The Clumsy Cairn

"Not until we are lost do we begin to find ourselves." - Henry David Thoreau Happy National Parks Week from somewhere a little lost in @grandtetonpark ❤️

"Walk as if you are kissing the world with your feet." - Unknown Arches National Park, Utah #feetinprettyplaces

"What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?"

Loving the outdoors means constantly learning new ways to explore it. Next adventure? Climbing.

Happy 92nd birthday to Wupatki National Monument! I spent my own birthday this year exploring this 1,000 year old pueblo, and marveling at the incredible natural and historical wonders the Southwest has to offer. I can't wait to go back and explore more!

Trees.

"Falling feels like flying 'til you hit the ground."

"Love her, but leave her wild." - To Kill a Mockingbird

The Grand Canyon is quite grand.

"Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures." - Alice in Wonderland

The Hoover Dam is crazy impressive. Not only is it an amazing example of modern engineering, it also has a brilliantly captivating history. Don't let the controversial Hoover name deter you... this amazing structure controls flooding of the Colorado River, provides water to the Southwest, and energy to over 8 million people! (History.com)

The Hoover Dam.

Lichen growing on volcanic rock in Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument near Flagstaff, Arizona. According to the U.S. Forest Service, lichen is a unique combination of algae and fungus that, due to a very beneficial relationship, can survive for thousands of years, even in the harshest of conditions. It is very sensitive to environmental changes, and scientists study it to help determine the amount and types of pollutants present in the atmosphere around it. So why should you care about lichen? Lichen can filter the toxins in the air and makes it safer for humans to breathe. The earth is so smart, and we need to protect it, because even though we can’t always see it, it’s protecting us, too!

"A river cuts through rock not only because of its power, but its resilience." - Unknown