In Colorado, a state filled with gorgeous mountain ranges, you might not expect to also find the tallest sand dunes in North America. Nestled against the Rocky Mountains, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a wonderful national park that includes not only the dunes themselves but also forest and mountain trails.
Read MoreNot far from Pagosa Springs is the conveniently located and beautiful Treasure Falls. This 105 foot high waterfall is just off the highway and should not be missed by anyone driving by.
Read MoreWhile in Pagosa Springs we wanted to go for a nice hike with some great views. Many of the hiking trails close to Pagosa Springs didn’t quite meet our requirements so we decided to drive a bit into the mountains to find a better trail. Fortunately, Taylor had heard about the Piedra River Trail to the northwest of town and we decided to go there.
Read MoreAnother trail that’s on the western end of Sedona is the Doe Mountain Trail. This shorter trail has a much steeper incline than most of the surrounding trails, but offers some amazing views at the top. The hike up isn’t too difficult considering the overall elevation change.
Read MoreOut on the western end of Sedona, alongside many other trails, is the Boynton Canyon Trail. This trail travels 3 miles into the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness to the northwest of central Sedona. Finishing the trail to the end is essential since the best view is at the trail’s end.
Read MoreBearizona is a place we’ve passed by many times on our way to the Grand Canyon. We’ve been interested in going, but it never worked with our time tables for our trips. Since we were staying so close to the park for a few days, we decided to finally set some time aside and actually visit it.
Read MoreHidden away from the main trails and viewpoints at the Grand Canyon is a secret place with amazing views that very few tread.
Read MoreAbout six miles southeast of Williams is Dogtown Lake. The lake is a recreational area and campground where people can fish, camp, picnic, hike, and just enjoy the outdoors. The name “Dogtown” comes from the large prairie dog towns that once ran through the open areas near the lake. We drove out here after breakfast to take the hiking trail around the lake.
Read MoreJust eighteen miles west of Winslow and thirty seven miles east of Flagstaff is Meteor Crafter. We stopped by here on our way to Williams. This is the best preserved impact crater on the planet, and Taylor had always wanted to take Michelle here but had never been in the area. So we took advantage of the opportunity when it presented itself to us.
Read MoreThe Sugarloaf Loop and Teacup Trail offers an easy to moderate hike with some amazing views of the Sedona rocks and scenery. With its central location in Sedona and fantastic viewpoints of the surrounding rocks it’s a wonder why it’s not as popular.
Read MoreRed Rock State Park is a 286 acre nature preserve located about ten miles outside of Sedona. The park boasts a five mile network of trails ranging from walks by Oak Creek Canyon lined by tall trees to paths that take you to the top of some great lookout points. The Miller Visitor Center has educational exhibits with information about the park and Sedona area, as well as restrooms and a gift shop.
Read MoreWhile in Miyajima we made the trip up to the peak of Mount Misen where we were treated to some gorgeous views of the nearby sea and islands. The mountain itself is part of the World Heritage site of the Itsukushima Shrine. Founded by Kukai, one of Japan’s most famous monks, it is home to the Daisho-in temple and a flame that has been burning for over 1200 years. It is a popular tourist spot for locals, and from the top of the mountain there are breathtaking views of the surrounding area.
Read MoreLake Chuzenji’s only outlet is the Daiya River which begins at the eastern end of the lake. Shortly after the start of the river it drops down a cliff of the Akechidaira Plateau and forms the gorgeous Kegon Falls as the river makes its way towards the valley below. Kegon Falls is considered one of the three most beautiful waterfalls in Japan. With the waterfall being only 5 minutes from our ryokan, we made sure to stop by.
Read MoreAt the north end of Lake Chuzenji along the Yu River is Ryuzu Falls. Ryuzu Falls is known as one of the five best waterfalls in Nikko. Getting to the falls is less than a 10 minute drive from the town area at the east end of the lake. The drive took us through a lovely tree lined road that goes along the shore of the lake.
Read MoreNikko is a beautiful town that offers so much to visitors, but we wanted to get away from the crowds for a bit. So we headed to the Kanmangafuchi Abyss to enjoy a quiet stroll. Don’t let the ominous name throw you off, it’s a fantastic walk through a very old walking trail.
Read MoreOn the western end of Nikko lies the massive complex that is collectively known as the Shrines and Temples of Nikko. The complex is comprised of the Futarasan Shrine, Tosho-gu Shrine, Rinno-ji Temple, and Taiyu-in Temple. This very culturally significant site is further enhanced by the gorgeous forest surrounding it.
Read MoreSpanning the Daiya River in Nikko is the Shinkyo Bridge. This bridge is known as one of the three finest bridges in Japan. Its striking vermillion color and traditional design combined with the river and surrounding hills make it a very picturesque scene.
Read MoreThe main reason we came to Koyasan, besides staying at a shukubo, was to visit Okunoin. Okunoin (pronounced: Oku-no-in) is the largest graveyard in Japan, with over 200,000 tombstones, and is the holiest place in all of Koya. It is here that the mausoleum of Kobo Daishi, the founder of Shingon Buddhism, rests. It is believed that he, instead of dying, is awaiting the return of the future Buddha: Maitreya.
Read MoreKinkaku-ji Temple, otherwise known as the Golden Pavilion, is the most famous temple in Japan. Kinkaku-ji Temple is located in northwestern Kyoto and is easily reached by bus or taxi. It is a short 5 minute bus ride or 20 minute walk from Ryoan-Ji Temple to the west. We arrived at the temple on a rainy day just before lunch time. Even the inclement weather did not stop crowds of tourists from visiting one of the most popular temples in the country.
Read MoreThe North Rim of the Grand Canyon has only one place to stay at overnight, other than the campgrounds, and that’s the North Rim Lodge. Fortunately, the lodge is actually very nice and provides a wonderful place to enjoy the park.
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We’re Taylor and Michelle and welcome to our blog documenting our travels and food we eat. We hope this inspires you to visit new places and try some delicious food!
Nom Nom the Adventure Cat
