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Chamizal National Memorial doesn't look like much — until you learn a flood moved a river, stranded a piece of Mexico inside U.S. territory, and kicked off a border dispute that took 99 years, two presidents, and a concrete channel to finally settle. In this episode, Susan and Monica dig into the 1864 flood that started it all, the human cost of relocating 5,000 El Paso residents to make the border permanent, and why Chamizal is one of only two NPS sites in the country honoring a peacefully resolved international boundary dispute (the other? Washington's "Pig War" island). 📍 Featured: Chamizal Visitor Center & Museum, the U.S.–Mexico border crossing, the only NPS site flying both flags together 🥾 Also mentioned: San Juan Island National Historical Park (WA) 👟 Subscribe for more National Park history, culture, and trail adventures! #ChamizalNationalMemorial #ElPasoTexas #USMexicoBorder #NPS #HikingPodcast #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #BorderHistory #RioGrande #SanJuanIsland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two battles. One field. And a modern fight to keep it from being swallowed by development. In this episode of Two Chicks With Hiking Sticks, Susan and Monica head to Manassas National Battlefield Park (a.k.a. Bull Run) in Northern Virginia, site of the Civil War's first major land battle. We cover the well-to-do spectators who showed up with picnic lunches and ended up fleeing for their lives, the birth of the "Stonewall" Jackson nickname, and the Henry House, which was destroyed in the fighting and rebuilt by the family in 1870. Then we look at a side of the park you might not expect: its status as an Audubon Important Bird Area, the grassland birds it shelters, and the development pressure from data centers pressing in on its borders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Denali National Park almost wasn't named for the mountain at all — the whole thing got saved because one guy in the early 1900s wouldn't stop fighting to protect the Dall sheep from overhunting. In this episode, we dig into how Denali became a national park in 1917 (as Mount McKinley National Park), how it tripled in size to over 6 million acres under Jimmy Carter in 1980, and the messy, ongoing fight over what to call the mountain itself. We also cover the wild story of the Pretty Rocks Landslide — permafrost that was moving up to 14 inches a day and swallowing the park's only road — and the brand-new bridge engineers built to span it. Plus: how to actually plan a Denali trip (spoiler: you only need one day inside the park), where to go for the best mountain views, and what to do outside the park boundary when you're done. 🎒 Featured: Denali (the mountain), Denali Park Road, the Pretty Rocks Bridge, Dall sheep, sled dog kennels, George Parks Highway viewpoints 🥾 Also discussed: bus tours vs. driving limits, ATV wilderness runs, river rafting, guided nature hikes, and where to actually see the mountain from outside the park 👟 Subscribe for more National Park history, culture, and trail adventures — new episodes every week! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks head to Dayton, Ohio to explore the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park — the six-site park honoring Wilbur and Orville Wright AND poet Paul Laurence Dunbar.  We walk the Wright Cycle Company shop and discuss where the Wrights proved flight was practical. Come with us as we uncover how a bicycle shop, a poet, and a prairie changed the world. 📍 Featured: Wright Cycle Company | Huffman Prairie Flying Field | Paul Laurence Dunbar House | Wright Brothers Memorial Hill 🥾 Trails covered: Wright Brothers-Huffman Prairie Trail, Eastwood MetroPark Buckeye Trail, and more easy/moderate options great for 50+ hikers 👟 Subscribe for more National Park history, culture, and trail adventures! #DaytonOhio #WrightBrothers #NationalParkService #PaulLaurenceDunbar #AviationHistory #NPS #HikingPodcast #NationalHistoricalPark #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #HuffmanPrairie #OhioTravel #HistoryPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Susan and Monica cover White Sands National Park — our 62nd of 63 — and there's way more going on here than sand. We get into why it sat as a "national monument" for 86 years before finally becoming a national park in 2019 (spoiler: it involved a defense bill), why the park sometimes has to shut its only road down for active missile testing next door, and the 21,000–23,000-year-old human footprints that are rewriting what we know about the first people in North America. Plus: the Mescalero Apache and early farming cultures who called this basin home, a ghost story called Pavla Blanca, and an honest-to-goodness unsolved 1896 disappearance. 📍 Featured: Dune Drive, the White Sands Missile Range, the fossil footprint fields 🥾 Good to know: check road closures before you go — missile testing can shut the only way in for hours 👟 Subscribe for more national park history, culture, and trail chat! #WhiteSandsNationalPark #NewMexico #NationalParks #NPS #GypsumDunes #IceAgeFootprints #MescaleroApache #PavlaBlanca #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #HikingPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we're at Tumacácori National Historical Park, a 360-acre National Historical Park protecting the ruins of three Spanish colonial missions along Arizona's Santa Cruz River. We dig into Padre Kino's 1691 mission and the Anza Trail's road to San Francisco. 📍 Featured: Mission San José de Tumacácori, Tumacácori Museum 👟 Subscribe for more National Park history, culture, and trail adventures! #Tumacacori #ArizonaMissions #NPS #SantaCruzRiver #HikingPodcast #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #NationalHistoricalPark #AnzaTrail #SonoranDesert #ArizonaHiking Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks heads to Lassen Volcanic National Park — and it turns out the story behind this "hidden gem" is way weirder than we expected. We dig into how a failed political fight only got resolved because the mountain literally erupted, how the devastating 2021 Dixie Fire reshaped huge parts of the park, and why the man the park is named after might not have deserved the honor at all. 🌋 In this episode: The political fight and eruption that created the parkThe lasting scars (and recovery) from the 2021 Dixie FireThe surprisingly shady history behind the park's namesake 👍 Like, subscribe, and tell us: should this park be renamed? #LassenVolcanicNationalPark #NationalParks #NPS #Lassen #CaliforniaTravel #HikingForSeniors #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #OutdoorAdventure #NationalParkService #HikingPodcast #Volcano #DixieFire #NationalParkHistory #TravelPodcast #ExploreCalifornia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Susan and Monica head to Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park just outside Macon, Georgia — a site with evidence of continuous human habitation for 12,000 to 17,000 years. We cover the Great Temple Mound (55 feet high, built basket by basket by South Appalachian Mississippian laborers), the massive 1930s archaeological excavation, and the uncomfortable truth behind it: the human remains that were disinterred and are still being repatriated to the Muscogee (Creek) Nation nearly 100 years later. We also get into the bigger questions this place raises — who owns a mound if it's on your land, whether Ocmulgee deserves to become the 64th official U.S. National Park (it's currently in subcommittee for 2026), and why letting the Muscogee Nation frame their own story matters. Plus: scorpions, sock etiquette, and Monica's Acoma Pueblo shirt. 🥾 Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks explores the intersections of culture, history, and the natural world through National Park Service sites and the local places around them. 👍 Like, subscribe, and share if you enjoy what we do ☕ Support the show — buy us a coffee or grab merch from our Zazzle store 📍 Ocmulgee Mounds National Historic Park, Macon, GA #OcmulgeeMounds #NationalParkService #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #MaconGeorgia #MuscogeeNation #NationalHistoricPark #HikingHistory #GeorgiaTravel #NPS #IndigenousHistory #NextNationalPark #Repatriation #ExploreGeorgia #PublicLands #NativeAmericanHistory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're covering one of the least-visited parks in the whole system — North Cascades National Park in Washington State. This place has over 300 glaciers, turquoise glacial lakes, ancient Indigenous trade routes crossing the mountains 10,000 years ago, and a wild history of dams, clear-cut forests, and an international fight with Canada that just got a nearly $1 billion resolution THIS YEAR. Plus: the fire lookout summer that inspired Jack Kerouac, our must-see spots, best trails, and — obviously — a Bigfoot check-in. Grab your sticks and come hike it with us! ⏱️ Chapters below 🥾 Established 1968 | 300+ glaciers | No entrance fee 📖 Jack Kerouac's fire lookout summer 🦫 The bear-sized beaver that used to roam here ⚡ The Skagit River dam fight that's still unfolding Like what you heard? Subscribe, drop a comment with questions about this park (or the next one we should cover), and check out our Zazzle merch store and buy-us-a-coffee at the links in our channel description. Go hike your own hike. 🥾 #NorthCascadesNationalPark #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #NationalParkPodcast #HikingPodcast #PNWHiking #WashingtonState #AmericanAlps #NationalParks #OutdoorAdventure #HikeLikeAGirl #ExploreWashington #GlacierCountry #JackKerouac #SkagitRiver #JuniorRanger Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people have never heard of the Mexican-American War — but it gave the United States everything from New Mexico and Arizona to California. And it all started right here, on a quiet coastal prairie near Brownsville, Texas. Join Susan and Monica as they dig into one of the most underrated — and most important — National Park Service sites in the entire country: Palo Alto Battlefield National Historical Park. We're talking about the war that literally completed the map of America, the only NPS site dedicated to preserving where it started, and the surprisingly moving story of thousands of people who became U.S. citizens overnight just because someone drew a new border. Plus — what the heck IS the difference between a National Historic Site and a National Historic Park? Susan explains it all. 🗺️ In This Episode: Why Palo Alto is the ONLY place in the U.S. preserving the Mexican-American War The Six Flags of Texas — and the wild 300-year story of who controlled this land Moses Austin, Stephen F. Austin, and the empresario system that sparked it all The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo — and the Mexicans who became Americans without moving an inch The Civil War's LAST battle — spoiler: it happened near Brownsville Hiking, birding, and why this is the perfect South Padre Island add-on Monica coins a brand new word for us all: "United Statesians" 😂 📍 Palo Alto Battlefield NHP | 7200 Paredes Line Road, Brownsville, TX 78526 🕗 Open daily 8AM–5PM | Free admission | nps.gov/paal 🐦 Birders: The Rio Grande Valley is one of the top birding destinations in North America — this area is a must! 🎧 Listen on audio ☕ Buy us a coffee → buymeacoffee.com/twochickswithhikingsticks 👕 Grab some merch →zazzle.com/store/2chickswhikingsticks If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, and drop a comment below — tell us where YOU want us to go next. As always… hike your own hike! 🥾 #PaloAltoBattlefield #MexicanAmericanWar #NationalParks #NPS #BrownsvilleTexas #TexasHistory #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #HikingOver50 #RioGrandeValley #SixFlagsOverTexas #TexasNationalParks #HiddenGemNPS #ManifestDestiny #SouthPadreIsland #BirdingTexas #HistoryPodcast #NorthAmerica #USHistory #TreatyOfGuadalupeHidalgo #HikeYourOwnHike Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks as we explore Petroglyph National Monument on the edge of Albuquerque, New Mexico — home to an estimated 20,000-25,000 petroglyphs carved into volcanic basalt by Ancestral Puebloan peoples and Spanish settlers over the last 700+ years. In this episode, we hike the easy-to-moderate trails of Boca Negra Canyon, Rinconada Canyon, and Piedras Marcadas Canyon, explore the monument's volcanic geology and five dormant cinder cones, and dig into the deep cultural history that makes this landscape sacred to nearly 20 Indigenous nations today. 🥾 Trails featured: Boca Negra Canyon (Macaw & Cliff Base Trails), Rinconada Canyon Loop, Piedras Marcadas Trail 🌋 Featured geology: West Mesa basalt escarpment, reverse topography, dormant volcanic cones 🏛️ Managed by: National Park Service + City of Albuquerque Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks is a podcast that informs, entertains, and educates through the rich intersections of culture, history, and the natural world — spotlighting National Park Service sites and the local gems around them. 📍 Petroglyph National Monument, Albuquerque, NM 🔗 nps.gov/petr #PetroglyphNationalMonument #NationalParkService #PetroglyphNationalMonument #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #NationalParkService #NPS #Albuquerque #NewMexico #HikingPodcast #NationalMonument #PetroglyphNM #DesertHiking #TravelPodcast #NationalParks #AncestralPuebloan #RockArt #WestMesa #NMTrue #ExploreNewMexico #HikingForBeginners #OutdoorPodcast #CultureAndNature Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered what it's actually like to visit Mount Rainier National Park? In this episode, Susan shares her firsthand experience visiting in August 2024 — and she and Monica break down everything you need to know before you go, from the park's layout to the logistics that can make or break your trip. Mount Rainier is one of America's most iconic national parks — and one of the most misunderstood. It's not just a pretty mountain. It's an active stratovolcano, the highest peak in the Cascade Range at 14,410 feet, home to 25 glaciers (including Emmons Glacier — the largest in the contiguous U.S.), and 91,000 acres of old-growth forest. Plus it has some of the most spectacular wildflowers you'll ever see. But here's what nobody tells you: this park takes serious planning. There's no road that circles the volcano. No gas stations inside the park. Very little cell service. Parking fills up by 9 a.m. on summer weekends. And the four main areas — Longmire, Paradise, Sunrise/White River, and Ohanapecosh — are each an hour or more apart with no straight roads connecting them. Susan stayed in Packwood, Washington to reach multiple sides of the park, and walks you through how she tackled the Nisqually Entrance (Longmire Museum, Wilderness Info Center, Henry Jackson Visitor Center), why the Sunrise Entrance is worth every effort, and what the deal is with the Ohanapecosh area construction closure in 2026. Monica and Susan also get into critical safety tips — including why elevation changes at Rainier can turn deadly fast if you're not layered up — plus why talking to the park rangers before hitting the trail is non-negotiable. They wrap with Susan holding up the four official trail guides the park provides (yes, physical ones — with maps on the back!) and remind you: download your AllTrails maps while you still have WiFi at the visitor center. 🥾 Whether you're planning your first Pacific Northwest road trip or adding Rainier to a circuit with Crater Lake, Olympic, and North Cascades — this episode is your starting point. 🛒 Support the show: ☕ Buy us a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/twochickswithhikingsticks 👕 Shop our Zazzle merch store: zazzle.com/store/2chickswhikingsticks 📌 Resources mentioned: Mount Rainier National Park official site: nps.gov/mora Trail info & maps: alltrails.com America the Beautiful Senior Pass (62+): store.usgs.gov/senior-pass 👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you never miss an episode — and drop a comment telling us: have YOU been to Mount Rainier? What was your favorite spot? Hike your own hike — we'll see y'all next time! 🥾🥾 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever driven past a historical site and thought... but why is this here? That's exactly the conversation we had about Fort Union National Monument in northeastern New Mexico — and we're not holding back! Monica was our boots-on-the-ground explorer and Susan did the deep research dive, and together we take you through the full story of this FREE National Park Service site: the three forts built on the same spot, the Civil War battle that changed the West, the adobe ruins slowly melting back into the prairie, and the big question — should your tax dollars be protecting this place at all? In this episode we cover: ✅ The story of THREE forts on one site — and why only two show up today ✅ Fort Union as "the Gettysburg of the West" — the Battle of Glorieta Pass ✅ Star forts — what they are and where else you can find them in the U.S. ✅ Monica's conversation with an NPS worker doing shelter coating on the adobe walls ✅ The Santa Fe Trail wagon ruts you can still see today ✅ The Buffalo Soldiers connection ✅ Fort Union vs. Fort Davis — a real comparison from two chicks who've been to both ✅ Why wives of enlisted men had to work the laundry (we have feelings about this 😤) ✅ The honest debate: is this a national monument worth keeping — or should New Mexico take it over? ✅ Dark sky park bonus — the stargazing case for visiting We also reminisce about Susan's recent trip to Padre Island National Seashore and her two Junior Ranger badges — yes, two! 🎥 Check out our earlier virtual hike/overview video of Fort Union from when the government shutdown kept us out — link in the cards! 📍 Fort Union National Monument | Watrous, NM (Exit 366 off I-25) 💰 Admission: FREE | America the Beautiful Pass accepted 🐍 Stay on the trail — rattlesnakes are real out there! ☀️ No shade, no trees — bring water, a hat, and sunscreen 🌌 Dark Sky Park — incredible stargazing if you're in the area 👉 Like what you hear? Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a new episode — we drop every Thursday! ☕ Buy us a coffee or grab some merch in our Zazzle store — links below! 👍 Share, like, and leave your quiz answers in the comments! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks, Susan and Monica dig into one of San Antonio's most beloved urban parks — Phil Hardberger Park — and the remarkable 175-year story behind how it came to exist. What started as a Republic of Texas land grant to a Battle of San Jacinto hero eventually became a tight-knit community of dairy farms known as Buttermilk Hill. The last family standing? Max and Minnie Voelcker — a childless couple who milked cows twice a day, 365 days a year, and whose trust ultimately made this park possible. Throw in a mayor who spent his own campaign funds to save the land from developers, a national architecture competition, and the largest land bridge in the United States — and you've got a story worth telling. Whether you're a longtime San Antonian or planning your first visit, this episode covers it all: the history, the trails, the wildlife, and why this 330-acre gem in the middle of one of America's largest cities is something truly special. 🌉 Largest wildlife & pedestrian land bridge in the U.S. 🌳 Skywalk treetop canopy trail 🐄 From dairy farm to world-class urban park 🦌 Real wildlife sightings — deer, bobcats, coyotes & more 🏛️ Historic Voelcker Homestead on the National Register of Historic Places 🗳️ The bond election that saved it all 📍 Phil Hardberger Park East Entrance: 13203 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78216 West Entrance: Off NW Military Hwy Hours: Sunrise to Sunset | Free Admission 🌐 philhardbergerpark.org ☕ Buy us a coffee or grab some merch: [Your Zazzle link here] 👍 Like, share & subscribe — we cover local, national & maybe even international trails! #PhilHardbergerPark #SanAntonio #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #SanAntonioParks #TexasHiking #VisitSanAntonio #LandBridge #WildlifeCrossing #SanAntonioHistory #TexasHistory #ButtermilkHill #VoelckerFarm #UrbanPark #TexasParks #HikeTexas #SanAntonioThingsToDo #NatureWalk #OutdoorSanAntonio #HikeYourOwnHike #PodcastTexas Chapter Markers: 00:00 Intro 00:13 Welcome to Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks 00:27 Weather talk & getting outside in San Antonio 01:30 San Antonio — the city nobody realizes is huge 02:30 Introducing Phil Hardberger Park 03:42 The origin story — Buttermilk Hill & dairy farms 05:17 The Voelcker family & how they got the land 07:45 The Voelcker Trust & its lasting legacy 08:26 The Land Bridge — largest in the United States 09:00 The Skywalk & treetop canopy trail 09:24 Mayor Phil Hardberger & the bond election 10:14 What it's like to actually hike the park 11:50 Wildlife on the land bridge (deer sightings!) 12:19 The historic Voelcker homestead on the property 12:59 Monica's detour — KLRN's San Antonio Remembered 14:19 Walking through Texas history from Republic to statehood 16:07 Is Buttermilk Hill actually hilly? 17:15 The national architect search & park design 18:09 Awards, accolades & the Salado Creek Greenway 19:11 Visitor tips — parking, trails, pets & strollers 19:44 Pavilions, bathrooms, public art & the ecology center 20:45 Wrapping up — why you have no excuses not to go 21:56 Outro — like, share, merch & hike your own hike Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to another adventure with Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks! In this episode, Susan and Monica explore one of the most unique and underrated parks in Texas—Palmetto State Park. Located between Luling and Gonzales, this small but fascinating Texas State Park is home to dwarf palmettos, scenic hiking trails, the San Marcos River, Oxbow Lake, incredible birdwatching opportunities, and even a local swamp creature legend! Join us as we discuss the history of the park, its Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) roots, easy hiking trails, camping opportunities, kayaking and canoeing on the San Marcos River, and why this hidden gem deserves a spot on your Texas travel bucket list. Whether you're a hiker, camper, birder, paddler, history enthusiast, or simply looking for a great day trip from San Antonio or Austin, Palmetto State Park offers a little something for everyone. 📍 Park Location: Gonzales County, Texas 🥾 Hiking Trails 🦅 Birding & Wildlife 🚣 Kayaking & Canoeing 🏕️ Camping & RV Sites 🌴 Dwarf Palmetto Habitat 🏛️ CCC History 👣 Easy Hiking for All Skill Levels Have you visited Palmetto State Park? Tell us your favorite Texas State Park in the comments below. We are always looking for new places to explore and feature on the podcast! 👍 Like 💬 Comment 🔔 Subscribe 📤 Share with your hiking friends Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks explores the natural, cultural, and historical world around us through hiking, travel, history, and outdoor adventure. #PalmettoStatePark #TexasStateParks #TexasHiking #HikingTexas #TexasTravel #SanMarcosRiver #BirdingTexas #CampingTexas #KayakingTexas #TexasOutdoors #StateParks #TexasCamping #OutdoorAdventure #HiddenGemsTexas #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #NaturePodcast #TravelPodcast #ExploreTexas #TexasRoadTrip #EasyHikes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.