Category: National Parks

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North Dakota and Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Starting our drive across the country…
It is all in how your measure it.
A nice reservoir here to enjoy a quiet evening.
Gorgeous reflections this morning on the Little Missouri in Theodore Roosevelt National Park – South Unit.
Watching a herd of Bison crossing the Little Missouri – water low enough we could cross also.
A Bison traffic jam. We are late to start a hike!
Seeing the Bison up close from the van.
The historic original entrance gate to the National Park before it was rerouted through Medora, ND.
Amazing CCC stone work with precise joints.
Wild horses or as the rangers say feral horses but they have been here a long time.
Theodore Roosevelt’s hunting cabin – this was where he came for his solitude.
Hiked the Caprock Coulee Trail in North Unit with a stop at River Bend Overlook and the CCC structure.
Hoodoos in the badlands. We saw a bunch of petrified wood also.
A geological phenomenon called concretions – bowling ball type of rocks embedded in other rock.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site – we were here also 10 years ago.
The display hasn’t changed but we enjoyed being able to be here again.
Driving across country we passed KVLY-TV Tower, Western Hemisphere’s Tallest Structure at 2,063 ft is in North Dakota.
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Utah: Sand Island/Butler Wash

We are in Bluff Utah by lunch and snagged a river site at Sand Island Campground.
A wonderful walk along the river to see petroglyphs – and blooming cactus.
Nicely preserved petroglyphs in the rock faces.
Also some wall remnants protected under cliff overhangs.
We headed up Butler Wash along Combs Ridge for some more remote hiking.
More ancient construction under some huge cliffs with protected coves.
Absolutely gorgeous petroglyphs – quite large and very distinct.
We could make up our own stories as to the meanings.
Nice scenery to enjoy after a day of hiking – relaxing in the shade of the van!
A long day hike up a canyon to some more areas of interest.
Posing outside doorway to give some scale to the building.
Love how the large boulders are incorporated into the walls. There must have been an upper level
Amazing hand print detail captured with a zoom lens.
We had a very hot day of hiking and we did not explore all the side canyons.
But enjoyed some unusual natural rock formations.
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4/5: Datil Wells/El Malpais

We blew across the plains while enjoying fun cloud formations.
Very Large Array had a road stop spot to get a photograph.
Datil Wells was one of 25 watering sites on a cattle drive route across New Mexico.
A very pleasant 3 mile nature loop had enough snow that finding the trail was challenging.
Reward was fabulous views that were worth the effort.
We found one of the hidden rocks a Farmington group was doing – it made us smile.
Such a small spec on the big landscape of El Malpais NM , Joe Skeen BLM Campground.
The Lava Falls trail was similar to Valley of Fire.
Grants and Mt Taylor in the background of our campsite.
Enjoying another outdoor happy hour – our first of hopefully many in 2021.
Official twenty-fifth year celebration.
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3/5: White Sands NP/Organ Mountains NM

The clouds and remaining snow made a revisit to White Sands National Park feel unique.
The gypsum sand does not look so white under the snow.
The winds shifted the clouds into different formations.
It looks dark and stormy over the mountains providing contrast with the sand.
There was some fresh snow at Organ Mountains – Desert Peaks NM but is suppose to warm up.
Test (la) drove a Model 3 and marveled at the design details. Electrifying!
Hiked Pine Tree Loop into the foothills of the Organ Mountains.
Very unusual clouds and sunset lighting as the moisture rose.
The Chihuahuan Desert and all its amazing diversity.
Enjoying the picnic area from our #1 site at Aquirre Spring Campground.
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8/8: Hovenweep NM / Canyon of the Ancients NM

“Safer at Home and the Colorado Great Outdoors 2020”

We are back in the shadow of the Sleeping Ute.

There were still ruins we had not seen and trails we had not traversed.

Holly ruins can be hiked from Hovenweep NM but we disperse camped at the trailhead.

Amazing how structures are built right from the rock like a medieval tower.

Painted Hand Tower was unique and a pleasant hike.

This is a panorama of the great kiva at Lowry Pueblo.

We hiked both ends of the Sand Canyon and disperse camped here on the upper north end one night with this view of the canyon…

…and these unique structures in alcoves were on the south end.

We walked around Hovenweep NM and marveled at the construction. 

We were here in October 2016.

We appreciated the interesting cloud formations.And were happy to to spot some wildlife with this lizard.

We enjoyed a spectacular sunset from the campground.

We left the Sleeping Ute in the rearview mirror as we finished our 27 days on the road.

 

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5/8: Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Colorado

“Safer at Home and the Colorado Great Outdoors 2020”

So many aspens! There is Gold in them there hills!

Howdy partner! We donned our masks to enjoy a walk around downtown Crested Butte.

Blue Mesa Reservoir is about 56 feet low due to water use fighting fires in California.

We camped 2 nights at the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

We walked the rim trail with the gamble oaks red dramatically setting off the black rock.

Enjoying the splendor of the canyon.

Looking down, down, down at the Gunnison River.

We were last here in the spring of 2012.

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8/8: Mojave to Vermillion Cliffs

We are getting our kicks on Route 66!

We parked for the night at BLM’s Amboy Crater and hiked to the caldera in the morning. The other side of those mountains is Twenty Nine Palms, where my Dad was stationed when he brought his young bride to California on Rt 66.

We are headed to these mountains across the train tracks into the Mojave National Preserve.

We found a nice site at Hole In the Wall campground. Is there a hole in the wall to continue our hike?

Really is there a hole in the wall?

Well what do you know. Jungle Gym rings to pull yourself up the slot.

Gorgeous cactus and vistas along the trail.

Beauty in the details.

We motored through Las Vegas and followed the Virgin River into the Gold Buttes National Monument established in 2016. Another new monument on BLM land!

We enjoyed the sunset and solitude. We will have to come back to explore more of this park.

Marble Canyon area on east side of Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. We stopped at Grand Staircase Escalante Visitor Center and received a wealth of information to keep us busy for several weeks. Providing of course the monument doesn’t shrink again.

We drove through some Vermilion Cliffs to Lees Ferry. Many changes have come this way with paved roads, pullouts, parking lots, and dedicated campground.

Channeling Wesley Powell: A fabulous day on the Colorado River! This is part of the Grand Canyon National Park and where rafting trips to the canyon begin.

This is another release site for California condors – we were lucky to see a pair fly over the canyon.

We looked through a sun telescope as there were some astronomers holding a special event. The Navajo Bridge leads you to Glen Canyon Recreation Area. We have come full circle on our trip.

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7/8: Pinnacles NP

Pinnacles was established as a National Monument by Teddy in 1908 but upgraded to a National Park in 2013. So until another is upgraded, we have now visited  all western mainland US National Parks.
We snagged a camp site with electricity for four nights so we could relax and enjoy several days of hiking.
There are some unique stairways carved into the stone on several trails.
And caves created by falling boulders.
California Condors are released here. We talked to a scientist who tracks them with radio collars like the wolves in Yellowstone. He confirmed the three we had seen overhead were condor sightings!
There are also specially marked trails for rock climbers.
Interesting rock formations up close and personal.
One trail took us to this peaceful reservoir.
with some calm water reflections.
another stairway – actually gets you to the top pretty fast!
And what a view!
So we can find a spot for our lunch break and contemplate the path back to camp.
Heading South, we spent the next night at Carrizo Plain National Monument in the Central Valley. We had the parking lot to ourselves and enjoyed the quietness of the plains.
This was our view of sunset. A big change from crowded Pinnacles campground: Someone at Pinnacles “borrowed” our leveling blocks for 3 nights but luckily they returned them before we left. Can you imagine that lack of courtesy to your fellow camper?
This is the beautiful white alkali flats of Soda Lake – there is a neat boardwalk to take for a closer look. This is another landlocked Basin surrounded by Range.
Another new monument in 2012, Cesar E Chavez National Monument in the California Central Valley was created from his home to recognize the importance of his contribution to the hard working farmworkers. Yes, we can! This is his grave site and memorial garden with water features commemorating the 5 martyrs killed during the protests.