Blog | Hannah Unbound

@HANNAHUNBOUND

photography & Videography

Hannah Unbound taking a picture at sunrise at Joshua Tree National Park

The Unbound Blog

new blog every other friday!

Hey there! My name is Hannah Smentkowski, I'm the photographer, writer, hiker, camper, and craft beer drinker of this blog!

Here, I share my travel, camping, and hiking tips to help anxious explorers get outdoors with confidence!

more about me

photography portfolio

even introverts are social sometimes...

subscribe to Get more adventure in your inbox!

Everything You Need To Know To Go Solo Camping Like a Pro

Hannah Smentkowski

Mar 4
9 min

Everything You Need To Know To Go Solo Camping Like a Pro

Why in the hell would you want to go camping all alone in the big dark scary woods?! Because I like it, that's why! And if you love...

16 Easy Yoga Poses for Healthy Hikers and Backpackers

Hannah Smentkowski

Feb 18
9 min

16 Easy Yoga Poses for Healthy Hikers and Backpackers

Honestly, I don't think I really consider myself a "yogi", I feel like for that you have to be able to do the splits and hold a stretch...

Budget Car Camping 101: The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping in Your Car for Cheap

Hannah Smentkowski

Feb 4
9 min

Budget Car Camping 101: The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping in Your Car for Cheap

Almost everyone I know has had a fantasy of living out of a van for some period of their life or the badass Overlanding jeeps with the...

How to Avoid Some of the Worst Hiking Mistakes You Can Make

Hannah Smentkowski

Jan 21
6 min

How to Avoid Some of the Worst Hiking Mistakes You Can Make

For the most part, hiking is a very simple process, you find a trail, grab your water and hiking shoes and you're out the door. But...

6 Ways to Survive the Cold Winter Until the Next Camping Season

Hannah Smentkowski

Jan 7
5 min

6 Ways to Survive the Cold Winter Until the Next Camping Season

If you really want to secret to surviving winter it's super simple, just move to Southern California! Just kidding (sort of) but like...

The 10 Perfect Holiday Gifts that Hikers Actually Want!

Hannah Smentkowski

Dec 10, 2021
8 min

The 10 Perfect Holiday Gifts that Hikers Actually Want!

Finding the right gift for the outdoorsy person in your life can be extremely difficult, especially if they're like me and already own...

The 5 Coolest Small Towns in Colorado You Must Visit

Hannah Smentkowski

Nov 26, 2021
5 min

The 5 Coolest Small Towns in Colorado You Must Visit

When you first come to Colorado you’re probably hitting up the biggest most popular cities you’ve heard about like Denver, Vail, or...

The 6 Most Unique Colorado Bucketlist Experiences

Hannah Smentkowski

Nov 12, 2021
7 min

The 6 Most Unique Colorado Bucketlist Experiences

Without a doubt, Colorado is one of the most beautiful and sought-after travel destinations in the US. But while most people come to this...

The 5 Adventurous Colorado Towns You Cannot Miss For Your Next Trip

Hannah Smentkowski

Oct 29, 2021
8 min

The 5 Adventurous Colorado Towns You Cannot Miss For Your Next Trip

When most people imagine Colorado, they may think of hiking the Rocky Mountains or strolling along Denver's cityscape, but the most...

The Most Delicious Hike in Fort Collins, Colorado: The Fort Collins Brewery Trail

Hannah Smentkowski

Oct 15, 2021
8 min

The Most Delicious Hike in Fort Collins, Colorado: The Fort Collins Brewery Trail

After living in Fort Collins for several years I was quite surprised that I could not find any kind of brewery hike or bar crawl in a...

The Most Unique National Park in America: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Hannah Smentkowski

Oct 1, 2021
5 min

The Most Unique National Park in America: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

As part of an epic 2-week road trip around Colorado, I was able to experience one of the most unique National Parks in the entire United...

The Top 5 Hiking Trails in Northern Colorado: Fort Collins and Beyond

Hannah Smentkowski

Sep 17, 2021
5 min

The Top 5 Hiking Trails in Northern Colorado: Fort Collins and Beyond

Luckily, the Northern part of Colorado is still mostly vacant from tourists due to the more famous towns in the South part of the state...

3 Outdoor Gear Companies That You Need For Camping

Hannah Smentkowski

Sep 3, 2021
5 min

3 Outdoor Gear Companies That You Need For Camping

When shopping for camping or hiking gear it can get a bit overwhelming with the choices of products and brands. And it's especially scary...

6 Weird Hiking Gear Purchases That Will Change Your Hiking Game

Hannah Smentkowski

Aug 20, 2021
5 min

6 Weird Hiking Gear Purchases That Will Change Your Hiking Game

While a lot of hikes can be done with a good pair of shoes and a bottle full of water, for the more avid hiker you have to get a bit more...

The 5 Things You Need To Do Before Your First Trip Abroad

Hannah Smentkowski

Aug 6, 2021
5 min

The 5 Things You Need To Do Before Your First Trip Abroad

I’ve always wanted to be an adventurous person. Someone who was always on the move, jet-setting around the world at a moment's notice,...

The Most Unique Hostel You've Ever Seen: Casa en el Agua, Cartagena Colombia

Hannah Smentkowski

Jul 23, 2021
5 min

The Most Unique Hostel You've Ever Seen: Casa en el Agua, Cartagena Colombia

While many hostels try to have their own gimmick, from rainbow-painted facades to bubble pool parties, to glow-in-the-dark dinners, this...

The 5 Best and 5 Worst Things To Do While Visiting Cartagena, Colombia

Hannah Smentkowski

Jul 9, 2021
8 min

The 5 Best and 5 Worst Things To Do While Visiting Cartagena, Colombia

When I imagine Colombia, I think of dense rainforests full of opportunities to hike, camp, and explore, staying in straw huts without...

5 Insider Tips From a Former Camping Store Employee

Hannah Smentkowski

Jun 25, 2021
5 min

5 Insider Tips From a Former Camping Store Employee

I never thought working a sales job in retail would be a dream career, with long hours, upset customers, and standing on my feet all day,...

The 4 Things You Need to Know Before Hiking With Your Dog

Hannah Smentkowski

Jun 11, 2021
4 min

The 4 Things You Need to Know Before Hiking With Your Dog

Hiking with your dog can be an extremely fun bonding experience with your pet. Both you and your dog should have daily exercise and what...

Arches National Park vs Canyonlands National Park: which one should you visit?

Hannah Smentkowski

May 28, 2021
5 min

Arches National Park vs Canyonlands National Park: which one should you visit?

In Colorado, there are a couple of spring months where the trees are still leafless, the grass is yellow, and we're constantly on and off...

The Unbound Blog

new blog every other friday!

even introverts are social sometimes...

subscribe to Get more adventure in your inbox!

Everything You Need To Know To Go Solo Camping Like a Pro

16 Easy Yoga Poses for Healthy Hikers and Backpackers

Budget Car Camping 101: The Ultimate Guide to Sleeping in Your Car for Cheap

How to Avoid Some of the Worst Hiking Mistakes You Can Make

6 Ways to Survive the Cold Winter Until the Next Camping Season

The 10 Perfect Holiday Gifts that Hikers Actually Want!

The 5 Coolest Small Towns in Colorado You Must Visit

The 6 Most Unique Colorado Bucketlist Experiences

The 5 Adventurous Colorado Towns You Cannot Miss For Your Next Trip

The Most Delicious Hike in Fort Collins, Colorado: The Fort Collins Brewery Trail

The Most Unique National Park in America: Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

The Top 5 Hiking Trails in Northern Colorado: Fort Collins and Beyond

3 Outdoor Gear Companies That You Need For Camping

6 Weird Hiking Gear Purchases That Will Change Your Hiking Game

The 5 Things You Need To Do Before Your First Trip Abroad

The Most Unique Hostel You've Ever Seen: Casa en el Agua, Cartagena Colombia

The 5 Best and 5 Worst Things To Do While Visiting Cartagena, Colombia

5 Insider Tips From a Former Camping Store Employee

The 4 Things You Need to Know Before Hiking With Your Dog

Arches National Park vs Canyonlands National Park: which one should you visit?

Want more adventure in your life?

Subscribe to get my free ultimate

car camping checklist!