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hello stranger midwest adventure
  • image of clear waters of the US Virgin Islands National Park

    12 Midwest Spring Break Ideas (by an outdoor guide!)

    January 3, 2026

    Looking for midwest spring break ideas? Read this article for the best spring break destination for Midwest Adventurers!

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  • 18 Epic Winter Travel Destinations in the Midwest

    November 20, 2024

    Looking for the best winter vacations in the Midwest? From cross-country skis to small towns, here are the best places to visit in the Midwest in winter:

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  • How to plan solo female road trip header image

    How to Plan a Perfect Road Trip (for Solo Female Travelers)

    January 10, 2024

    looking for how to plan a road trip for solo female travleers? Read this article for everything you need to know to plan your first road trip!

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  • Blue Hour in the Meghri Mountains of Armenia

    One Year Later: Peace Corps Evacuation of 2020

    March 16, 2021

    One year ago today Peace Corps Volunteers were sent home from their homes and jobs abroad. I was one of them.

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  • Ripples in a Michigan Lake hold sunset light

    New year: a note from pandemic winter

    February 19, 2021

    A year ago, we poured a bottle of cheap champagne off a balcony in Berlin. On a shoestring budget, the bottle was completely undrinkable, somehow all too sour and too sweet and too bubbly. We…

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maddymarq

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

One year on Lake Superior❄️🏕️🌈 Come say hi @maddy One year on Lake Superior❄️🏕️🌈Come say hi @maddymarq for more Great Lakes spam!
Some of my finest work, truly🏕️🥾🫡 #puremichigan Some of my finest work, truly🏕️🥾🫡 #puremichigan
Winter kayaking on Lake Superior❄️🌊💫 I haven’t go Winter kayaking on Lake Superior❄️🌊💫I haven’t gotten out on the water as much this winter as the last few years but we’ve still got at least a month of winter left up here :)Safety note:Winter kayaking on Lake Superior should only be done while wearing a drysuit and with local knowledge of weather and ice patterns and paddlers proficient deep water self rescue in conditions. Not a beginner activity (I don’t guide tours in the winter, but @itssuchaniceday up on the Canadian North Shore does when conditions allow and they’re cool folks!)[Note on the expired boat tags! Photos taken from winter ‘21-‘24, mostly in Wisconsin where I live so no, my boat is no longer registered in Minnesota (I moved in ‘23, which is why the boat sticker still says 23). I’m a huge square and definitely register my watercraft appropriately and stay up to date on necessary certifications]
Once upon a Lake Superior February💫❄️ 1- a wintry Once upon a Lake Superior February💫❄️1- a wintry slot canyon 2- winter sea kayaking (drysuit, sea kayak, deep water self rescue experience are a must!)3- fox in the woods 4- an icy hike5- @saunacamps (admittedly not on lake superior but it slipped in!)6- icy line7- another slot8- evening light 9- sunrise 10- ice11- sunset 12- snowstorm13- more ice 14- breaking waves ♥️
4 days on the Trans-Catalina Trail🥾🌈🏕️⬇️ - 38.5 m 4 days on the Trans-Catalina Trail🥾🌈🏕️⬇️- 38.5 mile challenging thru-hike- ferry required to get there- campsite reservations/permits open the first of the year - bison! endemic species! cetaceans! oh my!- not a great beginner backpacking trip, but a good beginner thru-hike- options to grab lunch along the way and resupply, easy to keep pack weight low- on one of California’s Channel Islands Tag your hiking buddy mines @explorenborgen :) come say hi @maddymarq for fun little outdoorsy tips from your favorite unhinged outdoor guide!
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© 2026 Madeline Marquardt