easy to lose perspective, but at the same time, there’s value in the ability to feel nostalgic about your own not-so-distant past. I have a lot of flaws but I think I’m pretty good at keeping an eye on the precious. I loved these sun-baked days in the desert with @annavictorialarson. I’m so glad that I’m still young enough to indulge in many more to come. I know there’s a big world out there, but that desert’s really got a hold on my heart.
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#utah #utahunique #utahisrad #lifeelevated #escalante #grandstaircase #grandstaircaseescalante #findyourpark #findmeoutside #getoutstayout #exploremore #nature #drone #womenwhowander #womenwhohike #hikingadventures #visitutah #wildnerness #leavenotrace #southwest #publicland #parksproject #nationalmonuments #outdoors #hiking #camping #backpacking #travelstoke
Big magic in these woods. Ever since I saw the Atchafalaya Swamp in Louisiana, I’ve dreamed of going back and paddling through that drowned forest, but I’m terrified of gators. The Cache River in southern Illinois is the northernmost cypress swamp in the country, a lot closer to home, and is GATOR FREE! We wandered and paddled for hours. It was spooky and sublime. Big thanks to @cacheriveroutfitters for being so chill about our crazy schedule and for sending us out into this big alone without making us hold your hand. We got a little lost, but that was part of the fun.
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#cacheriver #cacheriverwetlands #cypressswamp #swamp #swamppeople #kayaking #kayakingadventures #illinois #illinois_shots #southernillinois #visitillinois #illinoisnature #womenwhowander #optoutside #findmeoutside #midwestmoment #midwestexplorers #getoutstayout #nature #adventure #lonelyplant #stateparks #illinoisstateparks #keepitwild #leavenotrace
