Laurel River Lake, nestled in the heart of Kentucky’s Daniel Boone National Forest (1433 Laurel Boat Dock Rd, London, KY 40741), boasts an idyllic beach perfect for warm-weather escapades. For more information, click here.

Mike Gealy

The Beach and Activities Laurel River Lake’s pristine beach offers a tranquil oasis, inviting sun-seekers and water enthusiasts alike. With its crystal-clear waters and soft, sandy shoreline, this hidden gem is ideal for swimming, sunbathing and relaxation.

Mike Gealy

Water Activities Beyond the beach, Laurel River Lake offers an array of exciting water activities. Visitors can enjoy snorkeling, kayaking or paddleboarding through the lake’s calm waters, exploring its many coves and inlets. For thrill-seekers, jet skiing and power boating provide an adrenaline-packed experience.

Mike Gealy

Land-Based Delights When taking a break from water activities, the surrounding Daniel Boone National Forest offers hiking trails, picnic areas and scenic overlooks. Nature lovers can spot wildlife, including deer, turkey and eagles, amidst the lush forest.

Mike Gealy

Year-Round Fun Laurel River Lake transforms into a winter wonderland during colder months, perfect for skiing, ice fishing and cozy cabin retreats. As spring blooms, vibrant wildflowers and greenery surround the lake, creating a serene atmosphere. Whether seeking summer adventure or autumn foliage, Laurel River Lake promises unforgettable experiences.

For more of the best adventures in the United States, click here. For the best nearby parks and amazing locations, click here. For the best Hotels, Resorts, and Vacation Homes, click here.

Google/Lysandra Neal

The Heavyweight division has been particularity interesting in the last 10 years. We have seen tremendous talent, from Kyle Snyder, to Gable Steveson to Mason Parris it has been very exciting to see these titans of the mat do battle. This years heavyweight division is equally intriguing . With two former world champions, a Cuban import and a wealth of up and comers. all looking to claim that top spot.

1 Greg Kerkvliet

The Penn State wrestler is the reining and defending NCAA Champion, and there’s no reason to think that will change this year. (Although his recent back flare up does have us concerned.) He has a career record of 79-10 and is already a 4x all-american. He was also a 2017 cadet all-american.

2 Wyatt Hendrickson

Wyatt Brings a 101-12 record into his senior season after leading the nation in pins for the last 3 years. While wretling for the Air Force he is a 3x all-american and has finished 3rd the last two seasons. NOw at Oklahoma State under coach David Taylor, it will be interesting to see what he can do.

3 Nick Feldman

NIck was the number 1 pound for pound wrestler coming out of high school, and so far into his college career he has not disappointed. So far he has a 32-8 college career, however his trajectory seems to be heading straight to the top. In his first year at Ohio State he was a Big 10 runner up, while finishing 5th at the NCAA Tournament. Nick has quality wins over NCAA finalists, Cohlton Schultz and Lucas Davison. Nick is a serious contender for an NCAA title this season.

4 Yonger Bastida

The Cuban import, brought with him a wealth of experience as he migrated to Ames Iowa in early 2020. However his experience came in freestyle wrestling and he had to learn the ropes of Americas rugged folkstyle.  After going 4-4 during his freshman campaign, we have seen steady improvement from Mr. Bastida, and this year as a senior he is an NCAA title contender. He has quality wins over all-americans Nick Feldman, Jacob Warner and Wyatt Hendrickson.

5 Cohlton Schultz

A 2017 Cadet World Champion, Cohlton joined the college ranks with a ton of hype and he quickly delivered the results, Arizona State coaches were looking for. Already a 4x all-american and 4x Pac 12 Champion. Also a 4x US Open Champion and a 10x world team member. However he seems to have hitten a wall in recent years. Placing 2nd as a sophomore at the NCAA tournament, he has dropped to 7th and 6th the last two years. With his final year of eligibility, we are hoping to see him climb back to the top of the podium.

6 Ben Kueter

Ben enters the college world with a ton of hype. Possibly the best Iowa athlete ever, I know that’s quite a statement, but this kid won state in Track and Field as well as wrestling and is also a highly touted football player. On the mat he was a perfect 111-0 with 4 state titles, with 74 career pins. In addition to that he was a Junior freestyle world champion and a 2022 U20 world champion. The only knock against Ben is that he is fairly small for a heavyweight. They sky is the limit for this kid.

7 Yaraslau Slavikouski

The 3x NCAA Qualifier and 2024 all-american is back as a super senior with one last shot at glory. Finished last season on the #7 podium spot at the national tournament, with a career record of 86-23. His biggest win of last season was over an injured Yonger Bastida at nationals. I really don’t see him improving on last years performance.

8 Nathan Taylor

A Pennsylvania state champion in high school, Nathan has been a consistent wrestler for Lehigh at the college level.  Last season he went 25-5 and finished 1 match shy of reaching the podium. With a 42-17 career record, this could be the year Nate Taylor breaks through and lands himself on the podium.

Iowa opens their home dual meet season Saturday November 9th in at 1 pm Iowa City, as the #2 ranked Hawkeyes host the #12 Ranked Stanford Cardinals. The dual features 14 ranked wrestlers, and 1 match that will feature top 3 wrestlers from both programs.

Don’t Miss: Michael Caliendo  VS Hunter Garvin  at 165 should be a fantastic match, pitting two top ranked wrestlers against each other.

Keys To Victory:   For Iowa, the key to victory is easy, win the matches they are favored in and pick up bonus points where possible. For Stanford, they need to win the close matches. If they can pick up wins at 141, 149, 157, 165, and score a bonus point at 125, they do have a narrow path to victory. For this to happen, just about everything needs to go wrong for the Hawkeyes, which isn’t likely.

125 Kale Peterson or Joey Cruz VS Nico Provo #11 or forfeit

133 Drake Ayala #3 VS Tyler Knox #18

141 Ryder Block VS Jake Consiglio or  Chayse Lajoie

149 Kyle Parco #4 VS Jaden Abas #11

157 Jacori Teemer #1 or Caleb Rathjen VS Grigor Cholakyan

165 Michael Caliendo #2 VS Hunter Garvin #3

174 Nelson Brands #5  VS Lorenzo Norman #19

184  Gabe Arnold #6 VS Brook Byers or Luke Duthie

197 Steven Buchanan #1 VS Nick Stemmet #13

285 Ben Kueter #11 VS Peter Ming or Jackson Mankowski

Conclusion: While Iowa is favored in 9 of the 10 matches. There are several bouts that could go either way. I expect Stanford to show up with something to prove and wrestle Iowa real tough. Caliendo vs Garvin has the potential to be the match of the night. Interesting Fact: Stanford 165 lb Hunter Garvin is a former Iowa City West wrestler, where he was a 3X Iowa State Champion. I could see Iowa winning all 10 bouts and taking a 33-0 victory.

Iowa State opens the dual meet season on Friday November 8th, hosting the 12th ranked Stanford Cardinals, in Ames. The dual features 11 ranked wrestlers with 4 ranked matchups.

History: These teams have only competed against each other on one prior occassion. With Iowa State picking up a hard fought 23-18 win. Iowa State leads the series 1-0.

Don’t Miss: The 197 lb bout should be highly competitive. I have been very high on Christian Carroll, since I first heard he was moving to Ames, and Nick Stemmet looked impressive in the first week of wrestling. Don’t be surprised with an upset here.

Keys To Victory: On paper the dual looks to be very competitive, Iowa State is favored in 5 matches, while Stanford is favored in just 2, possibly 3 matches. The big question is if Stanford will wrestle Nico Provo or forfeit the 125 lb bout. Iowa State needs wins at 133, 141, 149, 174, and 184. All bouts they are favored to win. Picking up a swing bout at either 157 or heavyweight is equally important. The opportunity for bonus points does exist at 141 and 165.

So without any further ado let’s take a look at each match and I will do my best to give you a winner and team score.

125 Adrian Meza vs Nico Provo #11 or Forfeit

133 Evan Frost #5 vs Tyler Knox #18

141 Casey Swiderski vs Chayse Lajoie or Jack Consiglio

149 Anthony Ecemendia #7 vs Jaden Abas #11

157 Kane Naaktgeboren vs Grigor Cholakyan

165 MJ Gatin #9 or Connor Euton vs Hunter Garvin #3

174 Aiden Riggins #11 vs Lorenzo Norman #19

184 Evan Bockman #21 vs Luke Duthie

197 Christian Carroll vs Nick Stemmet #13

285 Daniel Herrera vs Jackson Mankowski

Conclusion: This dual is very close on paper, however the biggest factor is if Stanford will forfeit 125. This alone could change the dual outcome. I believe they forfeit and Iowa takes 6 of the 10 bouts and wins the dual 22-13. My confidence isn’t very strong on this one. I do believe the Cyclones will win, however with so many new faces in the lineup on both teams it has become very hard to predict. This one could come down to the wire.

Grinder’s Ferry is an amazing and scenic swim spot located in the Buffalo National River in Arkansas. This world class swimming hole is located in sight of the U.S. 65 Bridge about two miles up river from the village of Gilbert Arkansas. For GPS directions, click here.

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So what makes Grinder’s Ferry so special? For starters a 50 foot bluff rises out of the water on the North bank of the river. At the base of the bluff is an incredible swim-in-cave! This cave is a wonderful place to hangout and escape the summer sun.

Grinder’s Ferry, nestled in tbeautiful Ozark country, is a hidden gem boasting a stunning swimming hole perfect for summer escapes. The crystal-clear waters of the Buffalo River invite visitors to dive into its refreshing depths, surrounded by lush greenery and rugged rock formations. As the river gently flows over smooth stones, it creates a soothing melody, adding serenity to this picturesque spot. Whether you seek relaxation or adrenaline-packed fun, Grinder’s Ferry offers an idyllic setting for swimming, snorkeling or simply soaking up the sun-drenched beauty.

Kameron Richter

Float trips on the Buffalo River are a summer tradition in Arkansas, and for good reason. This is one of the most scenic rivers in the country with its towering bluffs and crystal clear water, a day on the water is a day you will never forget. Its really that good! The river, designated by Congress 52 years ago as America’s first national river, may be the Natural State’s foremost natural treasure.

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Grinder’s Ferry swimming hole near Saint Joe Arkansas is a must visit destination for summer fun, situated along the Buffalo National River the area features a beautiful landscape of riverbanks and wooded areas. There are numerous outfitters on the Buffalo River offering canoe, and kayak rentals along with shuttle service in the area. I have used Buffalo River Outfitters,  and Wild Bills Outfitters, in the past and they both have done an outstanding job.

For more of the best adventures in the United States, click here. For the best nearby parks and amazing locations, click here. For the best Hotels, Resorts, and Vacation Homes, click here.