The Weather Whiplash Reality of Spring Camping I learned this lesson the hard way in Yosemite back in April 2022. One day I’m hiking in a t-shirt under brilliant sunshine, the next I’m huddled in my tent watching snow pile up on my rain fly. Spring camping in national parks serves up this kind of … Read more
Why May Hits Different for Utah’s Red Rock Country Let me be straight with you about Utah’s famous “Mighty Five” national parks. I’ve visited Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Canyonlands in every month from March through October, and May consistently delivers the perfect storm of conditions that most travelers completely miss. While summer crowds descend like … Read more
Why Olympic National Park in Spring is Washington’s Best-Kept Secret I’ll be honest: I almost didn’t visit Olympic National Park in spring. Like most travelers, I assumed Washington’s rain-soaked peninsula would be soggy, gray, and miserable until summer. But after spending a week there in late March, I discovered something that changed how I think … Read more
Why April is Yosemite’s Waterfall Magic Month There’s a specific moment in spring when Yosemite Valley transforms into something otherworldly. I’ve visited in every season, but April hits different. The winter snowpack is melting, the valley floor is coming alive, and those granite walls that tower thousands of feet above you? They’re weeping – in … Read more
There’s nothing quite like waking up in your campervan to find condensation dripping from the ceiling or freezing temperatures that make getting out of sleeping bag feel like a polar expedition. After twenty-five years of travel across North America, I’ve learned that temperature control isn’t just about comfort—it’s about extending your travel season and staying … Read more
There’s nothing quite like waking up in your campervan to find condensation dripping from the ceiling or freezing temperatures that make getting out of sleeping bag feel like a polar expedition. After twenty-five years of travel across North America, I’ve learned that temperature control isn’t just about comfort—it’s about extending your travel season and staying … Read more
The Magic of April in Vail: When Winter Meets Spring I’ll never forget my first April morning in Vail. I woke up to six inches of fresh powder on the mountain, but by noon, I was hiking through wildflower-strewn meadows in a t-shirt. That’s the kind of day that only exists in shoulder season—the magical … Read more
I’ve driven most of America’s scenic coastlines, but the Oregon Coast hits different. There’s something raw and untamed about this 363-mile stretch where towering evergreens meet crashing waves, where every bend reveals another vista that makes you pull over and gasp. After spending two weeks exploring Highway 101 this spring, I’m convinced it’s one of … Read more
Why Texas Hill Country in Spring is Magic There’s this moment every spring when Texas transforms. Overnight, it seems, the limestone hills and rolling countryside explode in a blanket of electric blue. I’ve chased wildflowers across the country—California’s super blooms, Arizona’s deserts after rain, Washington’s meadows—but nothing hits quite like driving Texas State Highway 16 … Read more
There’s something magical about spring that goes beyond wildflowers and warming temperatures. For me, the real magic happens when you catch a glimpse of nature’s new arrivals—baby animals taking their first wobbly steps, migrating birds returning after thousands of miles, whales breaching in coastal waters as they journey to feeding grounds. After years of chasing … Read more