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Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast

Dear Bob and Sue: A National Parks Podcast

By: Matt and Karen Smith
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 In Dear Bob and Sue, authors Matt and Karen Smith share stories of their travels to all of the U.S. National Park as well as other spectacular public lands. From adventures gone awry to memorable moments and Q&As from readers, get to know the couple behind the books and get inspired to go on some adventures of your own.© Copyright 2020-2025 | Matt and Karen Smith Biological Sciences Science Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • #174: 10 National Monuments That Feel Like National Parks

    #174: 10 National Monuments That Feel Like National Parks
    Mar 19 2026
    Across our U.S. public lands are more than 130 national monuments, each protecting a unique natural or cultural treasure. In this episode, we’re diving into ten that feel a lot like visiting a national park, but without the crowds. We share a mix of places we’ve visited over the years, and each one surprised us with just how much they have in terms of scenery, hiking, and overall experience. From towering rock formations and remote desert canyons to cultural sites with deep historical meaning, these monuments offer many of the same “wow” moments you expect from a national park. In this episode, we talk about: Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming and why it’s always worth a stop, Grand Staircase–Escalante in Utah and its endless options for adventure, Canyon de Chelly in Arizona and one of our favorite ranger-led tours, Chiricahua National Monument and its maze of rock spires, Natural Bridges National Monument and its out-of-this-world natural beauty, Colorado National Monument as an underrated scenic gem, Bandelier in New Mexico and its fascinating cultural history, Lava Beds in California (yes, caves… again), Rainbow Bridge and its surprisingly powerful setting, and Jewel Cave in South Dakota and its incredible underground world. If you’ve ever felt like the national parks are getting a little too crowded, or you’re just looking for new places to explore, this episode will give you a list of destinations that deserve a spot on your radar. Want more? If you enjoyed this episode, check out our recently published Substack article: 10 National Monuments That Feel Like National Parks (But Without the Crowds) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    53 mins
  • #173: Pinnacles National Park: Caves, Condors, and the High Peaks

    #173: Pinnacles National Park: Caves, Condors, and the High Peaks
    Feb 6 2026
    We recently returned to Pinnacles National Park, a place we hadn’t visited since our first trip in 2013. Situated about 75 minutes south of Monterey, California, Pinnacles is known for its dramatic volcanic rock formations, remnants of a once 8,000-foot volcano. When we first visited, Pinnacles had just become a national park, and we stopped there as part of our journey to visit all the U.S. national parks. This time, we had a different reason to return. Karen wanted to explore one of the park’s talus caves. In this episode, we discuss our visit to the park, where we hiked into the lower portion of Bear Gulch Cave, then to Bear Gulch Reservoir, and finally into the high peaks. We also dive into the park’s fascinating geology, its history as a national monument established by Theodore Roosevelt, and the role of the Civilian Conservation Corps in building many of the trails and structures still used today. And of course, no visit to Pinnacles would be complete without talking about California condors. Pinnacles is the only national park that actively manages a condor release site, and we explain how these remarkable birds were brought back from the brink of extinction. If you’re planning a visit to Pinnacles, this episode is for you, as we also share practical tips to help you make the most of your time in the park. ----- Follow this link to join us on Patreon. And don't forget to check out our Substack account where you can subscribe for free to our weekly articles. You do not need to set up a Substack account to read our posts or subscribe to our weekly email. If you are already familiar with Substack, look us up at mattandkarensmith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    44 mins
  • #172: Exploring Galápagos National Park

    #172: Exploring Galápagos National Park
    Jan 6 2026
    Having visited all 63 U.S. national parks, we felt it was time to broaden our scope and explore one of the most popular and biologically diverse national parks outside the United States: Galápagos National Park. Located hundreds of miles west of mainland Ecuador, this archipelago of tropical islands straddles the equator. Because the islands were isolated from other landmasses for millions of years, many plants and animals evolved into species found nowhere else on Earth. Much of the wildlife you encounter in the Galápagos exists only there. Galaxy Cruises recently hosted our visit to this remarkable national park for four days and five nights aboard their EcoGalaxy catamaran. If you’d like to learn more about Galaxy Cruises, follow this link. And if you use the promo code MattandKaren at checkout, you’ll receive a 5% discount. If you use this code, we may earn a marketing fee, but you won’t pay anything extra. Here are some of the topics we cover in this episode: · A brief overview of the Galápagos, including a bit of history · Our stay in Quito, Ecuador’s capital, for a couple of days before the cruise · The flight from Quito to the islands and the process of getting through immigration, customs, and paying the park entrance fee · Our daily activities during the cruise, including what we did and what we saw - like snorkeling in deep water for the first time while sea lions swam alongside of us · Our impressions of the EcoGalaxy, the crew, and the accommodations · And more! ----- We now post ad-free versions of our episodes on our Patreon account (search for mattandkarensmith). If you are interested in joining, follow this link to check it out. Subscribe to The Dear Bob and Sue Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you like to listen, and if you’ve enjoyed our show, please leave us a review or rating on Apple Podcasts. Five-star ratings help other listeners find our show. Follow us on Instagram at @mattandkarensmith, on Facebook at mattandkarensmith, or check out our blog at https://www.mattandkaren.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    52 mins
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