Today, we are sharing some funny stories from our adventures! We’ve spent a lot of time camping in the national parks, and we are sharing our most humorous moments from those camping trips in this episode.
Join us as we cover:
- The Beetle Armageddon of Sequoia Kings
- Sitting in our skivvies in Big Bend
- Nuclear bananas and radioactive mice in North Cascades
We hope you enjoyed Volume One of our funny stories from the national parks! Despite these wild stories, these incredible parks make all the crazy (and gross) experiences worth it.
Join us next week for more national park fun, and head over to DirtInMyShoes.com to start planning your next trip!
Listen to the Full Podcast Episode:
Funny Stories Overview
Join us in this episode as we dive into some of the funniest and most memorable moments we’ve experienced while camping in national parks. From unexpected encounters with wildlife to comical mishaps, we share stories that will have you laughing out loud. Get ready to embark on a journey filled with adventure and laughter in the great outdoors.
Beetle Armageddon in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
As we arrived at the campground in early May, we encountered freezing temperatures and piles of firewood left by the park service. What started as a cold camping trip with huge fires for warmth, ended in a sudden swarm of giant black beetles.
As we got out of our trailer on the morning we were leaving, we were greeted by beetles everywhere. They were covering the walls of the camper and pelting us from every direction. It felt like a paintball gun battle as we frantically hitched up our trailer to get out of dodge.
Bug Invasion in Big Bend National Park
Timing your trip to Big Bend National Park can be tricky. You want to get there while it’s still warm, but not insanely hot. Unfortunately, when we arrived at Big Bend, so did a scorching heat wave. As we pulled into our campsite, our headlights shined on our camping neighbors, who were sitting outside in their underwear!
It was so hot outside that we immediately opened up all the windows in our trailer to cool things down. Unfortunately, we were unaware of the bug population near the Rio Grande River, so we were invaded by millions of bugs. Desperate to eliminate the insects, we turned off every light and lured them out with an outdoor lantern, creating a swarm around us.
The next night we found ourselves doing exactly what our camping neighbor was doing the night before – sitting outside in our underwear in the complete dark because that was the only way to cool off without being swarmed by bugs.
Nightmare Camping in North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park has proven to be a challenging camping destination, with most of our visits filled with unexpected difficulties. The first trip coincided with a heatwave, making the already grumpy atmosphere even more uncomfortable.
However, our second visit was even worse, marked by the ill-fated decision to bring bananas, which proved to be a disastrous choice. The bananas we brought on our trip had basically turned nuclear, and everything near our bananas caught the smell of rotting bananas. Our attempt to let everything air out attracted all of the mice in the campground. It was a nightmare!
Our truck and all of the snacks we brought were ransacked by mice. Everything was eaten, and poop was everywhere. The mice also moved into our trailer, trying to scratch their way into the pantry for food. We managed to get them all out, but we had one ride-along with us that made it all the way to Leavenworth!
From Beetle Armageddon to bug invasions and banana troubles, our camping adventures have provided endless laughter and unforgettable memories. We hope you enjoyed listening to our humorous tales and mishaps of camping in some of the national parks.
If you liked this episode, be sure to check out Funny Stories Volume 2!
Links mentioned in this episode:
- Sequoia Kings National Park
- Sequoia Kings Can’t-Miss List
- Big Bend National Park
- Big Bend Can’t-Miss List
- North Cascades National Park
- North Cascades Can’t-Miss List
- Dirt In My Shoes YouTube Channel
Are you hoping to visit all of the national parks? Sign up for your FREE NATIONAL PARKS CHECKLIST so you can easily see where you’ve been and where you still need to go!
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