bugsy running on lone rock beach with the airstream and f-150 in the background

Category: Destinations

  • Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

    Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

    We visited Black Canyon while staying in Montrose in May 2016 during Big Trip #1. Where we stayed We kind of ended up visiting Black Canyon by accident! Read about our time in Montrose, CO in this post. What we did Black Canyon National Park is more about driving than hiking. We drove through the…

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  • Two days in Montrose, CO (visit #1)–Big Trip #1

    Two days in Montrose, CO (visit #1)–Big Trip #1

    We visited Montrose in April 2016 during Big Trip #1. Read about our second visit in 2020 here, during Big Trip #3. Originally, we had wanted to spend a couple nights at Ridgway State Park, exploring the trails there and around Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, but the snow event that forced us to…

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  • Hiking in Grand Junction, CO: McInnis Canyon

    Hiking in Grand Junction, CO: McInnis Canyon

    We hiked McInnis Canyon in April 2016 during Big Trip #1. We did two fun and insanely gorgeous hikes while staying in Grand Junction, both near Fruita in the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area. Devils Canyon On our first afternoon in town, we hiked Devils Canyon Trail, a 6.7 mile loop through a colorful canyon,…

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  • Three days in Grand Junction, CO–Big Trip #1

    Three days in Grand Junction, CO–Big Trip #1

    We visited Grand Junction in April 2016, during Big Trip #1. So this is the point in our story where the random day in Moab slots in: the morning we were to leave Cortez, with the sketchy weather forecast in mind, we checked the highway conditions on the way to Ridgway, where we had planned…

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  • Mesa Verde National Park

    Mesa Verde National Park

    We visited Mesa Verde while staying in Cortez in April 2016 during Big Trip #1. Mesa Verde National Park does not offer extensive hiking; it is mostly about the views and tours of the ancient cliff dwellings. We did a few short hikes and one of the scenic drives, stopping at overlooks to ogle the artifacts. We did not tour any…

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  • Two days in Cortez, CO–Big Trip #1

    Two days in Cortez, CO–Big Trip #1

    We visited Cortez in April 2016 during Big Trip #1. After stopping for lunch at Farm Bistro in Cortez on our way to Durango, we knew it was a neat little town and would make a great base from which to visit Mesa Verde National Park, and from Cortez we would pick up the highway to…

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  • Four days in Durango, CO (visit #1)–Big Trip #1

    Four days in Durango, CO (visit #1)–Big Trip #1

    We visited Durango in April 2016, during Big Trip #1. Read here about our second visit in 2020, during Big Trip #3. Durango, like Flagstaff, is a town that we could see ourselves living in. Super outdoorsy, with breweries and restaurants and a neat little downtown area. This was another place where we extended our…

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  • Boondocking in Valley of the Gods, UT (visit #1)–Big Trip #1

    Boondocking in Valley of the Gods, UT (visit #1)–Big Trip #1

    We stayed in Valley of the Gods in April 2016, during Big Trip #1. Read here about our second visit in October 2020 during Big Trip #3. Valley of the Gods is along the stretch of boring old red cliffs and dull rolling gray-and-peach striped and folded hills (yes I mean the very opposite of…

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  • Goosenecks State Park, UT

    Goosenecks State Park, UT

    We visited Goosenecks SP in April 2016, during Big Trip #1. Goosenecks State Park is a must-see if you’re in the Monument Valley/Bluff area. The hike down to the river, however, is not so satisfying. Let’s start with the park: it’s a small park, just trails along the rim of the canyon, with incredible views…

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  • Monument Valley, AZ

    Monument Valley, AZ

    We visited Monument Valley in April 2016, during Big Trip #1. At first glance on the internet, it seems that if you don’t do a guided tour of Monument Valley, you can’t really do anything at all there. So we lined up a guided tour with Black’s Monument Valley Tours, arranging a private tour for…

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