Product: Lodge Deep Dutch Oven

Lodge has been a leader in the cast iron industry and has been making their heirloom-quality cookware since 1896. This Dutch oven is 10 inches deep and can hold 5 quarts when cooking. Since it’s Lodge, you can rely on this product time and time again and use it in a variety of ways. Make a delicious soup in the bowl or flip the lid upside-down and use it as a griddle to make pancakes. The Dutch oven has legs that allow it to stand on hot coals, and it comes with the Dutch Oven Cooking 101 Cookbook.

About Lodge

With over 25 years of experience, Lodge is the go-to company for cast-iron cookware. The company still operates out of its original foundry in south Pittsburg, Tennessee and creates high-quality kitchenware that you’ll be able to use for decades and pass down for generations. Besides Dutch ovens and skillets, there are a variety of other options that will help produce amazing, delicious, home-cooked meals for you and your family. 

Reviews

The Lodge Dutch oven comes well-reviewed, making it a great option for when you’re camping with your family. Cast iron can get heavy, though, so if you’re heading out on a backcountry camping trip, it might be best to leave this pot behind. 

Customers love the quality of the cookware and say that they’ve made some of their best campfire meals using Lodge cast iron products.

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From beautiful winter wonderlands to finding relief from the freezing temperatures, here are some amazing destinations to ditch the winter blues.

Winter Wonderlands

These destinations are for those who love the winter weather, can handle cold conditions and appreciate the beauty of snow-covered landscapes.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Heading to Colorado in the wintertime is always a popular choice. The state is known for its world-class ski resorts, but you can also find some solitude at Rocky Mountain National Park. The well-known destination is way quieter in the winter, and it’s easy to hike with snowshoes in this snow-covered landscape. Plus, you can still ski, snowboard, or tube at the park in Hidden Valley, a former ski resort.

Glacier National Park

Heading north of Colorado, the Rocky Mountains will eventually lead you to Glacier National Park. While many sections of the park do close for winter, which starts in early fall, there are still plenty of spots to explore. Winter visitors can travel through the park on cross-country skis, and if you’re brave enough, there are campsites available too. Just be prepared for temperatures that stay below freezing most days.

Banff National Park

Want to head even further north? The ultimate North American national park for the winter may be Canada’s Banff National Park. This destination is one of the most popular national parks in the world. Besides the park’s breathtaking views, visitors can enjoy unique ways to get outdoors. There are plenty of guide services that will take people dog sledding and even on horse-drawn sleigh rides.

Voyageurs National Park

Back in the U.S., one of the quietest winter escapes will take you to northern Minnesota. Voyageurs National Park may very well be the coldest destination on the list, with January and February averaging below zero degrees Fahrenheit overnight. However, Voyageurs is unique as the area goes from a popular canoeing destination to a fantastic place for ice fishing and snowmobiling. 

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country. The park is also one of the most crowded, sometimes with gridlocked roadways. For a truly unique experience and to avoid these crowds, you can head to the park in the winter. Just be aware that many parts of the park are inaccessible to cars during this time of year. However, you can still take in the snow-covered views from Yosemite Valley.

Pacific Rim National Park

You’ll want to dress warmly and bring waterproof layers as you head to this Canadian national park near Vancouver. Pacific Rim National Park is on Vancouver Island, just north of Washington State. You can expect plenty of wet weather, as you would in the Pacific Northwest, but snow chances are slim. The park is located between the ocean and mountains, so there are views all around. Pacific Rim is an excellent destination for those who enjoy warming up with hot chocolate after a long day on a chilly coast.

Get out of the Cold

If you’re looking for some warmer temperatures and some extra sunlight, these are the destinations for you.

White Sands National Park

If you want to go sledding but not in the snow, White Sands National Park may be for you. While temperatures can still drop below freezing overnight, most days will get into the low 50s and 60s. The southern New Mexico destination is known for its white gypsum dunes throughout the park, and many visitors bring a saucer to slide down the hills. Basically, this desert park looks snow-covered, just without the icy temperatures.

Virgin Islands National Park

You can go totally tropical at Virgin Islands National Park. The Caribbean destination is packed with history, trails, and, of course, beautiful beaches. A good chunk of the park (40%) is underwater, and visitors can enjoy fish and other wildlife while snorkeling. There is a campground within the park, but guests will also find plenty of nearby hotels and resorts.

Cabo Pulmo National Park

Located on Mexico’s California Baja Peninsula, Cabo Pulmo National Park is a great winter destination. Most days will be in the 70s, and visitors can snorkel to coral reefs, search for hidden beaches, and see plenty of wildlife. It is not uncommon to see sea lions and whales while on the beach. The park sits about 60 miles from the famous resort town of Cabo San Lucas. 

Congaree National Park

If you want warmer weather while avoiding the crowds in Florida, you can head to one of the least-visited national parks in the lower 48 states. Congaree National Park is a great alternative for East Coast visitors, with the park centrally located in South Carolina. Visitors can learn about the marshlands that make up the park, see massive trees, and canoe the wetlands. The best part of visiting Congaree in the winter is avoiding the hordes of mosquitoes.

Death Valley National Park

It makes sense that if you want to ditch that winter chill, you head to one of the hottest places on the planet. While you won’t find the scorching triple-digit temperatures in Death Valley National Park, you will find some pleasant weather. The temperatures range from the 40s overnight to around 60 or 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. The temperatures make it a lot easier to visit the park and enjoy the trails without the threat of extreme heat.

Cumbres de Monterrey National Park

Just because it’s cold in most places doesn’t mean you need to go to the beach. You can still enjoy mountain views, hiking, and even some rock climbing in Cumbres de Monterrey National Park. Located outside Monterrey, New Mexico, the park has rugged terrain and towering peaks. Plus, visitors will find waterfalls and rivers throughout the park. Like any mountainous area, you can expect cooler weather, but with most days in the 50s, you’ll have ideal hiking temperatures.

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“We have completed our goal of hiking the entire Appalachian Trail as a family,” wrote Bettis. “The past few weeks have been emotional as the gravity sets in of just how life changing a thru hike has been for our family. What we started fairly quietly as a family we also wanted to spend the last few weeks ending quietly as a family. Our days of online silence have been filled with laughter, hiking our last remaining miles in some of the most beautiful places we’ve ever seen, campfires, our first snow of the AT, memories that long outlive me and hopefully leave a legacy for my kids.”

Bettis says that the family chose to celebrate with a small intimate gathering rather than having a large summit celebration, which she hopes to postpone for a later date.

The Bettis family, including Nikki and 13 of her children, who range from toddler-aged to early 20s, began their hike in March 2023. Two additional children (making a total of 15) elected to stay behind to take care of the family’s home and dogs, although they did join the hike for sections of the trail whenever possible.

After eight months of the AT, if you’re wondering where this trail-blazing family will go from here, we have a clue:

“After 4 days of solid work and unpacking from a thru hike of an insane number of people we set out tomorrow to find another trail,” Bettis wrote on Facebook. “Maybe backpacking White Rock/Sand Cave loop. Maybe Rock Castle Gorge. It’s time to sleep outside again and breathe some mountain air.”

It seems trail life is already calling.

Would you take on the AT with kids?

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Pebble Flow runs on solar energy and EV batteries, and it’s got enough capacity for seven days off the grid. It also has as much computing power as an autonomous vehicle. For instance, pop it into remote-control mode and the thing will hitch and/or park itself at the touch of button. (That’s right, no more blindly backing your trailer up into campsites, although we’re sure you’re great at it.)

There’s even a setting called “InstaCamp,” which will get you set up and ready to relax in record time. While there aren’t a lot of details yet on InstaCamp, we have high hopes.

There are other benefits of having a connected travel trailer, like the ability to control the lights and monitor tank levels, energy levels, solar charge, and more from the Pebble app.

Pebble Flow is now available for pre-order in the U.S., starting at USD $109,000. The company estimates it will be shipping units before the end of 2024.

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The company says its customers started telling stories about outdoor adventures with their Stanley cups, and an odd number of these stories involved bears. Understandably, the company felt that a bear needed to be incorporated into its logo design.

Here’s an example from the Stanley website: 

Dear Stanley,

My wife and I went camping. After a few drinks and swinging some tunes around the campfire, we decided to turn in for the night. I was fast asleep and could have sworn I was dreaming when I heard something ruffling around the tent—it was a bear. I woke up with adrenaline running through my veins, reached for my Stanley, and turned in the dark to hit the bear. I was aiming to be a hero, instead I ended up hitting my wife on the head. Well, she turned and whacked me on the side of my head. While the two of us saw stars, the bear didn’t want any part of this and hit the road.

Sincerely,

The guy with a wife tougher than his Stanley bottle

Bear stories are gold, and we applaud Stanley for realizing that a bear should be part of its identity as a nod to the outdoors community that enjoys its products. Today, “Stan” the Stanley Bear is a part of all of the company’s gear. 

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According to research from Campspot, an online platform for booking and managing campgrounds, curated time in nature is what people will want in the new year. Their study found that increased economic uncertainty is driving people back to simple outdoor trips. Combine that with lavish trips of catching flights and busy cities this past year, and many now say “the mountains are calling.”

While COVID-19 sent many deep into the woods in 2020 and 2021, in 2024, people want amenities—fancy travel but simplified. For instance, people want an easy trip to a campground near a pristine lake with Wi-Fi.

Campspot’s survey found one in three people feel very stressed about the economy, and nearly 70% of campers want a sense of calm and relaxation in 2024. Hence the demand for a “calm-cation.”

Interestingly, 91% of campers surveyed by Campspot said they want internet of some kind, and more than half said they feel more relaxed with internet access. 

Another priority is clean, fresh air, which actually ranked as the number-one demand. Coming in a little behind that was access to water like a lake, river, or beach.

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This year’s National Croc Day release is the not-so-understated Croc-Cowboy Boot, which retails for $120. We’ve seen a number of excellent and polarizing roll-outs in recent years, including the All-Terrain Crocs.

How do you feel about Crocs? 

The post Love ‘em or Hate ‘em, It’s National Croc Day appeared first on Outdoors with Bear Grylls.

The movie focuses on the story of the Osage Native American tribe after discovering oil on their land in Oklahoma. What followed were brutal murders, which the FBI eventually investigated.

Killer of the Flower Moon’s connection to Oklahoma led Scorsese to spend significant time in the area and the surrounding prairie land, which is all new to the director.

“I’m a New Yorker. I’m an urban person,” says Scorsese. Jimmy Kimmel is quick to jokingly reply, “Yeah, we knew that.

Scorsese comments on his lack of outdoor experience at around 14:45 into the clip:

Kimmel asks Scorsese if he’s been camping or to an REI. Both of which Scorsese laughs and admits that he has not. 

Besides his highly anticipated new movie, Martin Scorsese is the filmmaker behind Taxi Driver, The Departed, The Wolf of Wall Street, Gangs of New York, and Goodfellas.

Are you new to camping or need new camping gear? Check out the Outdoors.com store.

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The video ad shows destinations like Glacier, Indiana Dunes and New River Gorge, with stops close to the park. 

The video also highlights spots like Joshua Tree and Arches National Parks, which are more than 30 miles from the park. The distance has led to arguments on social media that the train doesn’t get you to the park. You’d need to rent a car or make other arrangements to complete the final leg of the journey. 

“Being 33 miles from the national park isn’t exactly seeing the national park by train,” commented @keleysaesthetics.

“I’ve taken the Builder (line) a number of times. I like getting off at Whitefish where u can at least rent a car and drive through (Glacier National) Park,” commented @legacycookbook. “The next day, re-board the train to continue by enjoying the train ride through the Rockies.”

The idea of reducing traffic in a national park has some appeal, as parks deal with gridlock traffic and parking issues. Some destinations like Zion National Park provide bus services to visitors to get people to and from trailheads. 

Would you travel by train to your favorite national park destination?

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Badlands are amazing because they can look dramatically different from site to site. Their appearance depends on the natural geology and elements of the area they are found in. This can range in both formations (such as hoodoos, ravines, and spires) and color (ranging from dramatic striations of deep blues to bright reds). Some appear as hills with deep gullies cut through their faces, while others feature stand-alone spires. Others, still, may appear as bulbous rocks, garnering them names like mushroom, toadstool, or cracked eggs. Because of this, no two badlands look the same. 

Badlands National Park is certainly a wonderful place to visit, however, it would be a disservice to end your tour there. Badlands can be found all over the central and western United States, and each is worthy of a visit. From Oregon to Kansas, here is a guide to four often-overlooked badlands. 

Kansas

Out of all states that feature badlands, perhaps the most surprising is Kansas. Western Kansas has the Niobrara chalk badlands that formed from an ancient sea that covered the area more than 80 million years ago. These badlands are widely regarded in paleontological circles because fossils of mosasaurs—aquatic reptiles that reach over 50 feet in length—are commonly found here. Fossils of other aquatic species, including giant clams and birds, have also been uncovered in the area. 

Erupting from the prairie, the Niobrara chalk formations are seen nowhere better than the Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park. Located in northwest Kansas, near the town of Oakley, this 332-acre park is the only badland area in the state on public land––though privately owned Monument Rock and Castle Rock areas do allow visitors. 

Little Jeruseulm features dramatic pinnacles, hoodoos, and canyonlands, which is thought to have given it its name; from a distance, it is said to resemble the walled city of Jerusalem. There are two trails that allow visitors to explore the park, but the best one is the 2.4-mile Life on the Rocks Trail, which leads users around the southern edge of the formations in the park, granting beautiful views and a chance to experience some of Kansas’s native plants and animals. Those interested in exploring the area in more depth, including hiking to the bottom of the formations, can sign up for a guided hike (which usually happens once a week). 

Entry to the park is $5 per vehicle. The park is only open for day use; however, there are camping options 7 miles south at Historic Lake Scott State Park. Though the park is open year-round, visits during the spring or fall are best, as this area can get hot and has little to no shade. 

New Mexico

New Mexico is home to some pretty out-of-this-world formations, including the ​​Lybrook and Angels Peak Badlands. However, one of the coolest places to see badlands in New Mexico––and, arguably, one of the coolest in the entire four-corners region––is the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. Sitting about 36 miles south of Farmington in the northwest corner of the state, this wilderness area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which means that it is free to enter and allows dispersed camping. Watching the stars come out over the strange hoodoos, cap rocks, and spires is a rewarding experience and highly recommended, so as long as you are properly prepared. There is no water and no marked trails here. The BLM recommends bringing maps and being hyper-aware of your surroundings so that you can navigate properly, as it can become disorienting.

AllTrails has maps for five different hikes within the wilderness area. While this 4.7-mile loop is more popular, you’ll want to see the famous Basti Wing formations along this 2.8-mile trail. These formations look like a whisp of wind cemented itself onto the badland’s stone pillars, making this alien space look even more otherworldly. These are especially cool formations to see at night, as its remote location makes for a stunning display of stars. For a more detailed map of the formations, visit here. 

Though this area is open year-round, it should be avoided when rain or snow is present, as the unpaved roads leading to trailheads can flood, turn to mud, or become impassable. The best time to visit is late spring and fall, because it can be very hot during the summer and snowy during the winter. 

Oregon

When Oregon comes to mind, it is usually accompanied by images of towering evergreens, rocky coastlines, and abundant rain. However, this state is home to beautiful, Dr. Seuss-like badlands within the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. This stunning area is in central Oregon, near the town of Michell and about a four-hour drive southeast of Portland. 

The national monument is broken up into three units: Sheep Rock, Clarno, and Painted Hills. The three units are about one to two-hour drive from each other, and all are certainly worthy of a visit. The Sheep Rock unit features the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center, where you can learn more about or see the fossils from the area. The Clarno unit features the impressive Palisades, or volcanic lahars. The Painted Hills unit, however, is the place to visit if you’d like to explore a colorful, Martian landscape. 

There are five hikes within the Painted Hills unit that are all under 2 miles. You could fit in many (or all) and make the most of your day in the Painted Hills. If you only have an hour to spend here, be sure to check out the panorama views from the 1.6-mile Carroll Rim Trail, then stop by the 0.25-mile Painted Cove Trail for a boardwalk path that gets you up close. 

The national monument is free and open to the public year-round. Camping is not allowed but can be found on BLM land just north outside of the Painted Hills unit on Burnt Ranch Road––at Burnt Ranch and Lower Burnt Ranch Campgrounds. There are also camping options along the HWY 207 at the John Day River. More details on campgrounds can be found here.

This Painted Hills unit can get busy on weekends, especially towards the evening, and it is recommended to visit in fall or spring for the best weather. Also, it is important to note that the road leading into the unit is unpaved and the National Park Service (NPS) recommends that RVs or other large vehicles should not drive past the Painted Hills Overlook. 

California

Of all the incredible sights and experiences to have within Death Valley National Park, visiting the colorful clay and mudstone badlands at Furnace Creek is one of the coolest. The badlands are located on the eastern side of the park, right off HWY 190, and is about a two-hour drive from Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Many may be tempted to take the quarter-mile walk to Zabriskie Point to see the badlands, but don’t cheat yourself. There are wonderful trails to explore the formations up close and personal. The NPS recommends a number of moderate hikes to see the badlands, ranging from 2.7 to 4.3 miles, but the best way to experience the park’s badlands is by hiking the 7.8 complete circuit that makes a loop from  Zabriskie Point at HWY 190 to Golden Canyon parking lots. Do not depend on marked routes here; be sure to download the GPS map from NPS or AllTrails before heading out. 

Before you plan a trip, check the NPS website for updates. Right now, there are road closures in parts of the park that were flooded. Typically, the best times to visit are November through March, as Death Valley can get well over 110 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. As there is no shade here, even spring and fall temperatures can be uncomfortable or dangerous for hikers. 

There is a $30 fee per vehicle to enter the park. Those with an Annual Park Pass enter for free, however. Camping is available nearby in the Furnace Creek Campground. Reservations are highly recommended through Reservation.gov, since first come, first serve sites fill up quickly, especially on weekends and around holidays. This campground has full hookups for RVs as well as tent sites. 

Overlooked Badlands Honorable Mentions 

Arizona

The Petrified Forest National Park is not just a calcified forest; it is a badland as well. This park is intersected by HWY 40 and is easy to explore via car. 

Wyoming

Hell’s Half-Acre (which is actually more like 960 acres) is near Casper. Its deep ravines, caves, and formations were featured in Starship Troopers.  

Nebraska 

Toadstool Geologic Park sits along the northern border of the state and features doughy formations that resemble––you guessed it––toadstools. 

Montana

Makoshika State Park is Montana’s largest state park and an awesome place along the eastern border to see badlands, camp, and learn about dinosaurs. 

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