Mather's Outdoor Life

AND EXPLORE BETTER

All That Mathers
Into The Wild
National Parks
At Home
In The News

The Mountains Are Calling and I Must Not Go

Happy May Day, 2020—from inside! Today is Day 43 of California’s quarantine. Six weeks of the same apartments, homes, streets, and grocer...

33 views

6 Reasons To Go Backpacking In Joshua Tree National Park This Winter

Backpacking in Joshua Tree is an experience unlike any other. If you’re looking to escape the hustle, load up your pack and hit the trail.

27 views

Every Adult Should Become a Junior Ranger

Explore, Learn, and Protect! It's not just for little ones. Just in case you didn’t know, becoming a Junior Ranger is an activity for chi...

55 views

Why Rim Trails Are Secretly The Best

Also river walks, meadow trails, or any easy hike that connects places connected by road. Walking on often-paved trails that have no part...

27 views

2019 National Park Campsite Booking Dates

If you've spent anytime trying to book a last-minute campsite on Recreation.gov, you've had that moment where it feels like the website i...

35 views

The Largest Tree Ever Cut Down

It was 1892... World’s Fair Mania was in full swing. From a small office in Chicago, a small team of publicists had sent hundreds of thou...

1,671 views

Before You Go: 10 Things to Research

Imagine you’re travelling to London for the first time. You think to yourself, “I know I want to see Buckingham Palace, but what else is ...

186 views

7 Eco-Friendly Food Tips for Your National Parks Trip

The Trash Problem Each year, visitors like you and me help contribute to the 100 million pounds of trash generated in our National Parks....

31 views

Before You Go: Earn Your Hiking Legs

Imagine a person suddenly decided to start a new exercise regimen, “From this point forward, I’m going to walk 8 miles a day every day.” ...

49 views

Sunrise & Sunset Are Your Best Friends

We talk a lot on this site about visiting the most popular sights outside of peak hours, but for the most part, that really means choosin...

17 views

{"items":["5eac398157bfdb00178cb87d","5ded5a4ac5e02b0017063cb0","5b75be96085a590014d8efaf","5b73051f4ae47800d1bc90df","5b6a794bf2add4017b7de93f","5b579e73f6649d010b14f9d2","59af7df2cc2d5200143067f3","5b3699b16bed1a0013c46b25","5b365e448f94d60014c6bff0","5b353d90f2c2e20014f0156c"],"styles":{"galleryType":"Columns","groupSize":1,"showArrows":true,"cubeImages":true,"cubeType":"min","cubeRatio":2.2857142857142856,"isVertical":true,"gallerySize":30,"collageAmount":0,"collageDensity":0,"groupTypes":"1","oneRow":false,"imageMargin":32,"galleryMargin":0,"scatter":0,"chooseBestGroup":true,"smartCrop":false,"hasThumbnails":false,"enableScroll":true,"isGrid":true,"isSlider":false,"isColumns":false,"isSlideshow":false,"cropOnlyFill":false,"fixedColumns":0,"enableInfiniteScroll":true,"isRTL":false,"minItemSize":50,"rotatingGroupTypes":"","rotatingCubeRatio":"","gallerySliderImageRatio":1.7777777777777777,"numberOfImagesPerRow":3,"numberOfImagesPerCol":1,"groupsPerStrip":0,"borderRadius":0,"boxShadow":0,"gridStyle":0,"mobilePanorama":false,"placeGroupsLtr":false,"viewMode":"preview","thumbnailSpacings":4,"galleryThumbnailsAlignment":"bottom","isMasonry":false,"isAutoSlideshow":false,"slideshowLoop":false,"autoSlideshowInterval":4,"bottomInfoHeight":0,"titlePlacement":"SHOW_BELOW","galleryTextAlign":"center","scrollSnap":false,"itemClick":"nothing","fullscreen":true,"videoPlay":"hover","scrollAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","slideAnimation":"SCROLL","scrollDirection":0,"overlayAnimation":"FADE_IN","arrowsPosition":0,"arrowsSize":23,"watermarkOpacity":40,"watermarkSize":40,"useWatermark":true,"watermarkDock":{"top":"auto","left":"auto","right":0,"bottom":0,"transform":"translate3d(0,0,0)"},"loadMoreAmount":"all","defaultShowInfoExpand":1,"allowLinkExpand":true,"expandInfoPosition":0,"allowFullscreenExpand":true,"fullscreenLoop":false,"galleryAlignExpand":"left","addToCartBorderWidth":1,"addToCartButtonText":"","slideshowInfoSize":200,"playButtonForAutoSlideShow":false,"allowSlideshowCounter":false,"hoveringBehaviour":"NEVER_SHOW","thumbnailSize":120,"magicLayoutSeed":1,"imageHoverAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imagePlacementAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","calculateTextBoxWidthMode":"PERCENT","textBoxHeight":163,"textBoxWidth":200,"textBoxWidthPercent":50,"textImageSpace":10,"textBoxBorderRadius":0,"textBoxBorderWidth":0,"loadMoreButtonText":"","loadMoreButtonBorderWidth":1,"loadMoreButtonBorderRadius":0,"imageInfoType":"ATTACHED_BACKGROUND","itemBorderWidth":0,"itemBorderRadius":0,"itemEnableShadow":false,"itemShadowBlur":20,"itemShadowDirection":135,"itemShadowSize":10,"imageLoadingMode":"BLUR","expandAnimation":"NO_EFFECT","imageQuality":90,"usmToggle":false,"usm_a":0,"usm_r":0,"usm_t":0,"videoSound":false,"videoSpeed":"1","videoLoop":true,"gallerySizeType":"px","gallerySizePx":940,"allowTitle":true,"allowContextMenu":true,"textsHorizontalPadding":-30,"itemBorderColor":{"themeName":"color_15","value":"rgba(47,46,46,1)"},"showVideoPlayButton":true,"galleryLayout":2,"calculateTextBoxHeightMode":"MANUAL","textsVerticalPadding":-15,"targetItemSize":940,"selectedLayout":"2|bottom|1|min|true|0|true","layoutsVersion":2,"selectedLayoutV2":2,"isSlideshowFont":true,"externalInfoHeight":163,"externalInfoWidth":0},"container":{"width":940,"galleryWidth":972,"galleryHeight":0,"scrollBase":0,"height":null}}