Talley Your Adventure – The Blog

Adventure Awaits!

At Talley Your Adventure, we don’t just plan luxury and culturally rich travel experiences—we live and breathe them. Our blog, travelingtalleys.blog, is where we share the real stories behind our adventures: kayaking alongside glaciers in Alaska, exploring temples in Japan, chasing waterfalls in Iceland, and wandering through storybook towns in Germany. If it’s unforgettable, chances are we’ve done it—or we’re planning it next. Impact-Site-Verification: 8a69d429-4a55-4b53-b8f6-72c437661af5

Nicolette brings deep experience in travel and heritage. With a Master’s in Public History, she’s worked as a Supervisory Park Ranger, Revenue Manager, and Program Analyst across multiple national parks for over a decade. Her career has taken her from managing interpretive boat tours in Alaska’s wild backcountry to overseeing large-scale visitor service projects with million-dollar budgets. And yes—she’s also a licensed 100-Ton Inland Master Boat Captain who’s led cultural and ecological tours from riverboats to remote beaches.

Clinton’s travel roots run just as deep. He’s worked in logistics and operations for the National Park Service and was a key member of the hospitality team aboard National Geographic Lindblad Expeditions. From managing guest services on remote international voyages to coordinating facility software systems stateside, he knows what it takes to deliver seamless, high-end travel experiences—even in the most unpredictable places.

Together, we created Talley Your Adventure to bring our experience, passion, and attention to detail to your travel planning. Whether it’s a fully curated group trip or a personalized vacation built just for you, we combine expert-level service with insider know-how—so you can focus on the magic of the journey.

Want us to help you on your next adventure? Head over to www.talleyyouradventure.com!

@talleyyouradventure_dv
Sakura Blooms – Inuyama, Japan

  • #TalleyYourMiles on the Honeymoon Trail! #ExploreArizona #TalleyYourAdventure

    As part of the #TravelingTalleys 2019 goal to hike 219 miles throughout the year we knew we needed to hit the ground running right away. One of the most remote and backcountry hikes we’ve done so far is the Honeymoon Trail, which we did back in January. This trail dates back to the late 19th century and started out as a primitive wagon road for Mormon travelers between northeastern Arizona and southern Utah.

    Mormon settlements were created along the Little Colorado River in Arizona when church colonists were sent out by Mormon church leaders. Many established Mormon communities were already in southern Utah, and as the new settlement was just as remote and isolated they relied on the goods and services between the two locations. By 1877 Arizona settlers were traveling to St. George, Utah, for church business and to solemnize marriage vows in the newly-completed St. George Temple. Couples traveled from Arizona to Utah along this trail to get married at the church, and the trail soon became known as the “Honeymoon Trail”.

    Today the trail is still visible but it has changed dramatically. Most of the land is now designated either public land with the US Federal Government or on Native American owned land. Once Pipe Springs National Monument and State Highway 389 opened in 1934 and 1967, respectively, the historic road was relocated or completely abandoned. The remaining trail is difficult to traverse and most is only passable with a 4WD vehicle or horses. Hiking is accessible sporadically along US Highway 89 near Lees Ferry.

    Clinton and I pulled over near a break if the fence we had noticed in a previous drive around Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. As part of the Honeymoon Trail, this break allowed access to the exact rugged terrain and the difficult landscape that many of the Mormons traversed. The sights are spectacular and the views are amazing, but one of the most important thing we learned was that distances are deceiving! Our goal was to hike to where the bottom of the Vermillion Cliffs meet the land, but after a few hours hiking over one hill after the other only to discover another set of even larger hills we decided to find a good stopping point and turn around.

    We did bring the dogs, a backpack full of water and snacks, and dog food. When we reached our official turn around point we stopped for a picture break and snack break and let the dogs explore. While the trail was obvious for the first mile it was not easy to find after that point. We relied mainly on specific rock formations between rest points to get back to the trail once it ended. It may seem that it would be simple to get back to the car, but we’ve learned that with such a vast amount of space and the extreme terrain that it is best to make sure that you pay attention to where you are and how to get back before you go too far down an unmarked trail!

    As with each hike that we do, especially in remote areas, we made sure to tell someone where we were heading and when we expected to return. We’ve have loved the opportunities to explore and #TalleyYourMiles and thank you for following along! Until next time!

  • #TalleyYourAdventure @Arches National Park

    Thank you all who voted for which park the #TravelingTalleys should visit next. Arches National Park was a fantastic adventure, especially since it snowed! When we arrived in Moab the day before our trip we had read that there was a chance of snow, but didn’t take it too seriously. When we woke up the next day there was already about two inches of snow on the ground!

    The last time Clinton and I have been to Arches was back in 2011 when we hiked to Delicate Arch. This time we opted for a scenic drive, especially since it was snowing! One of the reasons that we love this area so much is the gorgeous red rock and the rock arches that are throughout the park – a fitting name indeed! A rock arch, or natural bridge, are formed from sandstone or limestone that become narrower through time due to erosion. After the softer rock erodes an arch forms with the harder, stronger caprock on top. It is important to note that even though this rock is harder, it continues to erode and will ultimately collapse with time. Do not speed up this natural process by climbing, harming, or removing rocks from any structures found in these types of parks. You may not see the erosion taking place but it is happening. Be respectful!

    We stopped at a few iconic places along the way, including the Windows Section. This area contains the North Window, Turret Arch, and Double Arch. Fun fact – the Double Arch is the tallest and second-longest arch in the park at 112 ft! Other beautiful featured areas are the Garden of Eden and Parade of Elephants. We also really enjoyed the Great Wall – a beautiful structure that truly seems like an impenetrable wall of beautiful red sand stone that cuts through the park. The Windows Section includes an easy gravel trail to these iconic beauties and while I could only make it so far, Clinton was able to make it further for photographs.

    Balanced Rock is another location to visit if going for a drive through the park, and it is also another iconic feature that stands 128 ft tall and weighs over 3,600 tons. The Entrada Sandstone boulder on top appears to balance or sit on top of a pedestal of Dewey Bridge mudstone. These two rock strata layers are exposed on this feature as an example of an ideal arch formation. As with all of these formations, one day Balanced Rock will no longer “balance”. Erosion consistently takes place and the park is changing every day.

    Arches National Park did not enter the park service until April 1929 when newly elected President Herbert Hoover signed a presidential proclamation creating Arches National Monument to protect the arches, spires, balanced rocks, and other sandstone formations for scientific and educational value. It wasn’t until 1971 when President Richard Nixon signed legislation by Congress to change the status of the park to a National Park.

    It was magnificent to visit Arches when it was snowing – it opened up a whole new side of the park that we’ve never seen before! If you ever get a chance make sure you put Arches National Park on your trip list when visiting Utah. Moab is a great little town that is easy to navigate and is close by to the park. We hope you continue to #TalleyYourAdventure at the national parks this year!

  • Travel smart – know your environment! #TravelingTalleys helpful advice

    Understanding the elements while you #GetOutdoors is very important! Knowing what dangers you could face, such as quick moving storms or flash flooding, will keep you vigilant. Not every place you visit will be the same. I don’t necessarily need to worry about flooding where I live in the city of Page because it is on top of a mesa, but I do need to consider it when I drive down into Glen Canyon and start hiking around. Just because it isn’t currently raining doesn’t mean it won’t flood, either. Read signs, be aware of your surroundings,and ask a Ranger if you’re on public lands! They are here to help.Signs are placed where they are for a reason. Don’t dismiss warnings or believe that you “know better”. Nature will always win. Don’t be a statistic!

    Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

    Clinton and I spent a summer working in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge near Cooper Landing, Alaska. The area is gorgeous – just sitting near Skilak Lake and watching the world go by (or lack thereof) was amazing, and definitely worth a summer experience. Reality is that it was extremely cold even though it was summer, the mosquitoes were intense, and the weather on Skilak Lake could be unpredictable. Living in yurts all summer meant that when it dipped below freezing (very common in Alaska over the summer) you had yourself, your sleeping bag, and whatever thermal clothes you packed for the summer. I was uncomfortable for the first few weeks until I was given the fantastic advice to get a water bladder. I would heat water each night and put into the bladder, and then hold it to my stomach when I went to bed. It would warm me substantially so I could actually fall asleep comfortably. I adapted to the colder temperatures by listening to the advice from the people around me who had lived in these types of conditions previously. Another consideration was the weather. The Harding Icefield is so large that it can create its own weather, including fast moving and powerful storms. Knowing this came into focus many times while crossing the lake with passengers or stores (groceries, etc) for the week. There were a few times that halfway through the trip a storm would form and hit us pretty hard, which meant knowing how to navigate over fairly high waves and fierce wind. Did I mention that the water was from an ICEFIELD? Yep, glacier water is pretty cold!

    We lived in the complete opposite climate to Alaska when we were working in Death Valley National Park near the Panamint Mountains. Another gorgeous area but area knowledge was again key. Don’t drive off the road – it is very sandy and your car will get stuck. Don’t think your 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive will necessarily help you here,either. Realize that the desert, even in the winter, completely zaps your hydration without you realizing. It is recommended that you drink at least one gallon of water a day per person, and if that sounds like a lot it isn’t! DRINK WATER! When we left to hike, we always made sure we had more than enough water for the two of us. We packed salty snacks and dressed appropriately. We packed extra fluid for the car and an extra set of clothes in case we ended up needing to stay the night somewhere. Death Valley is another area where the surrounding landscape influence an area in the distance. It could rain high up in the mountains and by the time it reaches the valley where we were hiking it was a torrential river that could include rocks or clay. It is extremely dangerous, so when hiking in areas prone to flash flooding make sure you always see your way out, or even avoid it altogether. In 2015 a flash flood in Death Valley destroyed roads and heavily damaged historical structures at Scotty’s Castle. The buildings in the way of the flash flooding ended up filled with mud. Water is not kidding around – it will find a way through!

    Death Valley National Park

    Do your research and make sure you understand what type of situation you are about to put yourself in. There are essentials you should bring all the time no matter what the circumstance, and things to pack to make your life more convenient. Life is about the journey, so if you want to stop to smell the flowers or take your millionth selfie, go for it! There is so much to enjoy outdoors, even if you’ve been there a thousand times. The #TravelingTalleys hope that you will continue to enjoy the Great Outdoors and only want to inspire you to be smart about your adventures. Until next time!