A few of my favorite places: Montana

    One thing I love to do is travel. As a kid, my parents always made it a point to take us on annual vacations. Looking back on it, I am very grateful that I got the chance to explore some amazing places when I was young. I think it's important to travel, especially when you're young. There are so many amazing things to see and people to meet if you take the initiative to go find them.

Since moving back to the midwest, I most of my travel has been heading back and forth between Kansas (where nearly all of our family lives) and here in Missouri. It's been great to see family on the weekends instead of only seeing them once or twice a year. However, I have been longing for the mountains again, and I miss being able to explore like I did when I lived out west. So, without further adieu, here is one  of my favorite places:

Glacier National Park, Montana:

Hiking with my best friend Ben

Bowman Lake

 I was pretty lucky (spoiled is a better description) to live just a few hours from this wonderful place. I spent quite a bit of time backpacking and exploring here. Glacier is one of the most beautiful and isolated parks in the United States, so It was great to take friends and family there.

My brother in-law above Grinnell Glacier

Every lake in Glacier is gorgeous. I haven't seen them all, but Bowman Lake is my favorite. It's in a very remote and isolated part of the park. It takes about a 2 hour drive on gravel roads just to get to it. You may not see anyone at all once you find it. It's definitely a great spot to rest and enjoy being alive.






This is the famous Grinnell Glacier. Unfortunately it's melting away, and by 2040 scientists predict there will be no glaciers left inside the park. I always take people to this spot when we hike. It's on a spur trail off the Highline trail, which is world-famous in it's own right. The hike is only a quarter mile, but it's straight uphill. It's definitely worth the effort.