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All about Canada, Eh?

Planning an RV trip to the Great White North

The second largest country in the world, Canada has plenty to be proud of: beautiful natural parks, a rich and diverse culture and heritage, a coastline spanning three oceans, Old World charm, and New World ideas, hockey.

Yes, that’s right! In today’s post I shine the spotlight on Canada. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help you plan your next trip to the second-largest country in the world. With its sprawling wilderness and endless beauty, you would be hard-pressed to not enjoy your stay.

So, as the clicks add up while you’re heading to The Peg (Winnipeg) or wherever your plans take you, be sure to treat yourself to a Timmies Double Double and some Timbits from Tim Hortons.

Banff National Park, Alberta © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

Crossing the Border

What awaits you at the Canada-United States border? If you’re thinking of taking an RV trip from one country to the other, make sure you hone up on current border crossing requirements. Know the rules for each country including similarities and differences to experience a smooth, hassle-free crossing.

Having correct documentation is the key. To drive across the border, you’ll have to present identification to border-crossing officials. Acceptable forms of ID include a passport, a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, or an enhanced driver’s license. American citizens entering Canada also may use paperwork that shows proof of U.S. citizenship such as a birth certificate. For Canadian citizens crossing the border into the United States, a birth certificate is acceptable identification only for children under 16. Each passenger in your vehicle needs appropriate identification.

Have copies of the registration and insurance information for each of your vehicles as well. Bring proof of up-to-date rabies vaccinations for your dogs and cats on board. As for COVID-19 requirements, Canada has removed their rules for those arriving from the United States has done the same.

Jasper National Park, Alberta © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

What can I bring? When entering the United States, you’re required to disclose the following items to border-crossing officials: firearms, fruits and vegetables, plants and cut flowers, meat and animal products, and live animals. Numerous foods are restricted or prohibited such as most fruits and vegetables (unless commercially canned) and many milk/dairy and poultry/egg products. Canada also maintains a list of restricted/prohibited food items. Both countries prohibit bringing in firewood as well as soil (make sure any camping equipment is free of soil and pests). Most Canadian provinces and territories prohibit radar detectors also. According to Ezbordercrossing.com, both countries have strict firearms protocols.

At the border, open the windows in your RV so the interior is visible. Remove your sunglasses. Turn off phones and the radio. Clearly and courteously communicate your reasons for travel, travel dates, and destinations to border officials.

Declare all money or currency equal to or over CAN$10,000. It is not illegal to bring such amounts into Canada but you must declare it on arrival.

Exploring Canada

The Great White North offers so much to see and do. Canada is full of national parks, lakes, mountain ranges, coastal views, and great camping locations. Here’s a sampling of sites worth seeing.

Banff is Canada’s most famous national park and the oldest national park in the country. Banff was designated as a national park in 1885 after the discovery of its hot springs by employees of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Located in Alberta just 1 hour and 30 minutes west of Calgary, Banff national park is nestled in the heart of the Canadian Rockies.

RVs in Jasper National Park, Alberta © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

There is a reason everyone flocks to Banff. With snowcapped mountains, glacier lakes, and world-class four-season activities, it’s Canada’s outdoor playground. Banff National Park is so beautiful that one of its most famous lakes, Moraine Lake was depicted on Canada’s twenty-dollar bill.

Another location is Jasper National Park in Alberta, the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies and the second-largest dark-sky preserve in the world. An extensive network of trails provides views of its abundant wildlife.

Icefields Parkway, Alberta © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

Driving along the Icefields Parkway, you will be able to see parts of the Columbia Icefields—the biggest icefield in the Rocky Mountains. It feeds six large glaciers and covers 125 square miles. Athabasca Glacier is one of the six and it is the most visited glacier in North America due to ease of access. The Icefield Interpretive Centre and paid tours are nearby and definitely recommended as a stop on your road trip.

Vaseaux Lake, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

Folks who love wineries, beaches, and bird-watching may gravitate to the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. The Okanagan is characterized by a dry, sunny climate, beautiful landscapes, and a series of lakes. The region receives less than 12 inches of rain and two inches of snow annually and is the hottest and driest place in Canada. On the horizon are mountains of green foliage, aqua blue lakes, and, in the distance, rolling vineyards as far as the eye can see.

Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

In central British Columbia, Wells Gray has something to offer every outdoor interest: lush alpine meadows, excellent birding and wildlife viewing opportunities, hiking, boating, canoeing, and kayaking. Guiding businesses offer horseback riding, canoeing, whitewater rafting, fishing, and hiking. The history enthusiast can learn about the early homesteaders, trappers, and prospectors or about the natural forces that produced Wells Gray’s many volcanoes, waterfalls, mineral springs, and glaciers.

Many people head to Wells Gray for the lakes but there are also over 40 named waterfalls in the park. Many of them are in remote corners of the park but eight of them are easy to reach from Clearwater Valley Road.

Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

In Newfoundland, Gros Morne National Park features a unique mountain landscape that resembles a massive gorge. The park which was forged by colliding continents and grinding glaciers will surely take your breath away.

You can’t visit Newfoundland without a stop in St. John’s, Newfoundland’s charming capital city filled with windswept hikes, delicious eats, charming landmarks, whale watching, and iceberg hunting, yes, iceberg hunting!

Long drives in Nova Scotia are definitely desired more than they are dreaded. One of the most scenic routes in Canada is Nova Scotia’s Cabot Trail; this 185 mile (298 km) highway runs along the Cape Breton coast line. Stop at the famous Ingonish Beach where you can jump from ocean saltwater to fresh lake water with just a few steps.

Do this drive in the fall and you will be stunned by the natural beauty of the fall trees and the coastal views along the way. If you’re looking for stop along the drive, there is no shortage of things to do and see in Cape Breton. Hike or camp at Cape Breton Highlands National Park, play a round of golf at Highlands Links, peruse artisan shops along the trail, or book your spot on a sea kayaking, cycling, or whale watching tour.

Penticton in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

With its breathtaking northern coastline, beautiful red sand, and incredible seafood cuisine, it’s no surprise that Prince Edward Island is a popular maritime destination. Dip your toes in the ocean at Cavendish beach, one of P.E.I’s major summertime destinations.

Here you can also visit the famous green-roofed farmhouse and find the Anne of Green Gables Historic site. Golf lovers can enjoy the coastal view while playing a round of Golf at the Green Gables Golf Course. For a scenic drive, Points East Coastal Drive explores the eastern end of the island where beautiful beaches, rare dune systems, and lighthouses mark the coastline.

Fort Assiniboine National Historic Park, Alberta © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

Quebec City has a special feature that makes it unique in Canada (and the U.S., for that matter): it has walls. Quebec City is the only city north of Mexico that still has fortified walls. First the French and later the English built up Quebec City’s fortifications between the 17^th and the 19^th centuries.

Quebec’s entire historic district including the ramparts has since been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. You can also tour the Citadelle de Quebec which is the largest active military fortress in Canada. Don’t miss visiting the iconic Chateau Frontenac, also a national historic site.

Niagara Falls is made up of three falls with Horseshoe Falls, the largest of the three on the Canadian side. Enjoy clear views of Horseshoe Falls and stay past sundown for a chance to see the falls illuminated any night of the year. During the summer and early winter staying past sundown will see you treated to a fireworks show.

Don’t leave the Niagara region without visiting Niagara-on-the-Lake. Begin exploring this famous wine region with the gorgeous scenic drive from Niagara Falls to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Summer is peak season but fall harvest season and January’s Icewine Festival can also be great times to visit.

Black Hills, an Okanagan Valley winery, British Columbia © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

Manitoba is known for its golden prairies, magic skies, and hundreds of thousands of lakes. Asessippi Provincial Park offers camping facilities, trails for hiking and snowmobiling, boating, swimming and water sports on the lake, and some of the best walleye fishing in the province, all accompanied by breathtaking views.

Elk in Jasper National Park, Alberta © *Rex Vogel, all rights*

Saskatchewan is home to two national parks that are very different from one another: Prince Albert National Park in the northern boreal forest and Grasslands National Park in the prairie grassland natural region. The two national parks are perfect examples of the provinces varied landscape. Just over six hours separating the two parks it is the perfect way to see a wide variety of what Saskatchewan has to offer while visiting this prairie province.

The year is still young. Consider a trip to the Great White North in 2023!

Worth Pondering…
My truck tore across Montana
Ian Tyson sang a lonesome lullaby
And so I cranked up the radio
Cause there’s just a little more to go
For I’d cross the border at that Sweet Grass sign
I’m Alberta Bound.

—Lyrics and recording by Alberta born Country Music singer, Paul Brandt, 2004

What to Know Before Planning Your National Park Summer Vacation

From when to book a reservation to how to avoid traffic

This year, visiting the national parks—one of America’s favorite summer pastimes—will take a bit of extra strategizing. Following the trend of recent years, summer 2023 is shaping up to once again shatter visitor records across the national parks system.

The National Park Service (NPS) recorded nearly 312 million recreational visits in 2022, a five percent increase over the number of visits in 2021. As you can imagine, this increased wear and tear on hiking trails, park roads, visitor centers, and park amenities like restrooms, restaurants, and gift shops. Road construction, trail repairs and closures, and traffic delays will be widespread this summer.

Zion National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Worse still, record snowfall in the West is still melting, causing troubles of its own like flooding and landslides. So, as you gear up to have a memorable national parks vacation, keep organized and stay on top of park websites and social media for the latest updates—and most of all, be patient and flexible. Here’s what you should expect.

There will be a lot of traffic

Prepare for road closures and delays. From Grand Teton and Glacier to Rocky Mountain and Zion—even the Blue Ridge Parkway—units across the National Park Service are diligently making much-needed repairs and upgrades to roads, hiking trails, parking lots, and visitor facilities.

At Yellowstone, construction projects are taking place across the park to address last year’s devastating flood damage, stabilize road bridges, and rehabilitate the most heavily trafficked routes including a 20+ mile section of Grand Loop Road which allows access to Old Faithful.

Pro tip: Stay on top of park websites for closures, delays, and traffic. Yellowstone, for one, has a page dedicated to updates on road status including wait times and webcams showing current traffic conditions at park entrances.

Blue Ridge Parkway *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

You’ll want to bring plastic

Not plastic bottles but plastic credit and debit cards. Many parks are going cashless. The idea is that by freeing national park staff from handling and processing cash they can spend more time improving visitor experiences and making park upgrades.

So far this year, more than a dozen national park units have opted to go cash-free including Mount Rainier, Badlands, and Crater Lake. That’s on top of various other NPS units including certain monuments, historic sites, lakeshores, and recreation areas which no longer accept cash.

Pro tip: If you must use cash purchase a prepaid gift card at a grocery or convenience store ahead of your visit to pay for park entrance. Some general stores, resorts, and historical associations within gateway towns may also accept cash for park passes.

Lassen Volcanic National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

You may need a reservation

Long gone are the days when you could just show up at a national park for a scenic drive or an invigorating hike. Some of the most popular parks including Arches and Glacier now require reservations generally in the form of a timed entry ticket that enables access to either the entire park or to a popular corridor like Bear Lake Road at Rocky Mountain.

Several parks also require advance planning to check off the most popular hiking trails. You’ve got to win a permit lottery to hike Half Dome at Yosemite or Angels Landing at Zion. At Shenandoah, a day-use ticket is required to hike Old Rag from March through November.

Pro tip: Set a calendar alert. Every park manages their reservation system differently in terms of when they release timed entry permits. Know when a park will release permits or open a lottery and set your calendar accordingly. And don’t dally. Some permits can be gone within 15 minutes.

Shenandoah National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Some sections of parks will open late this season—if at all

The West got a whole lot of snow this winter. It’s going to take time to melt but as it does, runoff is going to cause rivers and creeks to swell, making for potentially dangerous conditions including slippery rocks and unsafe pedestrian bridges which can cause closures.

The opening of Yosemite’s Glacier Point Road is at least one month behind schedule due to record snowfall and road construction. It’s not expected to open until at least July. Floodwaters in Yosemite Valley are also causing intermittent closure of campgrounds.

Arches National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The 30-mile highway through Lassen Volcanic National Park recently opened for the 2023 summer season though sections might seem like winter. A higher-than-average snowpack has been fully cleared. Visitors to the park should prepare for winter conditions at higher elevations and possible delays due to ongoing road work.

Pro tip: Seek out updates on park websites but also be flexible and open to alternatives. Chat up rangers to identify open park sections and trails that may not have been on your original plan.

Worth Pondering…

I encourage everybody to hop on Google and type in national park in whatever state they live in and see the beauty that lies in their own backyard. It’s that simple.

—Jordan Fisher, American actor and musician

20 Top Things to Do in South Carolina

Quite simply, South Carolina has it all, y’all—and the state has delivered to visiting RVers with a friendly southern drawl

From the Blue Ridge Mountains to the Midlands and the beaches and marshes of the Coast, South Carolina is full of natural beauty and historic gems. You’ll find a wide variety of attractions in the Palmetto State to explore including stately antebellum mansions, world-class golf courses, and sun-soaked beaches.

The Palmetto State contains many surprises. It’s the first state to open a library (1698) and its state fruit is the peach—it produces even more than Georgia. But beyond what you may not know about this coastal state, South Carolina has plenty of what you would expect from historic estates and cultural tours to gorgeous shorelines and its ever-present oak trees. It’s a state that blends old and new, land and sea.

With hundreds of years of history and postcard-perfect landscapes, South Carolina has something surprising in store for any RV traveler.

Charleston *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

1. Charleston Historic District

Frequently ranked as one of America’s best places to visit, Charleston is known for its candy-colored historic homes, friendly vibe, and a skyline dotted with grand church spires. Take a guided tour or head out on your own to view architectural landmarks like Rainbow Row, the Gibbes Museum of Art, and St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, the city’s oldest church. Then grab provisions from a nearby market like Butcher & the Bee and head to the Battery to enjoy a picnic under majestic oak trees with waterfront views.

>> Get more tips for visiting Charleston

Congaree National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

2. Congaree National Park

Just 18 miles southeast of the state’s capital, Columbia, Congaree National Park contains the country’s largest tract of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest and one of the world’s largest concentrations of champion trees including a 167-foot point loblolly pine and 500-year-old cypress trees. Park highlights include the 2.6-mile Boardwalk Loop Trail which departs from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center and traverses through old-growth hardwood forest featuring bald cypress, tupelo, oak, and maple trees.

A marked canoe trail invites visitors to kayak or canoe their way through the park along Cedar Creek. More adventurous and experienced paddlers can take on the Congaree River Blue Trail, a designated 50-mile recreational paddling trail that stretches from Columbia to Congaree Park.

>> Get more tips for visiting Congaree National Park

Walterboro *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

3. Walterboro

Established in 1826, the City of Walterboro is hailed as the front porch of the Lowcountry with its historic charm, plentiful natural resources, and warm Southern hospitality. For those reminiscing about the warmth and familiarity of an authentic small town, Walterboro provides the perfect opportunity to step back through time.

Treasure-hunters love scouring the village’s dozen antique shops finding everything from high-end antiques to fun vintage souvenirs or shopping the Colleton Farmers Market for farm-fresh produce and delicious homemade food products. Nature lovers can take advantage of South Carolina’s year-round balmy weather and enjoy the quiet solitude of the ACE Basin and Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary (see below).

>> Get more tips for visiting Walterboro

Hunting Island State Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

4. Hunting Island State Park

Located near historic Beaufort, four-mile-long Hunting Island is home to dense vegetation and wildlife making it the most natural of the Lowcountry Islands. Climb to the top of Hunting Island lighthouse to survey the palm-studded coastline. Bike the park’s trails through maritime forest to the nature center, fish off the pier, and go bird watching for herons, egrets, skimmers, oystercatchers, and wood storks.

Camping is available at the northern end of the park near the ocean. 102 sites offer water and 20/30/50 amp electric service. Campground roads are paved while the sites are packed soil. Some sites accommodate RVs up to 40 feet; others up to 28 feet. The campground is convenient to hot showers with restroom facilities, beach walkways, and a playground.

5. King Street in Charleston

Once Charleston’s main thoroughfare, historic King Street bisects the peninsula from north to south. Its colorful buildings house restaurants, bars, and shops like Saks Fifth Avenue, Apple, and Anthropologie along with local gems like estate furniture shop George C. Birlant and Co., men’s clothier M. Dumas & Son, women’s ready-to-wear designer collective Hampden Clothing, family-owned fine jewelry store Croghan’s Jewel Box, and rare and used purveyors Blue Bicycle Books.

Edisto Island *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

6. Edisto Island

Edisto Island is a sea island in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, a rustic world of majestic live oaks that are thickly draped with light-as-air beards of Spanish moss, salt marshes, meandering creeks, and historic plantations. Activities include touring Edisto Island, Edisto Island State Park (See below), the beach, and driving/walking tour of Botany Bay Plantation (see below).

>> Get more tips for visiting Edisto Island

Peachoid, Gaffney *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

7. Gaffney

Southern charm makes Gaffney a desirable place to visit especially if your RV is a motorhome built on a Freightliner chassis. The Freightliner Custom Chassis Factory Service Center offers six service bays, 20 RV electric hookup, and factory-trained technicians. Be sure to visit the factory and see how the custom chassis is produced for the RV market.

And the Peachoid, a 135-foot structures that functions as one million gallon water tank is an iconic landmark that draws attention to one of the area’s major agricultural products.

Greenville *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

8. Greenville

As the hub of South Carolina’s Upcountry region, Greenville has been finding its way onto many national Top Ten lists for its lively arts scene, modern downtown, and livability. Known for its exceptional beauty, the two most distinctive natural features of downtown Greenville are its lush, tree-lined Main Street and the stunning Reedy River Falls located in the heart of Falls Park (see below).

Crossing this urban oasis is the award-winning Liberty Bridge and its postcard-perfect photo ops. Shop up and down Augusta Road shopping district and marvel at all the public art that energizes this city.

>> Get more tips for visiting Greenville

St. Helena Island *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

9. St. Helena Island

In the center of the island surrounded by Spanish moss-draped oak trees you’ll find the Penn Center, a 50-acre historic district comprising 25 historic buildings and structures. The Penn Center was one of the first schools in the country where formerly enslaved persons could receive an education. The center was visited by Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s and continues to work toward preserving and celebrating Gullah culture to this day. Visitors can learn about African American history, art, and culture on self-guided tours and group tours.

Middleton Place *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

10. Middleton Place

Home to America’s oldest landscaped gardens, Middleton Place is a former plantation and a National Historic Landmark. Only one part of the original house still stands and now functions as a museum complete with original furnishings.

The Plantation Stableyards are designed to give visitors a taste of 18th-19th century working plantation life and the beautiful 65 acres of gardens on the property have been planned so that there are flowers in bloom all year round. Interpretive tours of the various areas are offered for a fee and nature walks and guided kayak tours are also available.

Reedy Falls, Greenville *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

11. Stroll through Falls Park on the Reedy

This stunning, 32-acre green space in Greenville’s historic West End is the ultimate urban oasis. Stroll along the walking trails to view landscaped gardens, public art installations, dramatic stonework, and a wall from the site’s original 18th-century grist mill.

For the city’s best views and the park’s namesake picturesque waterfalls, cross the 355-foot suspension Liberty Bridge, the longest single-sided bridge in the Western Hemisphere. After visiting the park, head to Passerelle Bistro to dine on French-inspired cuisine like escargot and crab cakes with a view.

Magnolia Plantation *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

12. Magnolia Plantation & Gardens

Founded by the Drayton family in 1676, Magnolia Plantation & Gardens has been open to visitors since 1870. It has been owned by the same family for more than three centuries and over the years they have carefully tended and added to the gardens.

There is also a beautiful plantation house on the property and guided tours are available for a small fee. Several other guided tours are offered as well, including a train tour, a boat tour, and a tour of the plantation’s slave cabins. The gardens are open 365 days a year, but hours vary according to the season.

Aububon Swamp *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

13. Audubon Swamp Garden

The Audubon Swamp is a black water cypress and tupelo swamp that’s lovely, mysterious, and unique to this area. Once a freshwater reservoir used for rice cultivation the entire 60 acres is traversed by boardwalks, bridges, and dikes featuring all varieties of local mammals, birds, and reptiles including bald eagles, herons and egrets, otters, turtles and alligators. Allow at least 45 minutes for a self-guided walk. A 45-minute nature boat tour takes visitors through ancient rice fields.

Botany Bay Plantation *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

14. Botany Bay Plantation

If you want to see the South Carolina coast the way the original settlers did, take a step back in time to Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve located adjacent to the waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the northeast corner of Edisto Island. The 3,363-acre preserve includes almost three miles of undeveloped, breathtaking beachfront that you’ll never forget. Botany Bay is very accessible; you can tour most of the property in half a day or less. The 6.5-mile route begins along a magnificent avenue of oaks interspersed with loblolly pine and cabbage palmetto.

>> Get more tips for visiting Botony Bay

Cowpens National Battlefield *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

15. Cowpens National Battlefield

On January 17, 1781, the Americans won a decisive battle against the better-trained British Army. The Battle of Cowpens was over in less than an hour. This battle was the event which started British General Cornwallis on his march north to his eventual surrender at Yorktown just nine months later. It was one of those special moments in time when destiny is forever changed. The march to Yorktown had begun.

>> Get more tips for visiting Cowpens National Battlefield

Folly Beach *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

16. Folly Beach

Folly Beach is one of America’s last true beach towns. Just minutes from historic downtown Charleston, Folly Beach is a 12 square mile barrier island that is packed with things to do, see, and eat. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and the Folly River, visitors enjoy six miles of wide beaches, surfing, fishing, biking, kayaking, boating, and eco-tours. Folly Island was named after its coastline which was once densely packed with trees and undergrowth: the Old English name for such an area was folly.

Peace Center, Greenville *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

17. The Peace Center

The Peace Center is situated in the heart of Greenville’s downtown area and is largely considered the upstate’s cultural hub. The multipurpose venue is capable of seating 2,100 people in its concert hall, 1,400 people in its amphitheater, and 400 people in its theater. It has event spaces, rehearsal spaces, different stages, and more, making it incredibly versatile for acts of all kinds.

Jazz, Broadway, musical concerts, comedy, political events, and celebrity acts all arrive here to take the stage. There’s also the South Carolina Children’s Theater and the Greenville Symphony Orchestra, which call the Peace Center their home. With all its variety, there’s no surprise that watching a show here is one of the top things to do in South Carolina.

Frances Beidler Forest *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

18. Frances Beidler Forest

Frequented by photographers and nature lovers from around the world, Audubon’s 18,000-acre bird and wildlife sanctuary offers a beauty unsurpassed in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Frances Beidler is the world’s largest virgin cypress-tupelo swamp forest—a pristine ecosystem untouched for millennia. Enjoy thousand-year-old trees, a range of wildlife, and the quiet flow of blackwater, all from the safety of a 1.75-mile boardwalk.

Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

19. Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary

There is a beautiful wildlife sanctuary located in the middle of Walterboro. Easily reached from I-95, the Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary (formerly the Great Swamp Sanctuary), is a great place to leave the traffic behind, stretch your legs, and enjoy nature. Located within the ACE Basin, the East Coast’s largest estuarine preserve, the sanctuary contains a network of boardwalks, hiking, biking, and canoe trails that are perfect for viewing a diversity of a black water bottomland habitat. The 3.5-mile loop is paved and well maintained.

>> Get more tips for visiting Walterboro Wildlife Sanctuary

Edisto Beach State Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

20. Edisto Beach State Park

Located on Edisto Island, Edisto Beach State Park is one of four oceanfront parks in South Carolina. Its 1.25-mile public beach is ideal for swimmers and beachcombers—and also a nesting site for loggerhead turtles.

The state park is situated neatly between a salt marsh and the beach making it possible to hear the waves lapping at the shore regardless of whether you’re staying in an RV, tent, or cabin. Located in the town of Edisto Beach, it’s just a short walk or bike ride from the grocery store, gas station, restaurants, and shops.

The park has an impressive array of camping sites in oceanfront and maritime forest habitats and most can accommodate RVs, some up to 40 feet. There are 64 oceanside sites and 33 sites along the salt marsh. Many sites offer easy access to the sea, sand, and sun. There is also a restroom and showering facility on the premises.

>> Get more tips for visiting Edisto Beach State Park

Worth Pondering…

As the old song declares, “Nothin’ could be finer than to be in Carolina in the morning,” or almost any other time.

The Magnificent History of the Maligned and Misunderstood Fruitcake

We all know what a fruitcake is, or at least we think we do

The simple holiday fruitcake has been to outer space, served as the world’s first energy bar, and is an international $100 million business. However, despite all of these achievements, this ancient Roman dessert is still the target of countless jokes.

Fruitcake *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The polarizing dessert that people love to hate became a Christmas mainstay thanks, in part, to the U.S. Postal Service. An estimated 3 billion packages will circulate through the postal service and delivery companies this holiday season. Somewhere among them is a 50-year-old fruitcake from Otsego County, New York.

Nothing says Christmas quite like a fruitcake—or, at the very least, a fruitcake joke. In a 1985 monologue, “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson quipped: “The worst gift is fruitcake. There is only one fruitcake in the entire world and people keep sending it to each other.”

It’s certainly earned its reputation for longevity.

True to Carson’s word, Phyllis Eggler and Jeanne Schuyler have been exchanging the same fruitcake since the late 1960s. The Egglers and the Schuylers were both newlywed couples living on different floors of the same home on Valleyview Street in Oneonta.

“He was very cheap,” Eggler said of their landlord. Eggler said the fruitcake gift inspired a prank.

“My husband and I rewrapped it as a joke,” she said. “That got it started.”

“The next year, we sent it back to them,” Schuyler said. “We’d just go along with it.”

Eggler and Schuyler, now in their 80s and widowed, still talk on the phone regularly and have no plans to give up the tradition. “It’s just a little fruitcake, but we’ve had lots of laughs over it,” Eggler said.

Mail-order fruitcakes became a popular holiday tradition in the early 20th century due to their enduring shelf life. Traditional recipes call for soaking a loaf in liqueur or brandy and coating it in powdered sugar, both of which are thought to inhibit mold.

Fruitcake is known to stay fresh for an inordinate amount of time.

In 2017 Antarctic conservators came upon a specimen that tests the limits of the treat: a 106-year-old cake, found in one of Antarctica’s first buildings. This particular cake is believed to have been brought over in 1910 during the Terra NovaExpedition to the South Pole, led by British Royal Navy officer Robert Falcon Scott. According to the Antarctic Heritage Trust, “it has been documented that Scott took this particular brand of cake with him at that time.”

But the honor for the oldest known existing fruitcake goes to one that was baked in 1878 when Rutherford B. Hayes was president of the United States.

Every year Freida Ford whipped up a fruitcake that would age for a year before being served the following holiday season. After making a cake in 1878, the 65-year-old matriarch died before it could be eaten. When the holidays arrived, the family no longer regarded her handiwork as food. They saw it as a legacy. Now it’s being kept in tribute to Ford’s great-grandson, Morgan, who was its biggest champion until his passing in 2013.

What’s amazing about these old fruitcakes is that people have tasted them and lived, meaning they are still edible after all these years.

The combination of sugar, low moisture ingredients (dried nuts, dried fruit, and “candied” fruit or peel) and some high-proof spirits make fruitcakes some of the longest-lasting foods in the world.

Fruitcake’s great, great, grandfather is the Roman Satura. The ancient Romans were looking for a way to sustain their troops in battle and developed a bread consisting of pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, raisins, barley mash, and honeyed wine. This cake was packed with calories and lasted long enough to fortify a soldier through an epic and exhausting campaign.

As dried fruits became more readily available, this Roman warrior energy bar eventually made its way off the battlefields and into homes as a dessert for special occasions. When Rome fell, local variations on the fruitcake emerged including Italy’s dense, sweet-and-spicy panaforte (literally, “strong bread”) and panettone, Germany’s stollen, a tapered loaf coated with melted butter and powdered sugar that’s more bread-like in consistency, and Britain’s plum pudding

Then, during the sugar boom of the 16th century the fruitcake, that we know today, began to emerge in Europe. Increasing amounts of fruit began to be preserved by soaking the fruit in inexpensive sugar from the colonies.

The modern fruitcake was created as a way to deal with the abundance of sugar-laced fruit and, by the early 19th century, the typical recipe was full of citrus peel, pineapples, plums, dates, pears, and cherries. By the late 1800s, the fruitcake was gifted in decorative tins, becoming a holiday staple with Christmas and fruitcake becoming intertwined in Victorian England with the help of colonial sugar.

The British adaptation of the Roman Satura recipe, plum porridge, was influenced by the sugar trade and the traditional meat in the porridge was replaced with the readily available sugar preserved fruit. During Christmas in the 19th century, it was traditional for English nobles to feed poor carolers with a slice of plum pudding and the Christmas carol, “We Wish You a Merry Christmas,” made begging for this figgy pudding famous.

The fruitcake becomes part of American history thanks to the very first first lady, Martha Washington, who made it for friends and family. So did another American icon, Emily Dickinson. The beloved poet made sure to bake fruitcake for everyone on her Christmas list. For a recluse and an introvert, she had a lot of friends. Her recipe for black cake, so called because it is brandy-rich, thick, dense, and dark with raisins, prunes, and dates—serves 60.

Before long, most cuisines had some sort of fruited breads or cakes that were early versions of the modern fruitcake. Fruitcakes are different in Europe than they are in America. European fruitcakes are more like the medieval fruited bread than the versions made in Great Britain and the United States. The two most common styles of fruitcake in Europe are the stollen and panettone.

British and American versions are much more cakelike. Fruitcakes came to America with the European colonists, and the rising tide of emigration from Britain to New England closely mirrored an influx of cheap sugar from the Caribbean.

Sugar was the key to preserving fruit for use across the seasons. One of the favorite methods of preserving fruit was to “candy” it. Candied fruit, sometimes known as crystallized fruit, is fruit that’s been cut into small pieces, boiled in sugar syrup, tossed in granulated sugar and allowed to dry.

Thanks to this technique, colonists were able to keep fruit from the summer harvest to use in their Christmas confections and fruitcakes became one of the most popular seasonal desserts.

Fruitcakes were also popular due to their legendary shelf life, which, in an era before mechanical refrigeration, was extremely desirable.

The best fruit cakes are matured—or “seasoned” in fruitcake lingo—for at least three months before they are cut. Seasoning not only improves the flavor of the fruitcake but it makes it easier to slice.

Seasoning a fruitcake involves soaking cheesecloth in brandy, bourbon, whiskey, rum or other liquor and then wrapping it around the cooked, cooled fruitcake and storing, or simply brushing the cake with an alcohol of your choice and wrap tightly and letting it sit in a cool, dark place.

Credit for the fruitcake’s popularity in America should at least partially go to the U.S. Post Office.

The institution of Rural Free Delivery in 1896 and the addition of the Parcel Post service in 1913 caused an explosion of mail-order foods in America. Overnight, once rare delicacies were a mere mail-order envelope away for people anywhere who could afford them.

Worth Pondering…

Friends are the fruitcake of life—some nutty, some soaked in alcohol, some sweet.

—Jon Ronson

The Ultimate Guide to Capitol Reef National Park

Discover the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic wrinkle on earth

I’ve often said that all of southern Utah should be protected as national parkland. The entire region is filled with unusual, ornate, and beautiful geologic formations that take shape, color, and texture to a level that is truly beyond comprehension (unless you are a geologist and if that is the case you already know how special Capitol Reef is). The crown jewel of the park is Waterpocket Fold, the second largest monocline in North America, a feature that is often described as a wrinkle in the Earth’s crust resembling a coral reef turned inside out.

Capitol Reef National Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

This one-of-a-kind landscape has sustained human life since long before European settlers knew about it. From the ancient Paleo-Indians who roamed here some 12,000 years ago to the more recent Ute and Southern Paiute peoples who were displaced from it, the land we now know as Capitol Reef has a much deeper and richer history than the average visitor knows.

Capitol Reef is perhaps Utah’s most underrated National Park. The park is about 2.5 hours east of Bryce Canyon via the Scenic Byway 12, an All-American Road. Much like Zion, the landscape is centered amid massive red rock cliffs.

Situated squarely in the desert, Capitol Reef sees less than 10 inches of rain per year though it does experience occasional snowfall during its chilly winter. Daytime temperatures in July and August can climb past the 100 degrees mark but the climate is generally temperate and pleasant with highs in the 40s even in December and January.

Although undeniably remote, Capitol Reef is served by a variety of small gateway towns which offer camping, restaurants, and other attractions to visitors—the closest of which is Torrey. Park-goers can also reach Grover, Teasdale, and Bicknell within a few minutes.

Explore a wrinkle in space-time—or at least in the earth’s surface—at Capitol Reef. Surrounding the geological wonder known as the Waterpocket Fold, the park is known for its fairytale landscape boasting a variety of landmarks like the Chimney Rock pillar, the Hickman Bridge arch, and Cathedral Valley. Capitol Reef National Park is also home to over 2,700 fruit-bearing trees situated in its historic orchards—apples, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, mulberries, and more are seasonally available for fresh picking.

The park and its surrounding areas protected under the Bureau of Land Management are full of canyons, ridges, buttes, badlands, and monoliths creating a 387-mile playground for modern-day explorers while serving up prize shots for landscape photographers. Beyond the natural landscape is a rich cultural past spanning more than a thousand years that was cultivated by the Fremont Indians and later, Mormon settlers who pioneered the park during the turn of the 19th century. Between easy-to-access areas surrounded by undeniable beauty, boundless backcountry wilderness to explore, and interesting local history, it is unsurprising that Capitol Reef National Park sees high visitation numbers despite its off-the-beaten-path location.

Like many national parks, Capitol Reef is divided into separate and very distinct areas— Fruita Rural Historic District, Cathedral Valley, and Waterpocket Fold. I’ve outlined them below, there are three, and included some awesome spots to stop at in each of them.

Fruita Rural Historic District

The Fruita Rural Historic District is the most popular area in the park in terms of visitation. The paved Scenic Drive starting near the visitor center travels 20 miles (out and back) through gorgeous slick rock scenery and provides access along the way to many established trails that trot off into the landscape. There is an important cultural history in this area of the park as well.

The village of Fruita was established along the Fremont River by Mormon pioneers in the late 1800s who found there a rich utopia where they could flourish as the Fremont Indians had many centuries prior. The new settlers planted fruit trees along irrigation lines that were dug by the Fremont culture, trees that remain today. With that, an opportune first stop…

Fruita Orchards

The Fruita Orchards are a popular place during the spring, summer, and fall when parkgoers file into the valley to harvest peaches, apricots, and apples. Anyone is welcome to visit open areas to sample and harvest fruit for a small fee. Healthy snacks for the trail!

Petroglyphs of the Fremont Culture

Carved into the sandstone formations in Fruita is the Fremont Petroglyphs, chipped rock art depicting animals, people, shapes, and other forms indicative of their hunter/gatherer existence. The petroglyphs can be seen on several large panels east of the park visitor center on UT Highway 24. There is parking, a boardwalk, and viewing platforms making it easy for all to catch a glimpse of the intriguing relics.

Hickman Arch

No visit to a Utah national park could be complete without a sandstone arch framing the scenic landscape. The Hickman Bridge is a 133-foot natural bridge with canyon views in all directions. Getting to it is easy with roadside parking on UT 24. The trail to the bridge is a cool 1-mile.

Torrey Log School and Church

The Mormon Church (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or LDS) with the help of local settlers built this one-room log structure in 1898 using natural resources found in the area that included shingles supplied by a local mill and donations of doors and windows from neighboring communities. The structure was used as a school until attendance superseded the space available. The school then evolved into a meeting house for members of the LDS church. The Torrey School and Church are now on the National Register as a historical building.

The Gifford House

This rural homestead is a classic example of early 20th-century rural Utah farm homes. It was built by Calvin Pendleton in 1908 who occupied it with his family for eight years. Other private owners followed the Pendleton family until eventually, the land became part of the national park. The homestead sits on 200 acres of land and has seven rooms, a barn, and smokehouse, a garden, rock walls, and a pasture. This homestead is a prized example of earlier times and as such has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Gifford House is operated today in partnership with the Capitol Reef Natural History Association and the U.S. National Park Service which operate it as a museum and learning center to preserve and to also raise awareness of Utah’s cultural past.

Panorama Point

Panorama Point is an easy turn-off from US 24 and offers exactly what the name suggests—panoramic views in all directions. After following a short walk on a paved path to the top of the hill, fantastic views await particularly so at sunset. It is also a fine place to get a sense of the lay of the land.

Cathedral Valley

The Cathedral Valley area is a backcountry dream where you can get lost in solitude while exploring Utah’s rugged and remote wilderness ecosystems. Not only is the Cathedral Valley area completely stunning but its far-flung location is infrequently visited allowing visitors a respite from crowds found in more accessible areas. There is much to see and do in the Cathedral Valley—driving on primitive roads under big skies, shooting the sunrise at cool formations like the Temple of the Sun, Moon, and Stars, camping and hiking with peace as your guides… it’s amazing out there!

Glass Mountain

One of the coolest sites in the national park is Glass Mountain, a small formation of exposed gypsum made of selenite crystals. The textured mound looks like it is decorated by broad brush strokes of dirt exposing glassy crystals. You can find it next to the Temple of the Moon monolith and plan for at least 30 minutes to explore it. Even though it is relatively small when compared to other features in the park and climbing on its delicate gem is forbidden it is so unique and interesting that you will probably find yourself doing laps around it spellbound by the incredible textured shapes of the gypsum.

Gypsum Sinkhole

Five miles from the Cathedral Valley campground is the Gypsum Sinkhole—a 200-foot deep, 50-foot wide chasm that formed when water dissolved the below-ground gypsum foundation allowing the site to cave in. It is astounding to stand over and look down into a depression like this falling so deep into the Earth, a reminder of the forces of nature always at work beneath the planetary surface.

Morrell Cabin

The historic Morrell Cabin and Corral in Cathedral Valley sheds light on how this area has been used during the last century. It was built in the 1920s on Thousand Lake Mountain by a wealthy landowner named Paul Christensen and was moved during the 1930s to its current location in the Cathedral Valley by Lesley Morrell. Locally known as “Les’s Cabin,” it once served as a stop along for cattle ranchers traveling to and from Thousand Lake Mountain where they could eat, sleep, rest, and refuel. The National Park Service purchased the site in 1970. It is listed today on the National Registrar of Historic Places.

Waterpocket Fold

Waterpocket Fold, the geologic feature, is a 100-mile rocky spine extending from Thousand Lake Mountain to Lake Powell. Its technical name is a monocline which citing the Oxford Dictionary is a “bend in rock strata that is otherwise uniformly dipping or horizontal.”

Waterpocket Fold, the area, is the least visited section of the national park. It has few services and few marked trails that are of course highly enticing for backpackers who want to head out into the wilderness to get lost. The Halls Creek Narrows and the Lower Muley Twist Canyon are two of the most popular spots in the park to set off from on a backpacking adventure.

Fact Box

Size: 37,711 acres

Date established: December 18, 1971 (designated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a National Monument in 1937)

Location: South-central Utah

Designation: Certified IDA International Dark Sky Park

Park elevation: 3,687 feet to 11,574 feet, alverag elevation is 6,384 feet

Park entrance fee: $20/vehicle, valid for 7 days

Camping fee: $25

Recreational visits (2021): 1,405,353

How the park got its name: Capitol Reef was given its name for the white domes of Navajo sandstone that resemble the domes of the capitol buildings found throughout the United States and for the rocky cliff formations, the “reef,” which presents a barrier to travel through this rugged terrain just as it does in the sea.

Iconic site in the park: The massive monolith formations found in the Cathedral Valley look like church cathedrals as their name suggests and jump out from the backdrop like the subject of a children’s pop-up book. The 57-mile loop drive taken to get there passes through the San Rafael Swell, an all-terrain environment that takes some commitment (and a high clearance vehicle) to get to. The most well-known “cathedrals” are the 400-foot high Temple of the Sun and Temple of the Moon, each of which captures beautiful golden light during both sunrise and sunset depending on where you stand.

Accessible adventure: Ancient past meets modern present for auto-tourists along the paved park road (UT 24) and Scenic Drive, two separate roads that wind through the heart of the park in the Fruita Rural Historic District. These roads bring visitors passed rivers, valleys, orchards, historical rural buildings, petroglyphs, and aside formations made of sedimentary rock that is 225 million years old. There are nearly 40 established trails throughout the Fruita area as well as plenty of wildlife-watching opportunities, so keep your eyes peeled and drive safely.

Did you know?

Utah is home to what the state calls “The Mighty 5” —Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Bryce, and Capitol Reef National Parks.

The nearest traffic light to Capitol Reef National Park is 78 miles away.

There is no formal entrance to the national park. Payment is due at the visitor center and you are on your honor. Have honor!

There are 10 sites in Capitol Reef National Park on the National Registrar of Historic Places.

Capitol Reef is approximately 60 miles long and about 6 miles wide.

Waterpocket Fold is nearly 100 miles long.

Most of Capitol Reef is made of sedimentary strata rock ranging in age from 270 to 80 million years old.

There are 239 recorded bird species in the national park.

Worth Pondering…

…of what value are objects of a past people if we don’t allow ourselves to be touched by them. They are alive. They have a voice. They remind us what it means to be human; that it is our nature to survive, to be resourceful, to be attentive to the world we live in.

—Terry Tempest Williams, Exploring the Fremont

The Ogopogo! One More Reason to Visit the Okanagan

What is Ogopogo?

Throughout the course of history, there has been a sense of mystery when it comes to deep water and what could be living beneath the surface. Just as Lake Champlain has its legendary lake monster, Champ, and Loch Ness has woven a tale of Nessie, the legendary monster that supposedly swims beneath its dark waters, Canada, too, has a legend of its own.

Okanagan Lake *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

In the Western Canadian province of British Columbia, near the very bottom of Canada, there is a series of lakes in a desert. The Okanagan is characterized by a dry, sunny climate and beautiful landscapes. The region receives about 12 inches of rain and two inches of snow annually and is the hottest and driest place in Canada. On the horizon are mountains of green foliage, aqua blue lakes, and, in the distance, rolling vineyards as far as the eye can see.

Before becoming a wine destination, the Okanagan was a family holiday spot, best known for its “beaches and peaches”—the lakes with their sandy shores, boating, and waterskiing as well as the countless fruit stands. The beaches and peaches—and cherries, apricots, apples, and pears—are still there, and the Okanagan still welcomes families. With its mild, dry climate, the region is also popular with golfers, hikers, and bikers.

Okanagan Lake is home to boating, swimming, and general summertime recreational fun. It’s a place for families and adults to gather and enjoy the warmest days of the year but as it turns out, many think they may not be alone in the water. Ogopogo, the sea serpent that’s believed to live in the waters of this scenic lake, may just be swimming around right beneath their feet. For many, this is enough of a reason to visit the area—but how likely is an Ogopogo sighting, really?

The Legend Of Ogopogo

The legend of Canada’s lake monster and sightings of it dates back to the 19th century. It’s believed that the serpent which is consistently estimated to be anywhere from 40 to 60 feet in length lives in Okanagan Lake, the largest of the five freshwater lakes that are interconnected by a river channel in the British Columbia interior.

While the legend of Ogopogo seems like it should be older, the lake itself is much older than the legend. These glacial lakes were formed some 10,000 years prior when the water from melted glaciers flooded the Okanagan Valley. The depth of the lake is 762 feet which, for some, means that the lake is far too expansive to know for sure what lives in it. For others, all of this depth is just further proof—who’s to say that something this extraordinary couldn’t be hiding beneath the surface?

One night in 1924, a song was sung in a local music hall about a strange creature. Not too many details of the song are known but the lyrics are cited as being:

His mother was an earwig,

His father was a whale;

A little bit of head

And hardly any tail

And Ogopogo was his name.

Two years later, the song was published in the Vancouver Province. Since then, the elusive creature has gained the nickname Oggy, with potential names for its offspring being ‘Ogopups.’

Native Myths Surrounding Lake Okanagan

Some have consulted history that dates much further back than the first settlers to the region to understand the mystery surrounding Ogopogo. The Secwepemc and the Sylix native tribes believed that the lake monster was an evil supernatural entity with great power. It was believed that the creature was destined to carry out an ill will and they referred to it as Naitaka.

The word “n’ha-a-itk” has various translations, such as “water-demon”, “water god”, or “sacred creature of the water”. In native lore, Naitaka demanded a live sacrifice for a safe crossing of the lake. For hundreds of years, First Nations would sacrifice small animals before entering the water.

Oral traditions often described visiting chief Timbasket who rejected the required sacrifice denying the existence of the demon. Upon entering the lake on a canoe with his family, Naitaka “whipped up the surface of the lake with his long tail” and the canoe and its occupants were sucked to the bottom of the lake. The Naitaka was often described as using its tail to create fierce storms to drown victims. In 1855, settler John MacDougal claimed that his horses were sucked down into the water and nearly his canoe before he cut the line.

It is reputed that the demonic view of Naitaka came about through miscommunication between Canada’s early European settlers and the Syilx/Okanagan people. To the Syilx, it’s n ̓x̌ax̌aitkʷ (n-ha-ha-it-koo), a sacred spirit of the lake that protects the valley. The spirit was said to dwell in caves under Rattlesnake Island (a.k.a. Monster Island) or adjacent to Squally Point.

Modern-Day Sightings of Ogopogo

During the 1980s, there was a reward of one million dollars offered for anyone who could obtain definitive proof of the monster. From that point on, the legend of Ogopogo became almost a part of daily life around Okanagan Lake. From sculptures that were made of the mythical creature to people claiming that they sighted him on an almost monthly basis, there was seemingly no escaping the legend. According to BBC, the lake monster was even declared an ‘endangered species’ by Greenpeace and was featured on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries.

Compelling Evidence

The most recent and most compelling evidence for the existence of Ogopogo comes from a cell phone video taken back in 2019. A man by the name of Jim La Rocque captured footage of what appears to be several large humps rising out of the water and swimming away from where he and his children were enjoying the lake on a sunny day.

The movement in the water is unlike any other known creature and has a snake-like appearance that one might expect with lake monsters such as Champ or Loch Ness. While some scholars believe that the motion in the water is the result of varying temperatures in the lake, others swear that it’s Ogopogo—to this day, nothing as convincing has been spotted or caught on camera.

Worth Pondering…

His mother was an earwig,

His father was a whale;

A little bit of head

And hardly any tail

And Ogopogo was his name.

Life Is a Highway: Taking the Great American Road Trip

Ready. Set. On the road!

There’s a lot of America out there. It’s a big, beautiful country with so much to see. And when you fly to your destination, you’re missing most of it—the landscapes, the views, the small-town diners, the quirky roadside attractions. You lose the chance to experience all the special little stops that exist in between the big cities. To get to know America, you have to drive through it in an RV.

World’s Largest Runner, Los Cruces, New Mexico *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The cross-country trip is the supreme example of the journey as the destination.

“I discovered I did not know my own country,” John Steinbeck wrote in Travels with Charley explaining why he hit the road at age 58.

Prescott *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

“Travel usually implies seeing a place once and moving on; but this became a trip in which I made lists of places I’d return to—Prescott and Sedona and now Gallup, New Mexico where I’d happily go mountain-biking or hiking in the high desert or visiting the people who possessed the country before we claimed it as ours.

Sedona *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

“Kentucky, well-tended and fenced, and the soft green of its fields and hills, the sight of horses and farms, made it seem an orderly Eden, parklike—another place to return to. This part of the state was rich in classic names—Lebanon and Paris, but Athens and Versailles had been tamed into Ay-thens and Ver-sails.

Versailles, Kentucky *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

“Ten days into my road trip I began wondering if I were perhaps pushing it a little too hard. But wasn’t the whole point to keep going down the proud highway? The thrill is in the moving, gaining ground, watching the landscape change, stopping on impulse.

“At one point, bowling along the open road, the Supertramp song Take the Long Way Home came on the radio. Listening to music while driving through a lovely landscape is one of life’s great mood enhancers. And hearing the line, ‘But there are times that you feel you’re part of the scenery,’ I was in Heaven.”

Related Article: The Great American Road Trip: Born in 1856

Kentucky Bluegrass Country *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The journey and not the destination is the joy of RVing. Taking your RV on the open road and experiencing breathtaking views along the way can make for the one-of-a-kind vacation your family is looking for. Highways can guide you along the coast to take in ocean views at sunset. Others wind you through the mountains exploring history.

A lot goes into planning a great road trip from finding the best diners along your route and the quirkiest roadside attractions to queueing up road trip songs that make the trip. It’s all about the journey.

World’s Largest Pistachio Nut, Alamagordo, New Mexico *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

I can tell you scenic roads to take, where to camp, where to eat, and where to stop (I can even tell you where to find the world’s largest roadrunner or pistachio nut), and help you make the best road trip playlist.

With that in mind, I put together this Great American Road Trips Guide to help you find some inspiration. Discover favorite routes to drive plus some of the best stops along the way.

And remember: These are just jumping-off points. Once you’re on the road, you’ll think of other parts of the country you want to see. Along the way, you might even stumble upon a road that takes you even farther off the beaten path. If you do, follow your wanderlust. Trust me—it’s worth it!

Blue Ridge Parkway

Known as one of the nation’s best and most beautiful drives, the Blue Ridge Parkway runs for 469 miles across Virginia and North Carolina. It follows the Appalachian Mountains—the Blue Ridge chain, specifically—from Shenandoah National Park in the north to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the south. Because the Blue Ridge Parkway connects two national parks, it’s easy to visit both during your drive.

Monahans Sandhills State Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Shifting Sands

West Texas winds transform an ever-changing landscape of sand dunes at the 3.840-acre Monahans Sandhills State Park. The field of dunes begins south of Monahans and stretches north into New Mexico. Opened in 1957, the state park harbors a peaceful Chihuahuan Desert playground where people can explore the rolling landscape, slide down the hills, picnic, camp, and take in extraordinary sunrises and sunsets.

Related Article: Ultimate American Road Trips

Klosel’s Steakhouse *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Kloesel’s Steakhouse & Bar, Moulton, Texas

It was hard to believe the locals when we were told that one of the best restaurants around was Klosel’s. After some hesitation, we stopped for lunch en route to the little brewery in Shiner and give it a shot and what a pleasant surprise. The food was truly amazing and good value. Great atmosphere and friendly service. We have eaten here over the years numerous times and have always been impressed with their food and staff. Particularly love their chicken fried steak—and desert.

Creole Nature Trail *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Creole Nature Trail All-American Road

Starting on the outskirts of Lake Charles and ending at the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road is a network of byways where you’ll find more than 400 bird species, alligators galore, and 26 miles of Gulf of Mexico beaches. Also called “America’s Outback,” the Creole Nature Trail takes visitors through 180 miles of southwest Louisiana’s backroads.

You’ll pass through small fishing villages, National Wildlife Refuges to reach the little-visited, remote Holly and Cameron beaches. Take a side trip down to Sabine Lake, or drive onto a ferry that takes visitors across Calcasieu Pass. Throughout the trip, expect to see exotic birds; this area is part of the migratory Mississippi Flyway.

Woodstock

In a state that’s home to the Hamptons, Finger Lakes, Appalachian Trail, and Big Apple it’s no surprise that small communities like Woodstock fall to the back of the mind. To assume that Woodstock is only notable for its namesake 1969 music festival (that didn’t occur there) would be a major blunder—the three-day festival was held on a dairy farm in nearby Bethel. In reality, Woodstock is a charming little Catskills oasis where fewer than 6,000 residents prop up an art, religion, music, and theater scene worthy of national attention.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

The stretch of Interstate running from Minneapolis, Minnesota, through the heart of the North Dakota Heartland is fantastic if you’re big into grain silos and livestock. Otherwise, nobody’s confusing a drive down I-94 with one of America’s most scenic routes. Then, out of the blue, it happens: About an hour east of the Montana border—and a seemingly endless four hours from Fargo—the Earth drops out from under the highway and mountains somehow appear out of nowhere. This is how you’ll know you’ve reached Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a plains-state paradise often forgotten in the world of Arches and Bryce Canyon. The three-unit park is surprising not just in its grandeur but also in its very existence in a state few know much about.

Mount Washington Cog Railway

At 6,288.2 feet, Mt. Washington is the highest peak in New Hampshire. Ride in style to the summit on a historic cog railway that has been operating since 1869. Grades average 25 percent! Keep your eye out for hikers on the Appalachian Trail which crosses the line about three-quarters of the way up. Enjoy far-reaching panoramic views at the summit on the Observatory deck on a nice day. The visitor center has snacks, restrooms, and a post office. And, don’t miss the Mount Washington Weather Museum.

Related Article: Road Trippin’

Lockhart

A short trip to this flavor-packed smoke town should be on any food lover’s bucket list. Dubbed the “BBQ Capital of Texas,” Lockhart is easily one of the most legendary barbecue destinations anywhere. Your itinerary includes the Big Three: Black’s Barbecue (open since 1932), Kreuz Market (established 1900), and Smitty’s Market (since 1948). You’ll be consuming a lot of meat so be sure to stop for breaks. Proceed in any order you please. Lockhart has one more stop in store for you: Chisholm Trail Barbecue (opened by a Black’s alum in 1978).

Shipshewana

Many of the towns in northwestern Indiana’s Amish Country date back 150 years or more. Among these is tiny Shipshewana known for an enormous flea market where 1,000 vendors peddle their wares twice a week from May through October. Due to the Amish lifestyle you can almost believe you’ve stepped back in time a century or more. To learn about Amish history, tour Menno-Hof. Through multi-image presentations and historical displays, you’ll travel back 500 years to the origins of the Amish-Mennonite story.

Monument Valley

A huge swath of Arizona seems to have been designed by cartoonists, from the trippy Dr. Seuss waves of the Vermillion Cliffs to the splaying cacti of Saguaro National Park. But Monument Valley is where nature gets serious. This is a land of monolithic red sandstone bluffs seemingly carved by the gods where enormous spires emerge so far in the distance they’re shrouded by haze even on a clear day. Each crevice tells a story and every ledge is its own unforgettable vista.

Related Article: Road Trip Planning for the First Time RVer

While Monument Valley is undoubtedly national park-worthy, this is a Navajo Tribal Park and I hope it stays that way. It’s a place rooted in ancient Native religion and serves as an expansive gateway to the wondrous desert landscapes of both Utah and Arizona.

Worth Pondering…

Life is a Highway

Life is like a road that you travel on
When there’s one day here and the next day gone
Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind

Life is a highway
I wanna ride it all night long
If you’re going my way
I wanna drive it all night long
Come on. Give me give me give me give me yeah

—recorded by Tom Cochrane from his second studio album, Mad Mad World (1991)

The Best RV Camping June 2021

Explore the guide to find some of the best in June camping across America

But where should you park your RV? With so many options out there you may be overwhelmed with the number of locales calling your name.

Here are 10 of the top locations to explore in June. RVing with Rex selected this list of 5 star RV resorts from parks personally visited.

Planning an RV trip for a different time of year? Check out our monthly RV park recommendations for the best places to camp in April and May.

Jackson Rancheria RV Resort *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Jackson Rancheria RV Resort, Jackson, California

New in 2008, Jackson Rancheria RV Resort is part of a casino complex. Big rig-friendly 50/30-amp electric service, water, sewer, and cable TV are centrally located. Wide, paved interior roads with wide concrete sites. Back-in sites over 55 feet with pull-through sites in the 70-75 foot range. Amenities include walking trails and dog parks, a heated pool and spa, and laundry facilities. We would return in a heartbeat. Reservations over a weekend are required well in advance. Jackson Rancheria is conveniently located in the heart of Gold Country.

Toutle River RV Resort *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Toutle River RV Resort, Castle Rock, Washington

Toutle River RV Resort is a 5-star resort built-in 2009. Toutle River has some standard features such as a general store, clubhouse, and heated swimming pool as well as unique, exciting amenities you won’t find in other places. They have red cedar barrel saunas, a disc golf course, a jumbo-sized croquet court, and a karaoke pavilion. There’s also a free do-it-yourself smokehouse for jerky and fish as well as an orchard on-site with apples, pears, cherries, and plums that guests are welcome to pick. The park offers 306 full hookup RV sites many offering 6,000 sq ft or more and up to 100 feet long. Masonry fire pits and BBQs are located throughout the park and all premium sites feature a fire pit, BBQ, and park-style picnic tables. These are truly beautiful sites. Conveniently located near Mount St. Helens National Monument, Toutle River RV Resort is located off I-5 at Exit 52, easy-on, easy-off.

Two Rivers Landing RV Resort *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Two Rivers Landing RV Resort, Sevierville, Tennessee

Two Rivers Landing RV Resort is a luxury RV Resort nestled along the banks of the beautiful French Broad River. A 5-star resort with 25 riverfront (drive-in sites) and 30 river views (back-in sites), Two Rivers Landing offers 30/50-amp electric service, water, sewer, and cable TV conveniently located centrally. Interior roads are paved; individual sites are concrete, 70 feet in length, and 22 feet wide. All sites surrounded by beautiful landscaping. Our drive-in site faced the river. Wi-Fi worked well. A beautiful sunset looking out our front window. This is resort living at its best.

Wahweep RV Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Wahweep RV Park and Campground, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Page, Arizona

Centrally located at Wahweap Marina, the campsites are about one-quarter mile from the shore of Lake Powell. Wahweap offers plenty of fun with a wide variety of powerboats and water toys. You can also enjoy the restaurant, lounge, and gift shop at the Lake Powell Resort. This RV park/campground is a great place to enjoy the off-season solitude of Lake Powell. The campground offers 139 sites with 30 and 50 amp service, water, and sewer. Sites accommodate up to 45 feet. The season is an ideal time to visit nearby attractions including Rainbow Bridge, Antelope Canyon, Vermillion Cliffs, and Horseshoe Bend.

Galveston Island State Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Galveston Island State Park, Galveston, Texas

With both beach and bay sides, Galveston Island State Park offers activities for every coast lover. Hike or bike four miles of trails through the park’s varied habitats. Stop at the observation platform or photo blinds, and stroll boardwalks over dunes and marshes. Twenty camping sites are available on the bayside of the park. Each site offers 50/30 amp electricity, water, a picnic table, and nearby restrooms with showers. These sites are for RV camping only. Additionally, 10 sites are available for tent camping only.

Hunting Island State Park, Hunting Island, South Carolina

Hunting Island is South Carolina’s single most popular state park attracting more than a million visitors a year as well as a vast array of land and marine wildlife. Five miles of beaches, thousands of acres of marsh and maritime forest, a saltwater lagoon, and an ocean inlet are all part of the park’s natural allure. The Hunting Island Lighthouse is the only one in the state that is publicly accessible. From the top, guests can stand 130 feet above the ground to take in the breathtaking, panoramic view of the Atlantic Coast and surrounding maritime forest. Camping is available at the northern end of the park near the ocean. 102 sites offer water and 20/30/50 amp electric service. Campground roads are paved while the sites are packed soil. Some sites accommodate RVs up to 40 feet; others up to 28 feet. The campground is convenient to hot showers with restroom facilities, beach walkways, and a playground.

Grand Canyon Railway RV Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Grand Canyon Railway RV Park, Williams, Arizona

Set in the mountain community of Williams—Gateway to the Grand Canyon—the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park is the ideal place to unwind and relax. The park has three types of RV spaces: select from pull-through, buddy spaces, or back-in sites. All spaces are 50-amp and large enough for big rigs. Each space comes with high definition digital TV provided by DirecTV, wireless Internet, and access to the indoor swimming pool and hot tub at the adjacent Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. The property has coin-operated laundry machines and a common picnic area with gas grills and a fire pit. Take the historic train from Williams into Grand Canyon National Park. Adjacent to the historic train depot, Grand Canyon Railway RV Park is just two blocks away from Route 66 and downtown Williams.

Reunion Lake RV Resort *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Reunion Lake RV Resort, Ponchatoula, Louisiana

Reunion Lake RV Resort is a gated resort with top-rated facilities and service and all-concrete roadways. Built around a scenic lake the park offers an adult pool with a swim-up bar, poolside cabanas, a lazy river with a tiki bar, giant hot tub, fitness center, family pool, basketball and pickleball courts, fenced-in dog park. Our Premium pull-through site will accommodate any size rig.

JGW RV Park *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

JGW RV Park, Redding, California

Our home base while touring the Redding area was JGW RV Park, a big-rig friendly resort located 9 miles south of Redding on the Sacramento River. This beautiful 5-star RV park offers 75 sites with water, sewer, and 30/50-amp electric service centrally located. The majority of pull-through sites are back-to-back and side-to-side. Our site backed onto the Sacramento River. Interior roads are paved and in good condition with concrete pads.

Hee Hee Illahee RV Resort *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Hee Hee Illahee RV Resort, Salem, Oregon

With a combination of 24 back-in sites (35 feet long x 20 feet wide) and 115 pull-through sites (75 feet long x 14 feet wide) available year-round even the biggest rigs will have no issue finding a suitable spot. All sites include electric (20, 30, and 50 amp), water, sewer, wired and wireless Internet, and coax television hookups along with a picnic table. Park amenities include a fitness room, seasonal pool, and year-round spa, laundry facility, secure showers/bathrooms, and book library. The resort is located a short distance off Interstate 5 at Exit 258.

Worth Pondering…

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

—Lewis Carrol

A Braying Good Time in Oatman

Oatman prides itself on maintaining a Wild West feel, down to the wooden sidewalks, staged shootouts, and kitschy shops. (You can even adopt a wild burro and take it home!)

You’ve got to see Oatman to believe it. This tiny town is in a rugged area carved out of the wilderness by determined miners and now populated by more wild burros than people.

On the road to Oatman *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

They know how to have fun in Oatman where good-humored shops line the street and the furriest residents—small donkeys descended from miners’ beasts of burden—contribute to the annual fall Burro Biskit Toss.

More than 500,000 visitors are drawn annually to Oatman’s gold mine history as well as the legend of its namesake. Olive Oatman is entrenched in western lore as a woman who was kidnapped by an Indian tribe then sold to a friendly local tribe before being freed to her family near what became Oatman.

On Route 66 between Kingman and Oatman *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

The town of Oatman is 28 miles southwest of Kingman along old Route 66. This town in the Black Mountains of Mohave County was founded back in 1915. Two miners discovered gold in the nearby hills and put the place on the map. By 1915 these two miners pulled out over $10 million worth of gold in a short time. That would be about a quarter of a billion dollars in today’s dollars. Oatman grew to nearly four thousand people within the year.

Oatman *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

But the town has a very sad tale that accounts for its name. Pioneers from the east looking for a new life came west in search of a better life. One such pioneering family was the Oatmans from Illinois. Royce and Mary Ann Oatman had seven children and one on the way as Mary Ann was pregnant. As their wagon train made its way toward Maricopa Wells along the Southern Emigrant Trail, it was approached by Yavapai Indians. Royce Oatman was prepared to give some supplies but when he refused to give the Yavapai more of their already limited supplies, the family was massacred.

Only their son, Lorenzo, and two daughters, Olive and Mary Ann, survived. Believing the boy to be dead, the Yavapai stole the Oatman’s possessions as well as the two girls as slaves. Mary Ann later died in captivity but Olive survived and was reunited with her brother in 1856 at Fort Yuma. In honor of the family that lost their dream for a better life, the village of Oatman was named for them

The area surrounding present-day Oatman was mined for decades before the two miners showed up in 1915. Back in 1863, Johnny Moss discovered gold in the Black Mountains and staked a couple claims. One, he named after himself—a very thoughtful choice—and the other in memory of Olive Oatman.

As with most small mining communities, this area had its ups and downs, depending on the prices for minerals and the cost of getting them to market. But in 1915, that large deposit of gold was discovered and Oatman was on the map as the largest producer of gold in the American West.

By the 1960s, the boom had gone bust and Oatman was nearly deserted. So what to do with an old mining camp? Why not make it a tourist attraction?

According to visitarizona.com, more than 500,000 visitors are drawn annually to Oatman’s gold mine history as well as the legend of its namesake. For a village, that’s a lot of people walking up and down the streets. Actually, when visiting most people walk along wooden sidewalks—just like they did way back when.

But when the burros come visiting most anything goes. The burros that live in the nearby hills are a major calling card for Oatman. They are everywhere—and I mean everywhere. The early miners used burros to carry their belongings as they went from one gold strike to hopefully, the next. Being a miner was a lonely business. Often, when a miner died alone, the burro simply wandered off. Over time, the burros thrived in the hills near Oatman. The burros strut along the streets, brush up against vehicles, and bray at anyone who will listen.

Oatman is such a tourist destination that back in 1939 Clark Gable and Carole Lombard allegedly honeymooned at the 1902 two-story adobe Oatman Hotel after marrying in nearby Kingman. It is no longer an actual hotel but tourists can eat at the first-floor restaurant or have a drink at the bar before visiting the museum on the second floor where the lovebirds spent their wedding night. Some say the lovebirds’ spirits as well as other former lodgers still vacation there. The hotel is the oldest two-story adobe building in Mohave County.

Oatman has been used as a backdrop in numerous films, too. There’s “How the West was Won” (1962), “Roadhouse 66” (1984) and “Killer Holiday” (2013).

There are numerous shops along the main street and some of the activities offered during the year include the Great Oatman Bed Race in January, the sidewalk egg frying contest on July 4, and the Christmas Bush Decorating held in December.

We stayed a few hours, wandering here and there. We patted the burros and made sure that each store saw our feet. We crawled into a pub or two, as well. One does get thirsty wandering a village.

Oatman is surrounded by Bureau of Land Management wilderness which is also home to desert bighorn sheep. Outdoor activities include hiking, camping, hunting, photography, and rock climbing.

When in this part of Arizona (it really isn’t that far), take some time and visit Oatman. You’ll have a braying good time.

Worth Pondering…

So many ghosts upon the road,
My eyes I swear are playing tricks;
And a voice I hear, it’s Tom Joad,
Near Oatman on Route 66.

—Dave MacLennan

a-MAIZ-ing Corn-fused Roadside Attraction

The Corn Palace is an a-maiz-ing marvel of agricultural innovation

A two-story mural of Willie Nelson is made completely of corn. The high school team is called the Kernels. Their mascot is Cornelius. You gotta embrace it! Mitchell may well be the corniest city in America. No city is as singularly associated with a building as Mitchell is with its iconic arena/community center’s 43,000-square-foot piece of folk art known as the Corn Palace. And the people lean into it. Hard!

Mitchell Corn Palace *© Rex Vogel, all rights reserved*

Paris has the Eiffel Tower and Mitchell has the icon of innovation—the amazing Corn Palace. The Mitchell Corn Palace is the only corn palace in the world, a fact you’ll see on varied billboards lining Interstate 90 as you speed through South Dakota. As curiosity lures you off the highway, you’ll pull onto Mitchell’s small-town Main Street and find a bright-gold behemoth that looks like a tornado hit Moscow and dropped part of the Kremlin on the prairie.

A pair of rounded turrets and two massive domes thrust into the sky capping off walls adorned in six different types of native grass and multi-story murals depicting famous South Dakota sights. A marquee reading “South Dakota Home Grown” stands over the main entrance. All of it is made from multi-colored ears of corn.

Any drive through the Midwest will bring you face-to-face with cornstalks taller than you can imagine. The Mitchell Corn Palace in South Dakota celebrates all things corn—starting with this prairie town in the middle of nowhere. This “palace” looks like something straight out of Russia, built in 1892 to showcase South Dakota’s bountiful harvests.

And though it might be tempting to write off the Corn Palace as yet another kitschy South Dakota roadside attraction, its origins far predate the interstate. Or even the automobile.

The first corn palace was built in 1892, but back then it wasn’t the only one in the world. Or even in the state. There were several of them throughout South Dakota and into Nebraska and Iowa. Stroll past the Corn-cession stand in the main concourse. Everything around us smells like popcorn. It was a celebration for the farmers, for all their hard work on the harvest. They wanted to pay homage to agriculture. And over time for whatever reason those communities did not maintain their corn palace and Mitchell thought, ‘hey, this is a cool thing. We’re going to keep going’.

And keep going they did: Through 128 years and three different locations until settling on the current one at 604 North Main Street in 1920. Though the building’s longevity is impressive, what’s perhaps most astounding is that Mitchell redoes the entire thing every year. Before spring planting, the city decides on the theme for the murals that will adorn the Corn Palace for the coming year. This year’s, for example, is “South Dakota Home Grown.” Once the theme is established, a team of students from Dakota Wesleyan University designs the murals. Based on the color scheme, a single local farmer then grows over 375,000 ears of corn in 12 different varieties to match the motif.

Once harvest comes—typically in late September—the corn is soaked in giant water buckets to make it pliable. Giant tar paper outlines are plastered on the Corn Palace walls with color coded sections determining which corn goes where. Workers then air-nail the corn to the tar paper in a sort of paint-by-numbers game until the entire palace is covered. Typically it’s ready by the beginning of December but all of that is weather-dependent. They’re not going to have people decorating when it’s 20 below and a blizzard is blowing.

The grass is generally replaced in June or July when it shines the brightest green. So if you want to see the Corn Palace in its full Technicolor glory early summer is probably the best time to visit. The entire project costs about $175,000 which is a small investment for something that draws half a million visitors annually.

Of course, droughts or floods can affect the crop. So some years there’s not enough corn to redo the whole thing and murals stay up for two years or more. Though the corn doesn’t rot, it fades, and birds pick off parts of the building.

Though you’ll never find a shortage of roadside gawkers wandering the corn-cob concourses of the Corn Palace and the gift shop that occupies the arena floor, it has practical uses too. It hosts 335 events a year including high school and Dakota Wesleyan athletics, concerts, and festivals.

Worth Pondering…

Corn is not just corn―there are many different types. The kind people eat on the cob is known as sweet corn (Zea mays convar. saccharata var. rugosa). The corn that dominates most American farms is known as field corn (Zea mays indentata). And if you’re looking for popcorn, that’s a whole different kind of corn, too. This kind of corn is simply called popcorn (Zea mays everta). Corn is not just corn.