Welcome back to Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks! In this episode, we takes you on a deep dive into one of the most beloved national parks on the East Coast: Shenandoah National Park in northwestern Virginia.

Whether you're planning your first visit or your fifth, this episode covers EVERYTHING:

• ✅ Key facts and history — from the 1926 congressional authorization to the CCC to President Hoover's wilderness retreat

• ✅ The natural world — ancient Blue Ridge geology, over 860 wildflower species, black bears, and the rare Shenandoah salamander

• ✅ The cultural and historical story — the displaced mountain people, the CCC, the civil rights history of Lewis Mountain

📍 Location: Shenandoah National Park, Virginia | Along the Blue Ridge Mountains | ~75 miles from Washington D.C.

🎵 Stick around for the end-of-episode quiz questions! Test your Shenandoah knowledge in the comments below.

👍 If you love exploring National Parks and hidden gems with us, hit LIKE and SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode. And remember — HIKE YOUR OWN HIKE!

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Step back in time at Fort Scott National Historic Site in Kansas. It is a place where America’s frontier dreams, broken promises, and Civil War struggles all collided. Built in 1842 to enforce the Permanent Indian Frontier, Fort Scott quickly became a symbol of westward expansion, Native displacement, and the tension that fueled Bleeding Kansas. During the Civil War, it transformed into a Union supply depot and the birthplace of the First Kansas Colored Infantry. In fact, it was the first African American regiment from a Northern state to see combat.

In this episode, we explore Fort Scott’s cultural, natural, and historic impact—from its role in Native American history and frontier military strategy, to its preserved tallgrass prairie and Civil War legacy. Fort Scott isn’t just a fort. It's a story of America’s struggle with land, identity, and freedom.

#FortScott #NationalHistoricSite #CivilWarHistory #BleedingKansas #PermanentIndianFrontier #AfricanAmericanHistory #USHistoryPodcast #NativeAmericanHistory #KansasHistory #FrontierLife #AmericanHistory

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What if we told you that one of the most dramatic and consequential battles in American history happened in a small Michigan city — and almost nobody knows about it? In this episode of Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks, we explore River Raisin National Battlefield Park in Monroe, Michigan: the site of the War of 1812's greatest American defeat, the birth of the rallying cry "Remember the Raisin!", and a place where Native American, French, British, and American stories collide in one of history's most complex moments.

We cover everything you need to know for a perfect visit: the full history of the January 1813 Battle of Frenchtown and the River Raisin Massacre, the incredible cultural tapestry of the settlement at Frenchtown, the natural beauty of the River Raisin Heritage Trail and Sterling State Park, hiking options perfect for the 50+ crowd, a complete first-timer's itinerary, and all the other amazing things to do in Monroe, Michigan.

River Raisin is FREE to visit, beautifully interpreted, and unlike anything else in the National Park System. Don't miss this hidden gem of the Great Lakes.

🔔 Subscribe for more National Park and local history adventures!

📍 Location: Monroe, Michigan | 333 N. Dixie Hwy

🎧 Prefer audio? Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify & all major platforms.

📌 RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• NPS River Raisin: nps.gov/rira

• River Raisin Heritage Trail: City of Monroe Parks & Recreation

• Sterling State Park: michigan.gov/dnr

• Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge: fws.gov

• Monroe County Historical Museum: monroehistory.org

#RiverRaisin #RiverRaisinNationalBattlefieldPark #Warof1812 #NationalPark #NPS #MonroeMichigan #Hiking #HikingMichigan #MichiganHiking #RememberTheRaisin #BattleOfFrenchtown #GreatLakes #NationalParks #USHistory #MilitaryHistory #MichiganTravel #HiddenGems #SterlingStatePark #BirdWatching #50PlusHiking #NatureWalks #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #PodcastScript #HistoryPodcast #OutdoorAdventure #VisitMichigan #AmericanHistory #Tecumseh #GreatLakesTrails #FamilyTravel

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What do you do when a doctor tells you you'll be impaired for life — and you simply refuse to believe them?

Award-winning journalist, Peabody Award winner, and bestselling author Jo Giese joins Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks to share her extraordinary story of survival, determination, and defying medical odds after a catastrophic fall ruptured her Achilles tendon — and a botched surgery left her without one entirely.

In this episode, Jo opens up about:

✅ The accident and surgical nightmare that changed everything

✅ Being told she'd never walk normally again — and rejecting that verdict

✅ The 2.5-year recovery journey that doctors are calling a "medical miracle"

✅ The power of community, caregiving spouses, and having a medical advocate

✅ Her love of waterfall hiking, forest bathing & the science behind WHY nature heals

✅ Practical hiking safety tips for women hiking at any age or ability level

✅ Her new memoir: You'll Never Walk Alone: A Hiker's Memoir of Adventure, Tragedy, and Defying the Odds

Whether you're recovering from an injury, returning to hiking later in life, or just need a dose of pure grit and inspiration — this episode is for YOU.

📚 Get Jo's book anywhere you get your books

🎧 Available on Audiobook!

🥾 New to the show? Two Chicks with Hiking Sticks is your go-to podcast for women who love the outdoors — no matter your age, pace, or fitness level. We believe it's NEVER too late to hit the trails.

👇 Drop a comment: Have you ever hiked through an injury or comeback story? We want to hear it!

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#HikingInspiration #WomensHiking #HikingRecovery #AchillesTendon #MedicalMiracle #YoullNeverWalkAlone #JoGiese #TwoChicksWithHikingSticks #WaterfallHiking #HikingMotivation #Outdoors #NatureHeals #WomenWhoHike #HikingPodcast #ForestBathing #TrailLife #HikeSafe #OutdoorWomen #HikingLife #ReturnToTrails

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What if one of America’s most “hostile” landscapes turned out to be one of its most breathtaking?

In this episode of Two Chicks With Hiking Sticks, we explore Badlands National Park in South Dakota — a land shaped by 75 million years of erosion, ancient inland seas, prehistoric mammals, and powerful Lakota history.

We’ll walk through:

• Why the name “Badlands” comes from the Lakota word makȟóšiča
• How this landscape preserves some of the world’s richest Oligocene fossil beds
• The story behind its designation as a National Monument in 1939 and National Park in 1978
• Wildlife encounters with bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets
• The best hiking trails — including Notch Trail, Door Trail, and Castle Trail
• What makes this one of the most dramatic Dark Sky destinations in the country

From rugged spires to rolling prairie, this park tells a story of resilience — geological, ecological, and cultural.

If you love hiking, American history, national parks, and discovering the deeper stories behind iconic landscapes, this episode is for you.

Lace up your boots. Let’s hike into 75 million years of history.

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Today we’re exploring one of the most beloved places in America — Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, this park is the most visited national park in the United States — and once you see the mist rolling across these ancient mountains, you’ll understand why.

In this episode of Hike & History, we explore:

Why the Smokies are some of the oldest mountains on Earth

The incredible biodiversity that makes the park famous

The best hikes for first-time visitors

The hidden Appalachian history preserved in places like Cades Cove

The stunning views from Kuwohi

We’ll also share tips for planning your first trip, including where to hike, what to see, and nearby towns worth visiting like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.

Whether you’re planning a visit or just love America’s national parks, this episode will help you discover why the Smokies are one of the most special landscapes in the country.

If you enjoy hiking, travel, and American history, be sure to subscribe for more Hike & History adventures across the National Park system.

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Discover the powerful history and lasting legacy of Vicksburg National Military Park — one of the most pivotal battlefields of the American Civil War. In this episode we explore how the 47-day Siege of Vicksburg helped shift the course of the war, giving the Union control of the Mississippi River and dividing the Confederacy forever.

We’ll walk through:

✔️ When and why the park was established

✔️ Key historic sites you must see, including earthworks, monuments, and the USS Cairo

✔️ The natural beauty and ecology of this preserved landscape

✔️ Visitor stats, cultural significance, and why this park matters today

Whether you’re a history buff, educator, or curious traveler, this deep dive into Vicksburg’s legacy will bring America’s past to life.

#VicksburgNationalMilitaryPark #CivilWarHistory #HistoricBattlefields #USS_Cairo #NationalParkService #AmericanHistory #VicksburgMississippi #HistoryPodcast

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Did you know you can walk through an actual Ice Age dig site in Texas?

In this episode, we explore Waco Mammoth National Monument, one of the most fascinating paleontological sites in the country — right in the heart of Central Texas. Discovered in 1978 and designated a national monument in 2015, this site preserves the only known nursery herd of Columbian mammoths in the United States.

We’ll cover:

• How 24 Columbian mammoths were discovered along the Bosque River
• Why this is one of the most unique Ice Age fossil sites in North America
• What makes seeing the fossils in place so powerful
• The natural landscape that buried — and preserved — these giants
• Trails you can hike while visiting the monument

Whether you're into national parks, Texas history, paleontology, hiking, or family travel destinations, this is a must-visit stop in Waco.

If you love exploring places where nature and history collide, make sure to subscribe for more Hike & History adventures across Texas and beyond.

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