Feeling blue? Consider traveling to Finland.

For the sixth year in a row, the Nordic country has been named the happiest country in the world by the , an initiative spearheaded by the United Nations.

We like to think it has something to do with the sauna and cold plunge culture, but the report analyzes data from the Gallup World Poll, focusing on six factors that explain varying levels of self-reported happiness: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption. For the past decade, it鈥檚 been released annually on March 20 to celebrate the International Day of Happiness, which was first proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 2013.

鈥淭he ultimate goal of politics and ethics should be human well-being,鈥� said Jeffrey Sachs, president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, . 鈥淭he happiness movement shows that well-being is not a 鈥榮oft鈥� and 鈥榲ague鈥� idea but rather focuses on areas of life of critical importance: material conditions, mental and physical wealth, personal virtues, and good citizenship.鈥�

Finland鈥檚 neighbors Denmark (No. 2), Iceland (No. 3), Sweden (No. 6), and Norway (No. 7) also ranked high. Israel moved up to No. 4 this year, after coming in at No. 9 in 2022. The Netherlands (No. 5), Switzerland (No. 8), Luxembourg (No. 9) and New Zealand (No. 10) complete the top 10. Eight of the ten happiest countries are in Europe.

The United States ranked 15th this year, moving up from 16th in 2022. Canada came in at 13th. Afghanistan took last place.

Interestingly, even after three years of a pandemic, positive emotions remained resilient. 鈥淔or a second year, we see that various forms of everyday kindness, such as helping a stranger, donating to charity, and volunteering, are above pre-pandemic levels,鈥� said Professor听Lara B. Aknin, an editor of the report and Director of the Helping and Happiness Lab at Simon Fraser University. 鈥淎cts of kindness have been shown to both lead to and stem from greater happiness, which is the focus of Chapter 4.鈥�

also briefly highlights the benefits of getting outside, and urges governments to take environmental action.

鈥淚t is also the job of society to protect the environment鈥攆or the sake of present and future generations. There is powerful evidence of how contact with nature and green space enhances human well-being,鈥� the authors say. 鈥淏ut there is also the overarching challenge of climate change, where our present way of life can only be protected by major international effects to reduce to net zero the emission of greenhouse gasses.鈥�

Finland is seizing the moment by offering free trips to a four-day Masterclass of Happiness on what makes Finns so happy. The first one will take place at the lakeside resort June 12 to 15. You can to “Find Your Inner Finn” through April 2nd, so get going. Only ten people will be chosen and their travel costs will be covered. You’ll earn about things like the Finnish approach to nature, a balanced life, and overall wellbeing.

Or get motivated by the stories we list below when you plan your next adventure and head to a country in the top 10 to soak up some happy vibes. Here are a few of our favorite outings to get you inspired.

Finland (The Happiest)

The Best Way to See Finland Is to Ski Finland

Author and political consultant Stuart Stevens loves a good sufferfest, so he couldn鈥檛 resist Border to Border: 420 kilometers of nordic sliding through a country that defines what winter is all about.

Iceland (3rd Happiest)

Behind the Scenes with Photographer Chris Burkard in Iceland

Chris Burkard is one of the most recognizable names in the outdoor photography space, and he鈥檚 always game to hike, bike, run, or climb to a vantage point for the perfect shot. On a recent assignment, Burkard trekked through the Icelandic landscape and returned with photos that will inspire viewers to get out on their own hike.

Switzerland (8th Happiest)

The Best Trail-Running Route in the World

The Swiss Alps are home to an incredible new hut-to-hut runners鈥� route called the Via Valais. It鈥檚 a little demanding鈥�150 miles, nine stages, and 42,000 feet of elevation gain鈥攂ut if you can take it on, you鈥檙e guaranteed one of the most spectacular adventures of your life.

New Zealand (10th Happiest)

The Ultimate New Zealand South Island Travel Guide

New Zealand鈥檚 South Island is undoubtedly one of the world鈥檚 most beautiful places, where golden beaches and dense rainforests border the snow-capped Southern Alps, and adventures are endless. But for those of us who can鈥檛 pick up and move to Christchurch, here鈥檚 a definitive guide on how to make the most of your time there.

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It can be overwhelming to realize how much of the world there is to see and how limited one鈥檚 time and resources are to experience it all. While there is no shortage of inspiration, from of (including from 国产吃瓜黑料) and countless social media accounts, Sandy Cunningham, co-founder of 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 adventure travel company , says that in her more than 25 years of experience planning dream vacations, the key to traveling well is creating a list that focuses on the types of experiences that will fulfill, challenge, and transform you, rather than of pretty destinations. My bucket list will change over time as I do. But to get started, I talked to Cunningham to create a list of five buckets,听or experiences I want to have, and filled them in.

1. The Bucket With a Twist

Start off听with an experience you鈥檝e thought about often, no matter how familiar or overdone it seems. But rather than going to Hawaii to surf or Nepal to trek, tailor it to you and your budget听by picking an unusual location where the activity is offered. During the pandemic, Cunningham used this approach to safely navigate travel restrictions鈥攁nd introduce her clients to places they would have never thought of if their go-to destinations had been available. For those who wanted, say, , she instead suggested for its fly-in wilderness lodges that could be linked together for a circuit, world-class guides, and abundance of wildlife.

I鈥檝e always wanted to see wine country with my mom. Napa feels like an obvious choice, but we鈥檝e both already spent a lot of time in California. After some research, I found鈥攖o my surprise鈥攖hat Moldova, a small country in Eastern Europe, just north of the Balkans, has three historical wine regions and is home to the world鈥檚 largest wine cellar, the , which has 120 miles of underground tunnels. We鈥檒l base ourselves out of the capital of Chisinau for easy access to over a dozen wineries, plus densely forested mountains, winding rivers, and the听, an ancient church built into the side of a cliff.听

2. The Trip that Scares the Sh*t Out of You听

Travel is about challenging yourself in all kinds of ways. So why not take it a step further and use it to confront your fears head-on? Step 1: Pick something that scares you or feels out of character. There鈥檚 no need to make it a sufferfest鈥攊f the entire trip fills you with dread, it鈥檒l be a chore听instead of an experience you want to put time and money into. Go with an experience that holds as much fear as it does fascination. Step 2: Pair it with a place that you really want to see or someone you love traveling with.

As a child, I used to have recurring nightmares about tsunamis and deep water. So when I travel, I usually stick to the mountains. For years, my best friend, who loves the ocean and is a certified open water scuba diver, has been trying to convince me to go on a trip with her. She鈥檚 pitching me on Cairns, Australia, which she says is great for beginners: warm water, stunning biodiversity, and still-living coral reefs. She says it鈥檚 like 鈥渟wimming through a children鈥檚 book.鈥� I鈥檇 trust her with my life, and everything we do together ends up being fun. So bucket list item #2: get scuba certified down under with my best friend at my side.

3. The Re-Run听

I went to Costa Rica on a high school trip and have been thinking about returning ever since, but travel to new places always seem to take priority. During my first trip, we spent a week on a secluded turtle preserve on the country鈥檚 east coast, went on day hikes through the rainforest, and rafted on the legendary Pacuare River.听

Cunningham says that one of her favorite types of trips to plan is those that 鈥済ive people reasons to go back to places they鈥檝e already loved.鈥� Pick one of your all-time favorite trips鈥攖he one that you always say you鈥檇 go back to in a heartbeat鈥攁nd go deeper. You can never see all of a place in one go, so there are bound to be corners left to explore. But to make your next trip really special, Cunningham suggests seeking help from a local expert like a guide or agent who lives in the region.

When I go back to Costa Rica, I鈥檇 like to go on longer guided hikes in the rainforest to learn more about its unique flora and fauna. I鈥檇 like to see the country鈥檚 western coast, known for its beaches and incredible volcanoes, which I completely missed on the first go. And I also want to spend more time in cities like San Jose, so I can get a taste of the country鈥檚 culture and鈥攎y favorite part鈥攊ts food.听听

4. The White Whale

Not all bucket list travel has to be far-flung, once-in-a-lifetime endeavors. There are lots of ways to have big adventures that are closeby or on a budget. To pull these kinds of trips off, Cunningham recommends saving on accommodations and splurging on experiences. But if the trip of your dreams does require some saving, and you鈥檙e having trouble reconciling spending all that money on a one-off adventure, consider picking one that comes with a long term reward.听

During quarantine, I started putting some of the money I鈥檇 usually spend on going out, traveling, and events into a separate savings account as a way to make the most of my time stuck at home. It wasn鈥檛 until I figured out a way to combine two of my travel goals鈥�buying a van and embarking a months-long cross-country road trip鈥攖hat the account really started to grow. I realized that convincing myself that it鈥檚 worth spending so much of my hard-earned cash on a single trip is the hardest part. I got over that barrier by planning a trip that felt like an investment in myself, and one that, while expensive, would give me a lot of bang for my buck.听

In my case, the van and the time off will be costly, but having a long term and cost-effective way to see my loved ones who are scattered across the continent will be priceless. If #vanlife isn鈥檛 on your list, consider getting certified in an outdoor pursuit in a place you鈥檝e always wanted to visit (you鈥檒l often find more affordable courses abroad) or going somewhere that will help you advance your skill level in a short amount of time, like a sports camp or a beginner-friendly destination.

5. The Off-Map Excursion听

Cunningham says that the most memorable moments for her clients are often those that are unexpected. 鈥淭here鈥檚 got to be some surprises when you鈥檙e on the ground,鈥� she says. She often builds them into the trips she plans, like the time that she added time on an itinerary to hide a surprise sunrise hot air balloon flight in Namibia.

If you鈥檙e planning the trip yourself, build serendipity into your vacation by leaving some of it unplanned and going offline. Pick a place where you speak the language, don鈥檛 consult the guides, and leave your phone at home. You鈥檒l be surprised by how small interactions with locals will deepen your experience and lead you to unexpected discoveries. I鈥檝e found that the things I discover myself often give me the most joy when it comes to travel, because they feel more earned.

For this bucket list item, I want to make a trip all about the unexpected by heading to Barcelona for a week鈥攏o cell phone allowed. I speak enough Spanish to get by, and am familiar enough with the city from being there once before. During my short lived stay a few years ago, the best moments were the ones I didn鈥檛 plan, like the time I got swept up into a street festival filled with fireworks and costumed dancers and when I wandered into a hidden plaza adjacent to an incredible church.

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62 Parks Traveler听started with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public-lands nerd听听saved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and she听wanted to see them before it鈥檚 too late.

Pennington听is committed to following CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of herself and others. She鈥檚 visiting new parks while closely adhering to best safety practices.

Enormous blue tongues of ice crawled down the bleak faces of mountains and plunged headfirst into the sea. For miles听I could make out the serrated edges of 400-foot-deep crevasses and glaciers听spilling in slow motion toward听the salty waters of the Muir Inlet. It was earth like I鈥檇 never seen it鈥攆urious, vast, unyielding. This was my first taste of Alaska鈥攊n a small plane soaring over Glacier Bay National Park鈥攁nd it was everything I鈥檇 dreamed of.

Glacier Bay is one of those rare national parks that鈥檚 only accessible by air or water. There are no roads to this southeastern part of the state. When visiting the park, most travelers arrive by boat from the tiny town of Gustavus, spending a full day on a ranger-narrated cruise around the western side, or West Arm. However, due to the pandemic, most commercial vessel outings听had been canceled,听so I had to get creative.

Eager to see the area鈥檚 famous icefields, I messaged Paul Swanstrom, a veteran bush pilot and founder of听. I told him my dates, flew to the nearby small town of Haines, and prayed for a good weather window. If all went according to plan, this would be my first bush-plane experience.

Upon my arrival in late July, though, the forecast wasn鈥檛 great; rain was called听for every single day. 鈥淭he forecasts are more entertainment than accurate,鈥� a local told me. I crossed my fingers and waited.

Sure enough, on day two, the clouds opened up, and Swanstrom suggested we hop to it. Within the hour, I was catapulted into the air in a tiny metal aircraft, with huge hanging glaciers below and to my right. I had never felt more vulnerable when skyborne. We cruised up and over the Davidson Glacier, wind rattling us on the high-mountain pass. I took a deep breath, clenched every stomach muscle I had, and tried to focus on taking photographs.

We were met with cerulean water in every direction, as magnificent rivers of ice dropped off toward听the sea. This sudden shock of scenery somehow cured my nerves, and I relaxed into the breathtaking beauty of the place as Swanstrom pointed out the more notable glaciers in the听less traveled听East Arm of the park.

鈥淭he McBride Glacier鈥檚 the only one still touching the water. All the others have been receding quickly since the 1960s,鈥� he said, curving the plane nearer听its colossal ice cliffs. According to听 provided by the Park Service, Muir Glacier extended far into the Muir Inlet as recently as 1976鈥�. The nearby听 has been receding 20 to 30 feet per year, ultimately retreating from the water in the late 1990s due to climate change.

So much of the majesty of this landscape is tied to these dynamic sheets of moving ice. I shuddered to think what would happen to the ecosystem were they to vanish altogether.

With clouds rolling in, we skipped the park鈥檚 West Arm and made an impromptu photo stop,听landing on a gravel bar just outside Haines. At peace on solid ground, I fell in love with the electric pink fireweed that popped out of nearly every opening in the trees. This was Alaska, a wild country of mind-boggling earthen drama. Though I worried for its future, I was grateful to explore its ever shifting present.

62 Parks Traveler Glacier Bay Info

Size: 3.3 million acres

Location: Southeastern Alaska

Created In: 1925 (national monument), 1980 (national park)

Best For: Boat cruises, flightseeing, whale-watching, kayaking, glacier gazing

When to Go: Summer (43 to 63 degrees) and early fall (29 to 54 degrees) are really the only times that boats and planes can be chartered into the park. The visitor center is usually open late May through early September. Summer is also the best time for whale-watching and other wildlife viewing.

Where to Stay: The park operates one walk-in campground,听, and permit applications can be found on the park鈥檚 website. For those visiting from the quaint, artsy town of Haines, the听 is a wonderful home base.

Where to Eat:听Though it doesn鈥檛听serve food鈥攋ust beverages鈥擨鈥檇 be remiss if I didn鈥檛 mention the听. It听offers a selection of home-brewed beers听Monday through Saturday and is centrally located in town.

Mini 国产吃瓜黑料: Take a flightseeing听excursion听and soar over massive glaciers with听. These reasonably priced tours (starting at $200) leave from Haines or Skagway and give visitors a unique perspective by showcasing the incredible expanse听from the sky.

Mega 国产吃瓜黑料: Take a multi-day tour through inlets, islands, and ice. The park has authorized听 to provide small, intimate cruises into Glacier Bay and the stunning scenery of Southeast Alaska.

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62 Parks Traveler听started with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public-lands nerd听听saved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and she听wanted to see them before it鈥檚 too late.

Pennington听is committed to following CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of herself and others. She鈥檚 visiting new parks while closely adhering to best safety practices.

Laying eyes on Crater Lake is like being sucked through an interdimensional portal. Something about the impossibly deep sapphire water carries an almost mystical quality that grabs you by the retinas and doesn鈥檛 let go. Friends warned me about a听kind of听otherworldly wallop upon arrival, but nothing could prepare me for the feeling I had seeing it for the very first time.

After a long, mid-July drive caravaning through southern Oregon鈥檚 pine forests, my friend Ave听and I white-knuckled our way around a series of increasingly steep switchbacks on the park鈥檚 main highway. We took a sharp left onto Rim Drive, a high-altitude road (at 7,100 feet) that circumnavigates the five-mile-wide lake, and were soon met with the immense, blue shock of water at Discovery Point. Though several cars had pulled over into the lakeside parking lot, I wanted to face this natural wonder head-on, in the flesh, feet on the trail, so we drove onward and decided upon听a 1.8-mile trek up to the Watchman Observation Station.

Lilac phlox, sulfur buckwheat, and tiny white lupines dotted the trail as we ascended to a fire tower nearly 2,000 feet above the lake鈥檚 surface. After听rounding听a bend and taking听our final steps toward听the overlook, we both froze. Most popular park lookouts can turn into a rowdy mess of selfie sticks and toddler wrangling, but this one felt different. There were several other tourists walking around snapping photographs and admiring the view, but they were all eerily silent. It was as though we all knew we were in the presence of something special.

Ave and I stayed here for over an hour, just sitting and staring as the sun sank and the light shifted. Haze from nearby forest fires made the scene feel more like an Impressionist painting than real life, blurring the edges of this ancient volcano into delicate shades of coral and fuzzy marigold.

On our second day, the smoke scattered in the midsummer breeze and high cumulus clouds, and the air was clearer. Starting at Discovery Point, we hiked north on the Pacific Crest Trail鈥�33 miles of it bisect the park鈥攊n uncharacteristic 80-degree heat. Although boat tours had been suspended for the season due to COVID-19, the views of Wizard Island, which sits in the middle of the lake, along this less traveled path were no less stunning, and听with a little luck, you might have the trail all to yourself. We stopped near 8,156-foot Hillman Peak听and had lunch perched atop our very own tree root, with a million-dollar view.

Sticky from a week spent hiking and driving, I was eager to cap off the trip with a cooldown swim听into the lake, so we sped off toward听the park鈥檚 Cleetwood Cove Trail, the only legal access to its shore. A mile and 700 vertical feet later, we were at the water鈥檚 edge.

Small crayfish occasionally crept up from the darkness between the rocks surrounding our feet as we gleefully stripped down and plunged in. As the deepest lake in America, at 1,943 feet, swimming into the crater鈥檚 immense, blue void can feel overwhelming. You鈥檙e suddenly faced with a visceral depiction of just how small you听are in the face of the natural world.

Yet somehow, after a chilly听55-degree swim amid its unfathomable depths, I emerged feeling stronger and more lit up than ever. It was the perfect bookend to a weeklong girls鈥� road trip. I knew I was ready to tackle whatever life听hurled at me next, baptized in sunshine and smiles.

62 Parks Traveler Crater Lake Info

Size: 183,224 acres

Location: Southern Oregon

Created In: 1902 (national park)

Best For: Scenic drives, hiking, swimming, stargazing, geology

When to Go: Summer (33 to 70 degrees) and fall (22 to 63 degrees) are the seasons when the park is snow-free and most accessible by car. Expect road closures in spring (19 to 50 degrees) and winter (18 to 35 degrees).

Where to Stay: I skipped the crowds and found a site 30听minutes outside the park at , nestled in a grove of towering pines. It鈥檚 secluded enough to truly relax and soak up the forest energy.

Where to Eat: Adjacent to the campground and the Union Creek Lodge is , where hungry hikers can grab a seriously awesome burger and a slice of pie.

Mini 国产吃瓜黑料: Go for a cruise along Rim Drive. This 50-mile scenic byway offers access to 30 overlooks and 33 miles of incredible Crater Lake views. Allow at least three hours to stop, walk around, and take pictures.

Mega 国产吃瓜黑料: Summit . At 8,929 feet, this small stratovolcano is the highest point in Crater Lake National Park, and the views from the top are outstanding. Get ready for a heart-pumping climb on the 4.5-mile trail, then gaze down at the blue water and the Klamath Basin, beautiful rewards that testify how far you鈥檝e come.

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62 Parks Traveler听started with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public-lands nerd听听saved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and she听wanted to see them before it鈥檚 too late.

Pennington听is committed to following CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of herself and others. She鈥檚 visiting new parks while closely adhering to best safety practices.

From the moment my floatplane鈥檚 skis touched down on the deep blue听waters of Lake Superior, I knew would be different. With normal tour-boat operations suspended for the 2020 season, the only way to reach this remote archipelago in northwestern Michigan was by seaplane, transforming the least visited national park in the lower 48 into a ghost town for serious backpackers and hikers. It felt like landing in Jurassic Park.

As home to nearly 2,000 moose, 14 wolves, and a diverse tapestry of boreal and northern-hardwood forests, Isle Royale is about as wild as a place can get. With no roads, no cars, and limited facilities, it is an ideal spot for a multi-day trip to revel in the quietude of an undeveloped park. So听my partner, Brian, and I set off to backpack the 42-mile Greenstone Ridge Trail.

The trail was tough. With July temperatures hovering around 80 degrees, plus 74 percent humidity, slogging my 35-pound pack up and down a series of buggy, tree-covered slopes left me gasping for breath. Starting on the more forested Windigo side of the island meant there were few views to be had on our first two days of hiking. Apart from a moose carcass and a trail overgrown with bracken ferns, there was little to see.

But then, on the second night, something remarkable happened. While camped at the water鈥檚 edge of West Chickenbone Lake, a horseshoe-shaped inland tarn, I heard a splash. I grabbed my camera and rushed outside my tent in the dazzling orange light of sunset. 鈥淚s it a moose?鈥� I whispered to Brian, craning my neck to get a better view through the dense trees.

Sure enough, a young bull moose was swimming our way, his enormous furry body just 200 feet from camp. He must have heard my whispers, because as he neared our shoreline perch, he stood up out of the water, a full seven feet tall, and stared directly at me, curious. My jaw dropped, and my heart flew into my throat. The animal was enormous. Lucky for us, he quickly assumed we weren鈥檛 a threat and immediately went back to sauntering across the lake. I was beginning to like this place.

At the end of day three, I descended from the ridgeline after stuffing my face with plump wild blueberries and veered onto the Rock Harbor Trail. The terrain was becoming rockier now, with paper birch and spruce trees replacing the canopy of sugar maples and yellow birch.

From my vantage point on the lichen-encrusted shore, Lake Superior looked like a vast听freshwater ocean. By comparison, I felt impossibly small and mortal as I made my way to Three Mile Campground, with its wooden structure, a picnic table, and view of the watery expanse. With rain in the forecast, I was excited to finally try sleeping in one of the park鈥檚 many hiking shelters, a spartan wooden shack with a screen on the lakefront side to ward off mosquitoes. Bumblebees punctuated the air with frenetic noises, flower-hopping from colorful bloom to colorful bloom.

The highlight of the trip came on the last day. When the morning rain stopped, Brian and I packed up our things and made our way听along the southeastern edge of Isle Royale, climbing over huge boulders dotted with bright orange tiger lilies on the way to Scoville Point. I wanted to reach out and touch the very tip of this rugged wilderness, to stand with abandon at what felt like the edge of the known world.

When I got to the very end of the trail, I gazed off into the clouds, embracing the liminal space, at home in the dirt and the wind.

62 Parks Traveler Isle Royale Info

Size: 571,790 acres

Location: Northwestern Michigan

Created In: 1940 (national park)

Best For: Backpacking, hiking, boating, fishing, stargazing

When to Go: Isle Royale is one of the few parks that is fully closed in the winter (November 1 to April 15). typically start running in early May. While summer (46 to 81 degrees) is the most popular time to visit, spring (26 to 58 degrees) and autumn (33 to 63 degrees) have cooler temperatures and fewer crowds.

Where to Stay: The in Grand Marais, Minnesota, is a fantastic jumping-off point for those awaiting a seaplane or ferry (or for tired backpackers ready for some R&R). Family owned and operated, this affordable inn has a funky canoe-themed decor, clean rooms, and the softest beds in town. For those looking to camp, sites are first-come, first-served, and upon landing.

Mini 国产吃瓜黑料: Hike to . If you only have one day in the park, head to the Rock Harbor area and hop onto the 4.2-mile trail to Scoville Point. Hikers here will get to learn about the unique history, flora, and fauna of the region while traversing a loop along the coast of Lake Superior and through dense woodlands of spruce and fir.

Mega 国产吃瓜黑料: Go on a . Though the Greenstone Ridge Trail is the celebrity of the park, I鈥檓 convinced that hikers could create their own, equally fun one-to-two-night trek by starting in Rock Harbor and looping up over听Mount Ojibway if they鈥檙e short on time.

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62 Parks Traveler听started with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public lands nerd听听saved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and she听wanted to see them before it鈥檚 too late.

Pennington听is committed to following CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of herself and others. She鈥檚 visiting new parks while closely adhering to best safety practices.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could make out the hazy, ragged outline of Lassen Peak as I sunk my boots into black volcanic sand, my breath labored in the warm sun. The hike up Cinder Cone, I had been warned, was no walk in the park, but the top, at 6,906 feet, promised exceptional views into Northern California鈥檚 Lassen Volcanic National Park听in the southern Cascade Range. After more than 800 vertical feet of uphill on the dormant volcano鈥檚 steep slope, my friend, Ave, and I topped out on the crater鈥檚 edge. My heart skipped a beat.

Below me, surrounding the cone, was an enormous听inky expanse aptly named the Fantastic Lava Beds. Swirls of once molten rock carved their way across the mountainous landscape, opening up into acres of multicolored sand鈥攖he Painted Dunes. I had spent only three hours in the park听and already felt sated. I wondered what magic the next day would bring.

After a full night鈥檚 sleep, we both felt like warriors, so we sped off across the park鈥檚 main road to summit its namesake mountain, . At 10,457 feet, this prominent volcano is a hiker鈥檚 dream: a 2,000-foot hamstring-busting romp through wildflowers and 100-year-old eruption zones that ends with a mild scramble up to panoramic views of forests, hillsides, and many sparkling sapphire lakes.

After a two-hour hike, at the top we giddily ate lunch and took far too many selfies, gazing down into the toothy mess of rock that forms the mountain鈥檚 central crater. Later, we stripped down to our skivvies and plunged into Lake Helen to cool down from the July heat, watching a horde of puffy white clouds roll in on the breeze.

We couldn鈥檛 leave without checking out at least one of the park鈥檚 eight hydrothermal areas, so we closed out our second day with a three-mile trek through Bumpass Hell. The听sharp smell of sulphur singed my nose hairs as we trotted across the boardwalk, gazing out at steaming fumaroles, brilliant aquamarine hot springs, and burbling mudpots. It was like Yellowstone听in miniature.

In 1885, when Yellowstone was newly created, a marketing team used an motif to promote the park鈥檚 seemingly magical landscape. Now, more than a century later, I feel that听sentiment could just as easily be applied to Lassen Volcanic. It鈥檚 an often overlooked area full of bizarre rock features, metamorphic leftovers, and historic trails, and with only an eighth of Yellowstone鈥檚 annual visitation, it鈥檚 ripe for discovery.

鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe I鈥檝e lived in California for 15 years and have never been here!鈥� I shouted to Ave as we skipped through amethyst lupine fields on the way back to our cars. I didn鈥檛 understand why this was such a sleeper park. The killer hiking, boiling steam vents, and the fact that 17 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail run through Lassen鈥檚 borders combine to make it one of California鈥檚 best-kept secrets. Just don鈥檛 tell anyone, OK?

62 Parks Traveler Lassen Volcanic Info

Size: 106,372 acres

Location: Northern California

Created In: 1907 (national monument), 1916 (national park)

Best For: Hiking, geology, backpacking, car camping, , .

When to Go: Due to its high elevation鈥攖he park鈥檚 lowest point is a breezy 5,650 feet鈥攎ost visitors arrive in summer (34 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit) and fall (21 to 78 degrees). The snow is still melting in spring (16 to 70 degrees), and the park can receive as much as 30 feet of snow in winter (13 to 52 degrees).

Where to Stay: Lassen Volcanic offers excellent for those not looking to backpack. , near Cinder Cone, is a more rustic option situated amid听towering pine trees. , on the park鈥檚 west side, is larger, more developed, and more RV-friendly.

Mini 国产吃瓜黑料: Hike to . This moderate听three-mile hike takes visitors past phenomenal views of Lassen Peak, across lush alpine meadows, and onto a boardwalk that meanders through an active hydrothermal basin. Visitors can explore hot turquoise pools, hissing sulfuric vents, and boiling mudpots from the safety of the trail.

Mega 国产吃瓜黑料: Summit . Any serious peakbagger won鈥檛 be able to resist the steep听five-mile (round-trip) trail to the top of this massive volcano. A series of eruptions lasting from 1914 to 1917 helped upgrade the park from a national monument in 1916. From the summit, hikers can gaze out at Cinder Cone, Eagle Peak, and the Devastated Area, a rocky expanse that highlights the sheer power of the mountain鈥檚 most recent blow. Best attempted late summer through early fall.

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Mom leans her head back against the wheelchair鈥檚 headrest to gaze up toward the tops of the redwoods. These forests are a kind of sanctuary for her, having lived amid such massive trees听for more than 20 years. It鈥檚 an October afternoon in Samuel P. Taylor Park just north of San Francisco, and as I push her down the roughly paved path winding听alongside Lagunitas Creek, home to spawning salmon, trees tower on either side. Ferns cover听the shadowed ground, interrupted by lower sweeps听of redwood sorrel that blanket the earth with their听small, heart-shaped leaves. When sunlight touches the sorrel, the leaves fold downward to protect themselves, then right themselves once direct sunlight has passed. Amazingly adaptive, this species. Able to change when changing is required.

Once, my mom听got our minivan stuck inside one of those redwoods you can drive through.听We tried pushing听and pulling it, floored the gas, but nothing worked. Finally, with no options left, we deflated all the tires and strangers helped us propel it forward and out. I start听to remind her of the听story, but a quick intake of her breath makes me stop. I listen, on high alert for any sign of pain or听distress.听

This is the first time I鈥檓 taking my mother somewhere听remote by myself, and I鈥檓 scared. We are deep in听the forest, far from help. My mom throws an arm鈥攖he good one鈥攐ut to the side then, a surprising gesture. She tilts her head back, and I tense听up. We are outside cell-phone range, so an emergency鈥攐f which we鈥檝e had many in the past couple years鈥攚ould be a disaster. She isn鈥檛 wearing her helmet these days, even though the part of her skull that was removed to get at the bleeding in her brain听was never successfully replaced. But we are wild women. We are risk-takers. Or rather, she is.

But instead of yelling out in pain, she begins to sing. She can no longer speak, but it doesn鈥檛 seem to matter. She repeats the one sound she can make鈥�na鈥攁nd weaves it into a tune of her own making.

Two years earlier, my mom had a massive stroke. She was 64. It left the right half of her body听paralyzed听and with full expressive aphasia, which means she has lost the ability to听communicate using听any form of language鈥攙erbal, written, or听manual, like signing or gesturing. After more than a year in hospitals and rehab facilities, she came home.听

I was worried鈥攏o, I was听terrified鈥攖hat her physical and cognitive changes would render any kind of future adventure impossible. Gone were her days of performing stunts on surfers鈥� shoulders, or听mending fishing nets on turbulent Oregon ships, or simply traveling through the world with ease.

But my stepdad refused to let her remaining time resemble a typical sick person鈥檚 life. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not gonna sit around, smelling like urine,鈥澨齢e said. He bought听her an off-roading wheelchair, with big bike tires in the rear听and oversized, inflated wheels on the front so they wouldn鈥檛听get stuck in the kinds of divots that snag her regular chair. He added to it, modifying for her comfort and ease of adventure.听We decided that, as much as was possible while she was alive, we would do whatever we could to help her really live.

Mom is sitting in the adventure wheelchair during our redwoods trip. The extra-big tires roll smoothly over branches. I allow her song to steady me. In our new arrangement, I try to gain听some of her adventurousness:听I push the chair a little faster, veer off the path and into the forest. Here听the ground is soft, with layers of bark and needles and the debris of long-dead things recycling themselves into soil. Two black-tailed deer hold still up the hill to our left. A new redwood tree shoots up out of a fallen log, creating life where none seemed possible.

Together my family听created听adventures where none seemed possible. A year after our trip to the woods, my stepdad set out with my mom on a journey over land and sea鈥攁 person can鈥檛 fly when missing a piece of the protective skull around the brain.听They arrived in Italy to kick off the world travel they鈥檇 always dreamed of but had never been able to do. Up to this point, my mom听had endured dozens of complications, including brain surgeries, infections, regressions, sepsis. Nobody, my brother and I especially, thought they could make it work. It was too physically impossible. Too exhausting. Too risky.

But they did, and my mom became obsessed with gelato.

Three years after that, challenging the limits of which trips could be undertaken, and how, and by whom, they took another journey to Greece, where my brother and I met them for a week on the island of Rhodes. There听we pushed my mom up and down the cobblestone streets of the ancient city听and carried her up castle steps.

Mom had always loved swimming in the ocean听but hadn鈥檛 been able to since her stroke. On our last day together in Greece, we took the adventure wheelchair and swapped out the back bike tires for enormous inflated inner tubes almost the size of small car tires. We called this version of the chair Bubbles, first听wheeling听her smoothly onto the sand, then cruising听down the beach, before slowly, carefully听turning听into the water. With my stepdad in front and my brother and I steadying either side, we took the chair into the sea as far as it could go and then began to ease her body out, supporting her on all sides. She floated on her back, all of our hands beneath her. Then, blinking听up into the clear blue sky, she smiled听and sang her song. It was the happiest I鈥檇 seen her in years.听

All of that is coming soon. Right now听mom and I are听weaving in and out of the redwood shadows, pressing our hands against its bark, wheeling into tree holes big enough for the both of听us. In the听wheelchair, we go slower. There鈥檚 no urgent need to cover much ground. Instead, she examines all the details that make up her immediate surroundings. She closes her eyes and listens to the changing sound of the creek as we walk alongside it. And with her, through her, alongside her, I do the same.听

Not far from where we are walking, at another point we鈥檇 often visited before her stroke, a peninsula of land听juts听out just past Point听Reyes. In this place, for reasons that aren鈥檛 entirely clear to scientists, seabirds who become lost as they fly along the coast, or across the ocean,听congregate. They are called vagrants. Trees fill with species rarely听seen in the area, a collection of birds who have lost听their way.

I feel like that with my mother sometimes. The journey we鈥檇 been on became lost to us, but we didn鈥檛听fall into the sea. We found a new peninsula. Regrouped in the trees. And set off again, changed, but taking wing toward something new.

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62 Parks Traveler听started with a simple goal: to visit every U.S. national park. Avid backpacker and public-lands nerd听听saved up, built out a tiny van to travel and live in, and hit the road. The parks as we know them are rapidly changing, and she听wanted to see them before it鈥檚 too late.

Pennington听is committed to following CDC guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure the safety of herself and others. She鈥檚 visiting new parks while closely adhering to best safety practices.

After two months of traveling the country with my boyfriend in tow, it was time to get back to my roots. In much the same way that a tired single mom drops her kid off at day care, I left him behind in Los Angeles as I drove away听on my own听fresh adventure鈥攁 weeklong, girls-only road trip with my dear friend Ave.

We caravanned north from the City of Angels in mid-July, with safety and social distancing at the top of our minds. After five hours on dusty freeways and then winding forest roads, we found ourselves transported into a remote granite canyon full of sky-high crumbling rock formations and trees as thick as houses. It was as if Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks had a baby. A wonderful baby named Kings Canyon.

An hour east of Fresno, California, Kings Canyon is mostly designated as a wilderness park, meaning that few roads penetrate its 461,901 acres. Serious visitors must embark on multi-day backpacking trips to enjoy a lot of听what it has to offer. With only 48 hours to explore in this vast swath of the Sierra Nevada, Ave and I hatched a plan to day hike as much of the park as we could, as fast as we could.

Our journey began on the nine-mile trek out to Mist Falls, a route paralleling the Kings River through ponderosa pines whose听flaky red bark smelled like butterscotch. To my back was an outrageous view of the Sphinx, a massive granite sentinel that towers ominously over the entire valley. Soon听we came face to face with a roaring, 100-foot cascade of whitewater pummeling the smooth slabs below, mist ricocheting onto my sweaty mug as a gentle cooldown after the long uphill jaunt. I gritted my teeth as I watched a young couple pose within inches of the torrent and prayed听that their Instagram moment wouldn鈥檛 sweep them off this earth forever.

Luckily听for them (and me), we all hiked down unscathed, and Ave suggested we eat dinner at a scenic picnic area beneath the ragged cliffs. It seemed the fates did not want our day鈥檚 adventures to come to an end, because the moment I finished my pasta masterpiece, an unfamiliar white car pulled right up to our table.

A man ran out with some urgency and exclaimed that a large black bear was heading straight toward听us. I squinted my eyes, and听through a veil of trees, I could just make out a lumbering dark figure approaching. Ave screamed, and we both relayed an armful of food back into my听van. I then positioned myself at the wooden picnic table, feigning confidence and ready to hold my ground, because rule number one is that you never let a black bear get your food. This one听was not deterred.

In what was essentially a Hail Mary, the kind stranger began furiously honking his car horn. The bear, now less than 100 feet away, glanced over at us and began to saunter left, his cadence nauseatingly cool. He crossed the road and took off in search of an easier meal.

We didn鈥檛 sleep well that night. To treat ourselves after the听chaotic听experience, we settled on an easy morning stroll through Grant Grove, a cluster of old-growth sequoia trees on the western edge of the park. There鈥檚 something inherently grounding about spending time in the presence of giants, as though we are hardwired to remember our smallness, a feeling which can diminish our mortal dramas.

This forest reset did wonders for our nerves. Before we knew it, we were laughing and back onto our rigorous hiking schedule. Ladies: 1.听Bear: 0.

62 Parks Traveler Kings Canyon Info

Size: 461,901 acres

Location: Central California

Created In: 1890 (General Grant National Park), 1940 (Kings Canyon National Park)

Best For: Backpacking, hiking, car camping, waterfall chasing, forest bathing, stargazing

When to Go: Summer (46 to 89 degrees) is the most popular time to visit, while autumn (31 to 82 degrees) is generally snow-free with milder temperatures. Spring (30 to 72 degrees) brings high water from fresh snowmelt, and in winter (25 to 54 degrees), many parts of the park are听inaccessible due to snow.

Where to Stay: The park has well-positioned campgrounds at both for car campers. Looking for more creature comforts? The and offer hotel-style lodging amid听the old-growth forest.

Mini 国产吃瓜黑料: Visit听. Dubbed America鈥檚 Christmas Tree听in 1926, the General Grant tree is the second-largest tree in the world, and no trip to Kings Canyon is complete without a stop here. Follow the 0.3-mile paved trail directly up to the monarch, or wander through the rest of the sequoia grove on the 1.5-mile North Grove Loop.

Mega 国产吃瓜黑料: Backpack the 41-mile . Though I didn鈥檛 have time to complete this bucket-list trek this time, it remains a very worthy objective for backpackers looking to experience the high-altitude wilderness of Kings Canyon. Plan ahead鈥攑ermits go quick!

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Have you ever dreamed of a family mountain-bike trip through North Dakota鈥檚 badlands? What about watching one of the country鈥檚 biggest firework displays from a kayak? Or slithering through a slot canyon? Or maybe climbing a frozen waterfall?听

If not鈥攐r if you have but the idea of doing any of these with a child is so daunting that you鈥檇 rather sign up for another semester of remote learning鈥攊t鈥檚 time to pick up a copy of . This gorgeous new hardcover book, written by 国产吃瓜黑料 correspondent Kate Siber and illustrated by Lydia Hill, is a road map to family-friendly adventures across the United States. For each state, Siber highlighted a standout activity in a specific location, like dogsledding in Minnesota鈥檚 Boundary Waters听or road-tripping along Mississippi鈥檚 Natchez Trace Parkway. Then she sprinkled in fun facts to illuminate the area鈥檚 natural and cultural wonders.

While one could read this听book as a sort of nature-based bucket list of places to see and activities听to check off, it鈥檚 also much more than that. At a time when many of us are bogged down by the COVID-19 pandemic听and staring down a long winter of staying close to home, 50 国产吃瓜黑料s reads like a compilation of possibilities. My daughter is only two, so many of the experiences (aimed at five-to-ten-year-olds) are a little out of reach for us. But as we looked at the pictures and talked about what the people were doing, I found myself fantasizing about everything we can still do together, either now or after the pandemic subsides. Maybe we won鈥檛 mountain-bike North Dakota鈥檚 144-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail, but reading about it was the inspiration I needed to start researching mellower bikepacking routes near our home in the Rockies.

That鈥檚 exactly the kind of spark听Siber hopes her book will kindle. 鈥淪ure, maybe people will go and do some of the adventures, and a few people might even do all of them,鈥� she told me. 鈥淏ut my hope is more that it will motivate or inspire families to develop the orientation of an adventurous mindset. Kids are already so curious and adventurous, so the question for me as a writer was:听How do you nurture that? How do you stoke and encourage and celebrate it?鈥�

In answering that question, Siber found herself trying to see the natural world through a child鈥檚 eyes. It was a perspective that helped her find solace during a dark time. While she was in the middle of researching and writing the book, Siber found herself sidelined by not only a global pandemic听but also a breast-cancer diagnosis. As her world narrowed to the confines of her couch, her home, and the hospital, 50 国产吃瓜黑料s offered an antidote. It was 鈥渆verything my life was not,鈥� she wrote in a听听for 国产吃瓜黑料 Journal. It reminded her that there鈥檚 still magic in the world, and that you don鈥檛 need to travel to some exotic locale to find it. It鈥檚 in your own backyard, your own state, or even the pages of a book.

A longtime travel and outdoor-sports journalist, Siber had little trouble coming up with ideas to fill the pages: each adventure is either something she鈥檚 already done or something she鈥檚听long wanted to do. The part that took more time was making sure each suggestion was appropriate for kids and families, which had Siber interviewing guides and outfitters in every state. The book doesn鈥檛 include contact information for these services, but she made sure it could easily be found online.

Some of Siber鈥檚 initial ideas鈥攍ike rappelling into a fern-lined sinkhole in Alabama鈥攚ere ultimately scrapped because they weren鈥檛 well suited to children. Those that made the final cut are a mix of adventures accessible to anyone as well as听ones that are more aspirational. On the beginner-friendly side of the spectrum are activities that require no special gear or skills, like digging for crystals on a salt flat in Oklahoma. Then there are things听like whitewater rafting that demand either a depth of experience or a local guide. Taken as a whole, the mix feels just right; it鈥檚 an invitation to dream and plan for post-pandemic travel while also a nudge to explore grounds closer to home.

In recent weeks, I鈥檝e found myself returning to the book again and again, flipping through the pages even after my daughter is asleep. In a time when the world often seems frustratingly limited, 50 国产吃瓜黑料s in the 50 States is a reminder that it will be expansive again.

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