SEASON TWO PARKS
In season two we discuss our trips to and hiking in Hawi’i Volcanoes, Haleakala, Shenandoah, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Channel Islands, and Capitol Reef National Parks. Scroll below to find out more information about each of these individual parks including links to episodes, gallery of images, and individual park websites.
HAWAI’I VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK
Featured in Episode 24, Episode 25, and Episode 26
An incredible landscape that sheds light on the pure, unbridled power of Mother Nature, Hawai’i Volcanoes is a park not to be missed. Located on the southern part of the Big Island, the park not only allows you to experience a vulcan landscape, but rainforests, craters, and even the sea. Experience a National Park like no other where you will learn more about the eruptions that shaped it and the culture that surrounds it.
Dusty and Mike visited Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park in the summer of 2019. While they only spent a day on Big Island and in the park, they were able to do and see so much in this incredible landscape.
Follow along with our episodes with our photos by clicking here.
Click to learn more about Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.
Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Ko Hawai’i Pae’aina people.
HALEAKALA NATIONAL PARK
Featured in Episode 27 and Episode 28
Literally translated to “House of the Sun,” Haleakala’s beauty is unparalleled, even to its sister park, Hawai’i Volcanoes. Located on the island of Maui, his vastly different park allows you to glimpse the world from above the clouds as you hike through a non active volcano so large, it could hold the entire island of Manhattan. Be prepared to hitchhike your way o the summit in order to complete an epic thirteen mile hike that starts on the Sliding Sands Trail.
Dusty and Mike visited Haleakala National Park in the summer of 2019. They were also able to drive part of the Road to Hana on their second day on the island of Maui.
Follow along with our episodes with our photos by clicking here.
Click to learn more about Haleakala National Park.
Haleakala National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Ko Hawai’i Pae’aina people.
SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK
Featured in Episode 29, Episode 30, Episode 31 and Episode 32
A stones throw from Washington DC, this incredibly vast national park (over 100 miles long) is an awesome sight to behold. Established in 1935 as the east coasts second National Park, it encompasses parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has the iconic Skyline Drive to show off the length of its splendor. A park for all seasons, Shenandoah offers something different during every time of the year. Make sure that when you plan your visit you allow for lots of time to explore the dazzling heights and deep woodlands of this beautiful parcel of natural wonder.
Dusty and Mike visited Shenandoah National Park in the summer of 2017 and the autumn of 2019. Because of a relatively close proximity to home, Dusty and Mike plan on several more adventures in this jewel of Virginia.
Follow along with our episodes with our photos by clicking here.
Click to learn more about Shenandoah National Park.
Shenandoah National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Monahoac people.
KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Featured in Episode 33
Established in 1890 as General Grant National Park, it was eventually renamed Kings Canyon National Park after greater expansion of its terrain in 1940. The original park as it stands is a small sliver of what the park is today. Mainly encompassing the Grants Grove area, or area around the General Grant Tree, it’s easy to see why this area was renowned and preserved by early American settlers despite the early onset of ranchers and loggers in the area. Much of the larger potion of the park is rugged backcountry that includes both the John Muir and Pacific Crest Trails. That being said, the Grants Grove area has much to offer by way of trails and impressive Sequoia trees.
Dusty and Mike visited Kings Canyon National Park in the spring of 2018 while on a larger California road trip that included Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Sequoia and Channel Islands National Parks.
Follow along with our episodes with our photos by clicking here.
Click to learn more about Kings Canyon National Park.
Kings Canyon National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Western Mono people.
SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK
Featured in Episode 34 and Episode 35
Established in 1890 as a way to preserve the sequoiadendron giganteum (the giant sequoia tree), Sequoia National Park contains some of the largest living plants on the planet. This includes the worlds largest tree (by volume), The General Sherman. A network of trails emanate from the area around the General Sherman which meander you through a land of giants, both named and unnamed. Take a stroll through history on the Congress Trail or test your fears while summiting Moro Rock or get a permit and hike the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney. You won’t be bored and you won’t stop lookin up as there is plenty to do in this woodland kingdom.
Dusty and Mike visited Sequoia National Park in the spring of 2018 while on a larger California road trip that included Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Channel Islands National Parks.
Follow along with our episodes with our photos by clicking here.
Click to learn more about Sequoia National Park.
Sequoia National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Western Mono people.
BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK
Featured in Episode 36, Episode 37, and Episode 38
Getting its name from the extreme steepness of the canyon walls which leave many areas shrouded in darkness, Black Canyon of the Gunnison is a canyon set apart. Established in 1933 as a National Monument and made a National Park later in 1999, the canyon offers a variety of activities for it’s visitors. From driving the scenic South Rim Road which allows for a variety of panoramic stops, to hiking the areas of the Northern Rim (which is closed in the Winter), to traversing one of several unmaintained wilderness routes to the Gunnison River, traveling a treacherous path the entire way, there is so much to do at this Colorado canyon.
Dusty and Mike visited Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in the spring of 2019 while on a larger road trip that included Rocky Mountain National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, and Great Sand Dunes National Park.
Follow along with our episodes with our photos by clicking here.
Click to learn more about Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Ute people.
CHANNEL ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK
Featured in Episode 39 and Episode 40
Dubbed the Galapagos of the North Pacific, Channel Islands National Park is truly a beautiful and unique national park. Off the coast of California, this island chain is accessible by ferry from Ventura and Oxnard or by private boat. The islands themselves are host to unique flora and fauna, have a bevy of hiking trails, and are a favorite spot for kayakers and snorkelers alike. Not only that but they have an interesting history that includes everything from native peoples, to turn of the century ranching and oil prospecting.
Dusty and Mike visited Channel Islands National Park in the spring of 2018 while on a larger road trip that included other California National Parks including Yosemite and Joshua Tree.
Follow along with our episodes with our photos by clicking here.
Click to learn more about Channel Islands National Park.
Channel Islands National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Chumash, Limuw, Michumash, ‘Anyapax, Wi’ma, and Tuqan people.
CAPTIOL REEF NATIONAL PARK
Featured in Episode 41, Episode 42, Episode 43, and Episode 44
Capitol Reef is a National Park full of history, incredibly landscapes and stunning beauty. Preserved for the Waterpocket Fold, a major geological feature that runs through the park, it also contains active orchards left over from Mormon settlers who once lived in the Fruita section, and petroglyph panels from the Fremont people, ancestral Pueblo people who originally occupied the land. There is plenty to do and see in this amazing desert park, so if you are planning a trip to Utah, make sure to include it in your itinerary.
Dusty and Mike visited Capitol Reef National Park in the spring of 2019 on a larger road trip that included the four National Parks in Colorado.
Follow along with our episodes with our photos by clicking here.
Click to learn more about Capitol Reef National Park.
Capitol Reef National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Ute and Paiute people.