For such a small little state park, Smith Rock certainly packs some punch when it comes tot he WOW factor. From the distance, this unsuspecting area doesn’t look much more than a typical foothill rising up in the grasslands. However, once you gain access into the park, thats when you see how special it really is. This is just one of Oregon’s many tucked away gems that begs to be explored.
While it doesn’t get the same fame as the Alberta Rockies, this UNESCO world heritage site is worthy of a visit any time of the year. Dinosaur Provincial Park is located in the prairie region of Southern Alberta near the town of Brooks. The park boasts unique landforms amongst the grassy knolls and is abundant with wildlife. A must visit for any nature lover.
Every summer my daughter and I take off for a couple of weeks for our annual daddy daughter trip where we live like dirtbags, sleep in the back of the truck, and seek out as much adventure and fun as we can fit in. We have been doing it since she was a year old. More often than not, we eagerly head for the Pacific Coast. Last year we ended up on Vancouver Island. We spent nearly three weeks bouncing down logging roads splitting the trip between places I have been in the past that were new to Olivia, and places entirely new to the both of us. When we go on these trips, a great deal of research goes into the planning of our route. For me, photography makes up a large focus of the trip so I try to maximize the photographic opportunities while balancing the fun factor of the trip for Olivia. This photo represents how the effort I put in before the trip can payoff when we are there. Through my research, I found there is a limestone slot canyon literally under a logging road that I have blasted up and down many times over the years without notice. The canyon is a couple hundred feet deep with a crystal-clear river flowing through it and yet the walls are no more than six feet wide at the top where the road crosses it. The trail to the bottom is nearly vertical with old ropes fixed to trees to lower yourself down a sketchy slope in a heavily forested area. Not a place you'd expect to take a 5-year-old. Initially she was reluctant to make the trek down, but after I took to time to assess it, I felt we could tackle it together in a safe manner and it was worth at least trying. Holding onto the rope below her, and guiding her every step while ready to grab her if she slipped at all, we managed to make it to the bottom without issue. Olivia was so proud of herself by that point, the canyon itself seemed insignificant. With the sun setting we spent a few minutes at the bottom snapping a few photos, admired a small cave at the bottom and looked at some of the fish swimming in the river pools before heading back up to find camp for the night. The following day, I presented numerous activities for Olivia to choose from like surfing or swimming, and all she wanted to do was go back down into the canyon. I am glad we ended up going that route because this time we decided to brave the ice-cold water and wade chest deep in places to head up the canyon. We spent several hours making our way through this spectacular place snapping photos along the way. The further we went, the more incredible it became. The formations plastered all over the limestone walls from years of erosion were so unique and unworldly. I am so glad I took the time to research and learn more about the area because this ended up being one of the best days on the island. To this day Olivia still talks about going down into that canyon and asks when we can go back down there.
