Exploring the National Parks

In this episode of Exploring the National Parks, we are diving into one of the parks we get the most questions about - Yellowstone! 

Since everyone starts trip planning after the holidays, we figured this was the perfect time to tell you everything you need to know about this beautiful park in case you’re heading there this year. So come along as we explore Yellowstone!

Join us as we cover: 

What we love about Old Faithful

Why Grand Prismatic is so cool

Why the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is a must for your first trip 

Our favorite viewpoint in the Canyon area

Hiking trails you don’t want to miss

Food to try while visiting Yellowstone

What we think of the “Great One Buffalo” 

Our favorite things about the Norris Geyser Basin

The wildlife you can find in Lamar Valley

The differences between the northern and southern loops

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/episode-10-exploring-yellowstone/

Planning your own Yellowstone National Park adventure?

Dirt in My Shoes Yellowstone Itinerary: https://shop.dirtinmyshoes.com/products/yellowstone-itinerary 

Dirt In My Shoes Yellowstone National Park Planning Resources: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/yellowstone-national-park/ 

Episode 73: The Best Places in Yellowstone to See Wildlife: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/best-places-to-see-wildlife-in-yellowstone-national-park/ 

Episode 112: Yellowstone Tips — What You Need to Know Before You Go!: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/yellowstone-tips-what-you-need-to-know-before-you-go/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

If you love a drive that has you gasping, laughing, and pulling over every few minutes for “just one more” viewpoint, you are going to have so much fun with this episode. We’re sharing 15 of our favorite scenic drives across the national parks and how you can plan your own visit to each!

In this episode, we cover:

Our top 15 national park scenic drives, grouped into big bucket list roads, overlooked drives in popular parks, and hidden gems in lesser known parks

Key logistics for each drive, including typical opening seasons, road lengths, and important vehicle size or road condition notes

The hikes, overlooks, and viewpoints we love along these roads, plus the wildlife you are most likely to see

How these drives fit into a bigger trip so you can plan your time around sunrise, sunset, and trail days

Your task for today: 

Pick one of the 15 scenic drives from this episode and move it to the very top of your national park bucket list, then head over to the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page and tell us which drive you are most excited to experience next!

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/best-scenic-drives-in-the-national-parks/ 

Planning your own scenic drive adventure?

Episode 117: Favorite national parks road trips: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/favorite-national-park-road-trips/ 

Episode 23: Scariest national park roads ranked: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/episode-23-scariest-national-park-roads-ranked/ 

Episode 81: Insider tips for driving Going to the Sun Road: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/insider-tips-for-driving-glaciers-going-to-the-sun-road/ 

Dirt In My Shoes Itineraries: https://shop.dirtinmyshoes.com/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Wind Cave National Park is one of the most surprising, mysterious, and underrated parks in the Black Hills. Today we are diving into Wind Cave fun facts that will completely change the way you see this small-on-the-surface but massive-underground national park.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Wind Cave National Park gets bypassed, and why we think it should not

The human history that makes Wind Cave feel like an adventure story, including the cave’s Lakota name, Maka Oniye, or “Breathing Earth”

The teen explorer who mapped the first miles of the cave with string, candlelight, and a whole lot of bravery

The rare cave formations Wind Cave is famous for, including boxwork and giant helictite bushes

The secret behind the wind, and why scientists think we have only discovered about 10% of the cave so far

Your task for today: 

Spend 15 to 20 minutes on the Wind Cave National Park Service website and look up one thing we talked about, like the Lakota emergence story, Alvin McDonald’s diary entries, or the cave formation photos.

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-fascinating-fun-facts-about-wind-cave-national-park/ 

Planning your own Wind Cave National Park adventure?

Dirt in My Shoes South Dakota Itinerary: https://shop.dirtinmyshoes.com/products/south-dakota-itinerary 

Dirt In My Shoes Wind Cave National Park Planning Resources: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/wind-cave-national-park/ 

Episode 135: 139: Exploring Wind Cave National Park: Best Tips + Activities: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/exploring-wind-cave-national-park-best-tips-activities/ 

Episode 29: The Black Hills (Wind Cave, Custer State Park, Wind Cave, and more!): https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/29-the-black-hills-wind-cave-custer-state-park-jewel-cave-and-more/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Wind Cave National Park is one of the most underrated stops in the Black Hills, and it is absolutely worth digging a little deeper for. Come with us into the prairies of South Dakota for rare cave beauty, bison sightings, and the kind of quiet that makes you exhale.

In this episode, we cover:

Why Wind Cave is so underrated, and why I recommend it even when people say Jewel Cave is “prettier”

How to get cave tour tickets (and why you should not wait until the day of)

Which three tours to choose from as a first time visitor, plus options for special tours

What to expect on your tour (temperature, what you can and cannot bring, and tips if you have kids)

Easy, high reward things to do above ground, including wildlife drives, a short scenic hike, and a quick trip to Hot Springs

Your task for today: Have you been to Wind Cave National Park? Tell us what you loved, and share your best photos (because this park is famously hard to photograph!). Head over to our post on the @DirtInMyShoes Facebook or Instagram page and share with us!

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/exploring-wind-cave-national-park-best-tips-activities/ 

Planning your own Wind Cave National Park adventure?

Dirt in My Shoes South Dakota Itinerary: https://shop.dirtinmyshoes.com/products/south-dakota-itinerary 

Dirt In My Shoes Wind Cave National Park Planning Resources: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/wind-cave-national-park/ 

Episode 29: The Black Hills (Wind Cave, Custer State Park, Wind Cave, and more!): https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/29-the-black-hills-wind-cave-custer-state-park-jewel-cave-and-more/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/

Cactus, sunshine, and desert drama: this is the episode where we go all in on the most iconic plant of the American West. Saguaro National Park is bursting with towering giants and incredible stories of survival, and we’re digging into all of it!

In this episode, we cover:

Why the saguaro cactus is an American icon (and possibly a giant green lightsaber)

What makes saguaros so tough, and why they only grow in certain parts of the desert

The mind-blowing slow growth of a baby saguaro, and how nurse trees help them survive

The park's wild history of cactus rustling and near collapse

How the saguaro population is finally bouncing back

Your task for today: Visit Saguaro National Park’s Facebook or Instagram and thank a ranger! Their work protects plants that won’t even reach full height in their lifetimes, and it’s incredible. 

Don’t miss the full show notes packed with all the links we mentioned so you can plan your adventures like a pro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-incredible-fun-facts-about-arizonas-saguaro-national-park/ 

Planning your own Saguaro National Park adventure?

Episode 136: Exploring Saguaro National Park: Best Tips + Activities: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/136-exploring-saguaro-national-park-best-tips-activities/

5 Things You Can’t Miss on Your First Visit to Saguaro: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/5-things-cant-miss-first-visit-saguaro/ 

8 Day Spring Break National Parks Road Trip!: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/8-day-spring-break-national-parks-road-trip/ 

Master Reservation List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/list/

National Park Checklist: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/national-parks-checklist/ 

Trip Packing List: https://www.dirtinmyshoes.com/pack/