Exploring the Beauty and History of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park in Minnesota

Located about 20 miles northeast of Two Harbors on Highway 61, this park gets it's name from the  beautiful historic lighthouse perched atop a rock cliff on the north shore of Lake Superior.

The Split Rock lighthouse is one of the most visited lighthouses in the nation and serves as backdrop for many popular photos. The lighthouse was completed in 1910 and was in service until 1969. Tours of the lighthouse and surrounding buildings are available daily throughout the summer season. Find more info here.

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park has around 4 miles of rocky shoreline and beaches. 

A beautiful black sand beach (Pebble Beach) is located just a short walk from the parking area. Several picnic areas are nestled in the trees along the beach.

A little further down the main trail will lead you to a beach area that is made of of beautiful colored  stones. This is a fun place to explore the coastline.

The vegetation in this area is mainly birch, spruce, fir, and ash trees.

The park contains 14.5 miles of trails for hiking, bicycling, and cross-country skiing.

Camping

Cart-in Sites

Twenty secluded sites approximately 2000 feet from the parking area.. Campers leave their vehicles in the lot and use two-wheeled carts provided by the park to carry their equipment  to their site. There are two wheelchair accessible sites in this area. Modern toilets and showers are available from early May until early October.

Backpack Sites

Four sites ranging from 1/2 to 2 miles from the campground parking lot. Two of the sites are accessible from Lake Superior for use by kayaks.

Reservations for campsites are required. Make them here.

Water recreation includes boating, sea kayaking, fishing, and scuba diving. Access to the Madeira wreck, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, is available through the park. 

Address: 

3755 Split Rock Lighthouse Road

Two Harbors, MN 55616

telephone: 

218-595-ROCK (7625)

email: 

SplitRockLthouse.StatePark@state.mn.us

Happy Travels! 

Discovering the Little Grand Canyon in Arkansas

There is a little-known geological wonder in Southern Arkansas, often referred to as "The Little Grand Canyon." 

These distinctive sand and rock formations are located at the edge of White Oak Lake in Chidester, and are not well-known beyond the local community. Visitors can hike around the rim of the canyon and explore several trails that lead down to the crystal-clear, blue-green waters below.

The formations themselves are composed of hard-packed sand and shale rocks, with a unique blend of white, dark gray, and rust-colored hues. Hiking trails wind throughout the area, and locals love to cool off in the refreshing waters during the summer months

To access this hidden gem, visitors can drive to the end of the road and park in the clearing just inside the woods

 It's a must-visit destination for anyone looking to experience the natural beauty of Arkansas.


Address:

 218 Ouachita Rd 332
 Chidester, AR 71726

GPS cordinates:

33.700436, -93.099361

Enjoy Your Visit!

       Sherri

Capturing the Beauty of Lake Catherine State Park's Waterfall: A Christmas Day Photoshoot

We spent last Christmas on Lake Catherine and had a blast. It was a beautiful warm day, so we hiked to the popular waterfall and took our photos there. I thought I would share them with you for inspiration on finding a unique place for a Christmas photoshoot.

A waterfall is so such an unexpected place and everyone has loved all the photos!

I love catching those little moments that will mean so much to the cousins in the future.

Some of my favorites are the unplanned ones like this. I think we made a lot of hikers happy with all the hats. Everyone we passed was smiling!

Our youngest family was worn out from all the hiking. I'm pretty sure several of the adults were tired from carrying him too! I noticed he was passed around a lot during the trip.

Lake Catherine State Park is located in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Address:

1200 Catherine Park Rd

 Hot Springs, AR 71913

Happy Holidays! 

Discovering the Cactus Forest at Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona

The Saguaro National Park is divided into two sections. They are located on either side of the city of Tucson, Arizona. 

The park is named after the saguaro cactus, native to its desert environment.

In the eastern Rincon Mountain District, Cactus Forest Drive is a paved eight mile drive with beautiful views of the desert. There are many pull overs and hiking trails on the route.

There are around 1200 species of plants in the Rincon Mountain District and about 400 species in the Tucson Mountain District.

 The saguaro cactus is the largest of the 25 species of cactus located in the park. It can grow up to 60 feet tall and weigh up to 4800 pounds. If the conditions are right, it can live up to 200 years.

All of these photos were taken on the drive in the Rincon Mountain district.

Address:

3693 S Old Spanish Rd

Tucson, AZ 85730

Happy Travels! 

Sky Ranch Lodge (Review) Sedona, Arizona

The Sky Ranch Lodge is located on top of a mesa and has some of the best views in Sedona. This was our favorite spot for hiking and watching the sunset.

It is conveniently located across the road from the airport, and close to shopping and sightseeing.

A short walk puts you at one of the most popular overlook in Sedona. This area gets crowded, especially at sunset.

The location is very convenient for hiking to the airport vortex. The trail head is located at the back of the parking lot just across the main road.

The property features an outdoor pool with waterfall and a large hot tub.

The grounds are beautifully landscaped with walkways, bridges, sitting areas, and fish ponds located throughout.

There are many choices for accommodation options. We chose one with a kitchenette at the back of the property with a garden view.. We would have loved to have had one with a mesa view at the front of the property, but they were all booked when we made reservations. 

We loved everything about the lodge, but the views from the patio were amazing!

Relaxing on the patio and watching the sunset is the main attraction at the lodge. It's easy to understand why that is by this photo I took on our last night there. 

Address:

 1105 Airport Rd

 Sedona, AZ 86336

Happy Travels! 

Airport Mesa Vortex and Hike– Sedona, Arizona

Sedona is a special place not only for it's beautiful red messes, but also for it special energy. Every year, thousands of people travel from all over the world to experience these vortexes.

Sedona’s vortexes are areas of concentrated energy rising from the earth in a swirling pattern similar to a tornado.

This vortex energy is also reported to be found at sacred sites such as Stonehenge and the Great Pyramid.

It is said that the vortex causes the twisting of juniper trees in places where this energy is strongest.

There are four main Vortexes in Sedona. We hiked to the Airport Vortex.

We started our out from the parking lot next to the airport vista overlook. It is a little over half a mile from the vortex.

The lot is a large parking area on the left up Airport Road from the vortex parking. There are only eight spaces to park close to the vortex and they are always full. The lot is across the road from the Sky Ranch Lodge where we were staying. I highly recommend staying there! It is a beautiful place! I will make a post about it later.

Be sure a check out the overlook across the road from the parking lot. The view is amazing!

The views from the Airport Mesa Overlook are worth the hike, regardless of rather you feel the energy or not!

Happy Travels! 

Video of Hike ↓↓↓