Spirit Island Cruise
Location: Canada, Alberta, Jasper National Park, Jasper area
Scenic boat trip down Maligne Lake to Spirit Island.
Lake Tekapo Peninsula Walkway
Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Western Lake Tekapo
Local gem with great views of Lake Tekapo and a cool beach with white cliffs.
Stave Spring Trail to Observation Point
Location: Utah, Zion National Park, East Side
Alternate route to the iconic Observation Point lookout – this route is longer, but much less crowded and has even better views along the way.
Franz Josef Glacier Ice Climbing ♦
Location: New Zealand, West Coast, Franz Josef area
Awesome glacier accessed via helicopter; local guide companies offer nice ice climbing and glacier hiking options.
Castle Hill
Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Castle Hill Basin area
Fascinating area with interesting rock formations with numerous climbing sites; filming location for Narnia.
Mt. Sunday
Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Mt. Somers area
Filming location for Edoras in Lord of the Rings; provides 360 degree beautiful panoramic views.
McGee Pass Trail (Day Hike)
Location: Northern California, Eastern Sierras, Mammoth Lakes Area
Popular day hike through a valley with beautiful mountain views, excellent fall colors in autumn, and nice wildflowers displays in the summer.
Lake Crowley Columns
Location: Northern California, Eastern Sierras, Mammoth Lakes Area
Cliffs filled with fascinating natural rock columns and caves at the edge of a lake.
Convict Lake
Location: Northern California, Eastern Sierras, Mammoth Lakes Area
Easy loop hike around a popular lake with blue waters, scenic mountains, trout fishing, and nice fall foliage.
Lundy Canyon
Location: Northern California, Eastern Sierras, Lee Vining Area
One of the finest hikes in the Eastern Sierras, the route features waterfalls, aspen groves, beaver ponds, and beautiful scenery.
Parker Lake
Location: Lee Vining Area, Northern California, Eastern Sierras
Nice scenic hike to an alpine lake perfect for trout fishing.
Paria River Valley
Location: Utah, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Southern
Toadstool Hoodoos
Location: Utah, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Southern
Easy hike to some cool hoodoos.
Eureka Dunes ♦
Location: California, Northern, Death Valley (North)
Remote sand dunes offering beautiful scenery, nice camping options, and the potential to hear the dunes sing.
Hallmundarhraun
Location: Iceland, West, Borgarfjörður district
Vast lava field with rugged scenery and great Northern Lights photography opportunities
Ice Caves ♦
Location: Iceland, Southern, Vatnajökull area
Although every ice cave is different, and they constantly change, they’re always fabulous.
Zabriskie Point
Location: California, Northern, Death Valley (Furnace Creek area)
Viewpoint showcasing beautifully eroded Badlands in multiple directions
Potato Chip Rock
Location: California, San Diego, Poway
Hike to an iconic San Diego natural landmark for a classic photo op.
Pappy’s Point Sea Caves ♦
Location: California, San Diego area
Explore the “secret” caves at Pappy’s Point including the famous “Rum Runner’s Cave”.
Bishop Pass Trail to Dusy Basin ♦
Location: California, Eastern Sierras, West of Bishop
Great hike to a picturesque mountain basin with alpine lakes surrounded by towering peaks – best done as an overnight backpacking trip.
Photography Gear
Overview of photography gear we use and when we use it
Sunset Cliffs Sea Caves ♦
Location: California, San Diego
Excellent set of sea caves on the San Diego coast
⊗ Right Fork of North Creek (Hammerhead Approach)♦
Location: Utah, Zion National Park
Highly scenic, remote technical canyon best done as an overnight.
Walker Canyon
Location: California, Los Angeles area, Lake Elsinore
Attractive canyon that’s absolutely covered with California poppies in the spring
Sólheimasandur Plane Crash
Location: Iceland, Southern, Skógar/Vík area
Wreckage of a US Navy plane that crashed here in 1973
Mossy Lava Rocks
Location: Iceland, Southern, east of Thórsmörk
Fields of lava rocks overtaken by moss creating a delightful, green, fuzzy, mounded carpet
Kvernufoss ♦
Location: Iceland, Southern, Skógar/Vík area
Beautiful unmarked and less-visited waterfall – you can even walk behind it for bonus photo opportunities!
Fjaðrárgljúfur ♦
Location: Iceland, Southern, Skógar/Vík area
Stunning sheer-walled non-technical canyon lined with moss and clear water, perfect for hiking up-canyon in the watercourse
Black Sand Diamond Beach ♦
Location: Iceland, Southern, Vatnajökull area
Pristine black sand beach littered with ice chunks, creating a stunning and unusual visual effect
Jökulsárlón ♦
Location: Iceland, Southern, Vatnajökull area
Iconic Iceland location: beautiful glacial lagoon dotted with an ever-changing array of icebergs breaking off from nearby glaciers
Kirkjufell
Location: Iceland, West, Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Dramatic peak near a set of beautiful waterfalls; one of the most photographed sites in Iceland
Hraunfossar ♦
Location: Iceland, West, Borgarfjörður district
Lovely and unique set of waterfalls that appear to be magically pouring from the hillside
Inspiration Point
Location: Utah, Bryce Canyon National Park
Excellent viewing area for the main amphitheater, with row upon row of hoodoos that glow in morning and afternoon sunlight
Devil’s Garden
Location: Utah, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Great collection of rock formations, including hoodoos and natural arches
Observation Point ♦
Location: Utah, Zion National Park
Hike to one of the most iconic views in Zion National Park – worth the elevation gain for these views!
Angel’s Landing
Location: Utah, Zion National Park
Classic Zion hike with some nice elevation gain and a little exposure to get to breathtaking panoramic views
Pa’rus Trail
Location: Utah, Zion National Park
Wide, paved nature trail providing excellent views of The Watchman
The Wave
Location: Arizona, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
Iconic sandstone formation of sculpted, beautifully colored slickrock
Moanalua Valley to Haiku Stairs ♦
Location: Hawaii, Oahu, Southeast
Excellent ridge hike with Jurassic Park-esque views leading to the top of the famous Haiku Stairs (where they can be legally viewed without trespassing) and World War II era top secret military radio station
Angkor Wat
Location: Cambodia, Northern, Siem Reap Area
Iconic, well-preserved massive temple structure with three levels, five towers, covered galleries, a moat, and sandstone relief carvings
Son Doong Expedition ♦
Location: Vietnam, Phong Nha Ke-Bang National Park
Multi-day technical cave expedition through a massive and other-worldly cave
Mist Trail (to Vernal Fall)
Location: California, Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Valley
Short hike to the impressive Vernal Fall; spray from the falls creates impressive rainbows in morning sunlight
June Lake Loop
Location: Northern California, Eastern Sierras, Lee Vining Area
Pretty lakeside resort area with lovely scenery and nice fall colors in the autumn
Bixby Bridge
Location: California, Northern Big Sur
Iconic, oft-photographed bridge on the Big Sur coast
Sunrise Balloon Ride over Bagan ♦
Location: Myanmar, Western Mandalay Region
Balloon ride providing outstanding views of the temples of Old Bagan and the Irrawaddy River.
Rainbow Falls
Location: Hawaii, Big Island, Hilo
Beautiful waterfall with very easy access; under the right conditions, the spray from the falls makes rainbows
Lake Tekapo
Location: New Zealand, Canterbury, Lake Tekapo area
Lake with beautiful turquoise water set amidst lovely scenery and a cute lakeside town.
Doubtful Sound ♦
Location: New Zealand, Southland, West Coast
Outstanding remote fiord with beautiful scenery, wildlife, and opportunities for fishing.
Milford Sound
Location: New Zealand, Southland, West Coast
Fiord with iconic views accessed via a stunning drive through outstanding scenery
Nugget Point
Location: New Zealand, South Island, The Catlins
Scenic lighthouse location with a penguin colony
Fox Glacier ♦
Location: New Zealand, West Coast, Fox Glacier area
Scenic glacier with blue ice and nice ice climbing opportunities
Haast Pass
Location: New Zealand, West Coast, north of Queenstown
Scenic drive across New Zealand’s Southern Alps with stops for waterfalls and beautiful views
Jackson Bay
Location: New Zealand, West Coast, south of Haast
Remote scenic fishing village with a nice fish and chips caravan.
Golden Gate Bridge
Location: California, San Francisco
Options for viewing the Golden Gate Bridge, including some iconic viewpoints.