Madera Canyon, Arizona

Madera Canyon is a lovely little tucked-away spot in southern Arizona. My husband and I discovered it one weekend while we were whiling away the day in the Tucson area. We followed a winding road that crossed over low desert, then started to climb until we suddenly found ourselves among tall trees and greenery. Madera Canyon and Madera Creek traverse four different “life zones” which supports a variety of flora and fauna in a relatively small area.

The area is considered to be the third-best birding destination in the United States – ornithology enthusiasts will be able to sight over 256 documented species of birds, including 15 different kinds of hummingbirds and 36 species of wood warblers. Patrons of the canyon’s parks and trails will frequently come across small herds of deer and flocks of wild turkeys – even black bears, mountain lions and bobcats have been spotted on occasion.

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I had never heard of Hocking Hills, Ohio until I received a few tweets from @MyHockingHills.

Hocking Hills isn’t a town, but a county and a region of Southeast Ohio known among outdoorsy types as a great place to “get away from it all.” Specifically, visitors here will be getting away from:

• Traffic
• Internet
• Cell reception
• Chain restaurants
• Light pollution
• Honking horns and other noise pollution
• TV
• Starbucks

What do you get in exchange? Peace and quite and natural beauty, of course.

Without a TV or the Internet, the modern family might fear getting bored. Fortunately, there are plenty of activities in the area – all of which are about a 20 minute drive from each other. Our family got to:

Ride horses at The Spotted Horse Ranch:

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There is nothing quite like fall. It is crisp and cool, the leaves change color — and then leave. It’s hard to beat.

Take a walk, you’ll thank me.

This post is part of UpTake’s Wordless Wednesday Series. If you would like to see your photo featured here please contact us via the link in the sidebar using subject line: WW.

Photo:  Whit Honea (taken in Redmond, WA)

Marsh grasses at Deer Lake State Park

The natural beauty of Rosemary Beach, Fl extends  beyond the community’s borders to  the nearby town of Santa Rosa and the Deer Lake State Park.  It’s small for a state park but it offers big opportunities to witness rarely seen coastal dune lakes and unusual flora and fauna. After a relaxed Rosemary Beach stay, an active excursion hiking or biking to Deer Lake State Park  provides a scenic method for getting some exercise in. Read More »