Your RV gives you the opportunity to travel to amazing places via road trip, and the continental U.S. is filled with a spectacular array of natural phenomena that will take your breath away. Don’t miss out on Mother Nature’s raw beauty.

Discover These 5 Natural Phenomena on Your RV Travels:

Yellowstone National Park – Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

Traversing three states and accessible by the park’s 300 miles of road, Yellowstone Park is in and of itself a natural wonder. The park contains a diverse array of hydrothermal features including spectacular geysers such as Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic Spring, an intensely rainbow-colored 160 degree hot spring, pools, waterfalls, mud pots, and more. The park also boasts several mountain ranges, a large number of high peaks, the Grand Canyon, and a broad array of wildlife. In addition to its natural wonders, it also provides spectacular visitor centers and museums to enjoy on your road trip.

Redwoods – California

The tallest trees on earth, the mammoth redwoods at Redwood National Park include giants five stories taller than the Statue of Liberty which can live to be 2,000 years old and over 360 feet tall. The park preserves over 110,000 acres of redwood forests and 50 miles of Northern California’s scenic coastline on this awe-inspiring road trip.

Mammoth Cave – Kentucky

The world’s longest known cave system, Mammoth Cave is so large that even after mapping 400 miles of passageway, thousands of years later the full extent of its confines remain a mystery. Open spring through fall, 10 miles of this limestone labyrinth are available for tours, from short quarter mile hikes to four mile treks and a five mile, six hour, belly crawling exploration.

Eternal Flame Falls– Orchard Park, New York

One of the most unique waterfalls in the U.S., Eternal Flame Falls is a 30 foot high waterfall cascading over a cave that houses a natural gas spring. When ignited it creates a flame 4-8 inches in height. Visit in the early spring or after long bouts of rain for the best view. Beware, however, the hike up to the falls smells faintly of rotten eggs.

Sailing Stones – Death Valley, Racetrack Playa, California

In this natural geologic phenomenon observed in Death Valley National Park, heavy stones leave trails, appearing to move across the dried, polygonal cracks in the lakebed of Racetrack Playa. Puzzling scientists for years as no one has ever witnessed these occurrences, how the rocks move still remains a mystery. Theories have been postulated ranging from ice to wind and rain to magnetic fields. Be advised: a high clearance vehicle is recommended for this 28 mile dirt road trip that begins near Ubehebe Crater as road conditions can be rough and the playa surface very fragile.

If your road trip falls flat due to tire trouble, trust Coach-Net to get you back on the road. Coach-Net is there to ensure the safety and security of your RV and your family. For more information on our RV-specific roadside assistance plans, visit www.coach-net.com.

Photos sourced from Wikipedia.

Adventure Awaits: Hike on the Longest Trails in the U.S.

Hiking can be a peaceful journey through nature, or a grueling test of endurance depending on your skill level and preparedness. For serious hikers, and maybe some beginners that have been lured by romantic tales of the long hike, these famous long trails have earned their reputations. If you want a serious hiking challenge, you want to “thru-hike”, or hike one of these trails end to end.  But for those of you who enjoy a good stretch of the legs and don’t take life (or hiking) so seriously, many of these trails and other scenic trails around the country have more manageable sections for shorter excursions.

Consider one of these for your next hiking adventure:

The Appalachian Trail- Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains

Possibly one of the most famous trails, the Appalachian Trail (AT) was completed in 1937. It stretches from Mt. Springer, Georgia to Mt. Katahdin, Maine. The official length of the AT is 2,178 miles but this can vary from year to year as sections are sometimes rerouted. At roughly 15-20 miles a day it could take anywhere from four to six months to hike from end to end.

There are shelters along the trail, and way points to register and resupply. Post offices near the route allow a support person back home to ship a drop box containing food, maps and other crucial supplies to meet you along the route. Hikers can also send themselves “bump boxes” where food, maps and supplies are sent to a point further along the trail. There are also points along the trail where hikers can head into town to resupply or to just get off the trail for a night.  The Appalachian Trail passes within 100 miles of every major city on the East Coast.

Some interesting traditions have grown in the long distance hiking community: one of these is the trail name. Trail names are nicknames that hikers give themselves or sometimes to each other to use and go by while on the trail. Don’t be surprised to meet some interesting people on the trail, with some interesting names.

Continental Divide National Scenic Trail- Rocky Mountains

The CDNST or CDT for short is a 3,100 mile trail from New Mexico to Montana. It is not as well-known as the Appalachian Trail, and because some sections travel along paved road it is not entirely restricted to unmechanized traffic. The CDT, commissioned in 1978, is considered about 70% completed.

While the AT might see a couple of thousand hikers start out each year, the CDT sees only a couple of dozen. Water access is sparse in some areas and volunteers leave water caches along the route, especially in parts of New Mexico. Far more rustic than the better known AT, facilities are not as well developed. Maps and orienteering experience are a must.

The highest point along the Continental divide trail is one of Colorado’s “14ers”, Grays Peakreaching over 14,200 feet. The majestic views from the spine of the Rocky Mountains, far from the light pollution of major cities, are incomparable, appeals to a rare breed of adventurer.

Pacific Crest Trail- Sierra Nevada Mountains and Cascades

Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail takes you the length of the West Coast of the continental U.S. from the U.S.- Canada border in the north to the U.S.- Mexico border in the south. Measuring in at 2,638 miles, it might take a hiker 4-6 months to complete the journey andike with any of these ultra-long trails, many spend 6-9 months planning their trek beforehand as well.

Completing these three hikes, the AT, CDT and PCT, is called the triple crown of hiking. It takes years of commitment to complete.

Have you completed these hikes? Let us know in the comments below!