Interesting find today: the Telephone Pioneers of America Park. Weird name (the Telephone Pioneers Association raised all the money for the park), and seemed weird for this park to be on the list.
Well, turns out that this was the very first barrier-free park in the country. Not only does it have an accessible swimming pool, but everything else is accessible too: tennis courts, racquetball courts, outdoor exercise course, and even two “beep baseball” fields. I hadn’t heard of beep baseball before, but it’s basically a special variety of baseball for the blind. Huh, had no idea that was a thing, and had no idea that this park existed. Kudos, Phoenix!
I adopted a new quest today: visiting all of the designated “Points of Pride” in Phoenix. It’s not exactly the list I’d make, but it’ll be a fun way to hit a few new spots in the city—especially things Jen can do during her recovery.
New Mexico’s Very Large Array is one of those unique destinations you just have to tour one day.
Cleansing this place for a new beginning on the anniversary of the chaos ✨💕🥃
Tonia M. Bartz is drinking Jameson Irish Whiskey with Lisa Perry and Scott Jones at Seamus McCaffrey’s Irish Pub & Restaurant Tagged on #fb
A favorite pastime of mine is finding petroglyph sites in the Arizona desert—the kind only rock art aficionados know about. But even the popular tourist petroglyph sites, such as this classic photo spot on Signal Hill in Saguaro National Park, can offer some inspiration and introspection.
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.
