Mountain Pass ATV Rentals

As usual on family vacations, things keep changing, this day was no exception. On this day we were expecting to go on one of the most epic parts of our vacation. Unfortunately, due to extreme winds we had to cancel that part and find something else to do. That was one of the best things that could have happened to us. We went to Mountain Pass ATV rental in Flagstaff, Arizona. The company was excellent with brand new ATVs and side-by-sides. Also, the prices were quite reasonable and they did not require a large security deposit. Plus, they were able to fit us in with no advance notice. Their representative, Chacho, was very helpful and professional. If you are ever in Flagstaff, do not skip this experience. On the ride, we headed up into the mountains and rode along lava rock for the most part of the trail. We did over 28 miles and it was amazing. From the top of the trail you can see all the way out to the Grand Canyon. There was a giant mountain in the background covered in snow. It is Humphreys Peak, the highest point in Arizona. Thank you again to Chacho and Mountain Pass ATV rentals for an amazing day!

Grand Canyon Deer Farm

We had a free morning before another big adventure and decided to do something close to our home for the week in Williams, AZ. I was torn between Bearizona and the deer farm. I chose the Grand Canyon Deer Farm because it seemed more hands on. The deer farm consists of animals that have been saved and rescued. At the deer farm you can feed lots of deer and you can see bison, a camel, llamas, goats, pigs, and many other animals. The kids absolutely love this. It was not terribly expensive and a great half day adventure.

Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend

This was the most spectacular hike of our entire trip in Arizona. Antelope Canyon is part of Navajo Nation. To hike Antelope Canyon, you need to have a guide service take you. We lucked out as our guide was amazing. Our guide’s name was Two Feathers. He gave us photography tips throughout our tour and played his flute as the sunset. Plus, we were able to book the sunset tour so we were not pushed for time and we got to watch the sunset over Horseshoe Bend.

When you take the guide service, you also get to go into Horseshoe Bend through the private entrance. The public entrance had probably 100 people, but the entrance we took was just our vehicle. We had about 15 of us overlooking Horseshoe Bend for the sunset. It was definitely the best way to do it. If you’re ever in page Arizona, definitely do this. Also, if you are in Arizona, do not skip Page! Page, Arizona was hands down our favorite stop of the trip!

Grand Canyon Airlines

After being shut down due to strong winds, we finally got to head to the skies and view the Grand Canyon from a different angle. We went to the Grand Canyon Airlines. This was an amazing way to see the Grand Canyon! The views were incredible. If you decide to take this trip, dramamine is highly recommended. I think if the flight had been 1 second longer, I would’ve had to use my air sick bag. I must say, I am not one that typically gets sick either. Smalls and Talls are more prone to getting sick to their stomach, Talls actually got sick after the plane ride from GA to AZ. They took Dramamine and were fine. Mediums and I spent about 30 min after the flight trying to settle our stomachs.

I was thrilled with how this excursion went. Trying to find and book excursions for the Grand Canyon can be really overwhelming because there are so many options. Plus, I am geographically challenged and layer on the fact that I had never been west of Texas prior to this trip, did not help me with narrowing down choices. The plane ride was more cost effective than the helicopter tours. I believe the planes are more stable than the planes as well. Every person on the plane had an unobstructed view and we flew around the entire rim. This was a truly fantastic excursion!

Whiteside Mountain

Whiteside Mountain National Recreation Trail located just outside of Highlands, NC is a heavily trafficked 1.9 mile loop up Whiteside Mountain and offers amazing views. When starting the trail, you can choose to stay left and hike up a gravel road or go right and start up steep steps. When we went, the gravel road was lined with icicles and we chose to stay that way for the gorgeous views. This way (clockwise), is also the easier route.

Upon reaching the top, the view was definitely worth it. Little did we know, that was just the beginning. We continued on the loop and enjoyed non-stop views all the way to the bottom. Every time we thought the trail would turn back into the woods, we had another overlook. We highly recommend this trail. It is one of our top 5 favorite hikes of all time. It is heavily trafficked and we have even skipped the hike in the past because we couldn’t find parking. Just go! Even though there was barely any parking spots, it didn’t feel that crowded. This is a spectacular trail!

Bell Rock

When we FINALLY made it to Arizona, we chose to stop in Sedona on our way to our rental home in Williams. Sedona is absolutely gorgeous and really takes your breath away driving in because the scenery changes from brown to red rock. Sedona is a cool little town but traffic was heavy even on a Sunday afternoon. We struggled to find parking at any trailhead and got lucky at Bell Mountain. The trail is 1.7 mi in and out and relatively easy. There were a few areas to rock scramble a bit and more if you want. For the brave and experienced hikers, you can scramble to the top although it is technical, steep, and quite honestly dangerous. We went later in the afternoon and stayed until just before sunset. It was incredible to see the colors changing as the sun got lower in the sky. The kids had a great time climbing around especially after 19 hours in an airport and driving 4 hours to get to this point. I must say, they were troopers.

Old Fall River Road

While in Colorado, we went to Rocky Mountain National Park and drove Old Fall River Road. Old Fall River Rd. is an 11-mile dirt gravel road that is suitable for most vehicles. There are multiple hikes along for River Road that are rated anywhere from moderate to easy. The views are spectacular and we really struggled with not stopping at every single viewpoint. We highly recommend taking Old Fall River Road if you are in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Bartram Trail to Wallace Branch

The Bartram Trail is one of our favorite trails in the Southeast. On this adventure we headed up to North Carolina where we took Wallace branch to Williams pulpit. It started off very easy to a beautiful waterfall. Later in the hike, it got a little more difficult but wasn’t unbearable. The views at the top were absolutely amazing and we were so lucky to be the only ones there. With the Appalachian trail through hiker bubble happening now, it is difficult to find a trail that is not crowded. The Bartram Trail was exactly what we needed.

Little River Canyon

On a whim, we traveled to Alabama. We weren’t sure where we were headed for our day, I just knew that we wanted to do a little bit of off-road driving, a little bit of hiking, and just enjoy being outside together. We wound up at Little River Canyon and hiked. The weather was beautiful and the water was even more beautiful. If you ever have the chance to head to Fort Payne, Alabama, do not miss Little River Canyon. It is an absolutely amazing waterfall.

DeSoto Falls

On this adventure we travel to Fort Payne Alabama! I must say DeSoto Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls we have ever been to. If you have never been to the Fort Payne area you are definitely missing out. DeSoto falls was a moderate hike that was absolutely beautiful. During the hike to De Soto falls, we walked along the river on the way there and beautiful Bluffs on the way out. There was even a pretty cool cave at one point.