Regardless of the type of camping you do, you’ll probably need fire of some sort, at least for food preparation.  Fire and dry vegetation do not mix well and the results of neglecting campfire safety can be disastrous.  With that in mind here are some helpful hints offered by the Tennessee State Fire Marshal with […]

Looking for an unusual reason to get outdoors and explore? How about frog photography? Check out this great video to learn more about how Robin Moore, conservationist and photographer, combines photography and frogs: Video Link: vimeo.com/124837993 Please Share #frogs #frogphotography

Origins of the American Discovery Trail From April 1980 to May 1981, several dozen hikers walked across America in an event sponsored by the American Hiking Society and called HikaNation.  This event became an inspiration for the American Discovery Trail.  The inspiration led to formation of the American Discovery Trail Society and efforts to link trails and […]

If you are looking to combine hiking with some citizen science, Jasper National Park in Canada, is offering an interesting option. The Park is seeking volunteers to help with the first year of a pilot project to sample and analyze the DNA of black and grizzly bears in the park. Samples are taken from bear […]

If you are a cyclist that knows a disabled person that would like to share the joy of cycling,  you should look into the Duet Wheelchair Bicycle Tandem.  When ready to cycle,  it’s basically an adult tricycle with a wheelchair set in front of the handle bars.  As shown in the inset above,  the wheelchair […]

The Mountaineers Mountain Workshops are for kids. The Mountaineers take kids outdoors for a variety of experiences that will challenge them while teaching them to get out and enjoy the wonders of the outdoors. The program fosters teamwork, perseverance, resilience, friendships, fun, courage, confidence, respect and awe. The following video shows how they accomplish all […]

Geocaching Banned The Arizona State Trust Land Department takes a dim view of geocaching, banning the activity on the lands they manage. Arizona Sonora News recently quoted Bill Boyd a policy administrator for the trust as saying: “By policy, one of the things you can’t do is leave things on trust land and by its very […]

Technology for Competitive Hikers Whistler Blackcomb in Whistler BC, Canada began using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device) technology last  winter.  Skiers  buy a pass that includes an antenna and their identifying information.  As they approach a chair lift, the gate reads the card and automatically opens to allow access. The same technology has created a new […]

Countryside Initiative Program The National Park Service has created a Countryside Initiative program in partnership with Cuyahoga Valley Countryside Conservancy.  The program is designed to preserve and protect the rural landscape in Cuyahoga Valley National Park by providing farmers with long-term leases in exchange for farming the land.  Farmers must compete for a lease  of a proposed site including providing […]

We have mentioned the work of Latino Outdoors to “connect cultura with the outdoors.” Current African American culture also discourages the outdoor connection.  Outdoor Journalist James Wells realized decades ago that very few people of color, besides himself, were spending time outdoors.  He says, “I still find myself being one of the very few people of […]