A stone’s throw from the New Mexico border, Guadalupe Mountains National Park is home to the tallest peaks in the state, sandiest dunes this side of Death Valley, 80 miles of lung-crushing hiking trails and perfectly preserved geography that reveals an entirely different epoch in history.

It may look like a giant swamp, but Congaree is actually a huge floodplain of its namesake Congaree River, where the constant ebb and flow of water levels is a healthy part of the natural ecosystem, filtering nutrients down into the roots of loblolly pines and tupelos  so colossal and towering that they block out the sun.

Located 70 miles west of Key West, and only accessible  by a two-hour ferry ride  (or private seaplane if you’re that kind of park-goer),  Dry Tortugas National Park  is a faraway realm that you really need to want to get to.

Our goal here is simple:  to help you live a more adventurous,  eventful and engaging life.