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Tag: road trip

Rustic Log Cabins – Montana

Rustic Log Cabins in Ennis, Montana

The historic Sportsman’s Lodge, built in 1945, is surrounded by 18 rustic log cabins and 11 mountain view rooms. This one-stop destination offers everything you need after a long day on the road or while exploring Yellowstone Country; not only the cozy rustic log cabins but also a family-friendly restaurant, sports bar, and a casino. The atmosphere is relaxed and comfortable, a place where everyone shares their fishing and adventure stories. The lodge is located 0.8 miles from Ennis State Park/Fishing Access Area, 1.5 miles from Madison Meadows Golf Course, 17 miles from Montana’s living ghost town, Virginia City, and 72 miles from Yellowstone National Park.

The history from Sportsman’s Lodge website:

The town of Ennis is full of rich history, dating back to 1805, when Lewis and Clark entered the Madison Valley. The Madison County was later settled in 1863, following the discovery of gold in Alder Gulch. William Ennis , whom the town is named after, is credited with homesteading the area. Originally the town was a draw for its water access, farming potential, and wild game. As a result, the settlement continued to spread and provided a draw for ranching, which is still predominant in the area today. The town of Ennis today is just as majestic and beautiful as when it was discovered all those years ago. Visit www.sportsmanslodgemt.com to read more.

Sportsman’s Lodge Cabins

The charming cabins have western decor and are no-fuss, simple, and clean; perfect for a good night’s rest after a big day of fishing or exploring. Each cabin has a little deck area with seating to enjoy the fresh mountain air and big sky views.

In addition, not far (walking distance) from the Sportsman’s Lodge, they also offer more rooms at the Silvertip Lodge.

The restaurant is open 6 days a week and sports bar is open 7 days a week. See hours here https://www.sportsmanslodgemt.com/.

Everyone loves a to-go option while on the road!

We traveled to Virginia City and Ennis after visiting Glacier National Park. Read more about Montana’s living ghost town, Virginia City – https://tracyseesstuff.com/2021/07/11/virginia-city-montana-ghost-town/.

Read our lodging and entry tips to Glacier National Park post by clicking HERE.

Enjoy the road and keep searching for what stirs your soul. ❤️

©Tracy Blowers

July 11, 2021
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park Southern Utah

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Southern Utah is a natural, 3,730 acre, beautiful “sandbox” that opened in 1963. The dunes were created by the erosion of the nearby Navajo sandstone cliffs. As a result, the sand is a unique bright orangish pink color that pops against the blue skies.

There is something fun to do for everyone at Coral Pink Sand Dunes, including dogs. We explore, hike, take pictures of the ever-changing landscapes, and love watching our footprints disappear in the wind moments after leaving them. The elevation is 6000 feet, and the sand is deep. As a result, we tire quicker than we expect, especially being flatlanders. 😉

Things to do at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Rent a sand sled, ATV, or Dune Buggie for some adrenaline-pumping fun, or schedule a repelling tour in the park. Have a picnic, walk and read all the signage to learn more about the native plants and animals, or relax at the overlook, taking in all the sights. Dogs are welcome if kept on a 6-foot leash. Our dog had a blast running, playing, and watching all the ATVs driving up and down the dunes.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is open 7 days a week during daylight hours. The entrance fee is $8.00 and camping is $20 a night.

Look how small the people look! It gives you perspective on the size of the dunes. Don’t forget your backpack with water and snacks.

Sand sledding.

Read about our favorite pet-friendly hotel is Southern Utah, Best Friends Roadhouse and Kanab’s Best Restaurants. All are less than 30 miles from Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.

To help plan your next trip to Southern Utah, visitsouthernutah.com. You can also search my blog using the words Kanab or Southern Utah.

©What Stirs Your Soul Media

May 24, 2021
Black Rock Mountain Resort – Park City, Utah

New dog-friendly resort in Park City, Utah

Black Rock Mountain Resort is a brand new four-season (dog-friendly) resort in Park City, Utah. I highly recommend driving up U.S. Route 189 from Provo, Utah when you visit. The towering mountain and deep canyon views are striking! A few miles before arriving at the resort, you pass Jordanelle State Park and Reservoir, the vast deep blue water resting under the Wasatch Mountain Range is breathtaking. Then, as you come around a corner, Black Rock Mountain Resort is standing tall on the edge of the Uintas Wilderness with the best views of the whole region.

We love this location because it is so close (literally minutes) to Park City but not right in the middle of town. Park City is really busy so I appreciate the easy access to the resort, parking, and use of the resort’s shuttle service. Because the resort is so new, we wondered if they had worked out the kinks and they definitely have. We were impressed and appreciated all the help we received from check-in to check-out. We were greeted at the door and asked if we needed assistance with our bags. Every staff member went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and answered questions about the area. One team member even gave a welcome treat to our dog, Allen. That’s all it took for him, he gives Black Rock five stars.

The best mountain views

The entrance to the resort is beautiful with wide-open space, plenty of seating, a fireplace, and The Market with locally sourced coffee. You can also pick up a quick breakfast, sandwiches, smoothies, tea, and whole fruit at the market.

The On The Rocks bar is gorgeous with more incredible views of the mountains. I could have relaxed here all day. There is also a full-service restaurant. The Overlook Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Chef is passionate about buying locally and is inspired by Utah’s unique environments from the mountains to the desert. The restaurant wasn’t quite open when we stayed but is open now and the food looks delicious (click the restaurant name to see all the mouth-watering pictures – I can’t wait to go back).

Another reason this is an awesome travel destination is all the adventuring. It’s easy to only think of skiing. The area offers hiking, fly-fishing, golfing, mountain biking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, Utah’s Olympic Park, and so much more. It’s nice because there really is something for everyone and something for all skill levels.

The resort offers so many activities, you might not even want to adventure out. 😉 You can relax in the outdoor heated pool or hot tubs, take a temperature-controlled sauna or unwind in the steam room. There are the cutest outdoor fire-pits to cozy up and stargaze at that big beautiful Utah sky. They also have a huge lounge with big-screen TVs, pool tables, foosball, ping-pong, and gaming.

Because we always need more Allen…

Here’s a view from the other direction.

Cheers to traveling and experiencing new places!

Learn more about Black Rock Mountain Resort: www.blackrockmountainresort.com

Another very cool pet-friendly hotel in Utah is Best Friends Roadhouse in Kanab, Utah.

Find more amazing places to explore in Utah by using my search feature on the home page.

©What Stirs Your Soul Media

April 29, 2021
Lake Powell Southern Utah

What an incredible find while traveling in Southern Utah! Our home base was Kanab, Utah because it’s perfectly situated for exploring Southern Utah and while volunteering at Best Friends Animal Society. We wanted to take a short trip to Lake Powell. I did some research but wasn’t finding an ideal location for our dog and to make it a quick trip.

I visited the Kane County Office of Tourism. It’s my go-to information spot in Kanab. They are always so helpful, friendly and have the best advice for your unique situation. They told me about Lone Rock Beach. It was so worth stopping in and asking questions, we would have never come across this spot and it was amazing!

Kane County Office of Tourism

Here are photos from our incredible morning at Lone Rock Beach.

Beach RVing and Camping

I added camping here to my bucket list! I mean…how perfect does that look?

Utah LOVED cooling off in Lake Powell. It was so fun to cruise down to the beach in our car. The fee for a 7-day pass is $30.

Goodbye Lone Rock Beach. Can’t wait to see you again!

Don’t forget…

Take only pictures and leave only footprints. ❤️

©What Stirs Your Soul Media

March 1, 2021
Horseshoe Bend Arizona

Horseshoe Bend Arizona

This is what you see as you walk the 3/4 mile from the parking lot to the overlook of Horseshoe Bend. It’s so flat that it’s hard to believe you will see an awe-inspiring deep canyon. I kept imagining what the first people must have thought as they traveled this flat land and then to come to the edge of this incredible site.

Horseshoe Bend has been on my bucket list for awhile. We’ve driven by many times but haven’t stopped due to overcrowding. This site has become quite the social media sensation. It’s best to go early morning or evening. We didn’t have that opportunity so there were a lot of tour buses and people (see video below). Luckily because we visited in February, we were still able to park in the lot and walk to the overlook to capture this beautiful view.

Horseshoe Bend is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Colorado River carves its way through the sandstone on its way to the sea. The Glen Canyon area covers 1.25 million acres. There is so much to see and do that I don’t think we could do it all in a lifetime (Goals!). The nearby Lake Powell offers tons of water activities including houseboat rentals. Plus there is endless hiking, camping, and backcountry recreation.

Even though it is a relatively easy hike to the overlook, make sure to be prepared with plenty of water and hiking shoes. One of the girls playing on the rock in the video almost slid off. Her friends were quick enough to catch her but it was terrifying. Please respect the land, Mother Nature and the rules.

Horseshoe Bend and this whole area is pet-friendly. They even gave Allen a dog treat as we entered. He loved stretching his legs and the view. 🙂

Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile is an amazing pet-friendly hotel in the area, and while exploring this area, make sure to check out Lone Rock Beach!

© What Stirs Your Soul Media

February 19, 2021
Fay Canyon Trail Sedona Arizona

Hiking Fay Canyon Trail Sedona Arizona

Fay Canyon Trail – Sedona, Arizona in the enchanted Coconino National Forest is an easy to moderate trail without much elevation gain. The moss and greenery among the red rocks stood out to us along with the awe-inspiring sandstone formations overhead.

The trail is an out and back 2.4 mile hike. There is a secret natural arch to keep an eye out for or you will miss it. Check out the Sedona Hiking App for directions and details. On this hike, we decided to bring our ukulele just for fun. I don’t know how to play it yet but it’s one of my goals. I wanted to snap some pictures with it against the red rocks. The ukulele ended up bringing us much more than we expected!

When we made it to the end of the of maintained trail, we met a couple who asked us about the ukulele.

We chatted a little bit and the gentleman asked if he could play it. He even tuned it for us and then…

It was so fun to listen to him play on the trail with the sound echoing off the rocks. We had a great conversation and exchanged some recommendations. It continues to amaze me how we can meet complete strangers on the trail and become fast friends. We started working our way back and then met a woman who asked us about the ukulele. She also asked if she could play it.

She was such a sweetheart and helped Terry learn a few chords.

This ended up being one of our all time favorite hikes because we got so much joy out of listening to people play and our conversations. Sometimes it’s more than the trail. ❤️

Use the search box on the right to find all of our Sedona blogs.

Safe travels! Don’t forget – leave no trace.

Life is short, keep searching for what stirs your soul. ❤️

©What Stirs Your Soul Media

January 26, 2021

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