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COLORADO AND UTAH TRIP 2019 – DAY 10
Day 10 started with a dramatic sunrise view and ended with enjoying our last Utah sunset of the trip. We began our day by leaving the hotel well before sunrise to head out to Dead Horse State Park for some sunrise photos. Dead Horse is well known as a great place to go for sunrise. The sun gradually rises to fill the canyon with golden red light. The wife grabbed some great photos while I entertained the kids on the…
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COLORADO AND UTAH TRIP 2019 – DAY 9
We were excited to start day 9 by showing the kids some areas we had visited before as well as exploring some new discoveries. After grabbing a quick hotel breakfast, we headed back out to Arches National Park to see some sights before the rest of the tourists showed up. The biggest tip I can give for visiting Arches or any National Park is to go early. Drag yourself out of bed at sunrise or before and it will be…
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Climb to Great Views at Salt Lick Point Trail in Illinois
Salt Lick Point Land and Water Preserve is one of favorite hikes on the Illinois side of the metro area. This hike is located on a former quarry site in Valmeyer, Illinois. The site was developed to protect the glades, prairies, forest, and wildlife. The preserve also contains the highest point in Monroe County, Salt Lick Point. There are three different trails here of different difficulties. Whether you prefer a more gentle hike through the trees or a rugged climb…
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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…
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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…