Read this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide for the top 12 easy hikes in Joshua Tree National Park. There are many things to do in Southern California during Winter, and this itinerary makes for a great weekend road trip. All of these Joshua Tree trails are family friendly and easily accessed without 4 wheel drive. Highlights are Skull Rock, Arch Rock, Hidden Valley, and Cholla Cactus Garden.
Read MoreRead this Flying Dawn Marie travel guide to visiting Harmony Borax Works located in Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. There are so many popular things to do in Death Valley, and this historic spot is a great quick stop near Zabriskie Point and Badwater Basin. The easy trail is family friendly and provides up close views of a 20 mule team wagon and old building ruins.
Read MoreJust down the road from Grand Canyon National Park, we're enjoying a glamping experience at Under Canvas. The Stargazer Tent provides a unique opportunity to enjoy the dark skies rich with stars as we lay down in bed at night. This is a wonderful spot to experience camping with some of the hotel amenities we've grown accustomed to.
Read MoreToday we're hiking the trail to a hidden waterfall oasis in Death Valley National Park. Darwin Falls is comprised of an upper and lower falls, and it's a great spot to visit when entering the park on the west side near Panamint Springs Resort.
Read MoreToday we're heading out to the Death Valley National Park salt pan to explore Devils Golf Course. The ancient waters of Lake Manly once covered this basin, leaving behind this truly unique terrain.
Read MoreToday we're strolling along the easy boardwalk hike to find pupfish at Salt Creek Interpretive Trail in Death Valley National Park. These fish have survived the harsh desert conditions for centuries, and they only come out for a limited time during the Spring season.
Read MoreToday we're in Death Valley National Park, enjoying one of the most popular overlooks in the park...welcome to Zabriskie Point! This viewpoint is great for sunrise and sunset, and boasts views of unique badlands formations, the valley, and the Panamint Mountain Range.
Read MoreToday we're taking the easy hike along the Barker Dam Trail Loop inside Joshua Tree National Park. We'll explore rock formations, a historic dam, and Native American petroglyphs from thousands of years ago.
Read MoreThis week we're exploring some of the most incredible rock formations in Joshua Tree National park. Join me as we head out on over half a dozen epic Joshua Tree hikes to discover some otherworldly formations.
Read MoreToday we're driving up to one of the few overlooks in Joshua Tree National Park. Keys View has beautiful panoramic views of Palm Springs, the San Andreas Fault, the Salton Sea, and the Coachella Valley.
Read MoreToday we're enjoying Southern California Fall colors in Joshua Tree National Park as we take the short hike to Cottonwood Spring Oasis. We'll be enjoying ancient palm trees and huge cottonwood trees as we hike up to Mastodon Peak.
Read MoreToday we're hiking along the trail to the historic Wall Street Stamp Mill in Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. Bill Keys processed ore on this site after there was a second gold rush in the 1930s, and many of the old structures are still intact. We'll explore rusted out cars, an old wind mill, the gold stamp mill, and the ruins of the Wonderland Ranch.
Read MoreToday we're driving about an hour outside of Las Vegas, NV to the Nelson Ghost Town. This eclectic spot was home to one of the largest gold strikes in all of Nevada. Here we'll explore rusted out cars, old barns, and crashed planes that were set pieces from the movie "3000 Miles to Graceland."
Read MoreArch Rock and Heart Rock are two instagrammable rock formations you won't want to miss on your next trip Joshua Tree National Park near Palm Springs in Southern California. Located just behind the popular White Tank Campground, you can hike to these boulders in under two miles round trip. This is a great spot for astro photography as well as enjoying a sunrise.
Read MoreToday we're taking the 1/4 mile trail through the Cholla Cactus Garden in Joshua Tree National Park near Palm Springs, California. We'll be getting there before dawn to enjoy the sunrise, which makes these cacti glow as they're backlit by the low sun.
Read MoreJust outside of Las Vegas, Nevada, we're heading to the unique and colorful Seven Magic Mountains. These 7 rock totems provide a rainbow of color to the Mojave Desert, and are a perfect stop along the highway on the way to the Las Vegas Strip.
Read MoreHidden Valley Nature Trail is one of the most popular hikes in Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California. This one mile loop is a great introduction to hiking in Joshua Tree. It's easy enough for families with small children to enjoy, yet the massive rock formations just off the trail will keep even the most avid hikers enthused.
Read MoreToday I'm sharing 11 Death Valley spots to visit in a weekend, such as Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, Artist's Palette, and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. This National Park in California is the perfect road trip adventure from Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Read MoreRed Rock Canyon is one of California's most underrated State Parks. Today I'm exploring the beautiful rock formations, massive cliffs, and vibrant colors of Hagan Canyon Nature Trail and Red Cliffs Trail, both right off Highway 14 north of Mojave in Cantil, CA.
Read MoreJoin me and explore one of the most colorful loops in all of Death Valley, California. Artist's Drive is a natural wonder and the highlight of this road trip has to be hiking the magnificent hills of Artist's Palette.
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