Van Life: Year 1
Choosing to move into a van in pursuit of constant adventure and a way to live more closely connected to nature was simply the next evolution of the Outside 365 lifestyle. If a little nature is good for the soul, then more nature exposure has to be even better!
On this page, I’ll briefly document all the stops on my van life adventure (in reverse chronological order), with links to guidebooks, articles, and resources that I’ve published from each destination. If you want to visit any of these destinations yourself, you can use these resources as a shortcut to find the best and most exciting adventures! And as always, for the most timely updates, be sure to follow @mtbgreg on Instagram.
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Columbia Hills State Park, Washington - May 2022
Adventure: Horsethief Butte
Adventure: Petroglyphs
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Maupin, Oregon - May 2022
Route: White River Falls
Adventure: Deschutes River Day 1
Adventure: Deschutes River Day 2
Adventure: Deschutes River Day 3
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McKenzie Bridge, Oregon - May 2022
Guidebook: Ride All 5 of Oregon’s IMBA Epics, Both Past and Present
Route: O’Leary Mountain Shuttle
Route: McKenzie River Trail
Adventure: McKenzie River
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Sisters, Oregon - May 2022
Adventure: Metolius River Hike
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Bend, Oregon - May 2022
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Logan, Utah - May 2022
Route: Jardine Juniper
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Eagle, Colorado - April 2022
Route: Boneyard
Route: Haymaker
Adventure: Pool & Ice Shuttle
Adventure: Eagle Bike Paths
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Cortez, Colorado - April 2022
Adventure: Phil’s World: Rib Cage x2
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Canyonlands National Park: Needles District, Utah - April 2022
Route: Druid Arch
Adventure: Chesler Park Overlook
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Fruita, Colorado - April 2022
Guidebook: Famous Desert Pedaling: Best MTB Trails in Fruita, CO
Guidebook: Colorado's Dry Side: Top 10 Desert Hikes near Fruita
Guidebook: High-Speed Flow on Fruita’s Famous 18 Road Trails
Guidebook: 4 Fun, Flowy Beginner Mountain Bike Trails in Fruita
Guidebook: Discover Stunning Rock Formations in Colorado National Monument
Adventure: Colorado River: Redlands to Fruita
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Grand Junction, Colorado - April 2022
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Canyonlands National Park: Island in the Sky District, Utah - April 2022
Route: Mesa Arch
Route: Grand View Point
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Arches National Park, Utah - April 2022
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Moab, Utah - April 2022
Guidebook: Mountain Bike Mecca: The Best Trails in Moab, Utah
Guidebook: Best Hikes in the World’s Top Desert Town: Moab, UT
Guidebook: The Best Beginner Trails in Moab
Guidebook: Must-Do in Moab
Guidebook: The Top 5 Mountain Bike Trails in Moab, Utah
Guidebook: 4 of the Most Death-Defying Mountain Bike Trails in Moab
Guidebook: Recommended Loops in the Popular and Accessible Moab Brand Trails
Article: I Ate The Whole Enchilada in Moab
Article: Over a Beer: The Moab Migration
Article: Moab’s Klondike Bluffs Trail System Expands with the Addition of Miner’s Loop
Article: The New Face of Moab: Hymasa, Captain Ahab, and More
Article: Shredding on the SR Suntour Auron on Mag 7 in Moab, Utah
Article: The Top 10 Best Mountain Bike Destinations in the USA
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Capitol Reef National Park, Utah - April 2022
Adventure: Fremont River Trail
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Cedar City, Utah - April 2022
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Mount Carmel Junction, Utah - April 2022
Adventure: Slot Canyon #1
Adventure: Slot Canyon #2
Adventure: Slot Canyon #3
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St. George, Utah - March 2022
Guidebook: The Best Mountain Bike Trails in St. George, Utah
Guidebook: The Best Beginner MTB Trails in Greater Zion Utah
Guidebook: The Best Hikes in St. George, Utah
Guidebook: 8 Fabulous Slot Canyon Hikes in Southwestern Utah
Adventure: SUP Sand Hollow
Adventure: Cliff Jumping at Sand Hollow
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Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah - March 2022
Route: Queens Garden -> Navajo Loop
Adventure: Fairyland Loop
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Zion National Park, Utah - March 2022
Guidebook: Canyons and Red Rocks: Best Hikes in Zion National Park
Adventure: Many Pools Trail
Adventure: Zion Canyon Road Ride
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Hurricane, Utah - March 2022
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Colorado City, Arizona - March 2022
Route: Water Canyon: To Top Rock
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Page, Arizona - March 2022
Route: Horseshoe Bend
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Flagstaff, Arizona - March 2022
Article: Mountain Biking Flagstaff, Arizona
Adventure: Fort Valley and Schultz Creek
Adventure: Arizona Trail: Snowbowl Section
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Cottonwood, Arizona - March 2022
Adventure: Tuzigoot National Monument Gravel Ride
Adventure: Goathead Double Flat Gravel Ride
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Tortilla Flat, Arizona - March 2022
Route: Boulder Canyon Out-and-Back
Adventure: Highway 88 Road Ride
Adventure: SUPping Canyon Lake
Adventure: Tortilla Flat Mountain
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Gold Canyon, Arizona - March 2022
Adventure: Peralta Road
Adventure: Goldfield Trails
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Mesa, Arizona - February 2022
Guidebook: Hawes Trails: Ride the Best Singletrack near Phoenix
Route: Wind Cave
Adventure: Canal Path Ride
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Phoenix, Arizona - February 2022
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Sedona, Arizona - February 2022
Guidebook: Riding the Red Rocks: Sedona Mountain Biking
Article: Hike Sedona's Twin Buttes Loop for an Immersive 360-Degree Red Rock Experience
Article: Sedona Day 1: Riding the Upper Dry Creek Trail System
Article: When Bandit Trails Go Legit: The Hangover Trail, Sedona’s Crowning Jewel
Article: Eating Good Food, Drinking Beer, and Living High on the Hog in Sedona
Adventure: Aerie - Outer Limits Loop
Adventure: Schuerman Vista
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Scottsdale, Arizona - February 2022
Route: McDowell Competitive Track
Adventure: Broken Spoke at Brown’s Ranch
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Picacho Peak State Park, Arizona - February 2022
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Saguaro National Park, Arizona - January 2022
Adventure: Wasson Peak Loop
Adventure: Wild Dog Trail
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Oro Valley, Arizona - January 2022
Guidebook: The 4 Best Ways to Ride Golder Ranch
Route: Honeybee-X Trails
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Tucson, Arizona - January 2022
Guidebook: Tucson’s 4 Favorite Road Biking Routes
Guidebook: 4 Easy Desert Hikes in Tucson, Arizona
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Big Bend National Park, Texas - December 2021
Route: Window Trail
Adventure: Lost Mine Trail
Adventure: Boquillas Canyon Trail
Adventure: Santa Elena Canyon
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Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas - December 2021
Guidebook: Best Singletrack Mountain Bike Trails in Big Bend
Route: Closed Canyon
Route: Hoodoos Trail
Adventure: West Rancherias Canyon
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Seminole Canyon State Park, Texas - December 2021
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Padre Island National Seashore, Texas - December 2021
Article: “How Long Can This Last?” Reflections on the Sustainability of #VanLife
Adventure: Padre Island Beach Ride
Adventure: Swimming on Padre Island
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Austin, Texas - December 2021
Guidebook: Explore McKinney Falls State Park in Austin, Texas
Guidebook: 4 Rad Mountain Bike Rides in Austin, Texas
Guidebook: Explore the Greenbelts of Austin, Texas
Adventure: Bike Paths Around Downtown Austin
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Tyler, Texas - December 2021
Route: Lindsey Park
Route: Tyler State Park Loop
Adventure: SUP Tyler Lake
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Shreveport, Louisiana - November 2021
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Arkadelphia, Arkansas - November 2021
Guidebook: The Perfect Escape: Riding and Camping at Iron Mountain
Adventure: Peter’s Garage, Iron Mountain
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Hot Springs, Arkansas - November 2021
Guidebook: The Best MTB Trails Close to Hot Springs National Park
Adventure: Northwoods Trails
Adventure: Cedar Glades
Adventure: Goat Rock
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Mt. Ida, Arkansas - November 2021
Guidebook: Arkansas: Home to More IMBA Epics than Any Other State!
Adventure: LOVIT Loop
Adventure: Ouachita Trail
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Devil's Den State Park, Arkansas - November 2021
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Hobbs State Park, Arkansas - November 2021
Adventure: XC Pedaling at Hobbs State Park
Adventure: Short Mixed Surface Loop
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Bentonville, Arkansas - November 2021
Guidebook: MTB in the Land of Oz: Best Trails in Bentonville, AR
Guidebook: Hunt Down the Best Jump Lines Hidden in Bentonville
Guidebook: The Best Long-Distance Cross-Country Rides near Bentonville
Article: Northwest Arkansas: This Is What $13 Million Can Build
Article: An Exercise in Unmet Expectations: Riding the Back 40 in Arkansas
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Neillsville, Wisconsin - October 2021
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Cable, Wisconsin - October 2021
Guidebook: Ride CAMBA: Miles of Flowy Trails in Northern Wisconsin
Route: Rock Lake
Route: Dirt Candy
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Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Wisconsin - October 2021
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Madeline Island, Wisconsin - October 2021
Route: Big Bay State Park Road Ride
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Bayfield, Wisconsin - October 2021
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Houghton, Michigan - October 2021
Route: Michigan Tech: Big Loop
Route: Michigan Tech: Beginner Loop
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Copper Harbor, Michigan - October 2021
Guidebook: Copper Harbor: A Midwest Mountain Bike Mecca
Route: Keweenaw Point Gravel Ride
Adventure: Keweenaw Point Trail and East Bluff
Adventure: Copper Harbor Trails
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Hayward, Wisconsin - October 2021
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Ashland, Wisconsin - October 2021
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Spooner, Wisconsin - October 2021
Route: Wildcat Trails Loop
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Minneapolis, Minnesota - October 2021
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Fairplay, Colorado - October 2021
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La Grande, Oregon - September 2021
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Silver Falls State Park, Oregon - August 2021
Route: Trail of Ten Falls
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Newberg, Oregon - August 2021
Adventure: Champoeg State Park
Adventure: Mountain Top Road
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Ashland, Oregon - August 2021
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Medford, Oregon - August 2021
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Grants Pass, Oregon - August 2021
Route: Cathedral Hills
Route: Jedi Trail Shuttle
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Bandon, Oregon - August 2021
Article: Hiding Out at Whiskey Run
Adventure: Rad laps at Whiskey Run!
Adventure: Whiskey Run trails, day 2
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Florence, Oregon - August 2021
Route: Cape Mountain Loop
Route: Heceta Head Lighthouse
Adventure: Riding in the Rainforest at Cape Mountain
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Tillamook, Oregon - August 2021
Route: Cape Lookout South Beach
Route: Drift Creek Falls
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Mount Rainier National Park, Washington - August 2021
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Green Bay, Sandpoint, Idaho - August 2021
Adventure: Mellow Morning Scramble/Hike at Green Bay
Note: Sandpoint needs a deep-dive at a future date.
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Bozeman, Montana - July/August 2021
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Big Sky, Montana - July 2021
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Lionhead, Idaho/Montana - July 2021
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Rifle, Colorado - July 2021
Route: Rifle Falls State Park
Adventure: SUP Rifle Gap State Park
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Buena Vista, Colorado - July 2021
Guidebook: Rocks by the River: 5 Best MTB Trails in Buena Vista, CO
Guidebook: The 5 Most Technical MTB Trails in the Arkansas Valley
Guidebook: River to Summit: 5 Best Hikes Close to Buena Vista, CO
Guidebook: High Alpine Fat Biking near Buena Vista and Salida, CO
Guidebook: The Best Gravel Biking Routes in the Arkansas Valley
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Crested Butte, Colorado - July 2021
Article: Two Weeks in Paradise: Peak Summer Season in Crested Butte, Colorado
Guidebook: Superb Alpine Mountain Biking in Crested Butte, Colorado
Guidebook: Lift-Served Trail Riding at Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Guidebook: Hike Through a Sea of Wildflowers in Idyllic Crested Butte
Guidebook: 6 Flowy Beginner Mountain Bike Trails in Crested Butte
Guidebook: Downhill Shredding in Crested Butte’s Evolution Bike Park
Guidebook: 4 Easy Hikes in Crested Butte that Everyone Can Enjoy
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Glorieta, New Mexico - June 2021
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Santa Fe, New Mexico - June 2021
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Taos, New Mexico - June 2021
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Angel Fire, New Mexico - June 2021
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Salida, Colorado - May 2021
Notes:
This page only documents my van life travels beginning in June of 2021, and not my extensive domestic and international travels over the previous 14+ years. For more exhaustive documentation, please see the Adventure Guides tab.
Destinations are only listed once, even if I visited a destination multiple times.
Definitions, in descending order of detail:
Guidebook: A collection of recommended routes on a particular theme, with an overview of the destination.
Article: Article that I’ve written about a destination.
Route: Recommended route with a detailed written overview.
Trail: Trail listing in a database.
Adventure: A lived adventure that I actually went on, but have not yet expanded with additional information to create a route.
I haven’t listed every single resource that I’ve published for each destination. For even more routes and guidebooks, be sure to visit FATMAP.com. And for more articles, be sure to visit Singletracks.com.