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hello stranger midwest adventure

Best Hiking & Snorkel Trails in Virgin Islands National Park

Looking for the best hiking trails in US Virgin Islands National Park? From quick walks through historic ruins to longer, gorgeous hikes to snorkel trails, check out the best hikes…

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19 Exciting Gift Ideas for Travelers (Budget & Luxury!)

Picking out gifts for travelers can go beyond suitcases! Check out these creative and actually useful gift ideas for travel lovers, from steals under $20 to big ticket gifts. Why…

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39 Gift Ideas for Hikers (by an outdoor guide!)

Looking for the best holiday gift ideas for the hiker in your life? Read this article for the best gifts for hikers and backpackers from stocking stuffers to essential gifts.…

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  • image of a car camping travel set up in the late autumn woods. A mug sits on a womans lap, a sleeping bag curled at her side with a book on top.

    19 Exciting Gift Ideas for Travelers (Budget & Luxury!)

    October 17, 2025
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  • image of a hiker in canyonlands national park near needles

    39 Gift Ideas for Hikers (by an outdoor guide!)

    October 17, 2025
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  • image of devil's island lighthouse on Lake Superior

    The Ultimate Guide to Lake Superior (By an outdoor guide!)

    October 2, 2025
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  • Sun peaks into snow-covered woods

    What To Wear Winter Hiking (by an outdoor guide!)

    September 25, 2025
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  • Best Women’s Baselayers (by an outdoor guide!)

    September 18, 2025
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  • Image of a hiker in a puffer jacket standing in front of light snow in the woods

    Best Puffer Jackets for Hiking (by an outdoor guide!)

    September 18, 2025
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  • image of MSR WindBurner in front of kayaks on Oak Island

    9 Best Camping Stoves (by an outdoor guide!)

    September 12, 2025
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  • Fall Color on a backroad near Traverse City, in Northern Michigan

    15 Breathtaking Midwest Fall Destinations (2025!)

    September 1, 2025
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  • Image of a van on backgrounds on a road trip near Lake Michigan in full fall foliage

    13 Mind-Blowing Great Lakes Fall Color Getaways

    August 30, 2025
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  • image of a path through peak fall color in the wisconsin woods

    15 Best Places To See Wisconsin Fall Color (2025!)

    August 29, 2025
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hello stranger // about me

Hi there, and welcome to Hello Stranger. My name is Maddy, and I'm the voice behind the blog. I'm a writer, paddler, photographer, traveller, and freelance editor. I'm committed to exploring the beautiful American Midwest to prove that you can find real adventure anywhere! Toss your email below to keep up with the adventure!

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maddymarq

guide & writer exploring the midwest🏕
📍Wisconsin Northwoods & Lake Superior
inquiries: hello@madelinemarquardt.com
↓ FREE trail guides ↓

Autumn in Michigan 🍁🛶🏕️ 1-3 sleeping b Autumn in Michigan 🍁🛶🏕️1-3 sleeping bear dunes national lakeshore (1📸 @rachelamai I told you I’d post that photo every year and now it’s like year 6!!)4-6 @boyne.mountain skybridge this weekend7-9 Isle Royale National Park*10-12 Porcupine Mountains 13- Petoskey stone14- bond falls15- long drive :)*all photos from national park sites are old! I’m not visiting national park sites during the government shutdown to help protect them from overuse without maintenance and I recommend the same! 📍Odawa and Ojibwe traditional homelands
“the Midwest is ugly”🍁🥾🪵 Okay explai “the Midwest is ugly”🍁🥾🪵Okay explain Traverse City in fall then 🙃 Come say hi at @maddymarq for Midwest adventure ideas :)📍Traditional homelands of the Odawa Nation
Weekend in Michigan 🍁🥾🪵 1- morning from Weekend in Michigan 🍁🥾🪵1- morning from a lake2- found a spot3- breakfast and a new book4- a little hidden overlook5- birch & fog 6- cherry town :)7- lake like a mirror 8- leaf!9- early morning 10- Crystal clear water11- the bridge 12- me & Andy 📍Traditional homelands of the Odawa Nation
That cliff is ~25 ft for reference🤯 Head over That cliff is ~25 ft for reference🤯Head over to @maddymarq for more Lake Superior spam :)📍Lake Superior is the traditional and cultural homeland & waters of the Anishinaabe Indigenous Nation
adventures inspired by curiosity> Navigation & to adventures inspired by curiosity>Navigation & topography are omg of my favorite challenges, so I spent a little while using the approximate position of the plane heading into Seattle, the video I’d taken, and topographical maps (no Google!!) to see if I could find a hike up to the pretty blue rock flour lake I could see from the plane.Needless to say I found the lake and it was just as pretty to visit by foot, and such a fun challenge to find a place without using guidebooks, apps, or blogs✨This is an established hike, but in the spirit of curiosity, see if you can figure out where it is on your own using good old-fashioned maps & geology (ie, where are there rock flour lakes?!) Thanks @itsevajane for coming on this wild goose chase with me :)Videos unedited & shot on an iPhone 8📍 Traditional homelands of the Snohomish, Snoqualmie, and Chelan Indigenous People
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