Over 120 years ago, the Klondike Gold Rush attracted more than 100,000 people from around the world with the lure of wealth and adventure. All that stood in the way of the prospectors’ dream of finding gold was a year-long journey to a remote area in the Yukon Territory, which included a treacherous 33-mile trail over a steep mountain pass in Alaska. Today, that trail—the Chilkoot Trail—lies within a national park; half in the U.S. and half in Canada. In this episode, we talk about our 2018 attempt to trace the gold rushers' footsteps and backpack the famous trail with our friends, John and Lolly. We share the story of an epic hike in the wilderness of Alaska that turned out to be one of our biggest adventures to date.

Some highlights from this episode include:

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The five national parks in Utah are spectacular and draw millions of visitors each year for a good reason. But the public lands surrounding these parks are also packed with natural wonders worth experiencing. You could spend countless days visiting the national monuments, state parks, and tribal parks in southern Utah, gazing at their one-of-a-kind rock formations, hunting for ancient Puebloan ruins, and hiking through pristine landscapes. In this episode, we talk about some of the sites you should consider adding to your itinerary on your next road trip to the Southwest.

Some of the places we discuss include:

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Teardrop trailers sure look cute and romantic, but what’s it like actually sleeping in one? Today we’re sharing what we learned as we camped in a teardrop trailer in three parks in southern California. Find out what additional equipment you may need to bring with you, the best situations to use a teardrop, and whether we liked it in the end. We also talk about the best seasons for visiting different parks in our mail bag section. 

In this episode we discuss:

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You’ll often see the same handful of National Parks topping the “best of” lists, but there are some real hidden gems out there too that are worth visiting. In this episode, we’re sharing our top five parks that have lower visitation numbers. We discuss how we got to these parks, what there is to do in each one, and what we loved about them. From island hopping at Dry Tortugas to hiking along a border river in Big Bend, join us as we venture through some of these lesser known parks.

In this episode we discuss:

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Of all the experiences we had while traveling to the U.S. national parks, bear watching in Katmai National Park is at the top of the list. Tucked away in a remote part of southwest Alaska, Katmai is truly a unique and exciting place to visit. During certain weeks each summer, visitors are pretty much guaranteed some phenomenal bear watching. Join us on this episode to hear stories about our incredible bear encounters and our recommendations for planning your own trip to Katmai.

In this episode we discuss:

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Join Matt and Karen as they descend 750 feet underground to explore what Karen thinks is one of the most magical places in the entire U.S. national park system: Carlsbad Caverns. Matt’s not a huge fan of dark, scary holes, but he puts on a brave face during the couple’s multiple visits to this enchanted part of the Chihuahuan Desert in southern New Mexico. You might want to have a flashlight or two close by when you listen to this episode, just in case the lights go out and you need to self-rescue your way back to daylight. That’s one of the lasting effect these cave visits had on Matt: he never goes anywhere now without at least a couple light sources with him.

In this episode we discuss:

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Standing in waist-deep water while looking up at the towering canyon walls, the scene was breath-taking. Or, maybe it was the cold water splashing our midsections that was taking our breath away. Join us as we hike The Narrows, one of the most magnificent areas of Zion National Park. On today's episode, we talk about our experiences while hiking up the Virgin River through The Narrows, what to bring if you’re thinking of doing it yourself, and other how-to tips.

In this episode we discuss:

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Have you ever wanted to take an RV on an adventure into the National Parks? So did we, so we rented one in Arizona and toured the southern part of the state for a week. Join us as we explore Chiricahua National Monument and other National Park units from the comfort of a 19-foot recreational vehicle. Along the way, we learn about the dos and don'ts of RV life, meet the nicest people in the RV community, and lament the untimely demise of Matt's tennis shoes.

In this episode we discuss:

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What's it like to wake up with a view of Crater Lake from your bedroom window? In this episode, we gleefully revisit some of our favorite National Park lodges and the adventures we had staying in them. We discuss the "parkitechture" and fascinating history to each of the lodges. We regale some hilarious stories from our stays at Crater Lake Lodge and El Tovar lodge at the Grand Canyon. We also talk about how to get reservations and some fantastic places for sunset viewing,

In this episode we discuss:

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Would you go into a fiery furnace on purpose if you knew you’d probably get lost, have to squeeze through narrow openings, and be forced to crab walk over sketchy boulders? Well, that’s exactly what we did, and we even waited in line for a permit to do it. The Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park is a special treat for visitors as only a limited number of people are allowed permits each day to hike through this magnificent maze of rock formations. We’ve visited the fiery furnace in Arches National Park a couple of times, and in this episode, we talk about our experiences along the trail.

In this episode we discuss:

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