Travel + Place
My travel writing tends to focus on the great outdoors and the communities that surround those locations. I love to write about small towns and lesser-shared regions. I look to highlight the best local eats, adventures, characters, and hidden stories that make each place shine.
I have local expertise in the following places, having lived in each for multiple years:
East Tennessee—specifically, Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg/Sevierville, Knoxville, and the Great Smoky Mountains
South Dakota—specifically, Custer, Rapid City, the Badlands, and the Black Hills
Oregon—specifically, Eugene/Springfield and southern Oregon
Washington, D.C.—including the surrounding metropolitan area
California—specifically, far northern California and Redwood National and State Parks
I have additional expertise in Everglades National Park and its surrounding communities from several years of extended travel through the area.
You can find some clips of my past travel writing below. I’m available for assignments, press trips, and more, so please reach out! I’d love to collaborate on your travel writing needs.
Highlights
Rose City Rhythms: Explore Portland’s Stunning Scenery and Quirky Culture. Prism Magazine. June 2024.
The Best Things To Do In Jonesborough, Tennessee. Southern Living. March 2023.
Word from the Smokies: Inaugural Daisy Town Day shows Elkmont is not a ghost town. Asheville Citizen-Times. January 2023.
The 26 Best Restaurants in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. U.S. News & World Report. November 2022.
Smokies Most Wanted: An Opportunity for Visitors to Help the Park by Experiencing Biodiversity Firsthand. Print Only (pgs. 18-21). Smokies Life Magazine. September 2022.
5 Great Rails-to-Trails Paths for Your Next Adventure. Gossamer Gear. July 2022.
Smokies Most Wanted: How Visitors Can Help the Park by Playing Detective to Record Species’ Whereabouts. Print Only (pgs. 12-16). Smokies Life Magazine. March 2022.
5 Ways to Embrace Winter on Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula. Gossamer Gear. January 2022.
The Desmognathus Mystery: Genomic Testing Reveals Two New Species Endemic to the Salamander Capital of the World. Print Only (pgs. 60-65). Smokies Life Magazine. September 2021.
iNaturalist Does More Than ID Plants. Sierra Magazine. August 2020.
10 Reasons Winter Is the Best Time to Visit Rapid City, South Dakota (Yes, We’re Serious). Fodor’s Travel. September 2019.
11 Places to Camp Among the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Dyrt Magazine. August 2019.
How to Explore “Where the Buffalo Roam” Across Custer State Park. The Dyrt Magazine. July 2019.
New “Glampground” Offers a Luxurious Way to Visit Mt. Rushmore. The Dyrt Magazine. July 2019.
7 of the Best Lakes for Ice Fishing in Minnesota (And Where to Camp Nearby). The Dyrt Magazine. February 2019.
How One Couple Built a Life with Hot Air Balloons Over the Black Hills. The Dyrt Magazine. January 2019.
The Burning Beetle Event Will Heat Up Custer, SD This Weekend. The Dyrt Magazine. January 2019.
My New Office is a Forest: The Rise of Ranger Retirees. Print Only (pgs. 38-45). Misadventures Magazine. May 2018.
Treat Yourself to Historical Lodging and Fancy Feasting in Custer State Park. The Dyrt Magazine. December 2018.
Go On a Vintage Vacation at these 9 Quirky Vintage Trailer Campgrounds. The Dyrt Magazine. November 2018.
These 13 North Dakota State Parks are Camper Favorites. The Dyrt Magazine. November 2018.
The Best Camping Near Minnesota’s National Parks and Monuments. The Dyrt Magazine. November 2018.
Camp Near the World’s Largest Carving for the Crazy Horse Volksmarch. The Dyrt Magazine. September 2018.
How I Found Last Minute Camping at Devils Tower. The Dyrt Magazine. September 2018.
Southern Oregon Creativity on Show at Kerby’s Guild Gallery & Art Center. Travel Southern Oregon. December 2017.
Facing a Fear of the Unknown in an Oregon Cave. Sierra Magazine. November 2017.
"Know Before You Go" - Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve. Video Script and Storyboard. National Park Service. November 2017.
The Unexpected of the Cave: A Look at Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve. Podcast Episode. She Explores. November 2017.
On the C&O Canal, History Meets the Wild. Sierra Magazine. June 2017.
From Source to Sea: Closing the Confidence Gap - Three Women, A Canoe, and 3,800 Miles. Print Only (pgs. 36-43). Misadventures Magazine. May 2017.