• Hikes,  Hiking,  Illinois,  Kids,  Trips

    Hike to Scenic Jackson Falls in Southern Illinois

    Shawnee National Forest, Illinois We’ve done a lot of hiking and exploring over the years and one of our favorite spots to spend a day is in the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. While we have visited many scenic spots including Bell Smith Springs, Garden of the Gods, and Ferne Clyffe, we somehow had never made it over to Jackson Falls. I can’t believe we had missed this awesome trail for so long! The trail starts at a parking…

  • Hikes,  Indiana,  Off Road Trips,  Trips

    The Mighty Merc – 9th Off Road Trip At The Badlands 4/6/19 – Part 1

    We’ve been a bit overdue for a weekend trip, so when the option for a trip out to the Badlands came up, the opportunity was seized to make a long weekend out of it. Coming off the high from finally get lots of things sorted on the Merc, we were ready to start putting some miles on it to find out what the next round of maintenance needed to be. I can safely say this is the nicest the truck…

  • Hikes,  Hiking,  Kids,  Missouri,  St. Louis,  Trips

    Cliff Cave County Park Trail in St. Louis County

    Cliff Cave Park is a St. Louis County Park. The cave has a long and varied history of being used as a tavern in the 1700s, then part of the Cliff Cave Wine Company in the mid 1800s and finally used by Jefferson Barracks soldiers for recreation. In 1969 Cliff Cave was purchased by the county and opened as a park in 1977. Last year the park received upgraded trails and facilities. Two miles of trail extensions were added to…

  • Hikes,  Kids,  Missouri

    View Missouri’s Tallest Waterfall on the Mina Sauk Falls Trail

    By exploring Taum Sauk Mountain State Park you can find both Missouri’s highest point as well as the state’s tallest waterfall. Springtime or during wet weather is the best time to visit this beautiful hike in southeastern Missouri in order to see the falls running. The rugged 3 mile Mina Sauk Falls Trail is one of our favorite hikes that shows off the beauty of the Arcadia Valley region of the state. Mina Sauk Falls Trail Distance: 3 mile loop…

  • Day Trip,  Hiking,  Kids,  Missouri

    Explore the Devil’s Honeycomb at Missouri’s Hughes Mountain Natural Area

    This Devil’s Honeycomb hike at Hughes Mountain is one of Missouri’s most unique trails. When I post photos from this spot online, people are often surprised to learn that such a place exists in Missouri! Now you can know about the unusual landscape and beautiful views from this easy and kid friendly hike. The Hughes Mountain trail’s main feature is the rock formation at the top known as Devil’s Honeycomb. The landscape was created as molten rock cracked and cooled.…