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Nathan’s Summer of ’22 Plans

Spring has sprung, and that means that summer is right around the corner!  For those who know me, it probably comes as no surprise that I’ll be taking a big hiking trip this summer.  The focus for this summer will be the West Coast, and I’ll be spending all of my time in California, Oregon, and Washington! With under a month until summer, I am in the final stages of planning and finalizing my summer of 2022 road trip, and...

The Top Down Lifestyle Trail Rating System

We post a lot about hikes on this website, and generally we try to give the reader some idea of how cool the trail is.  Some trails are amazing, some are good, and some are meh, but we have not had a true measuring system for this. Over the last few months, I have been thinking about a system for rating trails, and I’m finally ready to roll it out!  I think it’s simple, easy to understand, and conveys to...

plan road trip

How to Plan Road Trip Adventures: 18 Cost Saving Tips

At Top Down Lifestyle, we love road trips, and we think everyone else too!  You get to see tons of stuff you’d miss when you fly, you have much more freedom to explore as you choose, and they are generally cheaper.  However, if you don’t know the ins and outs of how to plan road trip adventures economically, your budget can soon balloon out of control! While road trips in theory can be cheap, it is still easy to watch...

america the beautiful pass

The America The Beautiful Pass: Should You Get It?

If you’re new to National Park travel, or if you’ve just never heard of it, the America the Beautiful Pass is something that you should strongly consider buying.  While national parks can be a great way to travel on a relative budget, entry to most of the busy parks is far from free.  With a single car pass costing $35 at a park like Yosemite, national park entry fees can be a hidden cost on a trip that quickly adds...

road trip planning steps

Road Trip Planning Steps: How I Do It

Planning a road trip can be intimidating.  There is a lot to figure out, often through areas that you have never been to before.  Follow our road trip planning steps to get started with your next road trip! In my opinion, road trips are the best way to travel.  No other type of travel truly allows you to see the country.  Rather than just landing at your destination, road trips allow you to see everything between you and your end...

bear safety while hiking

Bear Safety While Hiking: Everything you Need to Know

I personally love seeing wildlife on the trail, and to me it can take a pretty average trail and make it into a really memorable outing.  However, there is one animal that no matter how well prepared I am that always freaks people out: bears.  Every time I go into bear country, especially grizzly country, many of the people in my life get a little nervous, and fair enough honestly.  Bears are big and unpredictable, have sharp teeth, and we’ve...

Trail Etiquette: Everything You Need To Know

With more and more people getting outside and experiencing the outdoors, many have found that the once quiet hiking trails they have frequented for years are now crowded, messy, and hectic.  Overall, there has been a decline in trail etiquette. As someone who has been hiking often for years, I have learned, often through my own mistakes, the dos and don’ts of hiking, and the common courtesy and etiquette expected on trail.  As we see an increase in people with...