I’m headed back to Death Valley in a couple weeks. But it won’t be popping like it was during the superbloom a few years ago, when the desert was awash in bright colors. That was one helluva trip, right @lucyan_us?
Currently plotting my next trip to Bears Ears National Monument…
North Cascades National Park was a real treat to visit. As a nation, we’re lucky to have it. One of the things I always try to learn when I visit a national park is how the place came to be protected. These are often incredibly “American” stories which always deepen my appreciation for a protected area.
Hey, speaking of how national parks came to be, have you read Crown Jewel Wilderness? It’s a new book by @wildernesswithinher about how North Cascades became a national park. Go grab a copy!
Congaree National Park is one of the smallest national parks in the system, but it offers some intimate visitor experiences.
An adventure through the unique dunes habitat of East Cactus Plain Wilderness Area is a solid addition to a weekend exploring the nearby ghost-town of Swansea and the remains of Camp Bouse, General Patton’s secret tank training ground in the western Arizona desert. Bam! A perfect winter weekend intinerary for Phoenicians looking to explore some of Arizona’s lesser known destinations.
We got a chance to visit and tour the Very Large Array on the 20th anniversary of the movie Contact.
Devils Postpile National Monument protects this formation of columnar basalt as well as nearby Rainbow Falls. But beyond that, it represented a conservation victory that blocked a dam from being constructed here after this area was removed from Yosemite National Park to allow for gold mining near Mammoth.
I’m a sucker for spiral observation towers, like this one in the Shark Valley region of Everglades National Park.
That time when you suffered unexplainable hearing loss just as your wife has hip replacement surgery… 😆 #fb
We didn’t have much time to wander around Congaree National Park last month, but it was still worth the detour off our route for a quick but peaceful hour-long walk along the boardwalk.
Fort Jefferson, located in Dry Tortugas National Park about 70 miles west of Key West, sure is one helluva memorable national park unit!
Don’t think I mentioned it here, but last month’s visit to Biscayne was my 394th (of 417) national park unit. I’ve now completed all 378 park units in the Contiguous US (plus those in Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and Hawaii). It’ll take me three summer trips to hit all of the remote Alaskan parks and the one in American Samoa, but holy cow, I’m actually getting close to finishing this 15-year-long quest!
Here’s my #2017bestnine
Marked off my 387th National Park unit (out of 417) with yesterday’s visit to Waco Mammoth National Monument.
Bears Ears is one of those places that is hard to understand unless you’ve been there. It’s like an outdoor museum—there are soooo many archaeological resources around every bend that it’s just hard to fathom. This place deserves to be protected, and the American people deserve to have it protected so they can experience it too.
Hoping to make a return visit to Alabama Hills in the spring—so much to explore in the eastern Sierra!
When you get stuck in rush hour on Guam…
We’re still on Guam, decided to spend a few extra days here to do some snorkeling.
I’m leaving tomorrow to spend a week island hopping around the Pacific Ocean. In addition to marking off my 386th national park unit—War in the Pacific National Historical Park in Guam—I’m really looking forward to doing some snorkeling. Coral reefs filled with tropical fish are a bit unworldly for a desert dweller like myself.
Mojave National Preserve doesn’t have the star power of other national park units, but you’ll definitely enjoy your visit.
