Buy our latest book now! 150 Unusual Things to See in Alberta is available online and in stores now.

Outdoor Adventure

If you love hiking, cycling, paddling, caving and outdoor adventure, you’ll love these articles. Read on and explore the great outdoors with us! We’ve visited some amazing nature hot spots and we’ve got some great tips to help you plan your own adventures in nature.

An image of two people looking at the ice formations in Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park - Johnston Canyon Winter Hike
The ice formations are spectacular in Johnston Canyon in Banff National Park in winter. Johnston Canyon is one of the highlights of the Bow Valley Parkway in any season. Photo by Greg Olsen
Articles, Outdoor Adventure

Johnston Canyon Winter Hike & Ink Pots

Banff’s Johnston Canyon winter hike and ink pots hike can be combined in a single day! The ice formations and spectacular. It’s one of the prettiest hikes in the Canadian Rockies.

Carleigh and Brady Olsen
View Johnston Canyon Winter Hike & Ink Pots
An image of a natural bridge rock formation in Bryce Canyon National Park - best hikes in Bryce Canyon
A natural bridge rock formation in Bryce Canyon National Park. Photo by GREG OLSEN
Articles, Outdoor Adventure

Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon

One of the Prettiest Parks in North America If you want to feel a sense of your own smallness, stand at the edge of the 12-mile (19-km) long Bryce Amphitheater. There are few places in the world where the forces of natural erosion are more tangible. Or better yet, go for a walk among the hoodoo formations and colorful rock layers of this amazing national park. Here are our suggestions for the best hikes in Bryce Canyon. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, Wander Woman Travel Magazine may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.   Navajo Loop Trail The 1.4 mile Navajo Loop is one …

Debbie Olsen
View Best Hikes in Bryce Canyon
An image of Shadow Lake Lodge in Banff National Park Alberta, Canada
Shadow Lake Lodge is an oasis of luxury in Banff’s backcountry. Photo by GREG OLSEN
Articles, Outdoor Adventure

Shadow Lake Lodge – Banff Backcountry Bliss

Exploring Banff’s Backcountry in Comfort Canada’s oldest national park contains vast tracts of pristine wilderness that only a few backcountry hikers ever see. The price they pay for their exclusive tour of nature’s most wondrous mountain scenery usually includes a sacrifice of creature comforts – hot showers, warm beds and home cooked meals. But there is another way to experience the backcountry. A stay at Shadow Lake Lodge makes it possible to experience Banff National Park’s amazing backcountry without having to sacrifice life’s little comforts. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, Wander Woman Travel Magazine may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.   Related: …

Debbie Olsen
View Shadow Lake Lodge – Banff Backcountry Bliss
An image of a hiker jumping from one rock to the next with clouds behind them on Haleakala on the island of Maui, Hawaii - Hiking Maui
You are above the clouds when you’re hiking Haleakala. Photo by DEBBIE OLSEN
Articles, Outdoor Adventure

Hiking Maui to Discover its Magic

Finding the Magic on the Magic Isle by Hiking Maui While most travelers come to Maui to worship the sun on its white sand beaches, locals consider the mountains and rain forests to be the island’s most sacred places. For them, the true magic is found in hiking Maui. It is hidden in the wilderness near waterfalls, rain forests and volcanoes. To discover these places is to find the real Maui. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, Wander Woman Travel Magazine may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.   Discover the Power of Remote Places Maui has an incredibly diverse terrain that supports a …

Debbie Olsen
View Hiking Maui to Discover its Magic
An image of the author grasping a chain to climb up Hidden Canyon Trail in Zion National Park in Utah - Best Zion National Park Hikes
Hidden Canyon Trail has incredible views – even in the spots where you have to grab a chain to stay on the narrow ledge.
Articles, Outdoor Adventure

Best Zion National Park Hikes

Zion – A Well-Named National Park There are many wonderful Zion National Park hikes, but one of the best views in the park is at the end of the less traveled Canyon Overlook Trail. As I gazed out at the red and white Navajo sandstone cliffs surrounding the main canyon, it wasn’t hard to see why the canyon was so named. Isaac Behunin, the first Mormon pioneer to homestead inside the gorge called it Zion in 1870, a biblical name for a sacred place of refuge. In today’s hectic world, the name seems more appropriate than ever. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, Wander Woman Travel Magazine may …

Debbie Olsen
View Best Zion National Park Hikes
An image of a two people standing on a bridge over Oirade Stream - Lake Tawada and Oirase Gorge
A water crossing on Oirase Stream – Lake Tawada and Oriase Gorge
Articles, Outdoor Adventure

Lake Towada and Oirase Gorge

The leaves had just started to make subtle shifts from green to yellow as my husband and I walked along a well-maintained path beside Oirase Stream in northern Japan. It’s one of the most beautiful hikes in the country – especially in the autumn. We had thought about taking a tour bus through the area, but then decided to rent a car and go on our own. As we walked along at our own pace towards Lake Towada, I was happy with our choice. There are affiliate links in this post. If you make a qualifying purchase through one of these links, Wander Woman Travel Magazine may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.   Do-it-yourself Tour …

Debbie Olsen
View Lake Towada and Oirase Gorge
Back to Top