PRESENTED BY
Do more with less: just look up. No matter where you live, the sky is an endless opportunity for awe. Here are three ways to make the most of it.
Shop Now
Before Meadow Run Creek joins the Lower Youghiogheny River, it carves a sinuous luge through smooth sandstone. It took the creek an estimated 300 million years to create this phenomenon, but the wait was worth it as this is one of the greatest natural waterslides in the country. You’ll be buzzing with awe and adrenaline after a ride on the natural slide, which empties into a safe pool inside Ohiopyle State Park.
Meadow Run Slide, Pennsylvania
Florida has more than 700 natural springs, where chilled water bubbles directly out of the earth, but Ichetucknee Springs might be the most beautiful. Eight springs combine to form the Ichetucknee River, much of which is protected by Ichetucknee Springs State Park. Visitors can tube or kayak the river or snorkel the blue hole, where the water is a tropical emerald blue.
Ichetucknee Springs, Florida
The Texas Hill Country has plenty of splendor, but nothing here is more picturesque (and refreshing) than Blue Hole, a natural swimming pool along Cypress Creek surrounded by old-growth cypress trees. You might find a rope swing or a branch to jump from, or you might just want to lounge in a tube and stare at the trees. Just make reservations to swim before you show up, as it’s a popular destination.
Blue Hole, Texas
Consider Diana’s Baths the summer playground every child dreams about. In New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, the Lucy Brook River has worn down the bedrock into a series of smooth slides, cascades, and plunge pools. The water is typically shallow, and no falls is taller than 12 feet, perfect for scrambling up rocks looking for your own private whirlpool for soaking—and feeling like a kid again.
Diana’s Baths, New Hampshire
Cumberland Falls isn’t about the swimming—it’s about the magic. The 60-foot-tall, 125-foot-wide waterfall is visually stunning in every season, forming a horseshoe as it drops over a rock shelf. For the most awe-inspiring sight, catch this waterfall at night during a full moon for a chance to see a “moonbow,” where the moonlight catches in the mist from the falls, turning a kaleidoscope of colors that’s magical in the darkness.
Cumberland Falls, Kentucky
When the Alabama summer heats up, head straight to Little River Canyon National Preserve, a river-cut gorge full of sandstone cliffs, deep pools, and shady hardwood forest. Little River Falls is at the center of that preserve, cascading 45 vertical feet from the clifftop. It’s a sight to see, but the swimming in the canyon is even better. Hike the .75-mile Little Falls Trail to reach the base of the falls, where you’ll find a series of pools, including a popular swimming hole at the bottom of Little Falls.
Little River Falls, Alabama
This trio of powder-blue glacial lakes is tucked into Colorado’s Mount Sneffels Wilderness, hiding beneath the 14,150-foot Mount Sneffels. Of the three backcountry ponds, Upper Blue Lake is the most scenic, as a granite cirque forms the pool’s backdrop. The water is cold, but you’ll work up a sweat by hiking 4.1 miles on the Blue Lakes Trail to get there. Hit it during summer and wildflowers will dominate the slopes around the lake, doubling the awe meter of this alpine wonderland.
Blue Lakes, Colorado
The beach is great, the ocean is great, waterfalls are great—put them all together and you get Alamere Falls, which sets a new bar for natural greatness. The 40-foot cascade tumbles over a shale cliff directly onto the beach inside Point Reyes National Seashore, Northern California’s premier coastal preserve. Even better: you’ll have to get moving to reach Alamere Falls. It’s located at Wildcat Beach, a 13-mile round-trip hike deep inside the park.
Alamere Falls, California
It’s summer, so beat the heat with this guide to chasing water in the most awe-inspiring locations across the U.S.
Enjoy the Perfect Full Moon Hike
You think hiking during the day is cool? Try trekking the same trail under the light of a full moon, which can reflect up to 12 percent of the sun’s light—plenty of illumination to see what’s in front of you while transforming your favorite trail into a completely different experience.
Predict the Perfect Sunset
It’s easy to overlook the sun’s last gasp—it happens every day, after all—but a truly great sunset, where swaths of color repaint the sky, is absolutely transcendent. You can predict a quality sunset based on the clouds in the sky. No clouds means a quick finish to the day. Too many thick clouds won’t reflect enough light. You’re looking specifically for feathery cirrus clouds covering about 50 percent of the sky. They’ll reflect the most light, allowing for longer-lasting, more dramatic hues. When the clouds align, find a vantage with a western view, about 30 minutes before sunset, and settle in for the show.
Maximize the Perseid Meteor Shower
We can see roughly 30 meteor showers each year, but the Perseid meteor shower offers the most fireworks of them all, with up to 90 fireballs visible per hour. They hit swift and bright, leaving wakes of light and color behind them. The Perseids peak between August 10 and 12 this year. To see it best, find a dark spot with an open sky, spread a blanket, and look up. You’ll see the most meteors early in the morning, before dawn, but you could catch some fireworks as early as 10 p.m.
Fact: You’ll fill whatever space you give yourself, so start with a minimalist bag. Packed well, a 35-liter backpack with multiple compartments will give you all the space you need for multiple days on the road, without weighing you down if you need to run to catch a train.
CHOoSE A SMALLER BAG
For a protein-rich boost, pack Isopure Infusions, which comes in powder form for efficient packing. It mixes with water to make a refreshing fruit-flavored drink with 90 calories and 20 grams of whey protein isolate per scoop. With just five ingredients and no fat, artificial flavors, or added sugars, the formula delivers a simple, delicious drink that’s easy to make (just add powder to 10 to 16 ounces of cold water and shake) and tastes nothing like a typical protein milkshake.
Snack Smart
Using compression cubes allows you to pack more clothes in less space, thanks to expansion zippers that compress the layers you fold inside. Be sure to get multiple-sized cubes that help you pack more while staying organized.
USE Compression Cubes
Add less, do more. Here’s how to pack for minimalist travel so your stuff doesn’t limit your adventures.
Tackle new challenges this summer and reap the rewards of getting (slightly) out of your comfort zone. Here are four adventures ready for the taking.
1. Hike to Clouds Rest, Yosemite National Park, California
Half Dome, in Yosemite National Park, is one of the most coveted bucket-list hikes in the country, but scoring a permit is harder than the actual hike. Clouds Rest, a prominent granite dome that stands at 9,926 feet, offers a 360-degree view that’s just as stunning without the permit hassles. But the hike is no slouch. It’s a 14.5-mile out-and-back, which thins the crowds, and it gains 1,775 feet in elevation. From the top, you’ll see most of Yosemite’s grandeur, including Tenaya Lake, Half Dome, Sentinel Dome, and North Dome.
4. Hike a Slot Canyon, Utah
Experience the magical world deep inside a narrow sandstone canyon. These three options require no technical skills or gear.
Little Wild Horse Canyon,
San Rafael Swell
You’ll have a rock scramble to enter this canyon near Goblin Valley State Park, but that’s the most difficult move of this nontechnical adventure that serves as the perfect entry into Utah’s wild canyon country. The narrow gorge will have you shimmying between sheer sandstone walls during the majority of this eight-mile loop.
Zebra Slot Canyon, Grand Staircase Escalante
This five-mile out-and-back is a bit more technical than Little Wild Horse but still doesn’t require technical gear. There’s plenty of scrambling and some tight squeezes, and there very well might be water on the floor of the gorge, but you’ll never forget the pink-striped walls.
3. Traverse the Telluride Via Ferrata, Colorado
Traditional rock climbing takes a lot of skill and specific gear. Exploring a via ferrata, an established route that traverses a rock wall with set cables and iron-rung ladders, requires only a sense of adventure (and a little gear that you can rent). There are several established via ferratas in the United States, but Telluride’s might be the most scenic, as you make your way along three miles of box canyon above the San Miguel River Valley, with constant exposure and a grand finale at Ingram Falls, which drops 280 feet off the side of the cliff.
2. Raft a Whitewater River
Paddle, camp, paddle. Tackling a multiday whitewater river trip simplifies things in a beautiful way. Here are two classic whitewater rivers with scenic multiday routes and riverside camping.
The Rogue River, Oregon
Class III–IV
Duration: 3 to 5 days
Paddle 40 miles through the Siskiyou Mountains on the federally designated Wild and Scenic Rogue River, cruising past the pine-forested canyon walls as you tackle iconic rapids like Rainie Falls, a Class III–IV waterfall with multiple chutes. Expect plenty of side hikes and riverside camping on sandy beaches.
The New, West Virginia
Class III–IV
Duration: 2 days
Combine the Upper and Lower sections of the New River into a two-day romp that covers 26 miles of whitewater through one of the most scenic gorges in the eastern United States. The walls of the New are a mix of lush hardwood and sheer sandstone walls that will have you spying eagles and rock climbers as you paddle 28 named rapids. The trip is punctuated by night camping next to the river in the middle of the country’s newest national park.
Burro Wash, Capitol Reef
National Park
The first two miles of the Burro Wash adventure is a hike through open desert terrain, but soon after you’ll be scrambling over a series of boulders as you make your way through the 1.5-mile-long canyon. If the stunning scenery leaves you wanting more, you can tack on two more canyons, Sheets Gulch and Cottonwood Wash, from the same area.
Sitting meditation has many well-documented benefits, but it can be a challenge for some. Good news: practicing the same sort of focus while moving can offer similar mood- and health-boosting benefits. Enter mindful walking, which blends the focus of meditation with movement.
Try this in a park with gentle, well-maintained trails. Start by paying attention to your body as you walk, focusing on sensations like your feet hitting the ground and your arms swaying. Next, look around. Notice the colors, the shapes of what’s in your view. Move your focus to what you can hear and smell. Is there wind in the trees? Are certain flowers blooming? If you get distracted, just return your attention to your senses. It's a great way to shake up any outing.
At the PARK
Hiking isn’t just a great physical workout—it’s also a great mental and emotional respite. Pick a trail close to home and try hiking it on three different days at three different times. See how the trail and the landscape it traverses are different at sunrise, midday, and sunset. How do things like bird calls and sunlight change throughout the day? Get to know one trail really well this summer, and then bring a friend at your favorite time.
On the Trail
Walking in soft sand requires more effort than walking on firm surfaces. The uneven, moving ground forces your lower body and core to work overtime. A walk in the sand can burn twice as many calories as your standard walk in the park. Target long beaches where you can find a path above the high tide mark, where the sand is soft, and stroll as far as the beach and your stamina allow. With the extra effort that soft sand requires, you don’t need to walk fast or far to feel the payoff.
At the Beach
Summer means adventure. Here are three ways to shake things up while enjoying a nature break in your favorite surroundings.
Packing light often means repeated wearings of certain layers. Fortunately, small items like socks and underwear can be hand-washed in a sink on the fly. Do your laundry before going to bed and hang clothes to dry overnight.
Embrace DIY Laundry
Save space by packing items that pull double duty. Just as your phone doubles as your camera, certain shirts perform well on hikes and look good at dinner. Chose a performance-minded button down with perforation for breathability and enough style to blend in during a night on the town. The Isopure Shaker Cup doubles as a water bottle and blender for protein shakes.
Choose Multipurpose Items
Calories
per serving
90
artificial flavors
or sweeteners
no
100% whey protein isolate per serving
20G
ingredients
5
Supports daily protein needs
Refreshing fruity flavor, sweetened with stevia leaf extract
If you’re doing summer right, you’re on the go hunting swimming holes, hiking new trails, and making the most of the long days and warm weather. Fortunately, eating healthy, even on the move, doesn’t have to be complicated. “There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there,” says Becky LaChance, a registered nurse, fitness coach, and nutritionist. “I don’t believe in restriction or fad diets. Instead, it’s about making small, one percent better choices daily and fueling yourself effectively for workouts or long days at work." That’s where Isopure protein powders come in handy with 100 percent pure whey protein isolate. Isopure Infusions, with its refreshing fruity flavor, packs 20 grams of whey protein isolate into each scoop and contains no fat, artificial flavors, or added sugar. Just mix with cold water, shake, and enjoy. LaChance says Isopure Infusions also makes a great addition to smoothies and other recipes. “I work with so many health care workers who need quick, healthy options to fuel their demanding shifts,” LaChance says. “That’s why Isopure is perfect."
Add a nutrition boost this summer with Isopure
• 200g frozen strawberries • 1 banana, medium • 1 ½ scoops Isopure Zero Carb Creamy Vanilla • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 1 cup almond milk • ½ cup ice
1. Add all ingredients to a blender
2. Blend until smooth
3. Enjoy!
3. FULL MOON
2. PERFECT
SUNSET
1. METEOR
SHOWER
5. Bring friends. It’s fun to share the experience, and as with any hike, it’s safer to have partners along.
1. Pick an easy trail you’re familiar with. It’s best to get comfortable night hiking without any navigation or terrain challenges.
Here are five tips to help you execute the perfect full moon hike.
2. Give your eyes time to adjust to the softer light. It can take up to 45 minutes before you find yourself comfortable navigating under moonlight.
3. Go slow. Even after your eyes adjust, you’ll still need to take a slower pace. Remember: you’re out here to immerse yourself in the quiet of the night, not break speed records.
4. Bring a headlamp just in case cloud cover obscures the moonlight. Pick one with a red light filter, which won’t ruin the night vision of others in your group.
Try this smoothie recipe that includes ISOPURE INFUSIONS for a delicious and easy-to-make drink, and get a boost for all the adventures ahead.
SMOOTH MOVES
STRAW-NANA SPLIT SMOOTHIE
SERVINGS 2 | ACTIVE TIME 5 mins | TOTAL TIME 10 mins
Protein 20 g, Carbs 23 g, Calories 190, Fat 1.5 g
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
CALIFORNIA
WHITE WATER
RIVER
COLORADO
UTAH
The golden rule of a better, healthier life? Just get moving.
Try new things. Seek out nature.
Balance yourself. Boost everyday nutrition. Here’s how.
• 1 scoop ISOPURE INFUSIONS™ Citrus Lemonade
• 1 Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
• 1 Cup Frozen Raspberries
• 1/4 Cup Ice
• 1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Add the orange juice, frozen raspberries, scoop of ISOPURE INFUSIONS™ Citrus Lemonade, ice and lemon juice in a blender, then blend until smooth. Pour into a glass then garnish with a slice of lemon.
Because culinary technique may vary, the nutritional information provided for this recipe is estimated and should not be construed as a guarantee.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
SERVINGS 1 | ACTIVE TIME 3 mins | TOTAL TIME 5 mins
SWEET TOOTH
CITRUS RASPBERRY PROTEIN SMOOTHIE
Protein 24 g, Carbs 53 g, Calories 330, Fat 2 g
METEOR SHOWER
Add a nutrition boost this summer with Isopure
Experience the magical world deep inside a narrow sandstone canyon. These three options require no technical skills or gear.
2. Raft a Whitewater River
Paddle, camp, paddle. Tackling a multiday whitewater river trip simplifies things in a beautiful way. Here are two classic whitewater rivers with scenic multiday routes and riverside camping.
• 1 scoop ISOPURE INFUSIONS™ Citrus Lemonade
• 1 Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
• 1 Cup Frozen Raspberries
• 1/4 Cup Ice
• 1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
Add the orange juice, frozen raspberries, scoop of ISOPURE INFUSIONS™ Citrus Lemonade, ice and lemon juice in a blender, then blend until smooth. Pour into a glass then garnish with a slice of lemon.
Because culinary technique may vary, the nutritional information provided for this recipe is estimated and should not be construed as a guarantee.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
SERVINGS 1 | ACTIVE TIME 3 mins | TOTAL TIME 5 mins
SWEET TOOTH
CITRUS RASPBERRY PROTEIN SMOOTHIE
Protein 24 g, Carbs 53 g, Calories 330, Fat 2 g
Add a nutrition boost this summer with Isopure
Add less, do more. Here’s how to pack for minimalist travel so your stuff doesn’t limit your adventures.
It’s summer, so beat the heat with this guide to chasing water in the most awe-inspiring locations across the U.S.
WATCH!
WATCH!
WATCH!
WATCH!
WATCH!
WATCH!
Shop Now