Delaware Water Gap is a fascinating and underrated national park unit.
A wildflower superbloom in Death Valley National Park is a sight to behold.
Feral horses are common at Assateague Island National Seashore.
The Phoenix Mountain Preserve offers plenty of in-city opportunities to feel like you’ve gotten away a bit. Here’s a shot from the summit of Two Bit, looking towards the Dreamy Draw area. Even if you can’t find your way out of town on the weekend, a quick hike in the mountains will always do you some good.
The dramatic White House ruin in Canyon de Chelly National Monument is one of the few that you can easily hike to from the canyon rim. If you’re visiting the park, make sure you take the time to do this hike. Or better yet, hire a Navajo guide and backpack the length of the canyon—it’s a far more amazing experience!
An unusually foggy desert scene in South Mountain Park.
The Grand Wash Cliffs peak through joshua trees near Grapevine Mesa. This area, often called Arizona’s Joshua Tree Forest, is home to the world’s largest and densest forest of old growth joshua trees. It’s truly an astoundingly gorgeous area. While a portion of the forest has been designated a National Natural Landmark and an “Area of Critical Environmental Concern,” these classifications offer no real protection. I’ve been working with some committed local residents to help steward the forest and advocate for its permanent protection as a national monument managed through BLM’s National Conservation Lands system. If you’d like to support such efforts, please visit joshuatreeforest.org or contact me.
Canyon de Chelly views always impress.
The Bradshaw Mountains near Prescott are a short daytrip away from Metro Phoenix and provide a range of elevations to explore, from desert scrub to tall pines to tiny ghost towns. Stop at the Cleator Bar & Yacht Club or the Crown King Saloon for a cold beer after a dusty day on the roads.
Can’t wait for another road trip through the San Juans!
The Toadstools
Lees Ferry
In November, I took a long weekend trip to the Bay Area, including a quick overnight stay in the incomparable Yosemite Valley. My mom’s favorite childhood memories happened here. They sometimes stayed in the tent cabins at Curry Village, shown above. So when we had a chance for a quick visit and I saw that there were some off-season openings at Curry, I jumped at the opportunity. I can imagine how much fun that would have been as a kid in the 50s.
Trail beers are among the best beers. On Friday, I brought a couple friends on their first trip to Peralta Canyon in the Superstition Mountains Wilderness to enjoy the magnificent view of Weavers Needle. We found a great spot to enjoy my imperial red ipa from Dark Sky Brewing in Flagstaff, specially brewed to support the campaign to designate Grand Canyon Heritage National Monument. The proposal would ensure that the Grand Canyon watershed isn’t polluted by uranium mining, that the last remaining old growth ponderosa pine forest in the Southwest isn’t over-logged, and that thousands of cultural resources are protected—not to mention countless recreational opportunities.
Signal Hill in Saguaro National Park outside of Tucson offers an easy walk to a dramatic spiral petroglyph with a saguaro-studded backdrop. But these petroglyphs aren’t the only in the region. Just a few miles away, for instance, the Cororaque National Historic District in nearby Ironwood Forest National Monument offers hundreds of far less well-known but equally intriguing petroglyphs. I love our National Parks, but there’s just as much to love in our National Conservation Lands, too!
Can’t wait for another summer paddle down the Lower Salt River outside of Phoenix. Always a great morning on the water, before it heats up and before the tubing crowds show up.
Bringing my mom and girlfriend Jen on a national park birthday road trip for their 75th and 37th birthdays in May. We’ll be hitting up White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, and Guadalupe Mountains—and maybe even sneaking in a stop at Gila Cliff Dwellings if time permits. All will be first visits for them.
There’s a 300-room pueblo ruin complex within sight of I-17…and it’s named for a duck.
Looking forward to another kayaking adventure soon.
