Local

Overland Park, KS: Each year, half of Americans don’t experience the outdoors at all. No fishing or hiking. No climbing or biking. No paddling around the lake and no picnics at the park. Yikes! That alarming stat comes from our friends (and partners) at REI, who are hoping to change our increasingly indoor culture with their #OptOutside initiative , which returns November 23. Somehow, the day after Thanksgiving became a consumer free-for-all, where Americans flock to the stores instead of the outdoors. But REI will again shut its doors on Black Friday, encouraging its...

Bryce Canyon, UT: Ever been to the Grand Canyon? How about Yosemite, Devils Tower or Crater Lake? If you appreciate these American all-stars, you can thank Teddy Roosevelt. While president from 1901-1909, Roosevelt designated nearly 230 million acres as public land, including part or all of the parks above, plus other gems like Wind Cave, Mesa Verde, Muir Woods, Petrified Forest and the United States Forest Service. Today, Roosevelt’s conservation legacy lives on across the nation’s public lands. His birthplace in New York City is a National Historic Site, he has an...

Seattle, WA: Calling all geocachers! It’s time to Cache In, Trash Out (CITO). Twice a year, Geocaching highlights worldwide CITO cleanup events, where geocachers can give back to the trails and protected lands they love to explore. You can join this effort on Sept. 15-23, 2018, when geocachers and community groups work together to improve parks and other outdoor environments. Find a few geocaches in your neck of the woods, then head out into the literal woods for a day cleaning up litter, removing invasive species, building trails, and more. If you’re new to this, geocaching...

Boulder, CO: Wednesday, August 29, Boulder Theatre, 6-9 PM 11 Short Films Celebrating Women Adventurers Join nonprofit Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics for "No Man's Land" — eleven documentary short films about female adventurers. All proceeds support the leading organization dedicated to teaching people how to protect the natural world. Outdoor gear companies have donated generous door prizes and raffle items, including a 3-day surf trip. Check out and share the Facebook event page . Buy your tickets here.

Boulder, Colorado: It’s another scorching summer, and that local lazy river is looking pretty nice right now. But before you head to the creek with your floats and your friends, here are a few things to keep in mind… Map the route: Plan a route and locate a few existing, durable trails that lead to the water. By knowing the area, you can find exit routes that avoid stepping on creekside plants and further eroding stream banks. Check to see if you’re passing through residential areas or past busy trails, and keep the volume down along the...

KANAB, UTAH-- The Joes started the year in Southern Utah, which seemed like another planet compared to our Midwestern roots. Slot canyons are wild, y’all! Immediately after hiking part of Buckskin Gulch, we stopped at a Kanab coffeeshop, picked up a copy of The Southern Utah Independent , and saw a story that caught our eyes. Local land managers had imposed fees on a similar slot canyon just 50 miles northwest. Why? Human waste! According to the SU Independent , Kanarra Falls Canyon has seen a significant uptick in users with an equivalent increase in impacts,...

Wytheville, VA: There's a fair amount of indoor climbing in central Ohio - but what about outdoor climbing? The dolemite cliffs along the Mad River just outside of Springfield have been an illicit climbing spot for the last two decades, but they are illicit no more. About 40 acres on the south side of the river have been turned into the Mad River Gorge and Nature Preserve, and the Clark County Parks District has plans to add about 60 acres to the property. Team East Central recently conducted a Hot Spot in the area, and found a budding community of climbers, locals, and land...

New Paltz, NY: The Peekamoose Blue Hole has become an Internet celebrity. Now selected, as a 2017 Leave No Trace Hot Spot , the Blue Hole needs a new type of fame, one that recognizes its fragile ecology. This geologic formation is wild in nature and unfortunately; its fame has exponentially increased the number of visitors and the impacts, which follow them. With anywhere from 600-2000 visitors in a weekend the ¾ acre footprint of the Blue Hole has seen its fair share of impacts. Soil erosion, trampled vegetation (including small plants, flowers, and primarily mosses),...

Coeur D’Alene, ID : Love a festival? Us too! Music, dancing, food, fun and friends…what’s not to like? Well…maybe a few things. Bringing thousands of people together can have negative impacts on the land, wildlife, and on visitors and locals. But, with a bit of planning and knowledge, festival fun doesn’t have to keep you from being on your best Leave No Trace behavior! Check out this video for easy things everyone can do to Leave No Trace at festivals, then read on for even more tips and tricks. 1. An easy way to create less waste at festivals is to arrive with less waste...

Cascadia, OR: We recently spent nine days in and around the lauded outdoor town of Bend, Oregon, named Outside Magazine’s “Best Multi-Sport Town” for 2017. It’s clear how Bend earned this title. In any given day in Bend, you will see people riding their bikes, paddling kayaks or sailing boats in the Cascade Lakes, paddle boarding or tubing on the Deschutes River, or testing their whitewater skills in the newly opened downtown whitewater park. Even in the 90+ degree high desert summer heat, you’ll see evidence of winter sports’ hold on Bend residents, with “skiers” in shorts...