Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2023 i Country Extra

OREGON If you hike the 5-mile out-and-back Cape Falcon Trail in Oswald West State Park in December and January, you may spy a pod of gray whales frolicking offshore as they migrate from the Bering Sea to Baja. This moderately challenging trail ends with a spectacular view. Wear your hiking boots, because the trail can be quite muddy. ILLINOIS Several frozen waterfalls and deep canyons line the 4.4-mile LaSalle Canyon Loop Trail in beautiful Starved Rock State Park. Elevation changes (there are nine staircases) make this an intermediate trail worthy of microspikes in icy conditions. Take the short spur to Eagle Cliff overlook to spot the eagles that nest in the area during winter. VIRGINIA A 67-foot waterfall that tumbles into an icy river is a highlight for hikers who…

NEWPORT IS WISCONSIN'S ONLY WILDERNESS DESIGNATED PARK. It's a balmy night at the end of the Door County peninsula. As my eyes adjust to the growing darkness, I look toward the night sky. Newport State Park is a special place thanks to its lack of light pollution. As Wisconsin's first designated dark sky park, Newport's nearly 2,300 acres and 11 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline are best experienced after nightfall. Its dark skies not only protect wildlife during migrations but also allow for stellar outdoor opportunities like stargazing and viewing the northern lights. “Some of our visitors tell us they had never seen the stars where they live,” says Jen Rogers from Destination Door County. “But when you come to Newport and you have a clear night, you're in another…

ON THE NORTHERN TIP of Michigan's Upper Peninsula you'll find Calumet, a lovely hamlet with a faraway air and close-knit community spirit that delights both residents and visitors. The 19th-century copper rush turned the town into a capital of the mining industry, attracting more than 60,000 immigrant miners from Finland, England, Italy and Croatia. They came to a land that once belonged to the Seneca nation (the town's former name, Red Jacket, came from a Seneca chief). Today, Calumet has fewer than 800 residents (or Yoopers, as folks in the UP are called), and their mixed heritage creates a rich backdrop of cultures and history. The town's mining legacy lives on in buildings made of Jacobsville sandstone, side-by-side homes constructed for the miners, and the many historic mines open for…

TWO HARBORS, MN SPENDING THE NIGHT in a boxcar is every train lover's dream. At the Northern Rail Traincar Inn, guests can chose from 15 rooms in real boxcars. “When people drive up they see a rusty-looking boxcar. There are a few who are nervous,” says owner Cyndi Ryder. “But when they come inside, it's very lovely.” The boxcars are authentic—original graffiti still covers the exteriors. The interiors are beautifully decorated, and each room has a theme (Victorian, safari and Northwoods, to name a few). The inn is open year-round. Hikers come in summer for the trails, skiers and snowshoers arrive in winter for the snow. Leaf peepers search in fall for the best foliage. All come to unplug. “We do get folks who come here in winter just to…

COTTONWOOD, ID SOMETIMES IT'S OK to sleep in a doghouse. In fact, it's a reward at the Dog Bark Park Inn. Dubbed the “world's largest beagle,” the roadside attraction in Idaho has only one room and treats guests to starry nights, 360-degree views of the prairie, and goodies—all made with local ingredients—such as muffins, coffee breads and granola (the recipe has been in owner Frances Conklin's family for 55 years). And, the rooms are filled with dog art created by Frances and her husband, Dennis Sullivan. Though booking a room can be difficult (each season sells out quickly), travelers can stop at the inn, browse the grounds and gift shop and see the artists at work. Those who venture beyond the dog house will find outdoor recreation opportunities such as…

In March of 2021, my husband, Lindsay, my mother-in-law, Beth, and I took a trip to the Four Corners region, specifically the Utah-Arizona border. That trip brought me right back to my best childhood memories. When I was young, I fell in love with the vast, dusty landscapes of the old classic Westerns I watched on TV or at the movies. Back in those days, playtime for me meant daydreaming and pretending to ride out West on my stick horse. I would gallop around my Louisiana home and hide behind big oak trees—pretending the tree was a butte or boulder—in wait of a bandit. I practiced my roping skills using my play lasso to rope my dog. My dreams of the West often got me in trouble. Several times I…

AS MY FAMILY WANDERED the many walking trails in Circle B Bar Reserve, an animal habitat in Lakeland, Florida, we were awestruck by the beauty of the moss-covered oak trees, grassy marshes and peaceful wetlands. We saw turtles and alligators resting along the shoreline of Lake Hancock. And as we listened to the many sounds of the birds, we paused for a moment to watch a magnificent sandhill crane cross the trail in front of us. Four generations of our family appreciated the quiet moment in nature. FE / Cortnie Goodin Shelton, WA…

If crawling along a narrow road behind dozens of other vehicles—the sun glinting hot off the roof of your car as you and hundreds of other tourists crane your necks to snap a photo of a bison—doesn't sound like a walk in the park, it's time to think about Yellowstone in not only a new light, but a new season. Many don't realize that Yellowstone is open throughout the winter—and not only is it open, but it's easily at its best during the colder months. Fewer people means more animals roaming about, and there's nothing quite as enchanting as a fresh blanket of snow that insulates the ground and dampens the sounds so you can appreciate the quiet charm of winter. I learned this firsthand visiting the park in freezing…

Hitch a Ride Offering a variety of guided vehicle tours, Dineh Bekeyah Tours introduces you to the scenic wonders of the Monument Valley area. Learn about the Navajo culture and see sites in the backcountry that are only accessible with a guide. Get Some Shut-Eye Centrally located between the famous parks of Utah and Arizona, the Desert Rose Resort & Cabins in Bluff, Utah, attracts visitors from around the world. Book a getaway in a single or deluxe lodge, a cabin Or a courtyard suite to be close to all the nearby desert attractions. Be a Cowboy Hop into the saddle for a guided horse tour past arches, petroglyphs, Navajo dwellings and scenic mesas with Roy Black's Guided Tours. Jeep tours are also available. Navajo Homesteads Many Navajo people still…

Sometimes the only way to conquer a fear is to face it head-on. Growing up in International Falls, Minnesota, I spent a lot of time on the water, even when it was frozen. Although I had obtained my basic scuba certification while I was in high school, I didn't dive for many years. Recently, I decided to start diving again—but in the winter. I thought it would be interesting, but scary, to try ice diving, and wanted to become a certified ice diver, a specialty certification offered through the Professional Association of Diver Instruction. I enrolled at Mick's Scuba, a dive shop in Moorhead, Minnesota, and took the course. The divemasters and our group of students stayed at a large cabin at a lake outside of Park Rapids. The divemasters…

HOUSED IN A former church that my father's family attended for years, the Marion Historical Museum in Kansas is dear to me. The cheerful museum is worth a visit to see the many exhibits and the elaborate stained-glass window in the old church sanctuary. On display are 19th-century dresses, needlework, dolls, farm tools, letters, the first telephone switchboard and historical photos of the people who settled the town. Some of those photos were taken by Les Broadstreet, my great-uncle. He was a master photographer who persuaded the town to turn the church into a museum. Following his example, I became a volunteer in late 2020. Preserving the history of my family and this town is an honor.…

SOUTH DAKOTA Head to Rapid City's festive Main Street Square Ice Rink now through early February for public skating seven days a week. A day pass is $7 (skates rent for $5), or take advantage of Two-For-One Tuesdays. Check out the nearby City of Presidents, 43 life-size bronze statues of past presidents. mainstreetsquare.org/icerinkrates COLORADO Located in Beaver Creek Village in Avon, the Black Family Ice Rink has mountain views—and traditionally offers free fresh-baked cookies every afternoon at 3 p.m! Fire pits and couches keep skaters comfy off the ice. The rink is open through mid-April. Admission is $5 or $10 with skate rental. beavercreek.com VIRGINIA Since 2015, families have flocked to Elmwood Park in downtown Roanoke for WBDJ7's Elmwood on Ice. For a $6 admission (plus $2 for skate renta…

BISBEE, AZ LONG BEFORE VAN LIFE was a hashtag, there was Shady Dell Vintage Trailer Court. This retro lovers paradise in Bisbee, Arizona, is the longest continually run trailer court in the U.S. Guests stay in restored trailers from the 1940s and ‘50s. Thinksleekand shinyAirstreamsand reliable Spartans with pops of character and color. “This is how Americans traveled after World War II,” says owner Justin Luria. “We get people in their 20s and 30s who are into midcentury glamping, and the older generation who traveled this way as children and want that nostalgia.” Each trailer is fitted with retro amenities suitable to its era, such as coffee percolators and phonographs with vintage vinyl. Guests can grab a bite at Dot's Diner, a 1957 Valentine diner, that serves burgers and sandwiches.…

My wife, Amy Jo, and I are fortunate to have a cottage in the Pembina Gorge, a quiet place where we can get away to decompress, relax and reenergize. The Pembina Gorge is located in the northeastern part of North Dakota near the town of Walhalla and is part of what is known as the Rendezvous Region. It is an outdoor lovers paradise with an uninterrupted stretch of 12,500 wildly scenic woodland acres. The area is a four-season destination. Our little corner of heaven in the gorge was named Chokecherry Ridge by Amy Jo's mother, Ora Marie, who first purchased the property in the mid-1970s. She bought a used mobile home and transformed it, building bunk beds where the bathtub used to be, replacing light fixtures with kerosene lamps and…

When Frances Benjamin Johnston entered Mammoth Cave with her camera, she conquered the darkness and captured fantastic photos of this Kentucky wonder. 1891 Published in Mammoth Cave by Flash-Light, this image shows Frances's companions dining in the dark. 2004 Touring the Drapery Room (its stalagmites resemble curtains) is made easier by stairs and a lighting system. ON ASSIGNMENT An East Coast heiress with many social connections, Frances's first camera was a gift from George Eastman, the inventor of the Kodak camera. BELOW GROUND Mammoth is the world's longest cave system. Only about 400 miles have been explored. Plan your visit at nps.gov/maca…