A trip to: Rocky Mountain National Park

Dates visited: October 2024

This was Juno’s introduction to travel at 3 months old! My girl loves traveling dirt roads with the boot window down and hanging out with her puppy cousins. Her first adventure was to Colorado where we visited Rocky Mountain National Park and the surrounding areas (including side quests to the Great Sand Dunes and Garden of the Gods) with my sister & her husband (this is their 4Runner and their sweet Poms) and my brother, Joe, who happens to be my regular traveling buddy.

For the duration of our trip, we enjoyed a small cabin in Grand Lake, CO which served as our base when visiting the Rocky Mountain National Park and surrounding areas. Juno loved her extended sleepover with her Pom cousins.

We entered Rocky Mountain National Park via Hwy 34, and it wasn’t long before we fell in love with the beautiful landscapes. Though honestly? You can throw a dart on a map of Colorado, and you’d likely end up surrounded by gorgeous views. It is definitely one of my favorite states.

After passing through the park gates, we were immediately treated with Autumn meadows painted with the yellow leaves of Aspens who had valiantly held out until the very end of the season before putting on their golden show. I’d like to think they waited for us! And as we crept our way up the steep slopes, sunshine gave way to a dusting of snowflakes as we reached the peaks overlooking a glacial tundra. Pika were putting on an adorable show as they frantically darted in and out of the rocks below, a flurry of activity as they frantically gathered vegetation to add to their stores before winter officially arrived.

Every inch of Rocky Mountain National Park was beautiful, and Juno was very photogenic as we tasked her with sitting pretty at nearly every overlook. We were disappointed to learn that dogs are not allowed on trails, and though I understand the reasoning behind this decision, it is still disappointing that this is the rule for most areas of our National Parks.

This trip started a journey that was the catalyst that sealed the deal for me. It made me yearn to see all that our beautiful country as to offer. Especially in a time where there is so little else to be proud of as an American.

It made me realize that I was no longer content with simply waiting to die in my tiny corner of Mississippi. If I had unlimited resources, I’d be living in a van with my two puppies and traveling (between visiting my beloved kids!) like the nomad that my heart and soul tell me that I am. I’d probably force my brother along for the ride, but for now, I’m the one tagging along.

And I’m ever so grateful.

For more photos, check out my Gallery or head to my brother’s instagram: jhankinsmedia. He is a phenomenal photographer and loves shooting wildlife in our beautiful parks. He also takes amazing pics of my pups, Juno & Willow.

March 10, 2026 0

A trip to: Grand Canyon & Sedona

Dates visited: December 2024

As far as road trips go, my visit to the Grand Canyon was beyond memorable. This adventure was a spur of the moment trip that I took with my brother, Joe, who is probably my favorite person in the world outside of my kids. Actually, there’s no “probably” about it. It’s a sin to lie and all that.

My oldest son and his partner joined us on the trip. Him being able to join us was a “rare spawn” event, and it meant a lot to me to be able to have that time with him. His joining us was a crucial part of the plan: my son drove my brother & I (with Juno squished in there as well!) to go pick up his new truck in Texas. Once the new truck was picked up around Houston, we headed to Little Rock to pick up his new trailer. And from there? A convoy straight to the Grand Canyon!

On the way, we stopped and enjoyed one of the most memorable meals I’ve ever eaten: El Patio de Albuquerque’s adovada stuffed sopapillas. I still dream of this meal to this day. Juno was so well behaved on that patio. She is always the best girl.

Once at the Grand Canyon, we were able to stay onsite. It was winter, and a week before Christmas, so the campground was empty. And cold! And also around the time that “unidentified drones” were being reported across the country. We spent one night on the edge of the canyon, staring at the stars, freezing to the bone and scaring ourselves silly anytime we saw something suspect.

What can I say about the Grand Canyon? It’s stunning. It’s an icon. It’s a testament to time and dogged determination. I have a great appreciation for the boundless number of years that it must have taken for the canyon to be carved so spectacularly by the steadfast river below. It is a leviathan, this geological marvel that dares you to look your own mortality in its face and cower before its longevity. The moving highlights of everchanging hue painting the canyon as the sun moved through the sky was breathtaking, and I wanted to plant my feet on the valley below and get lost in its timelessness. As such, I wish I had been in better health (and had more time) to be able to actually hike the canyon. Without the change of perspective that comes with marching into the belly of the beast, one is tempted to dismiss the Grand Canyon as “just a big hole in the ground”. Well, not me. But definitely someone in our traveling party that I shall not name, but I will forever side-eye. And it wasn’t Juno.

“Big hole in the ground” or not, I’m glad I got to see check this one off my bucket list. And I got to see it with my son.

Before heading home, we visited Sedona. We arrived late at night and left early the next morning, so I wasn’t able to get too many pictures, but the views were unforgettable. I definitely would love to revisit it one day and explore the area thoroughly.

Just not in December.

Above: Grand Canyon

Above: Sedona (Rancho Sedona RV Park)

Above: Sunset on the way to Sedona

March 9, 2026 0

A trip to: Great Sand Dunes

Dates visited: October 2024 and May 2025

Juno & I have had the pleasure to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park twice, and each visit has been remarkable! The first time I visited, I was lucky enough to see the Northern Lights over the dunes. It was such an awe-inspiring experience that left me sobbing with joy and wonder. We thought we had experienced all the dunes had to offer, but boy were we wrong.

The second visit, my son joined us and he had a blast hiking the dunes. While he spent his day battling the gusting sands, my brother and I enjoyed off-roading Medano Pass. We weren’t even aware that this was an option the first rushed visit, but it was one of the highlights of our trip and sparked my love of overlanding. It is a 22-mile road connecting Great Sand Dunes with the Wet Mountain Valley and Colorado State Highway 69 that is only open in the warmer months each year that features sand pits, rock crawls, and water crossings. There’s some backcountry camping available (21 FCFS sites), and I would love to go back and experience a night or two along the Pass.

We ended up staying at the Zapata Falls campground, a BLM primitive campground that offered sweet views of the dunes and the surrounding valley. It was only $11 a night (just vault toilets and fire rings) and honestly one of the best camping experiences to date. The sunset, the stars, the vast expansive views. Unforgettable. The rocky road to the campground ended in a trailhead to a waterfall (Zapata Falls) where my son and I saw a bear and her cub sitting atop the rocks above the falls entrance! It was absolutely magical.

During our May trip, we were able to experience Medano Creek, a surge flow of melted snow meandering through the dune fields. There is a small outpost just before entering the park that rents out sand sleds, as well as a shop that rents them in nearby Alamosa.

While most people take a gander at the impressive dunes and call it a day, I definitely recommend exploring this park and its surrounding areas, especially the Medano Pass if you have a 4WD vehicle. Visiting the dunes beneath the Northern Lights and exploring the Medano Pass with my brother and Juno are both such cherished memories. I smile every time I think of my son’s joy and pride after he traversed the dunes solo. As such, the Great Sand Dunes National Park will always be one of my favorites for sentimental reasons. I’m grateful for having experienced everything it had to offer.

March 9, 2026 1

A trip to: Grand Teton & Yellowstone

Dates visited: October 2024 & July 2025

Juno & I have been to Yellowstone twice. Once with my brother, my sister & her husband, and their two dogs. It was originally a trip to just the Rocky Mountain National Park & surrounding areas with our new puppies (just months old!), but as the trip grew to a close, my brother and I were called to continue our trip to Grand Teton & Yellowstone. After all, we were so close! When would we ever get out that way again?

The answer to question was “a year later”, when Yellowstone was the terminus for a huge loop trip that first stopped in Moab for some off-roading with the same crew from my first trip and then went west to Yosemite before hitting the PNW and scooting over to Glacier National Park. This was a month-long endeavor, and Juno thrived as our traveling companion. She is an adventure dog, through and through! My youngest two children flew into Jackson, WY to explore Grand Teton & Yellowstone with us for that second visit.

As we awaited the arrival of my kiddos, we spent about a week on the other side of the Grand Teton mountains in Idaho at Riverside Park Campground. It was a great jumping point to explore the area and challenged the Great Sand Dunes for the most stars I’ve ever seen at night. There are plenty of gravel roads to explore, both along the Snake River in Idaho, as well as the mighty Grand Tetons.

Is it even a road trip if you don’t grab a coke & some peanuts and kick up some dust?

Grand Teton National Park and its surrounding area stole a piece of my heart, and I don’t think I will escape this mortal coil without forever hearing their call to return.

Yes, if I have my say, return I will.

My physical health kept me from fully exploring both Grand Teton and Yellowstone (I’m working on it!). Naturally, I’d love to go back and have an opportunity to explore some of the more challenging hikes and trails. But a third visit? That just seems greedy and there’s so many more parks to explore! That being said, the minions’ flight into Jackson, WY was delayed a day, so their trip was cut short. They deserve a redo!

If I do manage to get back to Yellowstone one day, I would likely set up base camp in one of the many boondocking spots between Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Grassy Lake Rd was an amazing option, and we spent a whole day exploring this gravel road that connects to Idaho, giving you amazing views of the neglected backside of the Grand Teton mountain range. Otherwise, I would either tent camp or car camp Mammoth campground. Mammoth campground is where we car-camped the first trip; Fishing Bridge RV Park (hard campers required due to bear activity) is where we camped the second trip in my brother’s trailer. I was very disappointed in the size of the individual campgrounds in Fishing Bridge. It felt more like sleeping in a parking lot (obviously) than camping. A trip to Yellowstone deserves more than that.

For the longest time, Yellowstone (and Grand Teton, which I view as a package deal) was my absolute favorite National Park. While many flock to Yellowstone for the geothermal landscapes, I prefer the waterfalls and various rock formations, not to mention the wildlife. I’ve seen bears, wolves, elk, and moose (and various other birds and mammals) at Yellowstone. Honestly, seeing a grizzly mom with her three cubs crossing the road was something of a spiritual experience that left me sobbing. And that’s the beauty of this park; it is a vast span of beauty and wonder that houses so many stunning geological marvels and ecosystems. They ebb and flow into each other, leaving you breathless from one view to another.