Adventuring Ahead

Adventuring Ahead Outdoorsy adventures
Sharing trail, road trip & nat’l park tips + experiences
🏞️54/63 nat’l parks | 🇺🇸50/50
📍WA | 💌[email protected]

03/20/2026

Places like this are why I moved to Washington! 🙌🏽

I officially kicked off my “use my free will” era with this hike in the Columbia River Gorge and it definitely delivered.

This one might be short, but it packs a punch!💥You’re climbing the entire way up a series of 52 switchbacks built right into the side of a cliff, with narrow paths, railings, and some pretty real drop-offs the whole time.

📍Beacon Rock
🥾 1.6 miles round trip (out and back)
⛰️ ~600 ft elevation gain

Its a short but steep hike, however, the views make every step worth it.

Helpful tips:
🚗 Parking lots can fill up during busy times, but I went on a weekday evening and had no problem finding a spot
🎟️ A Discover Pass is required
⏰ Open 8am to dusk
🐶 Dogs are allowed, but I wouldn’t recommend this one for most pups
🌱Always leave no trace

Have you hiked this one before? What did you think?

Follow for more Washington adventures✨

Add This to Your Washington Bucket List 🌲Kicking off my “use my free will” era with this hike in the Columbia River Gorg...
03/20/2026

Add This to Your Washington Bucket List 🌲

Kicking off my “use my free will” era with this hike in the Columbia River Gorge and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

It might be short, but don’t let that fool you. This trail climbs straight up the side of a cliff through 52 switchbacks, with narrow paths, railings, and some very real drop-offs the entire way up.

📍Beacon Rock
🥾 1.6 miles round trip (out & back)
⛰️ ~600 ft elevation gain

It’s quick but steep and the views make every step worth it.

Helpful tips:
🚗 Parking can fill up during busy times, but I went on a weekday evening and had no issue finding a spot
🎟️ Discover Pass required
⏰ Open 8am to dusk
🐶 Dogs allowed, but not recommended for most
🌱 Leave no trace

Have you done this hike before? Would you add it to your list? 👀

Follow for more Washington adventures ✨

03/02/2026

Winter road trips don’t have to mean skiing or escaping to somewhere warm. ⛷️🏖️

📍Leavenworth, Washington

Highlights from my trip to Leavenworth included:

🇩🇪 Wandering a Bavarian-style village
🥨 Giant pretzels + bratwursts
🎄 The cutest gingerbread bakery + Nutcracker Museum
🏔️ Snow-dusted hikes
❄️ Snowmobiling through the mountains
🎢 An alpine coaster with winter views

This trip was proof that winter adventure in Washington can look a lot of different ways and you don’t have to board a plane to feel like you went somewhere completely different.

Follow for more national park tips, trails & adventure inspo ✨

Even when you travel a lot, things still go wrong. 😅✈️Missed flights, booking mistakes, lost keys, weather chaos; none o...
02/04/2026

Even when you travel a lot, things still go wrong. 😅✈️

Missed flights, booking mistakes, lost keys, weather chaos; none of these trips went exactly as planned. But somehow, every one of them still turned into a story I’m glad I lived.

Travel isn’t about everything being perfect. It’s about adapting, problem-solving, and realizing that most “fails” work themselves out in the end.

What’s the worst (or funniest) travel fail you’ve had? 👇🏽

Follow for more real-life travel stories, tips & adventure inspo ✨

01/30/2026

Add this one to your national park bucket list. ✍🏽

This is Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park, a short but unforgettable hike that delivers massive views with very little mileage. In just ~0.5 miles round trip, you climb 350+ stone steps straight up a granite dome and suddenly find yourself above the forest canopy, with views stretching from the San Joaquin Valley to the peaks of the Great Western Divide.

It’s steep, it’ll get your heart rate up, and it’s absolutely worth it.

I’m starting a series on my favorite hikes in national parks; not the longest or hardest trails, just the ones that stayed with me long after I left. This is the first one 🌳✨

Tips for hiking Moro Rock:
🐻 Be bear aware; store all food & scented items properly, even in your car
📱 Download offline maps ahead of time; cell service is very limited
💧 Bring water and pace yourself; the steps are steep and the elevation is over 6,700 ft
🚗 Parking is very limited; use the free shuttle from Giant Forest Museum when it’s running (late May–early Sept + some holidays)
🚌 On summer weekends, the road is shuttle-only (no private vehicles allowed)
❄️ Moro Rock Road and the stairway close in winter due to snow and icy conditions
🌿 Leave No Trace

Follow for more national park tips, trails & adventure inspo ✨

Another round of my personal national park awards 🏆🌲These are still just my personal picks based on the parks I’ve visit...
01/29/2026

Another round of my personal national park awards 🏆🌲

These are still just my personal picks based on the parks I’ve visited so far, not rankings, not “best overall,” just the places that stood out to me for different reasons along the way.

Which one would you keep? Which one would you change?

Follow for more national park tips, experiences & adventure inspo ✨

Inspo:

01/25/2026

Hi, I’m Kym! Adventure is a non-negotiable part of my life; not because it has to be extreme, fast, or dramatic, but because I believe in saying yes, choosing experiences, and building a life that actually feels full. 🫶🏽

This page is about choosing experiences over excuses, going even when it’s scary, and living life to the fullest, whether that’s solo, with friends, or somewhere completely new.

Here you’ll find outdoor adventure, road trips, national parks, solo travel, and the kind of experiences that remind you life doesn’t start “someday,” it’s happening now.

Follow for outdoor adventures, road trips & solo travel inspo 🌲✨

01/23/2026

If I hadn’t been willing to go alone, I never would’ve experienced Great Sand Dunes National Park.

This was my first solo backpacking trip, camping in the dunes backcountry among the tallest sand dunes in North America and it completely exceeded my expectations. Challenging, peaceful, and honestly kind of magical. 10/10 would recommend. ✨

A few quick tips if you’re heading into the dunes backcountry:

🎟️ Backcountry permits are $6 and must be booked online and printed ahead of time
⛺️ You must hike at least 1.5 miles and past the first ridgeline to camp, the climb is real. Sand or snow stakes are a lifesaver
🥾 Footwear: I wore trail runners and they worked great, but I saw everything from sandals to socks. Hot tip: the sand burns in summer
💧 Bring way more water than you think you’ll need
☀️ Sun protection is non-negotiable
🚫 Leave No Trace + never feed the wildlife

Follow for more solo outdoor adventures.

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Sequoia National Park, CA
93262

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