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May 19, 2025

Paws on the Trail: The Best Dog-Friendly Hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains

Planning a trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park with your furry friend? While many trails restrict dogs, the Smokies still offer several dog-friendly hikes and scenic drives perfect for adventurous pups and their humans. From easy riverside walks on the Oconaluftee River Trail to scenic drives like Cades Cove Loop Road and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, this guide covers the best pet-friendly trails and outdoor experiences to help you explore the Smokies together. Discover insider tips, local spots, and must-visit places to make your Smoky Mountains dog adventure unforgettable!

January 11, 2022

14 Fun Things To Do In Asheville, North Carolina

One of the coolest small cities on the East Coast, Asheville has a relaxed boho vibe that I love! It’s weird and that’s just the way locals want to keep it. The city has a backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains and an insane number of craft breweries. Asheville is a refreshingly unique combination of hipster meets outdoor enthusiasts…

July 22, 2021

How To Spend 3 Days In Asheville, North Carolina

This weird and charming city has tons of accolades including landing on “The South’s Prettiest Cities” list and “The South’s Best Food Cities” list, respectively. After visiting Asheville it’s easy to see why everyone raves about it. Not only is it a city filled with food and art, but it’s incredibly dog friendly too (bestill my heart)…

May 11, 2021

Roaring Forks: 11 Reasons To Visit

There are so many reasons to visit Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail on your next trip to the Smokies…

April 6, 2021

Is Great Smoky Mountains National Park Dog Friendly?

Find out if Great Smoky Mountains is dog friendly and 12 fun things to do with your pups near the park…

August 10, 2020

One Day in Cherokee, North Carolina

Don’t skip Cherokee, North Carolina on your next trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park…

Hi! I'm Vanessa, a 30 something, sunset chasing traveler. I'm here to inspire you to travel wherever, whenever, and with whoever you can. My Huskies, Loki and Freya are usually along for the ride. I have a soul that likes to wander, a desire to experience the unknown, and a curiousity to discover things off the beaten path. I hope you'll stick around for awhile!

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Recent Posts

  • The Ultimate Winter Guide to the Grand Canyon
  • 2026 National Parks Guide: New Fees, Reservation Systems & Timed Entry Explained
  • The Best Things To Do In Camden, Maine
  • 6 Best Dog-Friendly National Parks to Visit This Winter
  • Wildlife Watching in Cades Cove: Your Complete Animal Guide

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Summer in Acadia felt like a dream 🌊☀️✨ Six month Summer in Acadia felt like a dream 🌊☀️✨

Six months of salt air and spruce trees. Tide pools that made us feel small in the best way. Puffins just…existing out there like tiny well-dressed locals. Moss growing on everything.

We chased golden hour from rocky shorelines. Found wild roses blooming where the forest meets the sea. Hiked trails with the dogs until our legs gave out and theirs didn’t (as usual).

Maine didn’t just give us a summer. It gave us a pace of life we’re still trying to hold onto.

Missing this place a little extra today.

📍Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor, Maine
8 years of chaos, howls, and heart-stealing looks. 8 years of chaos, howls, and heart-stealing looks. Happy Birthday to the original menace, my little wolfie, my favorite clown - Loki turns 8 today and honestly, I don’t think any of us were prepared for a lifetime of this much personality. 🐾🎂

Here’s to more trails, more trouble, and more years of keeping us on our toes. We love you, my wild boy. 🖤

Also this and Killing In The Name Of are Loki’s theme songs and you’ll never convince me otherwise 😆😆
I know a place that doesn’t look or feel real 🤍 W I know a place that doesn’t look or feel real 🤍

White Sands is one of those places that doesn’t feel real until you’re standing in it. Miles of bright white gypsum dunes stretching in every direction -  no footprints, no crowds, just you and the most surreal landscape in the country.

If it’s not on your list yet, it should be. And it’s dog friendly!! 

📍 White Sands National Park, New Mexico 

Save this for later & drop a 🤍 if White Sands is on your bucket list!

👋 Hi, I’m Vanessa @thewellwornshoes - a full-time RVer chasing National Parks, dog-friendly trails, and golden hour from the road! I share the hidden gems and real side of life so you can skip the guesswork and get straight to the adventure!
Happy 114th Birthday To Arizona 🌵🏜️ 114 years ago Happy 114th Birthday To Arizona 🌵🏜️

114 years ago today, Arizona became the 48th state, and
I’ve spent time exploring three of its most iconic spots and honestly? No amount of photos will ever do this state justice.

☀️ Phoenix - where the desert feels like another planet (especially wandering through the Desert Botanical Garden)

🧡 Sedona - red rocks that make you forget whatever you were stressed about

🏜️ Grand Canyon - the kind of view that makes you sit down and just…breathe

Arizona was the last of the lower 48 to join the union, and it was worth the wait. From the cactus blooms to the sunsets that look fake but are very much real, this state doesn’t need a filter.

Happy 114, AZ. You’re the valentine we didn’t know we needed.

Save this for your Arizona trip planning 📌
We’ve been seeing bald eagles everywhere lately an We’ve been seeing bald eagles everywhere lately and I looked up what it means…🦅

Eagles symbolize strength, freedom, and new beginnings, a reminder to rise above and trust the path you’re on. A perched eagle is said to be an invitation to get quiet and check in with yourself before taking your next step. If that’s not a message for anyone out here building a life that looks different from the “plan,” I don’t know what is.

We found these two perched above the marshes at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge in Florida, one of the oldest refuges in the country and one of the most peaceful places we’ve visited. No crowds, no chaos. Just salt air, Spanish moss, and eagles watching from the treetops.

📍 St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, FL

✨ Save this and add St. Marks to your Florida list, you won’t regret it!
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