A few years ago, Mom and I did some hiking in Arizona. This photo shows some of the petroglyphs we saw on the rocks along the trail. I still think they are some of the coolest things I’ve seen while hiking!
Exploring natural Florida at Babcock Wilderness Reserve
I’m exploring Charlotte County, Florida, this week thanks to the Charlotte Harbor Visitors and Convention Bureau. The reason I am so interested in this area is that it offers abundant adventure travel options. Our focus during this trip is birding and eco-tourism. Today we visited the 90,000-acre Babcock Wilderness Preserve via a converted school bus run by Babcock Wilderness Adventures. I’ll …
Photo of the day: Why I cave
People ask what I enjoy about crawling around in dark, sometimes muddy, caves. Perhaps a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is my answer.
Photo of the day: Wood warbler
I met this little guy in Wekiwa State Park last weekend. Now I just wish I had a longer lens…
Hiking to Rawhiti Cave, New Zealand
A guest post by Amy Heritage – Thanks Amy! The next time a guide book mentions a ‘one hour walk’ for people with a ‘moderate level of fitness’ I’m going to regard it with caution. This is how the trek to Rawhiti Cave is described to tourists by the New Zealand Tourist Board. Truthfully, it is a short walk …
Gear review: MSR Pocket Rocket
Over more than two decades I’ve tried several styles of backpacking stoves for my adventure travels. Most recently, I’ve been using a simple alcohol stove, but missed the level of flame control provided by compressed gas models. When Appalachian Outdoors asked me to review the MSR Pocket Rocket, I jumped at the chance. The last compressed gas stove I owned, …
Book review: Becoming Odyssa, Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail
This is the first book review on The Active Explorer, and I couldn’t have had an easier one to write — I absolutely loved this book! ~ Erika I felt brave the first time I stepped onto the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) solo. Let’s face it — it’s different for a chick on the trail than for a guy. …
Six Things to See and Do in Eastern Glacier National Park
Information overload. That’s the typical response when visitors arrive on the eastern side of Glacier National Park, Montana. When a friend asked what he should see during his one-day visit, I was stumped. “One day?” I confirmed in awe, “but there’s so much to see!” Once I wrapped my head around his question, I suggested mixing sightseeing, with a sampling …