Death Valley, although as mentioned in the previous post seemingly muted, can claim a rich and colorful human history going back at least 10,000 years. Native Americans, foolhardy ’49ers, hardscrabble miners, boom towns, 20-mule-teams, the Civilian Conservation Corps, and most recently tourism and the creation of the largest park in...
Death Valley NP – Reflections on the desert……
Death Valley is truly the desert personified, an incomparable sense of space, quiet and solitude. The colors are nothing like the Utah or Arizona high desert landscape, they are there but much more muted and understated. And there are interesting things and people that are attracted to this true...
The other side of Las Vegas
This trip to Vegas I spent very little time on the “strip” and instead visited some great outdoor areas. There were many benefits to this the least of which is saving money staying away from the casinos! Another side of Las Vegas is that there are some great...
Giving Thanks in Las Vegas
Las Vegas for Thanksgiving? It may seem like an odd choice but at the time that I made the reservations it seemed to fit in well with my route. What made it the best was that Mom & Dad thought it would be fun to fly in to Vegas...
Grand Canyon National Park – Musing the future
Time to check another National Park off the list. I have been to the Grand Canyon a number of times but it seems that each time is different. With just a couple of nights here I was lucky enough to catch up with an old friend of the family...
Lake Powell & Rainbow Bridge National Monument
While visiting Antelope Canyon camping at Lake Powell was a must do. Part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area the Lake Powell Wahweap Campground is operated by a National Parks concessionaire. The views from the campsite were awesome with sunrises and sunsets creating beautiful colors on the rocks surrounding...
Antelope Slot Canyons
If you have seen those incredible photos of the slot canyons with the beam of light then you have glimpsed Antelope Canyon. Located on Navajo land just east of Page, Arizona, it includes two separate slot canyon sections upper and lower. The more visited canyon is the upper canyon...
Zion National Park – Loved by millions
285 square miles and over 4 million visitors this year. Zion is certainly one of the “diamonds” of the National Park system. Before I write about my awesome hikes in Zion I wanted to muse a bit about the very real idea of “loving a park to death”. This...
Kodachrome Basin State Park & More GSENM Hikes
After Escalante was another Utah State Park – Kodachrome Basin State Park. The campground there provided full hookups but there was no cell or internet service to be had. Fortunately I wasn’t totally off the grid as the DirectTV found a satellite and I was able to watch the...
Bryce Canyon NP – Hiking the Hoodoos
Named after the Mormon Pioneer Ebenezer Bryce, Bryce Canyon became a national park in 1928. Small by National Park standards, the 56.2 square miles of Bryce Canyon National Park is an awe inspiring example of the geologic process. Hoodoos (odd-shaped pillars of rock left standing from the forces of...