A list of our favorite places of 2019

Every year we look back over our latest travels and put together our list of things that we enjoyed the most. These are places that we would certainly recommend to others taking a trip through the central part of the United States into the beauty of the Canadian Rockies. The list of the best hikes is longer this year, because we were in such majestic places. We were certainly blessed to wander some of God's most amazing wonders in 2019! The listed items are in the order we found them in our travels this year. We enjoyed putting together the list of a few of our favorite things . . . hikes, kayak trips, and over-all favorite experiences of 2019.

We try to include the location of each of our favorites. You will probably recognize the abbreviations of the states in the United States. But we weren't familiar with the Canadian provinces until this summer, when we traveled in the province of Alberta (AB) and British Columbia (BC).

Favorite Experiences 

Viewing the best Texas bluebonnet spring bloom we have ever seen - Hill Country, TX

Climbing to the top of the dome at the Kansas State Capitol tour - Topeka, KS
Attending the Swedish Festival - Stromsburg, NE
Eating the Cowboy Fondue and then going to the Musical - Medora, ND

Dancing at the Great Canadian Barn Dance - Hill Spring, AB
Calgary Stampede Festival - Calgary, AB
Eating new-to-us Canadian cuisine like nanaimo bars, poutine, beaver tails, eat-more bars, etc.
Hiking in the Rocky Mountains from Alberta and British Columbia, Canada, through Idaho, Montana, and Colorado
Walking on a glacier - Icefield Glacier Centre, AB

Picking huckleberries at Rock Lake - Trout Creek, MT
Finding wildlife at the National Bison Range - Charlo, MT
Learning about the salmon run at the Salmon Festival - Stanley, ID
Attending the Eastern Idaho State Fair - Blackfoot, ID
Caving at Craters of the Moon National Monument - Arco, ID

Driving through the wild horses of Wyoming - Rock Springs, WY
Cheering at the Cattledog Trials - Steamboat Springs, CO
Viewing the Elk Rut at Rocky Mountain National Park - Estes Park, CO




Favorite Short Hikes 
Charron Gardens - Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge - Lawton, OK
Kinney Coulee - Makoshika State Park - Glendive, MT

Rim Trail - Sluice Boxes State Park - Belt, MT
Ptarmigan Cirque - Kananaskis Country - AB
Yoho Lake - Yoho National Park - Field, BC
Edith Cavell Trail - Jasper National Park - Jasper, AB

Beauty Creek Trail - Jasper National Park - AB
Goldbug Hot Springs - Challis, ID
Sound of Silence Trail - Dinosaur National Monument - Vernal, UT
Lily Mountain - Rocky Mountains National Park - Estes Park, CO
Rams Head - Coral Bay, St. John Island, USVI



Favorite Long Hikes
Lone Tree Loop - Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Medora, ND
Prairie View to the Fire Watch Tower - Kananaskis Country, AB

Sulphur Mountain with the Gondola Ride Down - Banff National Park - Banff, AB
Plain of the Six Glaciers - Banff National Park - Lake Louise, AB
Trail of the Ten Peaks - Banff National Park - Moraine Lake, AB

Lake Helen - Banff National Park, Lake Louise, AB
Bald Hill - Jasper National Park - Maligne Lake, AB

Wilcox Pass - Jasper National Park, Icefield Parkway, AB
Abott Ridge - Glacier National Park, BC (The one hike on the list that Denisa would never do again)
Lake Eva and Miller Lake - Mt. Revelstoke National Park, BC

Roman Lakes - Bonner's Ferry, ID
Bear Lake to Fern Lake to Cub Lake  - Rocky Mountains National Park - Estes Park, CO
Alpine Lake/Baron Divide - Sawtooth National Recreation Area - Stanley, ID



Favorite Kayak Trips
Niobrara River - Valentine, NE
Upper Kananaski Lake - Kananaski Country, AB

Lake Louise - Banff National Park, AB
Moraine Lake - Banff National Park, AB
Columbia Wetlands - Golden, BC
Columbia River - Invermere to Radium Hot Springs, BC
Norbury Lake - Provincial Park - Fort Steele, BC

Salmon River to Tower Rock - Salmon, ID
Redfish Lake - Sawtooth Mountains Recreation Area - Stanley, ID
Flaming Gorge - National Recreation Area - Dutch John, Utah


We'll always have fond memories of 2019 and the beauty and great experiences we found this year. We were truly blessed to wander more of God's wonders this year!