Welcome
Most of the best places I have ever been to were not in any guidebook. They were down a dirt road someone mentioned in passing, or a ruin I found on a map while looking for something else, or a state park nobody seemed to know existed.
That is what Wander the Road is built around. Ghost towns, backroads, national park units, abandoned mines, quiet trails, and the kind of places that do not show up in travel magazines. This is where I document all of it, from the trip reports and photos to the gear I actually use and the things I have learned the hard way on the trail.
I am Adam. I am not a full-time traveler or a professional adventurer. I am someone who gets outside as much as life allows and shares what I find along the way.
What You’ll Find Here
Wander the Road covers four main areas:
Places — detailed guides to the specific locations I’ve visited. Ghost towns, national park units, state parks, roadside oddities, and hidden corners of the American West and Midwest. These are real trip reports, not recycled travel copy.
Adventure Tips — practical trail safety and preparedness guides covering everything from spotting dehydration on the trail to staying warm on a cold night in camp. Written from real experience, not a textbook.
Gear — the equipment I actually use and rely on. No sponsored fluff, just honest takes on what works in the field.
Stories — personal reflections and trip narratives from life outside. The moments that don’t fit neatly into a guide but are worth remembering anyway.
Where To Start
Not sure where to dive in? Here are some good starting points depending on what brought you here.
If you love ghost towns and abandoned places:
- Two Guns, Arizona — a crumbling Route 66 ghost town with a dark history and canyon views
- Swansea, Arizona— a remote copper mining ghost town in the Arizona desert
- Ruby, Arizona — one of Arizona’s most preserved and most isolated ghost towns
- Old Hachita, New Mexico — a forgotten ranch settlement in the bootheel of New Mexico
If you’re exploring national parks and monuments:
- Fort Bowie National Historic Site — Apache history and a trail through the Dos Cabezas Mountains
- Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico — pines, peaks, and high desert solitude
- Monument Rocks National Monument — ancient chalk formations rising from the Kansas plains
- Agua Fria National Monument — prehistoric ruins and open desert north of Phoenix
If you want trail safety and adventure tips:
- How to Spot and Treat Heat Exhaustion — essential reading before any desert trip
- Spotting and Treating Mild Dehydration — catch it early before it becomes a serious problem
- Night Hike Dangers and Safety Tips — what changes after dark and how to prepare for it
If you want to explore by category:
- All Adventures
- Ghost Towns and Abandoned Mines
- National Parks
- State Parks
- Roadside Oddities
- Adventure Tips
A Little More About The Site
Wander the Road grew out of two earlier projects, Hiking The Trail and Red Baron Overlanding, and became the single home for everything I wanted to share about life outside. The name felt right because it captures something I genuinely believe: the point isn’t always the destination. It’s the movement, the curiosity, and the willingness to turn down a road you’ve never been on before.
If you want to know more about me, my rig, or my travel companion Winston, head over to the About page.
Thanks for being here. Take your time and find something worth exploring.
Adam