Gaze At the National Parks
Society & Culture
About
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan hike the trails of America’s National Parks. Each episode features one hiking trail in one National Park, one park at a time. Join them as they climb to terrifying heights, cross miles of desert, and hike through the forests of these public lands.
Episodes
- 156- Hugh Norris Trail and Sendero Esperanza Trail: Saguaro National Park
After hiking up to Wasson Peak, the tallest Peak in Saguaro National Park, Mike and Dusty make a big loop out of this trail and return down the Hugh Norris and Sendero Esperanza Trail. For more of our episodes on hikes in this and other Na…
- Trail Mix: Colorado River in Danger
This episode of Gaze At the National Parks discusses the history of the Colorado River and its current endangered status. The hosts are Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan.
- 155- King Canyon Trail to Wasson Peak: Saguaro National Park
In Saguaro National Park, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan hiked the King Canyon Trail to Wasson Peak, the park's tallest summit, amidst a desert super bloom and thousands of saguaro cacti.
- Trail Mix: National Forests Under Attack
Dusty and Mike discuss recent actions by the current administration regarding the reorganization of National Forests.
- 154- Alkali Flats Trail: White Sands National Park
Dusty and Mike hiked the Alkali Flats Trail at White Sands National Park, noted as the longest dune trail in full exposure. The hosts are Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan.
- Trail Mix: Wildlife of White Sands
In this Trail Mix episode, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan explore the evolution of White Sands National Park and its plant and animal life. Indexed from public RSS feeds.
- 153- Gypsum Trails: White Sands National Park
Dusty and Mike explore the gypsum sand fields and trails of White Sands National Park. The episode covers hiking experiences within the park.
- Trail Mix- Alex Kelloff for Colorado's 3rd District
Mike and Dusty interview democrat Alex Kelloff, a candidate for Colorado's third district congressional seat. Kelloff is challenging the incumbent Republican.
- 152- Balconies Cliff Trail: Pinnacles National Park
In episode 152, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan explore the Balconies Cliff Trail in Pinnacles National Park, noting sightings of the California Condor.
- Trail Mix: Winter in the Parks
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss the best National Parks to visit in the winter and share advice on how to stay safe while hiking and exploring. This episode covers winter park visits and safety precautions.
- 151- Condors and Gulches: Pinnacles National Park
In episode 151, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan describe their experience seeing California Condors for the first time while hiking the High Peaks Trail and Condor Gulch Trail in Pinnacles National Park.
- Trail Mix: California Condors
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss California Condors and their experiences with the birds in Pinnacles National Park on the Gaze At the National Parks podcast.
- 150- High Peaks Trail: Pinnacles National Park
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan hike the High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park, searching for the California Condor. This episode is part of the Gaze At the National Parks series.
- Trail Mix: Erasing History in the National Parks
This Trail Mix episode covers the Trump Administration's decisions to erase history within the National Parks, as discussed by hosts Mike and Dusty. Additional episodes on park hikes and more are available via the Episode Finder.
- 149- Bear Gulch Caves: Pinnacles National Park
In episode 149, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan explore the Bear Gulch Caves in Pinnacles National Park. The caves are noted as being a system formed by broken pinnacles.
- Trail Mix: Dark Sky Parks
In this Trail Mix episode, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss Dark Sky Areas and the qualities of Dark Sky Parks.
- 148- Mount Perry, Part 2: Death Valley National Park
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan conclude their Mount Perry hike in Death Valley National Park, discussing their trail names and the challenging uphill return.
- Trail Mix: Water Conservation in the Desert
This episode of Gaze At the National Parks features hosts Dusty and Mike discussing water conservation strategies for plants, animals, and humans in desert environments.
- 147- Mount Perry, Part 1: Death Valley National Park
In episode 147, Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan recount their difficult hike on Mount Perry in Death Valley National Park. This is the first part of a two-episode series covering the challenging climb.
- 146- Mosaic Canyon Trail: Death Valley National Park
In this episode, Mike and Dusty recount their hike on the Mosaic Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park. They describe the experience of scrambling over boulders, ascending dry falls, and following trail markers on a particularly hot d…
- DeFace the Nation
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss impending changes to National Park entrance fees set to take effect in 2026.
- 145- Ubehebe Crater Trail: Death Valley National Park
In episode 145, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan explore the Ubehebe Crater area in Death Valley National Park. They hike the large crater and surrounding smaller craters.
- Trail Mix: Hiking in the Heat
Dusty and Mike discuss important safety tips and techniques for hiking in hot weather. The episode focuses on how to ensure hiker safety during warm conditions.
- 144- Bridges, Palettes, and Golf Courses: Death Valley National Park
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan explore Natural Bridge, Artist Palette, Stovepipe Wells, and Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley National Park. These small adventures can supplement longer hiking trails within the park.
- Trail Mix: Top 5 Fall Hikes
Dusty and Mike discuss tips, tricks, and favorite trails for fall hiking and camping in national parks.
- 143- Golden Canyon: Death Valley National Park
In episode 143, hosts Mike and Dusty complete the Golden Canyon loop in Death Valley National Park. They cover various points of interest along the trail, including Red Cathedral, Zabriskie Point, and Gower Gulch.
- Trail Mix: Government Shutdown 2025
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss the 2025 government shutdown and its potential impact on National Parks.
- 142- Badwater Basin: Death Valley National Park
In episode 142, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss their exploration of Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park, an adventure on the Salt Flats.
- Trail Mix: Environmental Disaster
In this episode, hosts Dusty and Mike discuss the environment and environmental policy under the current administration. The description notes that the situation is not favorable.
- 141- Pup Fish Pools: Death Valley National Park
This episode covers the Pup Fish Pools in Death Valley National Park, highlighting locations like Point of Rocks, Devil's Hole, and Ash Meadow National Wildlife Refuge where native Pup Fish can be found.
- Season 8 Trail Map
Season 8 of Gaze At the National Parks features hosts Dusty and Mike discussing the parks of Season 8 through trivia. The episode is hosted by Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan.
- S7 Summit- Hiking Trails
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan conclude Season 7 by reviewing hiking trails from the season, discussing highlights and selecting the Trail of the Season.
- S7 Summit- Wildlife
In this episode, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss the ecosystems and wildlife of several national parks featured in Season 7, including Olympic, Mt. Rainier, Guadalupe Mountains, and Carlsbad Caverns.
- S7 Summit- Histories
In the second of four Summit episodes, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss the history of the parks covered in Season 7 of Gaze At the National Parks.
- S7 Summit- Visitorship
In this episode of Gaze At the National Parks, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss the visitor experience of the Season 7 parks. This is the first of four Summit episodes focusing on this topic.
- Pride Mix: A Year at Stonewall with Ann Marie Gothard
Ann Marie Gothard, co-founder of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, joins hosts Mike and Dusty to discuss the evolution of Pride, generational differences in Pride observances, and the establishment of the Stonewall National M…
- 140- The Big Room: Carlsbad Caverns National Park
This episode covers a hike through Carlsbad Caverns National Park, focusing on the Natural Entrance and the Big Room with its cave formations. The hosts are Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan.
- Pride Mix: A Year at Stonewall with Diana Rodriguez
Diana Rodriguez, a founder of the Stonewall National Monument Visitor Center, joins hosts Mike and Dusty to discuss the visitor center's journey, its role in Stonewall's legacy, and the evolution of Pride for the LGBTQIA+ community.
- 139- Natural Entrance: Carlsbad Caverns National Park
In episode 139, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan explore the Natural Entrance of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. They descend the cave, noting the dramatically lit speleothems.
- 138- Lower Cave Tour: Carlsbad Caverns National Park
In episode 138, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan explore the Lower Cave in Carlsbad Caverns National Park during a guided tour.
- 137- McKittrick Canyon Trail: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
In episode 137, hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan hike the McKittrick Canyon Trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, exploring features like the Grotto and Notch.
- Trail Mix: BATS!
This episode of Gaze At the National Parks features hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discussing the importance of bats.
- 136- Devil's Hall Trail: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Mike and Dusty hike the Devil
- Trail Mix: POINT
This Trail Mix episode from Gaze At the National Parks features hosts Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan recounting the story of paraplegic hikers who ascended Guadalupe Mountain in 1982.
- 135- Manzanita and Smith Springs: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan hike the Smith Spring and Manzanita Spring loop trail in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, following their hike of Guadalupe Peak.
- Trail Mix: National Parks Under Attack
Dusty and Mike discuss recent administration actions impacting public lands. This episode is part of the "Trail Mix" series from Gaze At the National Parks.
- Trail Mix: Seattle Walking Tour
Dusty and Mike explore Seattle by walking. This episode is part of the Trail Mix series from Gaze At the National Parks, which covers hiking trails and more.
- 134- Guadalupe Peak: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
In episode 134, hosts Mike and Dusty recount their hike to Guadalupe Peak in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. The strenuous 8.4-mile trail leads to the highest point in Texas.
- Trail Mix: Wildflowers
Dustin Ballard and Michael Ryan discuss the splendor and importance of wildflowers in national park spaces and other natural areas. The episode is part of the Gaze At the National Parks series. Indexed from public RSS feeds.
- 133- Comet Falls and The Trail of Shadows: Mount Rainier National Park
In episode 133, hosts Mike and Dusty, with friends, hike to Comet Falls and explore The Trail of Shadows in Mount Rainier National Park.