The National Parks
If you can’t tell from my video content, I am on a quest to see as many National Parks as I can while on this van journey. And, the reason I am focused on these parks just might surprise you.
A Year of Van Life: Lessons from the Road
I cannot believe I have been on this crazy adventure of van life for an entire year. As I look back on all the ups and downs of this past year…
Gulf Island National Seashore
Earlier this year, I spent a few wonderful weeks camping at the Fort Pickens Campground in Pensacola Beach, Florida. This park and campground are…
Let’s Catch Up
Hey all! It has been tooooo long! Much to my chagrin, I have not been keeping up with my writing and blogging over the past 6 months. I have had some…
Acadia National Park
Earlier this year, I spent a few wonderful weeks camping at the Fort Pickens Campground in Pensacola Beach, Florida. This park and campground are part of the Gulf Island National Seashore. During my stay, I spent my days working, walking the beach, and hiking on the trails in the park. Believe it or not there were several trails located in the park. These trails were all super easy and had incredible views.
From the campground, I took part of the Florida Trail to Fort Pickens. This trail takes you through the marsh which is probably pretty buggy in the warmer months, but in the winter it was gorgeous. Battery Worth, a concrete coastal defense structure built in 1899, is a fun stop along the way. I climbed to the top and was treated with sweeping ocean views.
Rainbow Falls
After my positive experience solo hiking the Living Waters Trail I decided to make the leap to a more difficult trail in the area, Rainbow Falls Trail in North Carolina’s Gorges State Park. According to All Trails the hike is Moderate Difficulty and 3.5 miles in length. This up and back trail is clearly marked, easy to follow, and popular with hikers. I intentionally chose a hike that would be easy to follow and relatively busy with other hikers. Having other people close gave me a little security and confidence.
The hike itself was difficult for me but doable. The walk in was mostly downhill and relatively easy, however that meant that walking out was mostly uphill. I took my time and took several breaks during the difficult spots.
First Solo Hike
The beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina were the perfect place for me to jump into solo hiking. As with most solo adventures, I was scared. But as you know by now, I did it scared.
Thanks to the amazing owners of Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort, I had my personal guide to the best newbie hiking trails in the area. During my stay I did 2 of the recommended hikes. The Living Waters Trail was my first choice and my first official Solo Hike. It was an easy hike that ended up being the perfect way to get my feet wet.
Living Waters Trail
The Living Waters Trail is located on the grounds of the Living Waters Religious Retreat. Parking is on the the side of the road making it a bit of a tight fit for Lucy and I, but we managed. The short hikes is fairly easy and takes you along the side of the water to 3 different waterfalls. During the entire hike you are surrounded by beautiful foliage much of which is Mountain Laurel. I can only imagine how incredible the trail is when the laurel are blooming. You are also treated to the sounds of rushing water making the entire experience very peaceful.
Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort
During the early fall, I spent time exploring the beautiful western North Carolina mountains. During my travels I spent a week at Blue Ridge Falls RV Resort near Lake Toxaway, North Carolina. This beautiful little campground is family owned and operated and goes above and beyond to create a sense of community among their visitors. The below review is based on my standard categories and review scale with 1 Lucy 🚐 being the lowest score and 5 Lucys 🚐🚐🚐🚐🚐 being the highest.
Beautiful Biltmore
After my stay in Sylva, I decided I was ready to head a little deeper into the mountains of western North Carolina. On my way out of town, I stopped for a day in Asheville, NC to spend some time with my oldest son. It was a beautiful late summer day and we decided that a trip to the Biltmore House was a great way to take advantage of the weather. As with most things related to van life, this simple trip was a little more complicated than I expected, but in the end so much fun.
Moonshine Creek Campground
During my time exploring the beautiful mountains of western North Carolina, I booked a week long stay at a beautiful campground near Sylva, North Carolina named Moonshine Creek Campground. This incredibly beautiful, quiet, and impeccably cared for campground is secluded in the mountains with easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway. The below review is based on my standard categories and review scale with 1 Lucy 🚐 being the lowest score and 5 Lucys 🚐🚐🚐🚐🚐 being the highest.