INFORMATION PLEASE

PUT YOUR TAX DOLLARS TO WORK BY USING THESE GOVERNMENT WEBSITES TO PLAN YOUR NEXT ADVENTURE

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The next time you feel the urge for adventure, start by exploring through your computer screen. While being spontaneous can sometimes be a good thing, there are many benefits to doing a bit of planning before you hit the road.

There's a wealth of information available at your fingertips on federal and state government websites, all on the taxpayer's dime -- that is to say, your dime, and then some. These sites are virtual encyclopedias and because we're paying for them, we might as well get some practical use out of them.

PLAN A TRIP

In last month's issue of Boundless, we mentioned the National Park Service website for planning a kayaking trip. We decided to investigate the site further, and found many more great park adventures and trip-planning resources.

Accessing the website's drop-down menu, there are options to search for parks, monuments, and historic sites by state. Will you be passing through Kansas on your next trip? You might want to include a stop at the Fort Larned or Fort Scott historic sites.

You can search the website by activities too. If you want to do some biking, paddling, caving, climbing, horse trekking, snorkeling, or even dog sledding, there are federal lands listed where you can do those things.

If you enter the dates you'll be traveling, you can get a list of events that will be taking place at various federal sites. In September and October, for instance, it's not too late in the season to join rangers at the Nez Perce National Historical Park in Lapwai, Idaho to watch them setting up a traditional Nimiipuu tipi on the front lawn of the visitor center.

"IF YOU WANT TO DO SOME BIKING, PADDLING, CAVING, CLIMBING, HORSE TREKKING, SNORKELING, OR EVEN DOG SLEDDING, THERE ARE FEDERAL LANDS...WHERE YOU CAN DO THOSE THINGS."