Death Valley is a national park of beautiful barrenness.
Sipapu Bridge is one of the largest natural bridges in the world. One of the centerpieces of Natural Bridges National Monument in southern Utah, the natural bridge features a memorable hike to its baseβcomplete with two ladders and steps carved into the sandstone. Its name refers to an “emergence hole” in Puebloan culture. I named my dog after a sipapu when we rescued him from the desert near the Arizona-Utah border.
An overnight trip on the West Rim Trail in Zion yields some mighty fine views as you approach the canyon.
Owachomo Natural Bridge is one of the most accessible natural bridges in Utah.
I’ve got the San Juan Mountains on my mind.
Sometimes, you just go for it.
At Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, you can tour the world’s first nuclear reactor. I mean, that huge panel on the right is where two guys would actually push in each of the radioactive rods. Crazy!!! It all seems so…unsophisticated, like they were just throwing things together and figuring it out day by day. Oh wait, that’s kinda what they were doing… This was one of the most intriguing national park tours I’ve taken.
Delaware Water Gap is kinda dreamy.
This is the site of the Henry David Thoreau’s famed cabin at Walden Pond. — Γ’ΒΒI learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.Γ’ΒΒ
Artists Palette in Death Valley National Park is one of those landscapes that just doesn’t make sense when you see it for the first time. How are all of those colors smushed together into this one series of hills? And why has it all eroded that way anyway?
The Shot Heard ‘Round the World
Not surprisingly, the hike to the highest point in Missouri, Taum Sauk Mountain, is not exactly what you’d call dauntingβeven in a gentle rainstorm. Nonetheless, I enjoyed marking it off my quest to visit the High Points of Otherwise Flat States.
Flight 93 National Memorial is a solemn place, laid out to reveal the path the plane took on its way towards its final resting place.
Ozark National Scenic Riverways is an interesting park unit tucked into southeastern Missouri that doesn’t get much mention outside of the region. I managed to visit during a storm that canceled my paddling plans, but still really enjoyed the area. Lots of little gems tucked in here and there.
I’m not a big architecture fan, but Falling Water is one of the few modern buildings on my bucket list. Glad I was able to make it, and really happy I was able to sneak into the house for a bit during some minor renovations!
Winding snake? Snaking river? River-like sky? Whatever you call it, it made my afternoon.
Scorpion Ranch, Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands National Park
Got the Superstitions on my mind…
Lockett Meadow and the Inner Basin of the San Francisco Peaks, as viewed from the top of Sugarloaf Mountain.
The Great Falls of Passaic River is the centerpiece of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in New Jersey. This 77-foot waterfall provided incredible hydropower for early America manufacturing, motivating Alexander Hamilton to establish the nation’s first planned industrial city here. A series of gravity-fed canals were designed to distribute water at grade to various industrial buildings located nearby to take advantage of this natural power source. While the neighborhood has fallen into a bit of blight, it’s a fascinating area to visit.
