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Adventure Travel
Spectacular Scenery + Awesome Adventure = Thrilling Vacations
by Jan Gerner
San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico
If off-roading on endless stretches of the Great Sonora Desert appeals to you, fly south of the border to the San Felipe International Airport (MMSF) in Baja California, Mexico. This oncesleepy fishing village has become a laid back beach resort and a popular spot with retirees.
Mountain, desert, and sea converge here to create spectacular vistas and boundless opportunities for adventure. The recently renovated Hacienda de la Langosta Roja is about a $15 cab ride from the airport, which has bilingual operators.
The 39 air conditioned rooms will be a comfortable base to return to after a day of exploring this unique eco system. The hotel's restaurant is one of the premier eating establishments in the area.
San Felipe Off Road will have you in a dune buggy and out exploring the countryside with a variety of tours tailored to your needs.
If you've always dreamed of participating in one of the famous Baja Races, inquire about the ultimate racing adventure. Set sail on the Sea of Cortez for adventure
on the water. Konsag Island is about 22 miles offshore and a great spot to fish or watch sea lions, seals, and a variety of sea birds. If time allows, take a side trip to the Valley of the Giants where you can pose at the base of the world's largest cactus. The cardon cactus can grow up to 70 feet, weigh up to 25 tons, and live to be 300 years old.
Enjoying local cuisine can be an adventure also. This area is known for its fish and shrimp tacos. So if you have adventurous taste buds and intestinal fortitude, try one of the roadside taco stands. Wash it down with a cold cerveza and you have authentic Mexican cuisine. Remember this travel tip though — shop for a taco stand that's busy and stay away from the stands that aren't busy.
Mammoth Caves, Kentucky
The Mammoth Cave Hotel in Glasgow, Kentucky is a 20-minute ride from the Glasgow Municipal Airport (KGLW). Rent a car to get to this historic hotel, which is adjacent to the entrance to Mammoth Cave National Park.
Expect good old southern hospitality, good food, and the world's largest cave system.
Mammoth Cave is 379 feet deep with 350 miles of passageways, pits, and underground rivers and streams mapped and explored to date. New passageways are still being discovered by geologists who estimate the cave was formed millions of years ago.
Since 1816, people have been exploring this subterranean world. Cave tours range from easy to wild. The Trog Tour is geared for children aged 8 to 12. The Mammoth Cave Self-Guided Discovery Tour is an easy introduction to the cave. Tours will teach you about troglobites, troglophiles, and trogloxenes - the varied and unusual inhabitants of the cave. You will also finally be able to figure out which formation grows up, and which grows down - stalactites or stalagmites? Answer: stalactites grow down; stalagmites grow up.
Experienced cavers will opt for the Wild Cave Tour. Restrictions apply and you must come prepared. You will need over-the-ankle, lace-up boots with lug soles, long pants, and climbing gloves. Helmets, lights, and kneepads are provided.
If your chest or hips measure more than 42 inches, this is not the tour for you. There are no man made paths here. This six-hour, five and a half mile expedition will have you slogging through muddy tunnels, slithering in and out of tight openings (some only nine inches high), climbing and descending cave walls, and crawling on your hands and knees over jagged rocks and dirt. This tour is for serious cavers only.
The surface ecosystem and cave ecosystem are closely interconnected. In 1990, the region was declared an International Biosphere Reserve. When not exploring the underground be sure to explore the park's surface.
Glacier National Park, Montana
Glacier National Park is a year round playground for adventure seekers. The Glacier Park International Airport (KGPI) is about seven miles from Meadow Lake Resort in Columbia Falls, Montana and another 17 miles to the park.
Rental cars are available or arrangements can be made in advance for complimentary shuttle service to the resort. The Montana Experience Store (Meadow Lake's concierge service) will help you plan and arrange a memorable Montana adventure.
Don't miss Going-to-the-Sun Road. Traveling this road and the many trails off the road is a great way to view the rugged beauty of this unique environment. Completed in 1932, this 53-mile stretch of two-lane highway is on the National Civil Engineering Landmarks and the National Register of Historic Places.
At 6,646 feet, the road crosses the Continental Divide at Logan's Pass, which is also known as the "Big Drift." Snow can be 50 to 80 feet deep here, which means it is closed to vehicles during the winter.
Since it is such a precipitous, narrow, winding road, restrictions apply to vehicles and bikes when it is open. A $170 million renovation will be starting soon, so it's a good idea to check road conditions before you start your trek.
A word to the wise - this beautiful wilderness can be unforgiving to the unprepared. Weather conditions can change rapidly and can be extreme. Thunderstorms, high winds, freezing temperatures, and snow are possible in the summer.
For those into overnight hiking with homecooked meals by a campfire, try a wilderness llama pack trip. The Great Northern Ranch is the oldest llama outfitter guide service in North America. They will have you picking berries in a field, swimming in a crystal, clear lake or rushing waterfall, sledding in a summer snowfield, watching for grizzlies, elk, moose, big horn sheep, and eagles, or marveling at fields of wildflowers and dramatic landscapes.
Great Northern supplies the food, tents, camping equipment, and the llamas to carry it all. What more could a hiker ask for?
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