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Map
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- Historic Site
- National Park
- Nature
  - Arch
  - Bog
  - Canyon
  - Cave
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  - Dune
  - Lake
  - Prairie
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  - Waterfall
  - Wetland
  - Wilderness
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  - Cemetery
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20170930-_DSC0135

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American Byways

October 2, 2018

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I woke before daylight in my rooftop tent along th

I woke before daylight in my rooftop tent along the Cheat River in West Virginia, wind shaking the fabric as fresh snow fell through the night. By morning, the riverbanks and forest floor were covered, and winter had stripped the landscape down to its essentials. It was bitterly cold, unsettled weather—the kind that slows movement but sharpens attention.

Snowshoeing into Coopers Rock State Forest, trails softened or disappeared beneath fresh drifts. The forest was quiet, broken only by wind and the compression of snow underfoot. Deeper in the woods, the Henry Clay Furnace emerged from the trees, its stone stack standing as a reminder of early Appalachian industry. Completed in 1836, the furnace once employed hundreds and produced iron that was floated down the Cheat River. In winter, it felt isolated and exposed, emphasizing the labor and endurance required to operate here.

Later, I followed ridgelines toward the cliffs above the gorge, passing stonework built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Near the overlook, the Almost Heaven swing stood empty, chains shifting slightly in the wind. Gusts swept the exposed rock and kept me back from the edge. Snowshoeing along the cliffs slowed the day and deepened the experience, turning a familiar place into something quieter, harsher, and shaped by weather, history, and restraint.

📸 Key:
1 - Coopers Rock overlook
2 - Henry Clay Furnace
3 - CCC-built picnic shelter
4 - Along the ridgeline
5 - Coopers Rock overlook
6 - Almost Heaven Swing

#AlmostHeaven #VisitWV #GoToWV #WinterWonderland #OptOutside #stayandwander #folkscenery #Appalachia #appalachian_explorers #wanderingusa #VisittheUSA #WestVirginia #WVPhotographer #wonderfulgrams

Just outside Boulder City, in a quiet corner of th

Just outside Boulder City, in a quiet corner of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, a 3.6-mile loop through the White Owl Canyon offers a compact but rewarding journey through the stark beauty of the Nevada desert.

The hike begins with a brief but steep descent 33 Hole Road trailhead into the sandy entrance of White Owl Canyon. Quickly, the land closes in. Smooth sandstone walls rise on either side as the trail winds southward for nearly a mile through the narrow passageway, ducking beneath a concrete culvert under Lakeshore Road where barn owls occasionally roost in the shaded overhangs.

At the canyon’s end, the trail climbs a short, rocky path to reach the River Mountains Loop Trail—following the roadway of the old Lakeshore Road—for a half-mile stretch that runs northwest. Though popular among cyclists, this section sees few hikers.

Roughly halfway through the loop, the route veers north onto an unmarked trail that leads into a second, unnamed slot canyon. Though less dramatic than White Owl, this narrow passage has its own quiet appeal—subtle curves, layered rock, and shafts of evening light that pool along the canyon floor. At times, the path all but disappears into the gravel, but the natural contours of the land pull you forward.

After roughly six-tenths of a mile, the slot opens into a wide wash that bends eastward. From here, a faint trail threads back toward the main wash below White Owl Canyon, completing the loop with a 1.1-mile traverse across low hills and dry channels.

While short in distance, this route offers a rare combination: solitude, geological variety, and a rhythm of movement shaped by the land itself, a trail that feels discovered rather than designed.

1 - White Owl Canyon
2 - Bowl Step in an unnamed slot canyon
3 - River Mountains Loop Trail / Old Lakeshore Road
4 - Muddy Mountains
5 - The Pillars

#folkscenery #stayandwander #WildernessCulture #OptOutside #earth_shotz #raw_country_spring #raw_landscape #raw_mountains #raw_seasons #rawusa_june25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #AmericanRoadTrip #Nevada #TravelNevada #LakeMead #ExploreNevada

Rising from the high desert of western New Mexico,

Rising from the high desert of western New Mexico, El Morro National Monument is a sandstone bluff that has served as a landmark for centuries. At its base, a year-round pool of water once drew ancestral Puebloans, Spanish explorers, and pioneers moving west. Each left their mark on the cliff face, where more than 2,000 carvings remain — from petroglyphs to elaborate Spanish inscriptions to simple initials scratched by settlers.

A short trail leads past the shaded pool and beneath the inscriptions, while a longer route climbs to the mesa top and the ruins of Atsinna Pueblo. From here, the view stretches across the Zuni Mountains and the black lava fields of El Malpais, a landscape that has shaped both history and tradition in the region.

El Morro is not only a striking natural formation but also a layered archive of movement and memory. Standing at twilight, when the sandstone glows and the inscriptions come into sharp relief, it is easy to see why travelers across so many centuries paused here — and why it remains a place worth seeking out today.

📸 Key:
1 - Inscription Rock
2 - Cuesta Top
3 - Cuesta Top
4 - Inscription Rock
5 - Mesa Top Trail Loop
6 - Tulip prickly pear (Opuntia phaeacantha)

#stayandwander #WildernessCulture #OptOutside #folkscenery #RAW_landscape #RAW_seasons #RAW_allnature #rawusa_aug25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa @visittheusa #NewMexico #NewMexicoTrue #NMTrue #VisitNewMexico #NewMexicoMagazine #NMMagazine

Sometimes the best nights on the road begin withou

Sometimes the best nights on the road begin without a plan—just an open highway and a rough idea about a stand of Joshua trees in northern Arizona. That’s how we found ourselves heading south of Boulder City, chasing the last light into the Mojave.

The road turned black near town, headlights cutting through the dark along U.S. Route 95. We turned off onto quieter roads toward the Grapevine Mesa Joshua Tree Forest—a stretch of high desert where the trees grow thick and old. Miles from pavement, we pulled onto BLM land and camped beside aging radio towers. From that knoll, the Joshua trees fanned out in tangled silhouettes beneath a sky full of stars. We chalked the tires, opened the rooftop tent, and slept.

Dawn came slowly. Pinks and soft blues gave way to sunlit cholla and creosote. The Joshua trees turned golden at the tips. We walked among them for an hour, stopping often to photograph and listen to the wind. No other visitors. Just a few signs and open land—a place that felt nearly forgotten. Years ago, a group called Friends of Arizona Joshua Tree Forest pushed for protections, but it has since disbanded. Quiet efforts still continue.

By late morning, we crossed into the Hualapai Indian Reservation. Our destination: Guano Point, a rocky outcrop with broad views of the Grand Canyon and a curious history. In the mid-20th century, miners blasted a tunnel 2,500 feet into a cave rich in guano—bat droppings once prized for fertilizer. A cable tram stretched across the canyon. The effort was short-lived. By 1960, the mine was abandoned.

We stood at the edge, watching the Colorado River carve the canyon below. It was awe-inspiring—but incomplete. The Hualapai have preserved access to this landscape, but the experience felt limited: worn overlooks, few signs, no trails. Aircraft buzzed overhead, a constant presence compared to the quiet of park-managed lands. Still, the land spoke in stone and shadow.

#VisitArizona #CaptureArizona #arizonaisgorgeous #OnlyInArizona #ArizonaPhotographer #ExploreArizona #ArizonaLife #ArizonaCollective @visit_arizona @capturearizona #GrandCanyon #GrandCanyonState #rawusa_aug25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa @visittheusa #RAW_landscape

In the last light of day, we lingered at White Dom

In the last light of day, we lingered at White Domes at the Valley of Fire State Park, where sandstone bluffs glowed under a sky streaked with pink and lavender. The heat had faded, replaced by a hush that settled over the desert floor. Shadows lengthened, and the pastel hues deepened, washing the cliffs in a soft, otherworldly glow. It felt like the park was exhaling: quiet, reverent, and wide open.

#stayandwander #WildernessCulture #OptOutside #folkscenery #RAW_landscape #rawusa_jul25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa @visittheusa #Nevada #TravelNevada #VisitNevada #ExploreNevada #NVstateparks @travelnevada

Concrete pouring is underway on the Sunken Garden

Concrete pouring is underway on the Sunken Garden fountains at Garfield Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is part of a large-scale renovation project began to restore the park’s historic Sunken Garden fountains. Construction and testing are scheduled to continue through spring 2026.

Thank you to @fogpindy, @indyparks, the donors, and the laborers for making this work possible.

#Historic #HistoricPreservation #Deserve2Preserve #rawusa_june25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #bestoftheusa_urban #SeeYourCity #Indiana #VisitIndiana #igersIndiana #ExploreIndiana #myIndiana #Indy #loveIndy #igersindy

A late-winter hike through the Red River Gorge Geo

A late-winter hike through the Red River Gorge Geological Area in #Kentucky in 2009 offered a quiet day on the trail with my dad, moving through bare hardwoods and lingering patches of evergreen and rhododendron. We followed well-worn paths to Princess Arch, a modest sandstone span, and continued on to Rock Bridge along Swift Camp Creek.

The gorge, carved into eastern Kentucky’s sandstone plateau, is defined by its natural bridges, cliffs, rock shelters, and seasonal waterfalls, features that have long made it one of the region’s most distinctive landscapes.

#OptOutside #Appalachia #appalachian_explorers #TravelKY

Driving east on US Route 40 through Putnam County,

Driving east on US Route 40 through Putnam County, Indiana, the evening light struck a farmstead in warm gold.

Barns and grain silos rose against the sky, their shapes darkening at sunset. Strings of LED lights spelled out “Jesus Is The Reason” and “Noel,” a quiet roadside glimpse of local faith and rural life.

The farm, known as Shields Farm, includes a two-story brick house built around 1843. Its five-bay façade, gable roof, modest porch, transomed doors, and segmental-arched windows reflect Greek Revival and Italianate styles typical of mid-19th-century Indiana homesteads.

The farm holds historical significance. Locally known as the Shields Farm, it features a two-story brick residence built around 1843. The house combines Greek Revival and Italianate elements, including a five-bay façade, gable roof, modest entry porch, doors with transoms and lights, and segmental-arched windows, characteristics typical of mid-19th-century homesteads.

#RAW_landscape #AmericanRural #rawusa_nov25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #SmallTownValues #LiveAuthentic #ThisIsHome #RoadsideAmerica #Indiana #VisitIndiana #igersIndiana #ExploreIndiana #myIndiana #putmeinputnam

The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington features a no

The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington features a notable collection of equine sculptures honoring the legacy of legendary horses and their bond with people.

At the park’s entrance stands Man o’ War, a 1948 bronze by Herbert Haseltine. Regarded as the greatest Thoroughbred of the 20th century, Man o’ War won 20 of 21 races and sired champions including War Admiral. His statue and remains, relocated from Faraway Farm in the 1970s, form the park’s central memorial.

Outside the Salyer House stands Secretariat, a 2004 bronze by Edwin Bogucki. It depicts the 1973 Triple Crown winner led into the Derby winner’s circle by groom Eddie Sweat, with Ron Turcotte aboard, immortalizing one of racing’s most iconic moments.

The 2018 Sgt. Reckless monument by Jocelyn Russell honors the small Mongolian mare who served with the U.S. Marines during the Korean War, hauling ammunition and rescuing wounded soldiers under fire. Decorated with two Purple Hearts, she remains a symbol of courage and devotion.

The Bret Hanover bronze by Luis Sanguino (2002) commemorates one of harness racing’s greatest pacers. Winner of 62 of 68 races and a Triple Crown champion, Bret Hanover stood at stud at Castleton Farm and now rests beneath his statue at the park.

Finally, Phoenix, a 1993 bronze by Patricia Crane, stands near the International Museum of the Horse, depicting the five-time world champion American Saddlebred “The Phoenix.”

Visitors can explore these and other works through the park’s Equine Sculpture Walk self-guided tour.

📸 Key:
1 - Sgt. Reckless
2 - Man o’ War
3 - Secretariat
4 - Phoenix
5 - Bret Hanover

#VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #Kentucky #KentuckyKicksAss #ourKY #TravelKY #ExploreKY #BestoftheBluegrassState #KentuckyLife #OnlyinKentucky #KYStateParks #ShareTheLex #VisitLex #LexKY #LEX18 #KyHorsePark

We were in town for work but made time one cool ev

We were in town for work but made time one cool evening to explore the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip on foot. From the MGM Grand, we walked south to the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. Designed by Betty Willis in 1959 and installed in the unincorporated town of Paradise, the sign quickly came to symbolize the city’s glitz, neon, and optimism. In 2009, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places; by 2014, solar panels made it energy neutral—a small nod to sustainability in a city built on spectacle.

On our return walk, we passed the shuttered Diamond Inn, once the Desert Isle Motel (1955). Expanded in 1964 and later renamed, it featured a whimsical pink elephant statue. It closed in 2023, part of a wave of closures along the Strip’s older stretch.

Nearby, the towering neon sign of the Pinball Hall of Fame lit up the night—44-foot letters spelling “Pinball” and 6.5-foot circles in a 54-foot-wide display.

We also saw the remnants of the Laughing Jackalope, formerly Wright’s Motel (1950s), and later a quirky bar. Most of it is gone now. The Desert Oasis Motel, opened in 1963 as the Half Moon, stands in decay—perhaps not for much longer.

One bright spot: a small egg shop with great breakfast and the restored Nirvana Hotel—rare preservation in a corridor known for demolition. We ended at the ruins of the White Sands Motel, opened in 1959 as a quiet retreat. It closed in 1999 and was declared dangerous by 2015.

Even a short walk in Las Vegas reveals a layered past—marked by ambition, nostalgia, decline, and reinvention. Who knows what will remain next time.

#Historic #HistoricPreservation #Deserve2Preserve #Abandoned #urbex #UrbanExploration #AbandonedPlaces #SaveTheDecay #raw_abandoned #rawusa_may25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #VintageVegas #VegasHistory #OffTheStrip #HiddenVegas #ClassicVegas #NeonBoneyard #LasVegasPhotography #VegasLocal #GoogieArchitecture #RoadsideAmerica #Nevada #TravelNevada #LasVegas

Driving east through the Oklahoma City area along

Driving east through the Oklahoma City area along old U.S. Route 66, we had set our sights on Yukon, mostly to pass by Garth Brooks’ childhood home. But scanning the map to see what else was in Yukon, another pin caught our attention: “Prairie Dog Field.” It seemed out of place among the usual chain fast-food restaurants and gas stations, so we decided to take a short detour.

At the corner of the 1958 alignment of U.S. Route 66 and Caravel Road, a public field once held a large colony of black-tailed prairie dogs. Even though much of the land had been sold for development and part of the colony relocated in 2024, we could still see the small animals darting in and out of their burrows, standing upright to chirp warnings to one another. The field was surrounded by signs of growth, construction equipment, and new commercial projects, but the prairie dogs carried on, reminders of the wildlife that once dominated this stretch of prairie.

These colonies are fascinating to watch. Black-tailed prairie dogs are the only species in Oklahoma, and they live in tightly knit communities with complex burrow systems. Their barks carry across the grass, each signaling that the group heeds. Despite the encroachment of neighborhoods and shopping centers, some colonies like this one manage to adapt to the Great Plains’ urban edge.

#RAW_allnature #rawusa_sept25 #VisittheUSA #wanderingusa #Route66 #HistoricRoute66 #MotherRoad #Oklahoma #TravelOK #OKHereWeGo #DiscoverOklahoma #OklahomaPhotographer #OklahomaTourism #ThisIsOklahoma #OKC #OklahomaCity #SeeOKC

It was a wonderful New Year spent at Hocking Hills

It was a wonderful New Year spent at Hocking Hills in #Ohio, once again marked by the blessing of fresh snowfall during our visit. #OhioTheHeartofitAll

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