Exploring the National Parks – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Aloha friends! Today’s episode takes us on a journey across the ocean to Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park! 

This park protects some of the most active volcanoes in the world – Kilauea and Mauna Loa. It's crazy that you can get this close to these epic volcanoes when you visit this national park! Join us as we explore our favorite spots in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park together.

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Where to go if you want to see the lava lake
• Why this park is constantly changing
• Where to stay and what to eat while visiting this national park 
• Ash’s favorite shave ice stop on the Big Island
• Can’t miss sights along the Crater Rim Drive
• What is so cool about these volcanoes, specifically 
• How you can witness the building process of the Hawaiian Islands

This park isn’t a huge national park, but it is constantly exploding and expanding. We hope you get the chance to experience Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park soon!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Would you visit Hawai’i Volcanoes during the big eruptions in hopes that you get to see the lava? Or are you more comfortable visiting when things are a little bit quieter? 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 go on an adventure! This summer, we took a road trip through some of our favorite parks, plus we added in a few places we had never been to before. And now we want to take you along with us on this epic driving route!

Join us on a 10-day journey through the Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky National Parks as we share all of the fun things you can do with your family in this area.

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Our favorite things to do in Nashville
• The best activity to do in Townsend (plus what to beware of!)
• Navigating the craziness of Gatlinburg
• Highlights of Great Smoky Mountains National Park 
• Everything we loved about Blue Ridge Parkway
• Eating our way through Asheville
• Why the Biltmore is a must-see
• Exciting tours of Mammoth Cave

There you have it—our 10-day summer road trip to some incredible national parks! 

We hope you enjoy this journey and that this episode gives you ideas for your own road trip through Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky!

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! This road trip covered Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and Mammoth Cave. Which one is your favorite? Bonus points if you share pictures! 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.

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are exploring Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio! 

This national park is so incredible because it was an important area for the development of the wild frontier.  It also sparked a crucial environmental movement and opened up discussions on the importance of the natural environment.

You don’t usually hear much about this national park, even though it sees millions of visitors each year! We wanted to explore Cuyahoga Valley with you today so that you can discover this spectacular national park. 

In this episode, we discuss: 

• The Canal Exploration Center 
• Our favorite thing to do at this national park 
• The gateway towns in this area 
• The accessibility of this park 
• Our favorite restaurants in the area 
• The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
• The Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath
• Cool trails you’ll want to check out 
• The haunted bridge you can’t miss 

We hope you enjoyed learning all about this lesser-known national park! Cuyahoga Valley is such a unique park, and we highly recommend making a trip to see it for yourself. 

Remember to complete your task for this week! Would you rather ride the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad or bike the Towpath? Let us know on our Facebook or Instagram page! 

Check out the full show notes here.

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are doing a mailbag episode! We are diving into some of the questions we have gotten from you guys about the national parks and sharing our best tips and suggestions. 

Join us as we share our favorite camping tips, the best trails for solo hiking, park ranger Ash, and more! 

In this episode, we discuss: 

• What Beginner Campers Need 101
• How to find the best affordable camping equipment
• How to plan your meals while camping 
• Where to find the best campsites
• Where to find the best hiking trails for solo hiking
• How and why Ash became a park ranger
• The trips we have coming up on the East side of the Mississippi

We hope you enjoyed hearing the answers to some of these listener questions today. 

If you have any questions about national parks, family travel, outdoor activities, us, or anything in between, please visit dirtinmyshoes.com/podcast to leave us a message. We’ll answer them in an upcoming Mailbag episode!

Check out the full show notes here.

Join us as we journey back to Alaska for some fascinating Glacier Bay fun facts! Ash, who worked as a park ranger in Glacier Bay National Park, and John, who loves Glacier Bay and enjoys learning and sharing his discoveries, are here to share our unique experiences and surprise you with facts that make this park so extraordinary!

From advancing glaciers, tidal waves, scientific research, rebounding land, and fascinating wildlife, Glacier Bay National Park is sure to be on your bucket list after this podcast episode.

In this episode, we discuss: 

• What makes these the fastest-moving glaciers in the world  
• The location of the largest tidal wave recorded in history 
• Why this park was claimed by the government… for science
• How Glacier Bay went from a rocky landscape to a rainforest in record time
• The coolest thing about the wildlife in this park

We hope you enjoyed learning more about why Glacier Bay is such an unbelievable park. We also hope you can visit Glacier Bay and see it all for yourself sometime soon! 

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

Check out the full show notes here.

It’s that time of year again — time to start thinking about Yellowstone National Park! In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we discuss the amazing wildlife that can be seen in Yellowstone. 

The wildlife in this park is incredible. It’s the North American Safari! Join us as we explore the top spots in Yellowstone to see wildlife, with a sprinkle of wildlife-themed dad jokes along the way! 

In this episode, we discuss: 

• The unmatched spot in this park to see the best wildlife 
• Where to find the most buffalo
• The best spots to see wolves 
• Our favorite places to see grizzly bears 
• The one place to go if you want to see some elk 
• The different types of birds you can see in the park
• Where to see the fastest animals in North America 
• The best times of year to see these animals

We hope you enjoyed hearing about the wildlife in Yellowstone. This park is packed full of amazing wildlife, and we hope you get the chance to see it this year! 

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! Have you had a wildlife encounter in Yellowstone? Tell us about it! 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 exploring a park that is near and dear to our hearts – Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska! 

Ash worked as a park ranger in Glacier Bay and has so many amazing experiences to share about living in this part of Alaska! This national park has tidewater glaciers, massive mountains, and wildlife galore, so we’re excited to explore Glacier Bay with you! 

In this episode, we discuss: 

• Our special connection to this national park
• The unique route you need to know about if you want to visit this park
• The thing that makes Glacier Bay so cool 
• The best place to see humpback whales in this park 
• The incredible wildlife in this area
• The best way to see this park 
• Our favorite spots in Glacier Bay 
• What you can expect with the weather in this area
• The cool thing about the glaciers in this national park 
• What to do at Bartlett Cove 
• Our favorite trails in this national park 
• What you need to know if you plan to go fishing in Glacier Bay 

We hope you love this episode and learning about all of the incredible sights that Glacier Bay has to offer! This park is truly phenomenal so we hope that everyone gets a chance to visit. 

Don’t forget to complete your task for this week! What wildlife are you most looking forward to seeing in Glacier Bay? 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 hit the road and travel to some of the most beautiful national parks in the country! In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we’re taking you on a journey through our home state.  This epic 10-day Utah National Parks road trip is a family favorite, and we can’t wait to show you our favorite spots.

Join us as we share a really cool sample itinerary that you can enjoy with your family while exploring Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion! 

On the episode’s itinerary: 

• The best location to start this road trip 
• How many days to spend at each national park to see everything
• The food you don’t want to miss during your road trip
• Can’t miss hikes at each national park
• The route we recommend you take to see all 5 Utah National Parks 
• Where to find the best scenery in these parks
• Other stops and towns en route that you don’t want to miss
• How to expand your trip by adding a couple of days

We hope you enjoy hitting the road with us on this epic 10-day road trip through The Mighty 5 Utah National Parks!

If you want more detailed help on what you see in these parks, head over to DirtInMyShoes.com and check out our itineraries for each park.

Remember to complete your task for this week! Of all the movies we mentioned in this episode that were filmed in the Mighty 5 area of Utah, which one is your favorite? Head over to the Dirt In My Shoes Facebook or Instagram page and let us know! 

Check out the full show notes here.