Our return to Missouri for December brought with it a great loss. My 92 year old (almost 93) mother passed on for the next chapter of her forever life with God. She was a wonderful woman full of much kindness who loved her family well! Our journeys have always included her usual comment, "I am glad you are having a good time....when are you coming home?" as we checked in from the road. She always encouraged our going but delighted in our return with tales to tell and photos to share. Ethel Hoffman's passing has left a large hole in our hearts but God has given much peace and comfort!
As we have done since retirement, we traipsed to meet with each of our kids' families during the month of December to do our celebration of Christ's birth. It is not possible for all of us to meet at the exact holiday so this has become a special time for us to spend with our children and grandchildren. On Christmas Day we met on Zoom and shared a reading of scripture and Christmas hymns that have been a part of our "Holy day" celebration since the 80's.
The mounting of the new tent was an awesome accomplishment! We are so grateful to our friends at Ugly Truck Experience in Strafford, Missouri, who have secured our "home" for us each time. They are amazing people with tools and know-how! The tent has some new features that are making us very happy! One of our sons gave us a liner for the new tent that has made winter camping much more comfy and cozy!
We did not try to camp as we headed home from California since our driving days were going to be long and the nights were going to be chilly. Our goal was to get to our Kansas kids where our middle son could help us remove the tent from our car to be destroyed. Don't stress, the wonderful Tuff Stuff people were replacing our tent with a new one due to a bit of a manufacture malfunction on the fiberglass cover. We had to prove it was demolished so they could ship us a new tent. We accomplished our task of destruction and look forward to a new tent for 2023 tripping!
The 2020 Subaru Ascent accomplished a milestone on its way to get serviced after we got home, 100,000 miles. It has done a wonderful job of carrying us and all our gear! But knowing our good fortune with Subarus, we are counting on many more happy miles! One of the technicians at our dealership in Arkansas told us we had the newest car with 100,000 miles on it that he knew of! Wonder how that happened?
Through unexpected journeys all of our children and grandchildren got to meet at our apartment the Saturday after Thanksgiving where we rejoiced in each others' company for a few hours. So much to be thankful for!
As we left California for home, we did some tallying of miles, camping nights, states and national parks seen during this retirement adventure. It would have made us tired if we were not already there! God has blessed us with so many amazing places to see and so many wonderful people to visit with. We are so thankful for God's many graces!
The Numbers of our Retirement Trip to the National Parks as of November 2022
Miles on the Subaru for Parks trips: 47,498
Nights in our Roof Top Tent: 141
States: 40
National Parks Visited: 43
We have one more trip in the contiguous United States to see five more parks in the spring of 2023. Alaska is still in our plan as well but first to Wales in early summer of 2023 (but we can't drive and take the tent). It will be our first trip out of the United States and we are excited to say the least!
The last two parks we had in our sights were new to us. We had not visited Kings Canyon nor Sequoia National Parks when we were in the area before. These areas were higher in elevation and even more snow covered than Yosemite. They were also breath taking! The giant trees of the these parks were similar to the coastal redwoods we had seen in the summer but had more volume. Redwoods grow taller but the sequoias go almost straight up with no taper to the top so their mass is phenomenal. Some of the largest trees in the world are present in the Kings Canyon and Sequoia.
Trails were snow covered and icy from many footsteps so we cautiously walked to see the tree named General Grant. It is the second largest tree in the world by volume. They estimate that it is 1,650 years old. So amazing! The grove where it is located contains a large number of giant trees so we were suffering from neck strain as we walked with our heads thrown back to try to see the tops of the trees. Even downed trees last for many, many years. One downed tree had been used as a place to shelter horses during the 1800's and was still solid. These trees are resistant to insects and fire so native peoples have been making good use of the downed wood for centuries. Thankfully the establishment of these areas as national parks have protected these trees from being cut down for commercial use.
We had planned to camp in Sequoia one night but the depth of the snow and configuration of the campsite did not work for our roof top tent set up so we opted to seek civilization. These parks are ones we hope to visit again with more time to explore.
With no more snow forecast for the Yosemite, we felt we could follow through on our plans to visit there. We knew the temperatures would not be super warm but the roads had been opened up for travel and so we headed east. We had seen Yosemite in the summer about 12 years before but it was like a different place with the snow on it! Beautiful!
Our campsite for two nights was very near Half Dome which we could see while we cooked meals. The ground was frozen and covered in snow and ice but we were able to set up camp without too much trouble and our heater was much appreciated. We were back in bear country so all food had to be stored in the bear box. Really convenient for the coolers which stayed very cold during our stay.
They were doing controlled burns of brush piles they had been collecting here in Yosemite. California's fires are no joke so to have safe settings to clear brush was invaluable. It provided some interesting pictures as we traveled through the park.
We had not brought ice cleats so hiking was not on our docket. Barry made a very graceful save on the ice at Yosemite's Lower Falls so we decided to do most of our wandering in the car and not tempt his athleticism. As it was, we were so impressed with this amazing valley, especially in the snow!
In our journeys we have met people from so many distant places, but while taking a photo of Bridal Veil Falls, we met some folks from Marionville, MO, very near our home in the Missouri Ozarks. That same day we had shared a picnic area with some Australian visitors. Quite a change for them as they were experiencing summer at home in the Southern Hemisphere.
From the area near Pt. Mugu, we headed north to see if the weather would favor us and we could see four more parks on this trip. Our path took along Highway 1 and we took time to stop and check the beach at Limekiln State Park. This area had some coastal redwoods and a good view of the Pacific. Another addition to our day was laundry in the Monterey area and a motel stay.
We were on the road bright and early the next morning (early for us at least) and headed toward Pinnacles National Park. For some reason we had not been very aware of this park as we planned our journey, maybe because thoughts of California National Parks immediately bring up the name Yosemite or Redwoods. Pinnacles was a surprise and a delight!
We entered into the west side of the park and hiked for a few miles that opened up a view to the east side of the park that enticed us. There was no through road so we got to back track a bit and made our way to the east side of Pinnacles. Here we enjoyed camping next to a young couple from the San Francisco Bay area. David and Diane were delightful neighbors and shared advice on hikes as well as other places they had been. They warned us about the raccoons and not long after the warning, we were able to observe the antics of two coons trying to climb in their car. It got a bit chilly that night but the days for hiking were a perfect temperature. An extended conversation with a couple from Colorado the next night just added to our enjoyment of the campground.
Congestion at trail heads is a problem in many parks, especially on weekends or during the height of their tourist season. We arrived on a weekend so our hike required adding a couple extra miles as we traveled from a more distant parking lot. The intricate rock formations were beautiful and rock climbers were present at several different spots. Talus caves had been created by falling boulders becoming wedged over deep crevices and made for interesting hikes among the peaks.
Our hike on Monday was less populated by other "two-leggeds" but provided one of the most spectacular sights of our November journey, the California Condor. At one point as we hiked up Condor Gulch, we noticed a roosting place where the condors were staking their claim. As we came around a sharp curve in the trail, we looked up and the condors were directly overhead. Barry ended up laying down on his backpack so that they could get a photo above his head. They were magnificent birds! We watched them continue their path higher and higher in the atmosphere with what seemed to very little effort. We are so thankful that we got to see these rare birds so close that their bands for tracking were visible on their wings. It was a highlight of our trip!
Another very interesting type of bird came to our attention while there. An old dead tree was peppered with holes right next to our campsite. Woodpeckers were very focused on it from early in the morning until the sun set. These birds were not looking for insects but were creating holes to place acorns in so that they would have food for the winter. It was fascinating to learn about how they had adapted to surviving winter's absence of easy meals.
We have been amazed and blessed to meet people from other countries who recognize the exceptional gift that the US National Parks are to the public. While on our hike in Pinnacles, we met a couple from Israel taking advantage of a business trip to California to get in some sight seeing and hiking. In our campground a young couple from Poland and their little boy were a joy to meet. Their little guy was especially fascinated by the raccoons and deer who populated the campground.
We had not planned to take time to visit Channel Islands National Park since it is not one we can drive to with our roof top tent. However, it looked more promising weather-wise than our planned path. We reserved places on a boat not too far from our campground near Point Mugu. Our boat was in the right place at the right time for whale observations and dolphin activity.
The island we docked on was Santa Cruz and had stories from its history that were fascinating. Native peoples had left evidence of their existence over 9,000 years earlier. The Mexican claim to California prior to the Mexican American War played heavily on the human activity on the island. Ranching was the predominant use of the land in the 1800s and up into the 20th century.
Now the inhabitants of the island are native animals that have some specific distinctions. We were warned that the ravens and foxes had developed "skills" that could be used to acquire food if visitors were not vigilant. We were stalked by two ravens that accompanied us for the part of our hike and, when we arrived back at the picnic area near where the boat had docked, we saw the foxes. It is common to see dolphins and some whales off the shore while tortoises, deer mice, birds and bats also are residents of the island.
Santa Cruz Island Foxes are the second smallest canine breed in the world. They have become adept at scavenging food from the tourists and campers that visit their habitat which may result in their growing large as a species. Cute and quick! They were so much fun to watch! We had a delightful conversation with a volunteer at the park who had come over on the same boat we had. He expanded our appreciation for this island and the other islands in the park.
On our return trip we were treated to a sunset view over the island and a large number of dolphins fishing in the waters we were passing over. These energetic creatures were a delight to observe! We are so glad we made this change of plans to catch this National Park group of islands. Amazing!
As it is November, we tried to keep an eye on the forecasts for the areas we planned to see. When in signal again, we learned our next three parks were threatened with snow that would be measured in feet, not just inches! Our friendly Recreation.gov app allowed us to change our reservations and create a new plan for our next stop.
We were fortunate to be headed to Joshua Tree National Park when our oldest son and his family were also going to be hiking there! Family time!!! We camped two nights in Jumbo Rocks Campground and loved the boulders and vegetation of the area. Time with our family was priceless!
Our third day in Joshua Tree saw a change in weather with rain and wind moving in. But along with the weather change came a beautiful rainbow that graced the sky for over an hour. We did spend our afternoon reading in the car for the afternoon as the weather turned icky. Sleeping in the tent was pretty comfy but we ate a cold dinner to save from cooking in the wind.
First stop across the California state line was Furnace Creek in Death Valley. The sunset was spectacular and the temperatures were lovely! Rain earlier in the fall had damaged some roads and made some areas of the park inaccessible.
A young couple from the San Francisco Bay area were headed toward Utah but they took time to visit with us on our first evening in Death Valley. They shared some of their experiences and we so appreciated the visit.
The next day we decided to hike Mosaic Canon trail and were thankful to see the visitors from the previous evening heading down the trail as we were headed up. They were encouraging that we could complete the hike. We later questioned their evaluation of our abilities as we hit multiple areas where the path led up a slick rock scramble. Barry fell and skinned his shin on one obstacle of rock worn slick by the rare rain storm. But with determination, we managed to make it to a waterfall area that was beautiful despite there being no water. The obstacles we had overcome to get to the end were treacherous enough without water making them slicker.
November found us on the road again after staying home for most of October (well, as much as we ever stay home). We had some time with two of our granddaughters and got in a camping night in the Lake of the Ozarks region. We also got a few miles in our boots on local hikes. Missouri in the fall has some great views!
Our role in the family as "baby sitters" for the grand children when their parents need us took us to Kansas for the last week of October where we packed and prepped for our last long trip of the Peregrinators' National Parks Adventure of 2022.
When the other grandparents arrived, we passed the baton (or grandchildren responsibility) and started west. Our first stop was a Kansas State Park, Lake Meade, in southern Kansas. It was very quiet with very few campers but provided some beautiful views of the lake as the sun set and then again when the morning light hit the cottonwood trees which were still holding on to some of the fall color.
We made our next stop in Fritch, Texas, with a dear cousin and her husband. They sent us on our way the next morning rested and very well fed! What a blessing!
Flagstaff, Arizona, had been forecast to be cold and snowy and their weather forecast proved to be correct! We camped in a KOA (many campgrounds think the season is over after October) and arrived to several inches of snow and temperatures dropping. The propane heater in the tent got a test since we had not camped in snow before on our National Park Retirement Adventure. When the thermometer decided it had fallen far enough, it read 18 degrees. The trip to the bathroom in the night was "refreshing" to say the least but short thankfully.
With our tent more of a three season dwelling, this allowed us to test out just how comfortable camping in cold temperatures could be. The heater does a great job of heating the air in the tent and we have sleeping bags and extra comforters that supplement well but it was still chilly in the between times when we turned the heater off (something we always do when sleeping). But our spirits and our bodies were encouraged when the morning brought bright sunshine (and heated seats in the car)! Next destination, Death Valley National Park!
We had made plans to connect with our son in KC so we knew this would be our last camping spot for this trip. It was quiet and the sunset was worth a number of pictures. We had a delightful visit with some people from South Dakota who participated in wagon train reenactments. They thought they might be too old to manage the packing and unpacking everything needed every night on those trips with their wagons. Our packing and repacking was minimal to what they had to accomplish every night on the road. It sounded like it would have been a special experience! This park, Snake Creek Campground, was their favorite campground to escape to after the farming season before winter. It was beautifully kept up and a great place for a rest.
This trip was amazing!
This was a return trip for Barry and I as well as a trip I had made with my family while I was in Jr. High. The family trip was a rainy week of camping so I did not have a strong memory of it. Barry had driven there with our oldest son when he was 13 and they had had much better weather. The day we were there was clear and warm but not too warm. We came in from the south out of Wind Cave National Park and got to add another layer of dust to the car and our basket carrier on the back of the car. But, the views were amazing and we saw so many bison! In one location they had collected a herd for some reason and they were in an enclosure. At one place a pick-up was distributing something to the bison and they were traveling, stirring up dust much as I would imagine they did when thousands at a time journeyed across the plains.
I was much more impressed with the views this time. Maybe it was not getting wet or maybe it was an increased appreciation of rocks and land forms. It might be that I am older and just getting more and more amazed by the Creation and its diversity! For whatever reason, the Badlands were beautiful in my eyes!
We got to see a coyote wander through a prairie dog village. I know if he could have, he would have gladly taken one home for dinner but the little fellows are very adept at disappearing when danger appeared. A mountain sheep was feeding in the road ditch and nonchalantly continued eating despite the numerous people who stopped to catch a photo.
In spite of Barry's hints that Wall Drug would have been a good stop, we did not take time to make it this time. I did not think of anything I desperately needed regardless of the advertising that Barry mentioned every time we passed it. It does give you a frequent opportunity to have something to read as you drive along!
Spearfish, South Dakota was a destination for the evening after Devils Tower. It was their city park where a large campground was in place. We found our spot and settled in for a night's stay. Just a few blocks outside the entrance of the campground was a laundromat and clean clothes were in order so we spent a quiet bit of the morning before heading further south taking care of "business", the business of cleaning the clothes!
Our daughter had recommended Spearfish Canyon so we continued along our route. Mountain goats were spotted along the canyon's water source. We drove along the stream until we moved into Custer State Park. Using unmanned kiosks can be a challenge at times. We were supposed to purchase a pass for the park and since we were planning to return to this area again while nearby, we tried to buy our park pass. Kind strangers saw gray hair and took pity on me helping me make my purchase. It was a source of frustration for several there but I was just grateful to the stranger.
We took the Needles highway since our final destination was a campground near Wind Cave. It had some interesting tight spots that were not a challenge to us but larger vehicles were not guaranteed passage. The rock formations were beautiful and we located a hike that we were excited to pursue on a date later in the week. The weather promised to get really warm the next day so we decided Wind Cave tours would be perfect for evading the heat leaving a couple of other days open for hiking on the exterior portion of the area.
We passed a fairly large herd of bison as we neared our campground. Elk Mountain Campground was in a beautiful setting of rolling grassland and pines. The camp host was so helpful and we learned he and his wife were from Mtn. Home, AR! Small world! The next morning we were able to schedule back to back tours of the cave which was very close by.
This was a very different cave than what we were accustomed to here in Missouri where caves abound. This one is over 162 miles of passages located under one square mile of land. Most of the passages that have been explored are "crawl on your belly" sized and then end up in some hidden lake areas. A University of Northern Iowa research group has made multiple discoveries and has an ongoing relationship with the cave to continue work there. In this cave is a rock formation called 'boxwork' that is extremely rare. The formation of this cave occurred when an uplift of the area above the passages opened up access to areas that had developed from very little water movement unlike Missouri caves. The small natural opening of cave has a wind that either blows out of the opening or blows into the opening depending on the air pressure.
The Lakota people have a story connecting their origin to the cave. They tell the story that the Creator collected the spirits of the Lakota people in the cave and told them to wait for him to complete the preparations of the surface world for habitation. The Trickster used some of the surface plants to tempt some of the people to go ahead and exit the cave. The majority of the people stayed below as they had been told. Those that exited the cave were happy and healthy for a time until winter came when they were unprepared to survive the harsh Dakota winter. The Creator had pity on them and turned them into bison so they could survive the harsh winter conditions. When Earth was ready for the rest of the Lakota to inhabit it, the Creator told them to follow the bison who would help them survive all of the seasons of the earth and would provide for them. Thus began the dependence of the Lakota on the bison for their life. That was the first time I had heard that particle "Creation Story" which was interesting.
After the cool of the cave, we decided the Crazy Horse Statue and Museum was appropriate for the afternoon temperatures. It was an amazing story of how one man and his family joined with native peoples to honor their heritage. It will be an amazing statue when completed but it already has so much to give to those who take time to watch the video detailing the history of the statue and then wander through the museum that honors the indigenous peoples of all areas of the United States.
The next day was perfect for making a trip to Mt. Rushmore! We had been there multiple times and always my trips had been in rain or fog. Wow! We traveled from there to Needles Highway where we could access the hike to Cathedral Spires and Little Devils Tower to loop back on. This was a day for many conversations, many of them with people from Arkansas! As we ended our time in Custer State Park, we drove to the top of Mt. Coolidge where the 360 degree view was amazing. Internet coverage was awesome so I got to enjoy a talk with my mother from the parking lot.
For some reading this, reference to "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" will mean nothing. Barry and I don't really watch too many movies together. (Although he has seen most of the Hallmark movies made over the last few years, he has done that on his own!) This particular movie is one we watched when it was in the movie theater. Since then, we have been interested in one of the major backdrops for the movie, Devils Tower in Wyoming. We could not miss the opportunity to go just a bit out of the way to see it for ourselves.
It is an amazing chunk of rock. Scientists explain that magma shot upward through sedimentary rock. Since the rock was easier to erode than the column of cooled magma, the rock around the column eroded. While hot the magma was a column that cooled into linear columns with distinct lines and edges. The area was made a National Monument in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt.
This area is sacred to 20 indigenous peoples and prayer cloths connected to the trees that surround the monument attest to it still being a special place to the native peoples who hold dear. Rock climbers also had come to tame the mountain as well as to follow a sport they love. Several groups were taking advantage of the beautiful fall day to get a climb in. It was an amazing place and did not disappoint us in the least. Barry took time to watch the climbers and got shots of them testing their skills.
While walking at Busiek State Forest in October 2023, we met some people who had taken another trail when they were at the Tower. Their pictures were amazing so we have added another trip to Devils Tower to our recommendations so we catch the difference another perspective makes.
Montana was our next stop after leaving Teddy Roosevelt NP. In case you wonder, Montana is not all mountains and looks a lot like North Dakota for a LONG way. The plains eventually transitioned to forests and mountain ranges as our travel continued and the next destination was Salmon Lake State Park in Montana. We were one of the few non-Montana licensed vehicles in the campground telling us it was a favorite of the locals on the weekend. And it had showers!! We have learned to take advantage of showers whether we really "needed it" or not. Barry has had to learn to wake up without a hot shower but it has been a challenge (waking up, that is).
We knew we would be out of city-scapes for a while so we opted to restock the "pantry". Our stop at a Walmart in Kalispell had refilled our coolers while a visit with a lady in the parking lot blessed our souls. Married to a retired Seattle, WA "shop teacher", they were building a tiny house to be near their daughter who lived in the area. She was a delight! We also decided clean clothes to match clean bodies was an appropriate use of our time. A wonderful conversation with a local fellow doing laundry entertained us while we folded our clothes and repacked our duffles.
Our camping reservation for that night was in a National Forest campground that proved to be very interesting. There was a wedding that night in the campground complete with a reception after the ceremony which provided lively music throughout the campground. They did lower the volume for quiet hours until about 2:30 p.m. when four gun shots were heard while we were traveling to the pit toilet. It was a bit unnerving to say the least. We had bear spray but not sure it would have been much help in what was going on. Since no other shots were fired we credited to some bizarre happening, possibly a chi vary, and went back to sleep.
Reservations were required for the Going to the Sun road in Glacier National Park. Though not always convenient, we have come to appreciate the effort of the parks service to manage the numbers by requiring reservations. The day we arrived to go into the park was the last day requiring reservations so we made our reservation and proceeded to enter the park that many had told us would become our favorite. It was smoky and hazy due to forest fires in the park and the nearby region. The close formation of mountains kept the smoke in place which did not provide the views we had anticipated. But we could tell, this was a beautiful place! We drove through the park thinking we would stop at some point and try a hike but every parking space was filled so we made it along the entire road to St. Mary from West Glacier Village with glimpses of grandeur. Since camping in the park was shifting to first come, first served, we found an available spot to camp at St. Mary Campground and made the decision to claim it for the next few nights. This required a journey back to our western national forest campsite at Hungry Horse Reservoir to pack up and return to St. Mary. Quite a day of driving with two trips on the Going to the Sun Road, just the first of many for the week.
Our campground proved to be a delightful place for conversations. Our first night neighbor was a young man from near Bath, England. The next night we met other neighbors who were from northern Utah. Barry's photos make a great "calling card" and conversation starter. Later in the week we had neighbors from Colorado, Wisconsin, Illinois and Canada.
Glacier is part of an International park dedicated to peace as well as being a "Biosphere Reserve". Its official name is Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park World Heritage Site. In 1932 two parks were joined that bordered each other and became the first International Peace Park. We had remembered to bring our passports on this trip but decided to limit our journey to the US portion. We will be going back in the future if at all possible! The fingerprint of the Civilian Conservation Corps was all along the Going to the Sun Highway and their tenacity and skill remains evident. The Continental Divide runs through this area into Canada and water from here flows into the Pacific Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and Hudson Bay. It is truly a unique place where the plains meet the mountains creating a diversity of animals and plants.
We are basically hopeful people and Barry is quite patient when it comes to trying to get the photos he wants. Eight trips back and forth on the Going to the Sun road gave us hiking opportunities and breath taking views but not the clear shots many have the privilege to see. At times the smoke limited visibility and you were able to make out shapes only. Other times we were close enough that Barry could eliminate the smoke and haze. We just know we were in awe as we journeyed from place to place. I was especially glad for Barry's calm, confidence as he drove the narrow two lane highway. Some of the travelers along the road were not nearly as calm!
The rocks of Lake MacDonald and at the Red Rocks overlook seem to be indicative of glacier crafted landscapes. Wow!! So much color in rocks!
One morning we actually caught a sunrise (those do not happen frequently since retirement) as we had determined to get to the parking area early enough to hike to Avalanche Lake (barely) and were so glad to get to see this beautiful lake and the waterfalls that are visible from it. We saw one black bear "picking berries" from some bushes along the road. We still have not seen a grizzly but some of us are not disappointed!
Our next morning with another sunrise allowed us to see Wild Goose Island on St. Mary Lake as we journeyed to catch two waterfalls. St Mary Falls and Virginia Falls were both so picturesque. We had been warned that there were bears in the area but they heard we were coming, I guess, and we did not see them. We tried again after our hike to get a clear shot of some of the mountain peaks but the smoke still challenged Barry.
Things were closing down in the park as the season was coming to a close. We chose to make a trip to Many Glaciers area where resorts and inns nestle at the base of the mountains along beautiful glacier lakes. We decided to hike up to Grinnell Lake on that lovely morning. The start of the trail was pretty heavily populated with a other hikers though most were to determined to make the journey to Grinnell Glacier. When the trail split and hikers parted, a gentleman asked if anyone was going to the lake instead of the glacier. We indicated that we were and he asked if we would keep an eye on his wife who did not wish to make the 2,000 foot climb. We were glad to accommodate her and to our great surprise and delight found she was from Wales! Wales, our destination in May and June of 2023 thanks to our children's and our school's generosity! We also found her a kindred spirit and had seven miles of beautiful trail to pick her brain and share conversation. God blessed us greatly!
Our final night in St. Mary Campground was also the last night that particular loop was going to be open. One loop of the campground would remain open a bit longer in the season but we were looking at heading east. The smoke had still not cleared and rain had moved in. Our journey across Montana was quiet and uneventful except for the road construction that we had come to expect. But even with delays we got to see a different portion of Montana and ended up in Billings, MT for the night and splurged on the extravagance of a motel.
Named for the 26th president of the United States, some might have seen Roosevelt's ranching investment in the badlands of North Dakota as a failure. Theodore Roosevelt came to hunt bison and invested in a cattle ranching operation which did not prove to be financially successful but the land itself molded him into a conservationist who contributed greatly to the effective preservation of areas we still enjoy today as a country. It is an arid area where a cow would need lots of acres to graze. The bison herds here roam freely to get what they need from the land. Wild horses return to this area as seasons move toward winter. They are descendants of the tame horses brought west with people looking to make a fortune in the cattle business of the 1800 and early 1900s. Prong horns and prairie dogs are at home here as well as the coyotes who try to catch them.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park has a southern unit and a northern unit so we stayed in one portion one night and another the next. Our roof top tent was much appreciated as the bison herd moved into the Cottonwood Campground as the temperatures cooled. Daytime temperatures of near 100 on the day of our arrival had encouraged the hairy bovines to find shade but as the temperatures decreased, the bison started feeding. We could hear them snorting and moving around during the night but it did not disturb us. Those ground tent camping were not so lucky to have a peaceful night's sleep. The herd was an obstacle the next morning to our bathroom trip. It took three tries to find a path around the herd, in particular one bull that took offense at our travel on his trail. We conceded his right of way and found yet another path without offending anyone. They really are amazing beasts!
A driving tour of the south gave us many views of the stark landscape. There was not much water but an abundance of rock. Quite a contrast to our Ozark hills but interesting for sure. It was a foretaste of the Badlands we were planning to see on our way southeast later in the month.
We took advantage of some short hikes in the north before we settled down at Juniper Campground. The interesting stones called cannonball concretions, formations of coulees and evidence of petrified wood were unique. Since we love rocks in many forms, this was very interesting. As always seems to happen, we found people who enjoyed a bit of conversation along the journey. We love to hear stories of why people are traveling and where they have been. Recommendations find their way into my journal for future consideration! We love what we are getting to do!!!
Seasons have changed in the US. Used to be that Labor Day signaled the end of the traveling season. I know it does change for all those who have school aged families (and are locked into a school calendar) but those of us "gray hairs" that love to wander and others without the gray hair but not ready to call it quits yet are numerous. We did wait until Labor Day to begin our trek to our long anticipated "Montana" trip. The memory of the last stop near a Nebraska lake pushed us to try eastern South Dakota.
We had accrued 122 nights in our homey roof top tent at this point and were over 86,000 miles on the odometer. The Ascent is just past 2 years old and we bought it with only 433 miles on the car. Not all of those miles were traveling to National Parks but quite a few, 34,545 to be exact. Most of our camping nights had been clocked during this "retirement trip" to National Parks we can drive to. The start of September's journey marked the completion of one year retired (for Barry) and 31 official National Parks.
Our first night stop was Pelican Lake near Watertown, SD. The soft gentle sunset was a beautiful welcome after a long day on Interstates. The next day's journey took us along views of the Missouri river and some rather interesting statuary. I was impressed by a large ranching operation in North Dakota where the creative displays of metal work were probably the product of long winters and that drive artists have to create. Enormous fields of soybeans, corn and sun flowers ran along side of the roadway which reminded us we were on the Great Plains.
Some times when you have spent a long time on the road, all you can think of is how fast can we get home. Luckily, eastern Washington and Idaho were on our path east. After our visit with the young man in Hoh Campground, we had planned to to view the coulees of eastern Washington. When you know what you are looking at, these land forms are so interesting. We had heard of the Grand Coulee Dam but seeing it in person was an amazing experience. We took time to walk through the visitor center and were so impressed with its history. It is the largest dam in the United States producing electricity and providing irrigation for a large area of the northwest. We had seen the Columbia River in many areas of the northwest on this and other trips but did not realize its connection to the Grand Coulee.
The 'Dry Falls' were hard for us to wrap our thoughts around and allow imagination to recreate an enormous expanse of water fall. Water's power and necessity were obvious in this area! Eastern Washington boasts large fruit orchards as well as large expanses of vegetables. After the forests of the western and north western parts of the state, the eastern part of the state is a fertile area where water can be directed to it, not so lush where it does not have irrigation. This area has a distinctive beauty and Barry hopes to make it back to photograph during harvest in the Palouse area. Wow!
Idaho was our next stop and we landed in our campsite during a rain storm. We have had very few rainy days or nights during our travels this year and we continue to be glad we live in a roof top tent. A few minutes and we were snug in our "bedroom/living room" while the winds tossed limbs around. The next day we realized we had had a close call but no damage.
Driving through Idaho revealed such variety of land form: the Sawtooth Mountains and its beautiful forests, Craters of the Moon and its stark volcanic landscape, and buttes indigenous people had called home. When you camp in a place called Massacre Rocks State Park and hear coyotes howling, you text the kids your location so they can come find the bodies if we fail to get home as expected (actually slept very well with the sound of Interstate traffic our lullaby).
Our last night on the road was in Nebraska where we arrived to experience the damsel fly hatch on Lake McConnaughy. These wonderful organisms may bless fish and fishermen but we experienced less pleasure as we killed hundreds on our journey back to Missouri. You realize as you travel that most state parks are created along rivers or lakes when there are no forests or mountains to see. Where there is water in the summer, there are insects! We are putting a star by that thought so we are prepared for that reality next time we have to travel across Nebraska!
Other than the companionable damsel fly nymphs, our journey home was uneventful. 25 days, no motel stops, two meals we did not cook ourselves and few showers ended at our Hobbit Hole in Springfield and we were excited to see it. We had clocked over 7,700 miles on this journey. We knew it would be a short rest stop before we headed the Suby west for the next adventure so we prepared to enjoy the short trips to the bathroom without bear spray and visited
 with "the Mama"!
We had not talked to many people who had been to North Cascades NP over the years but at Canyonlands NP, our camp host was headed that direction to hike and was very enthusiastic about the area. Our oldest son and his family had been there prior to our meeting up in the Redwoods area and they enjoyed it greatly! We were in for a treat!
North Cascades boasts more glaciers than Glacier National Park but theirs are smaller. Products of the glaciers were impressive. Along with the National Park are Ross Lake National Recreation Area and Lake Chelan National Recreation Area plus the Mt. Baker National Recreation Area. Needless to say we did not max out the opportunities for hiking or jaw dropping views.
Realizing that the majority of the national park is not accessible by car was a bit disheartening since it would be hard to backpack the roof top tent. But the Subaru did not hesitate a bit to take the roads we discovered that allowed us to get off the beaten path around the edges of wilderness. The views of Mt. Baker from the west side of the park and then a 'dirt, rock, under construction' Cascade River Road up to a pass with glaciers funneling water to innumerable water falls made me glad we drive what we do!
We love the encounters we have with so many people from so many different parts of the world but this time at Newhalem Campground in North Cascades, we had the joy of meeting some "neighbors" from here in Missouri. A couple from Ozark, Missouri, was calling this campground "home" for a time and we benefited from their experiences. Even though we hopped from campsite to campsite (we moved three times in three nights, got late reservations), they stopped by to say hello each night. One of their hikes became one of ours as well as we took their advice to try Blue Lake!
Blue Lake was beautiful but also a place where we got to have several lengthy conversations. A couple from Florida and a lady from Seattle provided some wonderful visits and Barry had brought photos so we could share! While up at the lake, we found ourselves catching the end of a wedding! Hiking in a wedding dress might not be my dream come true, but the bride looked pretty happy!! What a setting for a wonderful life event!!!
The colors of Diablo Lake were beyond belief! I know many will think they were a part of Barry's adding more intensity to the colors but these colors were true to what our eyes saw. Doing some reading about these waters explained it to be a result of rock "flour" created by the glaciers that is suspended in the water. Wow! Hope many of you get to see for yourselves the Creator's work in North Cascades! It is a long way up there from Missouri but worth the miles.
Our path from Olympic NP allowed for more views of the Pacific, a laundry room to replenish our clean clothes stock, top off our gas tank and a Walmart visit in Aberdeen, WA for a food restock. Even Walmart parking lots can produce wonderful conversations with people while we reload the coolers with food and ice. A sweet lady stopped near us before she went into Wally World and a gift of a photo or two resulted in a 30 minute visit. Her husband (a retired teacher) was in the process of building them a tiny house after their retirement from the Seattle area. It is wonderful to feel comfortable to talk as long as someone wishes to because we are retired with a very loose agenda!
With a duffle full of clean clothes, it was also time to find a shower. There are few to none showers at National Park Campgrounds but our first stop before Rainier was a park run by the city of Tacoma near Glenoma. It was worth every quarter to get an all over clean. Wash clothes and body wipes everyday are a good thing but a shower feels extravagant and worthy of those fresh, clean clothes.
Our first view of Mt. Rainier was a number of years ago when we visited Barry's brother, Rick, who lived in Seattle and took us to the Space Needle. He told us how lucky we were to get to see it since it was a clear, beautiful day. We had traveled to the Mt. Rainier National Park several times when Emily and her crew lived in Oregon but this was our first really close encounter that lasted over several days. It was SO worth this return visit on our retirement trip.
We stopped for a roadside lunch out of the car after several hours of waiting in line to get into the park on the west entrance. Our campsite for the evening was on that side and it was the route we had taken previous trips to the Henry M Jackson Memorial Visitor Center (a very impressive space). It was also the entrance nearest Seattle. We don't get very stressed about waiting but, again, we are retired and were looking at several days of exploration. The NP service does an amazing job of coping with all these people who have discovered the outdoors.
Our evening at Cougar Rock was filled with conversations with camping neighbors. Tesla owners a few sites up from us came to look in our tent and invited us to come down and see their camping set up. Their car was equipped with a climate controlled feature, an inflatable bed and a moon roof for star gazing. Barry was invited to sit down and to see this very different car up close. Techy to the max! They were such a special couple! Two other campers were handing out glow stick bracelets which were fun and we visited with a couple from California who adventure in a Sprinter. One story there came from a man who had broken his back in a car accident who encouraged us to "keep moving"! People's stories often remind us of how blessed we are to be able to hike and wander!
Rainier was beautiful, full of wild flowers that were enjoying the sunshine in their very short growing season. We met a volunteer on the trail above Reflection Lake who asked if we liked wildflowers. She sent us on a trail that was incredible with views of meadows over flowing with color and the mighty mountain in the background. Waterfalls and wild flowers in the shadow of a mighty volcano. From every angle we saw it, Mt Rainier did not disappoint!
We camped our last night at the park in Ohanapecosh Campground. Road construction provided the opportunity to travel a dirt road on the outskirts of the park since there was no way to get from west to east through the park itself. Just another opportunity to see more of the beautiful parts of Washington state!
After a stop in Seattle to visit a dear friend, we made our way to Olympic National Park. This park boasts an awesome rain forest, alpine forest, and glaciers. We missed the glaciers since it was a rainy, foggy day as we entered the park on the side where you can see Mt. Olympus. Our camping reservation was in the rain forest so we headed on toward Hoh Rain Forest on the western side of the park.
We love trees and found the amazing trees covered in moss a delight. This area boasts old growth forests of Western Hemlock, Douglas fir, broad leafed maples and Sitka Spruce some of which are over 200 feet high. Again with the rubber neck and camera on the phone trying the capture the height and beauty of the forest. We almost missed the deer grazing in the midst of the trees but they were undeterred by our presence!
Our camping neighbor, a young man from east of Seattle, shared our table and a delightful evening with us. It was such a blessing to visit with him! Anthony shared his recipe for carnitas with us as well as a wealth of knowledge he had about the history of his home state. He also recommended another area of Washington that we took note of for a visit later in our trip.
While in Olympic we took the opportunity to hike to the western most point in the contiguous United States, Cape Alave. This 3 mile boardwalk to the coast was amazing! Maintaining the boards for this walk must be a challenge as the dampness causes them to not last indefinitely. When we neared the Pacific coast, we could hear seals along with birds and the whoosh of the waves.
The next day we made our way further south to another section of rain forest, Quinalt. We drove a dirt road for miles back into Graves Creek where we found a quiet camp ground that filled up as the evening progressed. This was the first time we had been welcomed by mosquitoes in abundance and were glad we had the screen tent along. we ended up setting it up over the back of the car and it worked wonderfully to protect us during cooking.
We woke up the reality of temperate rain forest life and everything felt very damp though the weather did not call it rain. It was just mist or fog but it left moisture on every surface. As we left this section of Olympic we saw a black bear run across the road in front of us. I now do not doubt the reports that bears can run very fast (though usually only for a short time). This guy was speedy! No time for a picture but it was exciting to see.
This amazing area of Washington will be well worth another visit in the future when we get that far northwest again! Still so much to see and experience!
As we neared our night's destination, we sighted a beautiful extinct volcano. We caught glimpses of Mt. Thielsen as we got closer to Diamond Lake and finally found a perfect spot to get a photo. Our campsite was outside of the national park at Broken Arrow Campground. It was a beautiful campground that also had the distinction of having showers, an extra bonus!
This was our second trip to Crater Lake NP. Our first visit had been with our daughter's family while they were living in Oregon several years ago. It had been in early July and we were limited to only one area to view the lake due to snow. Crater has a very limited viewing season if you are hoping to drive around this beautiful, deep lake but we came at just the right time on our trip. There were patches of snow but the road was clear.
Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the United States at 1,943 feet at its deepest. It is actually a caldera, the inside of an extinct volcano that last erupted over 7,000 years ago. The only source of water for this lake is from snow and rain fall since there is no inlet or out flow from the lake. Around the outer banks of the lake, snow melt forms falls and run off that finds its way to other bodies of water but the lake itself holds the water that comes its way.
There are brave souls that hike to the water's edge and can boast they have taken a swim in the deepest lake in America but we did not test out the waters. Our camping neighbors from Wisconsin were planning on trying the waters but we focused our time on getting to see the lake from many different angles as we circumnavigated the lake. Again wild flowers greeted us and the beautiful blue of the lake was a delight.
We had the privilege of catching up with our oldest son and his family on the next leg of our trip. Evan, Sally and Analou met us at the coast of Oregon where we wandered among rocks and tide pools full of color. Camping with our kids is a major delight and makes our wanderings even better.
When you camp during the busy season and don't have reservations, nightly moves are the norm. Our plan had been to spend some time in the Trinity Alps area of Northern California but wild fires encouraged us to shift our camping focus. We found two nights in Loeb State Park in Oregon (not consecutive nights) and camped on Miller Bar along the Chetco River. We learned that river bar camping in Oregon is very similar to Missouri river bar camping on a Friday night, a combination of loud and busy. Sally, Analou and I got to pick wild blackberries which added a fun piece to our dinner when we attempted blackberry dumplings for desert.
Our last night camping with the family found us along the Klamath River where we were greeted with the knowledge that three bears had been around the campground most of the day. The campground manager assured us they would not be aggressive but were just looking for food. Barry was ready! Not to bribe them with food but to catch them on camera if they decided to visit. But he was destined to be disappointed and the most animal activity he saw in our campsite was humming birds visiting a flowering bush near us. Some of the other campers could be heard banging pans during the night to scare off furry visitors, but if they came our way, we slept through it. We woke up to a light rain the next morning (one of our only rains of the trip) and enjoyed a last breakfast with the family. They departed for their Redwood jaunt and we headed northeast to Diamond Lake near Crater Lake NP deeper in Oregon.
Our journey west to the coast of northern California was slated to take 4.5 hours. It ended up taking over 8 hours due to road construction. The mountainous road from Redding, CA toward the Redwoods was a series of one lane roads following a pilot car and waiting. We really did not complain because we had been driving for three very long days and, though we were sitting in the car, it was not stressful for us to just rest.
We arrived at the Redwoods NP visitor center and planned a route to take in as much in the southern section of the park. Our accommodations were at the northern end of the park in Crescent City, CA so we wanted to see as much as possible as we journeyed to our camping spot. The Redwoods are a cooperative undertaking of both state and national parks. The elk were lounging near the Prairie Creek Visitor Center as we started the Newton B Drury Parkway drive. The grass was tall enough that laying down, all that was visible of some of the beautiful elk were their antlers.
We stopped along the drive for an easy walk to the Big Tree Wayside for views of some amazing "Big" trees. These amazing trees have so much beauty as well as such a connection to the indigenous people of the area. The park has recorded interviews with some of the local native peoples who share how important these trees were to their ancestors and the link they maintain with the trees today.
Besides being some of the tallest trees on Earth, Redwood trees are almost spongy because of the amount of water they contain in their trunks. They are very fire resistant so they have stood when other forests have been decimated by wild fires. When they fall, it takes many years for them to decompose so the downed trees are still much a part of the landscape. Before conservationists succeeded in getting the parks created, nearly 90 percent of the forest had been cut. There is still an amazing collection of the giants of flora. We love this forest and find such peace as we wander the trails among the breath taking trees.
Our campground for the night was among redwoods and we were so delighted when we set up camp. To rest among the giants we had so fallen in love with was a delight. As frequently happens, we had some wonderful conversations with our camping neighbors. One couple was from Florida and first time visitors to the parks. It was so fun to hear their impressions of the trees! They were as blown away as we were and adjectives could not do the trees justice as we talked in emotional phrases, sometimes close to tears.
The next day we hiked to the Grove of the Titans from a dirt road that wandered through Jedediah Smith State Park. This board walked was a major undertaking to allow visitors to the park to experience the forest but to also protect the roots of the trees as well as the other vegetation around it. We loved the opportunity to view three of the largest trees in the world! Barry really made use of the special setting on his phone that helped him take a photo from the bottom to the top of the trees. Neck craning was constant as you tried to see how tall the trees were!
Since we live in the Ozarks, we are used to forest fires but are not familiar with "wild fires" of the magnitude that are present in California and other states in the west. The Dixie Fire of 2021 had left an imprint on the region of northern California we traveled to next. We had read about the massive destruction that occurred as a result of the fire but Lassen Volcanic NP and surrounding national forest still bears the marks. Many of the campgrounds were closed due to the danger of falling burned trees. There was much evidence of the grueling work being done to clear the dead, burned trees in preparation of replanting. It will definitely take a number of years to recover from the fire's devastation.
In a previous trip a number of years ago, we had visited Lassen during late June and had been unable to get beyond the hot, sulfur works. On this trip we were free to drive through the park to see more of the forests and remnants of volcanic action as recently as 1914. Living up to its name as a volcanic national park, we saw examples of four different types of volcanoes: shield, cinder cone, plug cone, and composite. Due to its elevation, it sees snow early in the fall and it lasts (as we experienced) into the summer.
We were blessed with the last campsite available the Manzanita Lake Campground and got to catch an early morning view of the lake before we journeyed further west and north. So glad we got to see the rest of the park this time, at least what we could see from the road. I know with more time to hike, we would have been even more impressed with the beauty of the area! Our camping neighbors were from California and in the spring, they hike to the top of Lassen Peak and ski back down. They definitely experience a different view than our August perspective! Probably not on our bucket list but it sounded pretty exciting!
We were not sure what to expect when we made our way to Great Basin. Our last section of travel was on a road that challenged the "Loneliest Road in America" for being lightly traveled. In a section of road about 50 miles long, I counted 18 cars. The next day when we actually were on the "Loneliest Road" we saw 23 cars in about the same distance, almost a traffic jam! It would not be a good place for car trouble and we are thankful to not have had that experience.
Great Basin offered some expansive views as we traveled on the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive where you could see for miles over high desert but also could observe the alpine area around Wheeler Peak, 9,886 feet tall. This area retains any water that finds its way into the "basin" and it supports wild life and vegetation that has adapted to its unique characteristics. Everything from arid desert areas to alpine is present in this national park but as with many of the parks in the west, there are few roads compared to the expanse of land. Needless to say, we limited our experience in Great Basin to driving due to a bit of a time constraint.
In Missouri this season is not known for the best wild flower viewing as it is normally dry and hot. We were treated to wild flowers of amazing colors and variety almost everywhere we went during this trip to the northwest. Even the dry climate of Great Basin had flowers to share.
We started this adventure knowing it would be our longest to date in both miles and time away from our home base. Our first couple of days promised to be intense driving days. We don't mind those type of days too much. There is much time to talk and make use of Google to answer questions about history of the area, vegetation and animals we see along the way (as long as we have cell service). Google may not always be our friend (we have discovered some unusual places we had not intended to see) but it comes in handy to appease our curiosity.
Our first night was in a familiar area as we looked for a camping spot in the Idaho Springs, Colorado, area. We had an amazing view from a pull off near the road that leads to Mt Evans. It gave us a spectacular view that included the lights of Denver some 50 plus miles away as the sun set as well as a beautiful sun rise the next morning. A young buck came meandering up the mountain side and eyed the tent but kept a safe distance from Barry and his camera.
Our next travel day took us on I 70 which had its share of construction. Road construction and summer go hand in hand in these areas that have limited season for accomplishing all that needs done. A lesson in patience and slowing down to enjoy the scenery. It was just the beginning of "cone" season and one lane roads. Blessings on the many road crews who endure so much to keep us tourists safe and moving!
Facing our last day in Colorado after leaving the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and needing to find a route east that did not include Hwy 50, we chose to travel a dirt road over Kebler Pass and then go on to Cottonwood Pass. There was not a lot of traffic on the our first route over Kebler. This route includes a pass of over 10,000 feet, forested areas, running streams and more beautiful wild flowers. I was so glad that our travels gave us more views of the amazing spring/summer flowers of the Rocky Mountains this trip. I understand this is also a premier aspen viewing area in the fall so it will be worth a return trip!
Cottonwood Pass tops out at 12,126 and is on a paved roadway. The views from above the pass on a short trail were spectacular even as a rain shower moved in. Here we got to see the tiny alpine flowers that grow in harsh tundra conditions at this elevation. They are so tiny yet hardy to be able to survive the extreme conditions.
From here it was "down hill" to eastern Colorado. I was born in La Junta, Colorado, though I don't remember living near there at all since my parents moved elsewhere before I was a year old. When you say you were born in Colorado, people picture mountains, white water rivers and forests. La Junta does not have those features but .... I was born in Colorado.
The next day saw us home in Springfield and facing 100 degree temperatures! Hello, Summer in Missouri! Glad we are not trying to sleep in the tent during these temps but we don't have to carry bear spray and a light to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night for a few days! Next trip to the Northwest and a camping rendezvous with family!
This was a re-visit and yet new. We have always seen this park from the South Rim off of Hwy 50 between Gunnison and Montrose, Colorado. At Capitol Reef we met some people living in this area who highly recommended the North Rim for a visit since they lived near there. It just so happens that the highway between Gunnison and Montrose is under major construction this summer and is open to through traffic only an hour during the daylight hours so the North Rim became our destination.
We were able to get a first come/first serve campsite for the night and then did a driving tour of overlooks. This canyon is 2,722 feet deep at its deepest and is only 40 feet wide at the narrowest spot (1,100 feet from rim to rim above this "Narrows"). Its name says "black" but there is color and rock layering that is fascinating!
When sunset was getting close, we made our way to an overlook not far from our campsite. The sunset was not disappointing and our view from the North Rim was amazing. It also happened to be the night for the Super Moon in July so we changed spots a bit and watched the moon rise over another part of the canyon. The moon was bright enough to cast shadows into the canyon in the west. The bats kept the mosquito population down and the dark sky allowed for a few bright stars to also appear as we awaited the amazing moon rise! Walking back to our campsite in the moonlight, we realized we had broken our new habit of carrying bear spray but we arrived safely back at our roof top retreat without incident. Black bears are common enough here that there were bear boxes at each site so we were thankful!
As we packed up to head east the next day and home to 100 degree temperatures, we enjoyed a cool morning and conversations with our camping neighbors. Our visits to the Colorado National Parks were completed!
After leaving Yellowstone, we traveled to a reservoir near Cody, Wyoming. Restocking groceries in Cody was a necessity and then we headed south to catch one more national park we had not seen in Colorado on our Peregrinator Journey. Near Craig, Colorado, the Elkhead Reservoir provides some much appreciated recreation for the dry area in north western Colorado. The campground we were in was not super busy but there was much more activity across the water when we pulled into camp. Swallows had made nests in the eves of the picnic shelter at our site so we opted to not disturb them and set up the camp chairs for dinner. There was a curious prairie dog that eyed our camp but kept a cautious distance during the evening.
This proved to be an awesome location for a sunset! Barry was so enamored with the light that he continued to take photos long after the official "sun-going". We were treated to some sunrise views from one of the park rangers the next morning who shared her early morning shots with us as we stopped to visit before leaving the park. Some days we think we should get up earlier in the morning but our resolve usually dissolves by the next day. Besides, we might not be able to stay up long enough to catch the amazing sunsets we are always on the look out for!
Our return to Yellowstone National Park on Monday had a different focus. There were rivers, lakes and streams we were excited to see up close. The Firehole River provided some picturesque views from a short scenic route. So worth the short detour to see! Yellowstone Lake is the largest lake above 6,000 feet elevation in the United States. It adds to the variety of recreational experiences people can have when they go to Yellowstone National Park.
Two sets of falls on the Yellowstone River kept us focused for the majority of the afternoon. Several overlooks from both rims of the river canyon allowed us different views of the river, falls and canyon it had dug over centuries. If we doubted the power of water, the "Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone" reminded us how immense that power is.
When Evan, Sally and Analou parted company with us and headed toward the Northwest, we decided to take a trip on to Yellowstone, just an hour's drive away. We had not seen the Mammoth Spring area of the park on our first visit and decided it looked interesting. It was amazing to say the least! We walked a boardwalk through some of the formations! Nothing like the aroma of sulfur to clear the nostrils but so worth the view!
These springs are an amazing reminder of the activity just under the surface in Yellowstone. The geothermal activity of geysers and bubbling springs are constantly changing the landscape of the original United States National Park.
As we made our way back toward Grand Teton for one more camping night, we stopped at several overlooks where we got to see mountain sheep and their little ones playing on the rocks across a canyon and several head of bison. Some of the rock formations were fascinating displaying distinctive colors and linear fractures that kept the camera and phone shutters active.
Just a few weeks before we arrived there, Yellowstone had been closed due to flooding. 10,000 people had been forced to leave the park after roads and bridges suffered damage. Amazingly only a small portion of the park was still inaccessible to visitors when we drove through a few short weeks later.
When you camp with others, flexibility is valuable. Barry and I have developed different sleep habits than required by work and might be counted "lay abeds" as my grandmother would have said. But when you camp with Evan, mornings are for adventure! While Sally, Analou and I got some extra rest, Evan and Barry made the trip to Jackson Lake at Colter Bay and watched an amazing sunrise! So glad they recorded it for us (and others)!
This was the day we had scheduled to go to Jenny Lake and take the boat across to a hike we had enjoyed when we were there a few years ago. We were able to hike to Inspiration Point and then on to Cascade Canyon. It was a lovely hike along a rushing stream filled with newly melted snow. We got to see a moose along the trail very close to the location we had sighted our first moose ever on qn earlier trip. It must be a great location for moose munchies! This trail was pretty busy but still allowed for slowing down to have lunch and play in the stream. We did not make it all the way to the top of the canyon but what we trekked was amazing!
On the trip back across the lake, a moose was sighted along the shore and our boat captain rerouted us to get a good view of him. He gave us a bit of back story saying this one year old fellow had hurt his leg which may have caused him to stay in this particular area when other moose were more remote. Again we were amazed at the size of these animals.
Our five mile hike had been quite enough for us all! The nice thing about hiking is that we do rest well at night!
Our first real hike in the Tetons was to Taggart Lake. This trail was one we had found on our last visit and we loved sharing it with our kids. Analou was a trouper since the trail is a bit of a climb in places. When we reached Taggart we decided to proceed on to Bradley Lake, another mile or so further. This lunch stop was beautiful! As we hiked we had watched distant rushing mountain streams as the snowfields on the mountain peaks continued to melt. These mountain lakes were very 'cool' (visually and temperature wise) so those of us who were brave put their feet in the edge of the water ('us' does not include Barry or me). Blue toes would not have matched my hiking pants! But it was a very quiet, restful place to have lunch. When lunch was over we proceeded back down the trail and veered closer to the bank of Taggart Lake. The mountain scenery from there was delightful!
By the time we returned to the car we were in time to check into the first of our three campsites reserved in the Colter Bay Campground. Moving from site to site opens up opportunities for meeting new people and the tent is easy to pack up. We were warned to keep a clean camp and to stow all food and cooking utensils in the bear boxes as they had had bears in the campground every day of the previous week. Keeping a clean camp is a habit with us but the warning made us hyper-vigilant. Meeting a bear in the middle of the night on a bathroom run was not an enticing idea!
A quick shopping stop in Jackson, Wyoming, replenished our groceries and set us on the path to Gros Ventre Campground (pronounced 'gro vaunt'). We love the Tetons and have since we first saw them in 2010. A return trip in 2018 gave us time to do some hiking into the mountains and up to alpine lakes and we were even more impressed. This year's return with Evan, Sally and Analou increased our love for the Tetons and we look forward to returning. There are some trails we have not mastered!
This was our first time to camp in Gros Ventre. The river was very inviting on a warm July day. A Ranger led program on the Native Peoples connected to the park perked my interest. Sally and I walked to the amphitheater to listen while our very skilled men made dinner. We learned that 24 indigenous tribes are affiliated with the area which is now included in Grand Teton National Park. Only neighboring Yellowstone National Park has more indigenous groups that are connected to their park. Realizing that so many native peoples have claims to the land we were exploring was very interesting to me. The young park ranger was herself a member of one of the tribes and her perspective on the rich heritage this land had even before it became a National Park was very insightful.
As usually happens, our tent drew attention and opened up several interesting conversations. This very family friendly park was full of children on bikes and teenagers "hanging out" in the outdoors. With very little internet signal throughout the park, I am sure the teens there were more unplugged than they were used to. Barry and I even hit a spot where we were feeling a bit at loose ends and disconnected. It was very good for us! Besides, we had the gift of family so it was not too much trouble to connect in person with family and fellow campers.
We needed stop to break up our journey on July 4th and found a camp site on the edge of a lake near Pinedale, WY. What we did not know is that it was also in a bit of a marsh which supported a healthy mosquito population. We survived the night with minor casualties and gathered for breakfast. While we were eating, Evan mentioned that he saw something black and moving in the bushes behind our picnic table area. Analou retreated to the car while Barry grabbed his camera and proceeded to move forward to one side. Suddenly there was more movement in the bushes and we could make out a head and antlers. With the binoculars, I could clearly see the velvet on his antlers! It was our closest encounter with a moose who calmly continued eating under camouflage of the bushes undaunted by the humans or the mosquitoes!
Evan and Sally had discovered this area as well and we were so glad they did. This was a beautiful area and the snow had not completely melted from some of the higher areas. We camped on the western edge of the range at a little lower elevation and then drove back up to hike on Sunday. The flowers were breath taking and the views so amazing.
We hiked five miles from one lake to two others. Part of the trail lead through boulder fields that were challenging for the feet. Part of the trail lead through snow fields that were also on the rough walking side. But no matter the tricky footing, the views were worth every step!
We were passed on the trail by one young man portaging a canoe from one lake to an upper lake on his shoulders while his fishing partner carried all the gear. As we watched them later at the upper lake, they arrived and immediately started casting lures into the water, catching a trout at every cast! They knew something about the lake that made the portage worth it!
Alpine lakes, snow capped peaks, and beautiful meadows of flowers made this a fabulous camera day!
As we packed up to leave the next day making sure we had water for the next campsite, we met two firefighters from Florida who were working the Colorado/Wyoming National Forests encouraging forest fire prevention. We were appreciative of the National Forest program for fire prevention that allowed these men to interact with campers during the 4th of July weekend. Thank you, NFS for all you provide that benefits those of us who love the natural world we inhabit!
Its name, according to some, is a romanticized version of the Arapaho word "bito'o'wu" meaning "earth-born". Our oldest son and his family had camped here last year and had encouraged us to visit it despite the fact that we are not rock climbers. This year we met them here to share some family time on the front end of their year long adventure combining work and travel. It was beautiful!
Barry and I arrived a day before Evan's family so we hiked around part of the rock formations. For those of you familiar with Elephant Rocks in eastern Missouri, imagine Elephant Rocks on steroids! These rocks were Sherman Granite and breath taking!
Our camping partners arrived the next afternoon and we were blessed with lots of conversation, shared meals and "boulder climbing"! It was the start of the 4th of July holiday weekend so the campground began to fill up. We made a delightful connection with our camping neighbors across the road. One special man could call Vedauwoo his second home as he camps there most weekends around his 'day job' of construction. Conversations and more were exchanged during our time with our new friend, Lance. The young ladies across from us another direction were from Laramie and met the challenge of putting up their tent in a stiff wind and rain. However, after the rain came a double rainbow and it turned into a gorgeous evening. A couple up the way were taking wedding photos (we were not sure if the wedding was taking place as well but the dress, etc. was present). We were told a moose wandered through the campground but we missed him as we gazed at the skies.
We love our 'couple' time camping but it became wonderfully special when we added family to the mix! Sally, Analou and I trekked through part of the massive rock formation, explored some crevices and watched some deer feeding. At five years old, Analou is a stout hiker and challenged her PopPop to climb with her on boulders near the campsite. One of our camping neighbors climbed the rocks barefoot but our family still enjoys our adventures with shoes on.
When we lived in Colorado while Barry was in graduate school in Denver, we traveled to Rocky Mountain with the kids on several occasions. We had camped and hiked with our middle son, daughter in law and grandson several years ago at RMNP. This time we decided to focus on areas we had not seen. This park does implement the reservation system and limits the number of people who can access certain parts of the park at one time. Since we had camping reservations, those controlled entries did not affect us but we decided to avoid the Bear Lake area, a very popular area, since we had hiked it several times in years past.
Despite the heavy use of the park, we had managed to piece together several nights in two of the campgrounds. Imagine our surprise to meet someone from Springfield MO camped just a few sites away from us. It was fun to visit with him and learn his favorite hikes since this park is his 'go to' annually. Other neighbors were from Boston and had a roof top tent as well. Sharing organization tips on how to travel with our Subaru vehicles was helpful for us. We were also blessed to visit with another camping neighbor who had wisdom about trails directly from the campground. This camping location was a very special place for many conversations. From photography hints to hiking recommendations, it was a blessed time! The stories that got shared were so special and diverse! Praying God's blessing on each of those who crossed our path!
Our hike to Cub Lake was beautiful! Not only did we see a moose, but we saw three moose, a wild turkey, and a deer. We managed to catch the afternoon rain shower at the lake. Afternoon rain showers are the norm in the Rockies so we were glad for our rain jackets.
Something new that we found in Rocky Mountain was a shower building where you could bring your solar shower bag and take a shower. They do not offer showers at the National Park campgrounds we were at but they provided a place for you to "bring your own" . Of course, we had not taken our solar shower bag since we had yet to implement it so it had not made the cut in our last re-evaluation of 'necessities'. We will be taking the solar shower with us next time!
Rocky Mountain was a beautiful park and when we moved to the west side of the park, we enjoyed all the views from Trail Ridge Road. Our last night in Rocky Mountain was at Timber Creek where we found another moose and a quiet trail along the Colorado River. We camped next to some kind people from Ozark MO and had several conversations with a mother and daughter from Colorado. A retired National Geographic photographer was camping with her husband and grandchildren who talked 'image making' with Barry and shared a couple of special stories from her career. Such a blessing to encounter others along this path we are on!
After an overnight stay with our middle son in Kansas, we hit the road west (may be our favorite direction most of the time). "Scenic" I-70 across Kansas and eastern Colorado provided a 'very special' picnic spot outside of Colby, Kansas. Fortunately the wind was out of the right direction to prevent a large does of 'l'odeur de feed lot'! We chose to take the less populated route and missed Denver this trip. There are times when driving in more populace places fits our mood but this time it seemed advantageous to jog northwest. The first camping stop on our trip was in a bit of an out of the way state park west of Fort Collins. The journey there took us along the Cache la Poudre River. We felt a bit out of place as we drove along since we did not bring a fly rod nor any other fishing device. The scenery was beautiful and we enjoyed catching glimpses of rafts and kayaks making the most of the snow melt swollen river. It was a delightful path to the state forest site we had scheduled.
We have learned to never assume there will be water in our more basic camping places, especially in the west. I am afraid I take our greater abundance of water in the Ozarks for granted but many areas are not so blessed. We try to arrive at every camp site with ample water for cooking and cleaning. Finding a source for water along the way has become easier with the iOverlander app that notes where there is free potable water. This was a dry camp so we were ready!
Camping at the end of the road in State Forest State Park was delightful and we had wonderful neighbors and a beautiful sunset! It was great fun to have several young couples interested enough to climb up the ladder to take a look in the rooftop tent. Most people do not realize that our tent opens up into a larger than queen sized bed with a generous amount of head room. It is fun to share our adventure with those who cross our path.
As we packed up to head on to Rocky Mountain NP, we took a bit of time to catch a nature trail that lead through some beautiful wild flower meadows. It was just the beginning of the best wild flower viewing we had ever had in the Rockies! Our timing was perfect to catch so many different varieties of wild flowers at their peak!
We located a dirt road that allowed us to cut off several miles and eliminate some back tracking after several miles back up the canyon of the Poudre. Following Google through some areas of the country can be interesting to say the least. Our short cut was great but locating Wendy's in Loveland was a test of patience as we drove by one Wendy's to wander in a newer area of the city to a different one. We decided the folks at that Wendy's must have needed the photos we shared and we eventually got back on track to very gradually make our way through Estes Park and on to Rocky Mountain National Park.
Our next day took us to Arches National Park. This is one of the parks that has implemented the reservation entrance pass. It is not costly but allows the park to control the number of visitors in the park to some extent. Campers in the park are free to enter and leave at their leisure but others coming in for the day are scheduled via the reservation system. We met a fellow from Europe on a motorcycle who was unaware of the reservation system as was pretty frustrated by the limitation. We understood his dilemma and would have gladly added him to our car to go into the park but one glance in our backseat was a definite deterrent to hitching a ride. However, we also enjoyed the opportunity to actually get to the trail heads with room to park which had not happened at Zion earlier in our journey. Hopefully the Parks department will wisely figure out how to accommodate the numbers of visitors that are flocking to the great outdoors of America.
This was another "revisit" trip for us so we could focus on areas that we had not seen in other visits. We made it Landscape Arch which was amazing but even more amazing when we got home and realized the breadth of the span. It was over a football field length stretch from support to support. A section of one of the side supports had collapsed while someone was there who had videoed the event. It was breath taking and I have to say I am glad it did not do anything like that while we walked nearby. The massive amount of rock at the base of the support was just a reminder that even though all these national parks in Utah are massive amounts of rock, they are also subject to the forces of nature that eventually turn boulders to grains of sand.
When we arrived at Canyonlands, we did not have a reservation to camp. There had been dry campgrounds of the National Forest Service along the road but we decided to try for one in the park if possible. The camp host was walking along the edge of the road as we drove in and told us to "head to Las Vegas or buy a lottery ticket" since we were directly in front of the only vacant site in the park. Not only was it near the bathroom (always a plus) but it had trees which shaded our site beautifully as well as a small cave and lovely bluff area.
After claiming our spot, we headed up into the Needles area to explore. Our previous visit had focused on a different area of the park but the trail into this picturesque area did not disappoint. It was fairly busy but still provided room for us to walk our own comfortable pace.
We were treated to an amazing sunset from our campsite area as well as a delightful conversation with a couple from Quebec. I love to see how other campers are maximizing their space to accommodate their camping needs. Their English was much, much better than our French but we managed to have an enthusiastic conversation.
Our journey to Capitol Reef lead us through the largest aspen forest in the US. Beautiful trees that were new green and dazzling white barked in the spring sunshine. Much as we enjoyed the current view, we could not help but speculate on the glorious sight it would be in the fall!
We camped in a National Forest Campground outside of Capitol Reef two nights. This was a return visit but our first trip could only be rated a "drive by". This trip we did take time to get on a couple of trails as well as revisit some amazing petroglyphs, evidence of the much earlier settlers. The ancient artwork is located along the edge of a verdant valley that had been home to hearty Mormon settlers who created beautiful orchards that still produce amazing fruit today. Massive cottonwood trees grace the banks of the Fremont River which is quite a contrast to the high desert surrounding this oasis.
We LOVE Bryce National Park! This trip confirmed how much we love this park! As we came into the park, there were notices that there were openings in the campgrounds. A quick trip through the nearest campground revealed a beautiful site with an interesting configuration with parking above the area where the picnic table was located. This proved to be one of those places we did not have to move the car while we were there since shuttles and trail heads were convenient to our camp site.
The employees of the National Parks have a challenging job at best with the numbers of visitors increasing in amazing numbers. We have been so impressed with the kindness and patience these people give to those of us making National Parks our destinations. Our camp hosts in Bryce were amazing! As often happens, the tent drew visitors to our "home away from home" and then Barry's pictures opened doors for more conversations. While here we got to meet a wonderful family from Tennessee who were a special delight! We realized that a comment made by one of our visitors sums up why Barry gives away photos:
When asked why Barry had given their family a picture, the father told he his son "Maybe he loves Jesus and loves to share the beauty he saw." Sounded like the right answer to us!
We hiked the rim running north from our campground toward Fairyland area and then picked the trail back up the next day and trekked south. The hiking ended when I realized I had mislaid my phone in one of the overlook bathrooms and, through the aid of a wonderful couple from Minnesota, learned it was at the visitor center waiting to be claimed. We have been the recipients of such kind people on our journeys!
Camping near Zion National Park at a National Forest Campground was a very special experience. We got to camp under Ponderosa Pines and had some wonderful talks with neighboring campers. The journey to Zion was about 40 minutes where we joined the cue of others desiring to enter the park. Zion had not implemented the reservation system to limit the number of visitors at the time we were there. This park has the only road from east to west in that area of Utah without driving an extra 100 miles so that may be what has prevented them making limitations on park visitors. We thought we were early for the busy season but found that might not have been true. As we drove through the park, every trail head was parked full as was the visitor center parking. The town of Springdale offers additional parking and shuttle service back into the park but we opted to hike on the edges of the park where there were fewer people. Since this was a return visit, we did not feel that we had not seen this beautiful park. These new paths gave us different views of Zion which were amazing. A day on the trail is always a good day for us so we will catch some of the more visited hikes on another trip.
You do realize it is a small world in lots of ways. We met a brother and sister from Springfield, MO on our East Rim hike which was so fun! A bit later a couple from Chicago recommended a hike on the other side of the park that we enjoyed the next day! On that hike we met a couple from Poland who were in the States visiting National Parks.
Mesa Verde National Park was a return visit for us. We counted back and realized we had seen this park in summer and winter but not in spring. This was the first time we had camped in the park so getting more time to wander and hike was awesome! We were still a bit early for the seasonal openings of tours so we were limited to access. In past years, some of the ruins were part of self guided tours but this time we were limited to pit houses on the top of the canyon. We did get a view of a ruin we had not seen before after a bit of hike. Nordenskiold #16 was first excavated in 1891 by a Swedish archaeologist. It was one of the smaller ruins but we enjoyed time to just look with no other hikers present. There was plenty of time to admire the vegetation, some of which was in bloom. It did make us wonder how they managed to grow crops in the arid area. With the numerous cliff dwellings, they must have mastered specific farming skills for that region. This particular ruin had 39 rooms and 7 kivas.
In reading about the progression of dwellings for these pre-Puebloan peoples, you realize that they adapted to better provide for their communities. Archaeologists have traced changes implemented which were taken from encounters with other groups they probably traded with. From pit houses to moving down on the cliff faces, round storage towers to square towers, these native peoples were innovators! The native peoples, also known as the Anasazi, have left fascinating evidence of their civilization.
Crossing over Wolf Creek Pass is always a joy to us! These mountains make our hearts happy! We always reminisce about the having to detour to New Mexico during the time the road was under construction. This time it was a straight shot up and over to find Treasure Falls. We have seen this waterfall before but not with as much water as it had this trip. A climb to a view point near the top of the falls resulted in a very nice drenching shower from the mist. From the trail to the top of the falls, Barry caught this mountain view that still boasted snow on May 11th, 2022.
The sky as we came into southern Colorado added a new image to "Colorful Colorado"! The smoke coming in from New Mexico made visibility a challenge for a bit but we traveled up to our campground for the night and found clear skies. Zappata Falls Campground provided a wonderful overlook to the Great Sand Dune National Park we would be re-visiting the next day.
We have a collection of stories about the hikes that we have taken that fall into the category of "what does not kill you makes you stronger" and the Great Sand Dune National Park provided one of those when our kids were young. We decided that we did not have to replicate that adventure so we stopped for a short reminder visit, a selfie, a photo to prove there is water present (at times) and continued our path westward.
After leaving the Grand Canyon area we traveled through the Hopi Indian Reservation to Holbrook, Arizona. From here we were going to see the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. We do not often stay in private campgrounds but the KOA in Holbrook provided an interesting set up for tent campers with a shelter and privacy fence wind break that came in handy as the winds picked up and rain threatened.
Trees and rocks are two things we really enjoy on our journeys so to find this interesting place where they are "combined" was interesting. When you look at the results of minerals displacing organic cells of trees that died millions of years ago, it is an impressive sight. If you try to pick up any of these stray pieces of "wood" you will quickly remember that minerals are more dense than wood!
Notice the picture above that shows us posed near a large petrified tree. We replicated a photo of Albert Einstein and his wife taken in the 1930's with "Old Faithful". In almost 100 years, this tree has changed very little unlike most fallen trees in the forest that recycle into soil nutrients in much less than 100 years!
On a gray skied day, there was still so much color to observe as we wandered paths through the area. The Painted Desert does not have the same resistance to change of its rocks as the petrified specimens. Perfect example was the tree whose roots have split the rock in the photo. It was just too amazing to pass up showing how plants manage to survive against some pretty stiff odds. We also encountered a tree in our Arizona travel that has adapted to the dry weather by dropping its leaves and photosynthesizing through its bark to say alive.
The wind's intensity made a meal out sound pretty inviting. As we stopped we met two men who were riding bikes from California to North Carolina. They would be passing through the Ozarks later in the year. After just walking through the stiff winds through the parks made me empathetic toward their journey in all types of weather. We do like our creature comforts of heat and air conditioning and limiting the amount of wind we have to battle.
As we left Arizona for northern New Mexico heading home, we were hit with snow and sleet. It was like winter needed one last hurrah! Also a reminder that nature has its own schedule and we were glad we got to enjoy such beautiful weather through most of our Arizona trip. Westerly winds helped our gas mileage as we traveled home until we hit Oklahoma where the wind shifted to make driving more of a challenge. One thing we have learned is to "take what you are given" and look for opportunities for gratitude.
Traveling north from Sedona, we located a motel stay for a night to catch up laundry. Flagstaff, Arizona, offered us just what we needed. We had heard many good things about Flagstaff and many years ago, Barry's Aunt Florence had worked in the area. She had loved living in this mountain ringed area so close to many vacation destinations. In March it was still easy to locate snow along roadsides and among evergreen trees that allowed the snow to slowly seep into the ground to add to the ground water.
We have become pretty comfortable with laundromat visits along our travels. Barry usually distributes photos to the other patrons of the laundry facility so we have chances to meet people and enjoy many conversations. Flagstaff also provided a place to stock up on groceries and propane for our next stop, the Grand Canyon.
We had reservations to stay in Mather Campground and were looking forward to not having to move the tent for the time we were there since a very efficient shuttle service runs along the canyon. One of the stops was a few hundred yards from our campsite and there were trails for people and bikes throughout the park. The elk loved the campground and moved through it at their leisure.
Over the next four days we hiked over 30 miles and saw the Canyon from many vantage points. Our longest trek was along the rim trail from Hermit's Rest back to our campground for just over 12 miles. Of course we had to try for a sunset over the canyon which did not disappoint. Walking back to our campground in the dark after Barry had tried for the last glimmers of light made for an adventure.
Another advantage of staying in one spot for camping was getting to talk to neighboring campers (and share photos). This park visit gave us so many wonderful conversations and opportunities to interact with others who were enjoying the park. We had neighbors from Wisconsin, Indiana, Massachusetts as well as California while camped in the campground. It was spring break for some people around us and others were escaping the lingering winter at their homes. The daytime temperatures were in the 70's and night time cooled to the 30's so perfect for hiking and sleeping (with our Heater Buddy)!
We did not attempt going down into the Canyon this trip so that will get put on our "Next Trip" list. One of the ladies we met had done the rim to rim trail but not sure we will ever be in shape for that one! We do recognize our limits sometimes!
For people who love rocks, Arizona is a paradise! When we left the Phoenix area to travel north, we entered a locale new to us. The Sedona area has had many recommendations from friends and acquaintances for vistas worth seeing. It is a beautiful area! But if you know us, you know that we often look for the "path less traveled". The parking lots at most of the trailheads were crowded and people were amassed in the roadways so we sought another way to enjoy the views of this beautiful area. A solution came in the Red Rocks State Park along Arizona Highway 179, a bit south of Sedona proper. This state park gave us some beautiful views and fewer people on the trails. The trees along the streams and runoffs were beginning to leaf out and reminded us that spring was eminent. One of the things we did agree on is that a return trip to Arizona to fill in the gaps we had not explored was going on our "to do" list!
As we left Saguaro, we had scheduled a visit with a friend in Phoenix so we had a destination. We headed north and discovered an amazing state park at the foot of the Superstition Mountains. Since we had a specific time/place set, this will be an area we hope to hike in on another trip after the national parks tour. We did have some wonderful conversations with people camping at the park. The tent is often a conversation starter but it frequently leads to sharing words of encouragement as we learn the stories of our fellow campers. It is special to discover why people are traveling in these beautiful areas of the country. We could see the lights of Phoenix below (top right photo) as we watched the sunset. With the mountains as a backdrop, we did not feel like we are any where near an urban area. A beautiful spot indeed!
Barry tells people that we do not always have the same high expectations of the National Parks we visit. Saguaro National Park was one of those we were not sure we would get excited about but it was an incredible place. We spent part of two days there and loved our time.
We have come to appreciate the amazing diversity of the vegetation found in the desert areas of the Southwest. Maybe one day we will be able to remember all the names of the plants we encounter and how they have adapted to living with so little water. (Rainfall in Tucson, Arizona is about 12 inches annually while the average rainfall of Missouri is 45 plus inches.) The saguaro forest was so impressive. One of the things we learned is that there is a wooden support inside the fleshy part of the cactus. The top right photo shows a 'skeleton' of a saguaro cactus after the plant has died and the flesh has decomposed.
Arizona skies are expansive and provide a beautiful canvas for sunrises and sunsets. The colors and the play of light during those transition times provides so much delight! We had the chance to camp a couple of nights on the historic Empire Ranch BLM land with breath taking views across a working ranch that has been in operation for over 160 years. This area also has been on the 'big screen' as the backdrop for television shows and movies during the 20th century. "Bonaza", "Gunsmoke", "Gunfight at OK Corral", "The Cowboys", "The Outlaw Josie Wales" and even the musical, "Oklahoma!" were filmed on the ranch. Some of the bovine inhabitants of the ranch came by to visit but they were not very interested in conversation and 'grazed' on by.
We have traveled to the wonderful state of New Mexico four times in the last three years. You might get the idea that we like New Mexico and you would be right. The state has so much diversity to offer and the people have been so gracious. As we set our sites on the Arizona National Parks, we were excited to see that the state of New Mexico was on the way. Through one of those 'random conversations' that direct our path, one of our Cobblestone neighbors recommended an area outside of Deming NM called 'City of Rocks'. We are so thankful for this recommendation! As we journeyed into this area this view from a distance grew to awesome walls of stone produced by volcanic activity millions of years ago.
Our adventures here included camping on BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) from which we had spectacular views. We were also given the opportunity to see how the roof top tent would stand up to 40 mile an hour winds during the night. The verdict is in; the tent is safe at those winds but not 'sound proof'. The rain fly made enough noise that sleeping was not very possible. There was speculation at how much wind it would take to take tent and Subaru airborne. We survived the night with just a loss of sleep and a good distribution of sand and dust in every nook and cranny.
So many times Barry gets the "big" picture with panoramic views of places we are visiting. The top photos are of sunset at Long Pine Campground and sunrise at Flamingo Campground. There were wide vistas of dwarf cypress, palm trees, pine, bays, and miles of grasses but the attention-getters in southern Florida were the living organisms we got to see. We lost count of the number of alligators we saw, especially in Big Cypress. Barry kept his distance as recommended but he was very enticed to take as many pictures as he could (no, he did not get to take a picture of any snakes so the gators were his reptilian fascination)! I spent countless hours trying to learn how to distinguish one white water bird from another.
We met an Everglades biologist who shared some wonderful insight into the special place the Everglades fills in this diverse country. An evening boat ride near several keys with a knowledgeable guide shed more light on the wonder of the Everglades and the amazing mangrove trees. Our walk through the swamp with a ranger guide was an experience we are so glad we got to participate in (though the alligator resting a short distance from where we entered the swamp did cause a bit of consternation).
The 43 varieties of mosquitoes were also an experience. For the first time in years we broke out the bug nets when in our campground. Flamingo Campground was a very special place near the furthest south area of the Continental United States and the mosquitoes are something to write home about! The interior of our tent looked like a war zone with blood splatters on the walls where we killed those that snuck in despite our quick entrance and exit of the tent. If we said that we got 'used' to those insects that would be an exaggeration but they did not keep us from enjoying our time in the 'Glades'!
While in Flamingo we saw several other rooftop tenters! One night there were a total of four roof top tents in the campground which was a first for us! As usual we found opportunity to visit with others about their reasons for traveling, places they love and their dreams of the future. We are enjoying our retirement! We are so thankful for the opportunity to travel together through the national parks and other special places! The Ascent now has 60,000 miles on its body and we have had a total of 60 nights in our rooftop tent over the last year and a half. (Barry estimates he has climbed up and down the ladder over 600 times, a good many of those in the dark!)
When an area bears the name "Linville" it makes us curious! Two of our boys had been to this lovely area in North Carolina so our February journey to the Southeast called for a bit of a detour! Thanks to Ancestry.com and Google, we found more family connection than we expected. Warning: Barry is more than happy to share what we learned...and share....and share. We loved the little glimpse we got of this beautiful area and will be adding it to our fall return to the east! Beautiful as it is, imagine it in the colors of fall! We understand we will be sharing it with more people since in February with an icy trail it was not heavily populated!