Of all the national parks we’ve visited, (33 so far), Yosemite is our all-time favorite. While we were staying in Coarsegold, California, we couldn’t resist a visit to our former “backyard.”
The Historical Wawona Hotel was being renovated in 2025.
We entered Yosemite park through the Oakhurst entrance and stopped at the Wawona visitors’ center. In all our visits to Yosemite, I’d never been to this visitors’ center. It houses a fabulous collection of paintings of the famous landscape artist, Thomas Hill.
A large floor to ceiling painting of Thomas Hill in the Wawona Visitors’ center.
After getting my National Parks Passport book stamped and buying a couple of stickers for my journal, we drove on to Glacier Point. The road was fully opened recently after having been closed for a couple of years for repairs.
At over 7,200 feet in elevation, Glacier Point has the best views of Half Dome and Vernal and Nevada Falls. It also has wonderful views of Yosemite Valley and Yosemite Falls.
Huge rock walls of Yosemite Valley
The weather was a perfect temperature that day. The clouds added character to the beautiful landscape.
Half Dome and Yosemite ValleyView of Half Dome from Glacier PointVernal and Nevada Falls from Glacier PointHalf Dome, Vernal and Nevada Falls from Glacier PointRock ledge overlooking Yosemite Valley and Yosemite Upper and Lower Falls from Glacier Point
We were driving back from Glacier Point when we found this nice meadow where we stopped to eat our picnic lunch. I took some time to do a quick “plein air” watercolor painting. It wasn’t a Thomas Hill, but it was fun and relaxing.
Meadow on Glacier RoadPlein Air painting
As we were coming through the tunnel, the view suddenly opened up and we saw this magnificent view of the valley and Bridal Veil Falls. I never get tired of looking at this view.
This view is known as the Tunnel view because the road goes through a tunnel and then opens up to this.
The clouds were really something that day. They started forming in the distance over the mountains and kept growing and growing until they filled the whole sky above.
While enjoying the view, a young lady from Utah offered to take our photo. She and her family own a campground in St. George, Utah. Since it was my birthday, I figured I should have a photo to commemorate it.
Birthday photo in Yosemite
As we drove through Yosemite Valley, we caught glimpses of Yosemite Falls. They were full and beautiful from record snowfall and rainfall in the winter and spring of that year.
Yosemite Falls (Upper and Lower) from Sentinel Bridge area.Yosemite Falls
We continued on driving through the valley until we stopped at this viewpoint of Bridal Veil Falls and the Merced River.
Merced River and Bridal Veil Falls from Valley View TurnoutMerced River and Bridal Veil Falls from Valley View Turnout
By now the clouds had almost completely filled the sky above us. We turned toward home as we closed out our day with a last look at this magical place.
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1
While traveling from Arizona to California, we stayed in Cathedral City, California. It’s not far from Indio. For some reason, we thought we had seen Joshua Tree National Park before. The fact was, we hadn’t.
South entrance from Interstate Highway 10.
Of course, my first goal was to get my National Parks Passport book stamped at the visitors’ center. We entered the park from the south entrance from Hwy 10 and stopped at the Cottonwood Visitor Center.
Lost Palms Oasis
Not far from the visitors’ center was a picnic area where we stopped and had our lunch. Near there was Lost Palms Oasis, the largest grove of California fan palms in the park. These huge bearded trees thrive due to a constant water supply from Cottonwood Spring.
California fan palms in Lost Palms Oasis
From there, we worked our way northwards through the park. We saw very few Joshua trees at first. The temperatures in the desert in early May were quite pleasant since we were climbing in elevation the whole time.
The road is about a 30 mile drive, but we made several stops along the way to learn about the desert plants and geology. This alluvial fan coming is a common sight where the mountains meet the desert floor. Material from the mountains is washed down by streams during rains and flash floods. As the water slows, sediment gets deposited from the streams.
Alluvial fan
The alluvial fan gets more moisture from runoff to support more plants like the ocotillo and chollas. Believe it or not, ocotillos are more closely related to blueberries and tea plants than cactus plants!
Ocotillo plant
Our next stop was the cholla garden. I’ve never seen so many chollas in one place! There were warning signs telling tourists not to get too close. Chollas are also known as “jumping cactus” because if you happen to brush up against one, it will stick to you.
Joshua trees are a type of yucca plant. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. I thought at first these yucca plants were baby Joshua trees. But they are yuccas.
Spanish Dagger yucca plant
The next photo shows the difference between a yucca and a Joshua tree. It’s pretty easy to tell when they’re this big and side by side.
It was late spring when we visited, but there were plenty of desert flowering plants.
Flowering Blue Palo VerdeFlowering Desert Globe MallowFlowering Prickly Pear Cactus
Along our route was this interesting rock formation called “Skull Rock.” Joshua Tree National Park has a variety of rock formations. This is a popular one for tourists.
Skull Rock
As we got further and further into the park, we began to see huge Joshua trees. I’ve seen many Joshua trees in my lifetime, but these were the biggest I’ve ever seen.
The trunks of these trees were like the size of an oak tree, and had many “arms.”
Large Joshua Trees
Another stop along our route was this “balancing rock” formation. It looked like it could topple down at any time.
Balancing Rock
Our last stop in the park was Keys View where we could look out over the whole Coachella Valley. I didn’t know this, but the San Andreas Fault line runs right down the middle of this valley.
Keys View of Coachella Valley
At over 5,000 feet in elevation, we enjoyed the cool breezes as the day continued to warm up.
Overlooking Coachella Valley
Joshua Tree National Park is worth seeing. The variety of desert plants and animals that can withstand the extreme temperatures of desert weather is a testament to God’s marvelous creation.
Twisted tree at Keys View
“The wilderness and the desert will rejoice, And the desert will shout for joy and blossom.” Isaiah 35:1a
Death Valley National Park was not a high priority on my bucket list of places to see because I imagined vast salt flats, sand dunes and barren desert that seemed somewhat boring. Instead, what I saw surprised me. I realized my preconceived ideas of it were very wrong. It is actually a beautiful and fascinating place to visit.
After our drive into the park and viewing the visitors’ center, our first stop was to see the salt flats at Badwater Basin. It was very windy that day and the dust blew across our pathway as we drove 17 miles south from the visitors’ center. It was so windy that sometimes a gust of wind would knock me off balance.
Badwater Basin is the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. There is no outlet for the rainfall and runoff from the mountains. Part of the basin had water in it when we were there due to recent record rainfalls in California.
Near the parking lot were some pools which are spring fed. The water is very salty, from which it gets its name, “Badwater Basin.” Surprisingly, the pools support some unique animal and plant life.
As I walked out toward the salt flats, I looked back at the mountain where I could barely make out the sign that says “Sea Level.”
Sea level sign on mountain above parking lot
This is what it looks like about a quarter of a mile out on the salt flat. The sun shining on the white salt blinded me. The salt crystals were trampled down from the tourists. This is what I expected Death Valley to look like. But there was much more to see that was surprisingly beautiful.
Heading back toward the visitors’ center, we began to see colorful rocks and mountains which were the result of volcanic deposits, chemical weathering, and oxidation of the exposed minerals. The deep reds, pinks and yellows were created by iron compounds.
We drove a nine mile drive called “Artists Drive” to see “Artists Palette.” These colorful hills are made from volcanic ash, gravel and playa deposits which contain iron oxides and chlorite.
Colorful deposits on Artists’ Drive
Rainfall, heat and flash flooding eroded the deposits of iron, manganese and mica which, when exposed, were oxidized by the air. This causes the colors of red, pink, yellow, green and purple.
The green rocks are from decomposed mica, not copper, as I originally thought. The purple is created by manganese.
Artist’s Palette
The colorful rocks and mountains were some of the first surprisingly beautiful discoveries in Death Valley. There was much more to come.
We drove on another 38 miles. We were racing against the clock to be at Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes before sunset. We arrived just in time. The shadows on the dunes were already beginning to deepen.
The dunes were massive. I felt like an ant climbing over them. Each one seemed bigger than the last.
A twisted dead tree trunk was a reminder of the harshness of this environment. The highest recorded temperature in Death Valley was 134 degrees. I thought of the pioneers and native people who lived here before air conditioning and wondered how they survived. They likely fled to the surrounding mountains where temperatures were cooler.
I followed the footprints of other tourists who had gone before me. I was sometimes confused about which way to go when down between the dunes.
I climbed to the top of another dune and sat down as I watched as the last light of day illuminate the top of the mountain range. In the distance, I could see other people that were like tiny dots. I paused to catch my breath while enjoying the beauty of the stark contrast of the dark shadows against the sunlit sides of the dunes.
I thought of how these dunes would shift and change with time. The next time I visited they might be completely different in shape.
The shadows were quickly lengthening and the breeze grew cooler.
It was perfectly quiet. All I could hear was the sound of the wind as the last light of day faded on the distant mountains turning them a purplish pink. I followed my footprints back to the truck.
On our second trip into Death Valley National Park, we made our first stop at Dante’s View. This expansive view of the entire valley probably should have been our first stop of the trip. Looking down from over a mile above, one gets a great overview of the valley below, and a feeling for the great distances in this park.
Looking the other direction, it just keeps going on and on. This viewpoint was definitely worth the windy steep six mile drive. This view was unexpected. Previously, I thought Death Valley was flat all over.
Zabriskie Point is another overlook on the way into the valley. We stopped here to hike up the quarter mile paved pathway to the overlook.
Since it was later in the day, the afternoon sun made interesting shadows on the golden colored badlands.
The beauty of Death Valley continued to surprise me. These different colored bands in the badlands at Zabriskie Point were so interesting.
We had one more place to visit that day–The Harmony Borax Works. Here we saw the remains of a building for processing borax, one of the most profitable ores mined in the area. There was also an historic 20-mule team wagon.
Chinese laborers from San Francisco, scraped borax off the salt flats and transported it by wagon to the refinery.
Borax fields
The borax could not be processed during the summer months due to the heat.
The nearest railroad was 165 miles away, so the ore was processed on site to make it easier to transport the borax by wagon.
Twenty Mule Team Wagon
As we ended our day, the moon rose over the mountains as the sun was setting. Once again, I was awestruck by the beauty.
Death Valley is a study of contrasts. It is the lowest place in elevation in North America at 282 feet below sea level, while the highest peak, Mt. Whitney (14,505 feet) is just a few miles away. Death Valley has had the highest temperature recorded (134 degrees), but also recorded a temperature of 15 degrees in the winter of 1913. Death Valley has an average rainfall of 2.2 inches per year. But lately, 2.2 inches of rain fell in a single day in August 2023, resulting in flooding.
We visited in February of 2025 and, other than the first day, we experienced beautiful weather. I would love to revisit Death Valley in the future. There are still many places we did not get to see. It truly was a surprise to me that such a desolate place could hold so much beauty.
“Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.” Psalm 23:4
We began our 2024 summer travels by going up Highway 101 in California to Pacifica near San Francisco. Our first campsite was off Highway 1, right on the Pacific Ocean. We were up on a cliff, and it was pretty windy and chilly. My favorite thing about this site was that I could open the back curtains in our RV each morning and look out and see the ocean.
My other favorite thing to do was to capture photos of the sunset every evening. Every sunset was different and unique.
Sunset on Pacific coast
The ice plants were in full bloom. On clear afternoons, we could see people para-sailing over this coastline. The RV park is part of the Esplande Beach Overlook Trail. The trail goes right through the RV park and continues beyond it along this street. There are benches where you can sit and enjoy views like this. Some days the water was a beautiful turquoise blue.
After spending four days there, we got back on Highway 101 and crossed the bay on the Golden Gate Bridge. Although Highway 1 follows the coastline, we followed Highway 101 because it is easier for pulling a travel trailer. Highway 101 eventually makes its way back to the ocean near Eureka, CA.
Golden Gate Bridge
North of Eureka is Klamath, California, where the Klamath River meets the Pacific Ocean. Our campground was right on the Klamath River. From there, it was only a short drive to Redwoods National Park.
Our Campground was right on the Klamath River
Redwoods National Park is actually a combination of three California state parks (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park) and a national park (Redwoods National Park) and stretches many miles along the northern coast of California.
Newton B Drury Scenic Parkway in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (Redwoods National Park)
There’s a scenic drive south of Klamath called the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. It is a ten-mile drive through the redwood trees.
Redwoods along the Newton B. Drury Scenic ParkwayPathway to The Big Tree
Along the scenic drive was a side road to see The Big Tree. The pathway there was lined with all kinds of ferns.
No camera can quite capture the immensity of these huge redwood trees.
The Big Tree
We continued south to the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Visitors’ Center. On the way, we saw a bear along the road. In the meadow we saw several elk grazing.
Elk grazing in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (Redwoods National Park)
After getting my National Parks Passport book stamped, we drove further south to Elk Meadow area where I hiked to Trillium Falls. Wildflowers greeted me at the start of the trail.
Lupine blooming along trail.
The forest soon closed in around me as the trail wound up switchbacks for a 200′ elevation gain. The sign at the trailhead said there were bears in the area. I was a little nervous being all alone, but I knew there were people ahead of me and behind me also.
Pathway to Trillium Falls
I quit worrying and just enjoyed the quiet and beauty of the forest. Ferns grew everywhere, even out of old tree stumps.
Pathway to Trillium Falls lined with ferns.
I had to hold onto the roots of a large fallen redwood trying to avoid a muddy spot on the trail. There were several spots that were muddy and slippery. I took my time and didn’t slip.
Roots of fallen Redwood tree
These giant redwoods don’t have deep roots, but the roots spread out for quite a distance around them. These huge moss-covered trunks intrigued me.
Moss covers Redwood tree trunks.A footbridge over water on the trail to Trillium Falls.
After a half-mile of hiking, I came to Trillium Falls. The falls weren’t that impressive, but the setting was magical. The forest and ferns around it made it such a pretty place.
There were several people gathered around the falls getting photos and climbing on the rocks. I had to wait to get some photos.
Trillium FallsTrillium Falls
It was such a beautiful spot in the late afternoon. The light was filtering down through the trees on this very twisted mossy tree that hung over the falls.
Tree at Trillium Falls with fern.
After lingering at the falls for awhile, I headed back to the truck. The trail continued on, but I didn’t carry any water with me, and I was getting pretty thirsty by then. I felt like this hike had been well worth the effort. There was just one thing more that I wished for. This may seem silly, but I prayed to see a trillium flower for which the falls was named.
My prayer was answered. Though I had looked all along the pathway for flowers, I didn’t see this one until I was on the way back.
Trillium Flower is known for it’s three petals and three leaves.
“The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Psalm 37:23
Several years ago, we visited Canyonlands National Park on the west entrance. The road follows the rim of the canyon where there are epic views of the canyons where one can see for miles. This time we visited the east entrance where we drove around the canyon floor.
On our way there, we stopped to see Newspaper Rock Archaeological Site. This site is well protected by the overhanging cliff.
It was interesting to me to see that some of the feet drawn on the rock had six toes. It seems having an extra toe or finger was maybe highly valued. Excavations have found six-toed skeletons in Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.
Six-toed footprints, flying saucers, men with horns–what are these petroglyphs about?
As we drove along the canyon floor on the way to the entrance of Canyonlands, the rock walls towered above us.
We saw this interesting rock formation along the way.
After driving several miles, we finally came to the entrance. We stopped at the visitors’ center where I found some post cards and a t-shirt.
This section of the park is called The Needles because of the colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that are prevalent in the area. There is only one road leading in and out of the area. We drove the scenic drive all the way to the end. Our first scenic viewpoint was the Wooden Shoe Arch Overlook. I think it was appropriately named.
Wooden Shoe Arch Overlook with Wooden Shoe Arch in the distance.
Our time in southeastern Utah was during the monsoon season of August. Every day a rain storm would bring clouds and often times rain.
We drove through the campground at the park just to get an idea of what the sites looked like. There were no hook ups and the sites were very small. Water was available only seasonally at the restroom facilities.
The rock formations around the campground looked like giant toadstools.
Toadstool like rock formations among the campground area.
We drove to Pothole Point where we saw the potholes that collect water when it rains. Even though they were dried up, there is a whole ecosystem with aquatic life that comes alive when the rains come. It’s important not to step in the holes because of that. They are a source of water for the wildlife in the rainy season.
Pothole Point had many potholes to collect water during the rains.
At the end of the road is Big Spring Canyon Overlook. It was here that we got a good look at the pinnacles from which the name “The Needles” comes from.
The Pinnacles in the background give this section of the park its name: The Needles.Big Spring Canyon Overlook
The Utah Juniper tree is a hearty tree that can survive the harshest of conditions due to its extensive and deep root system. The roots can grow 25 feet deep and spread out for 100 feet from the tree.
Utah Juniper clings to the rocks at Big Spring Canyon Overlook.
Although The Needles section of Canyonlands National Park was interesting and beautiful, it didn’t compare with the views from the western entrance. I was mildly disappointed. But I’m glad we got to see this area of the park.
We drove back to our campground in Monticello, Utah. That spot turned out to be a perfect base camp for visiting all the attractions of southeastern Utah. We still had at least one more area to explore, but I will save that for the next blog.
“No one is as holy as the Lord! There is no other God, nor any Rock like our God.” I Samuel 2:2
There are five national parks in the state of Utah. Even though we’ve visited all five in the past, we wanted to revisit Arches and Canyonlands again. There’s never enough time to see everything all at once.
Arches NP is now so popular that it requires a timed entry ticket to visit during peak hours. We found the afternoons had plenty of time slots available. I was also hoping to get some sunset photos.
Visitors’ Center
We started our visit this time at the visitors’ center. It was built in 2005, so it was our first time to see it. I especially liked the views from the large windows.
Park Avenue Viewpoint and Trailhead
Our first stop along the 40-mile scenic drive was the Park Avenue Viewpoint. From the viewpoint it was like looking through a window at the mountains beyond. The trail climbed down into a valley between massive rock formations.
Three Gossips
The three gossips looked familiar to us from previous visits. I call them “Three Wise Men” because they look like they’re wearing turbans.
Erosion is constantly wearing down the sandstone rock. Some arches eventually collapse. Such is the one shown below. The three rock columns were once connected on top by a layer of rock.
Other types of formations in the park are balancing rocks, such as this one.
This double arch was formed from water erosion from the top, rather than more typical erosion from the side. Next to them are the beginnings of other arch caves.
Double ArchesDouble Arches and arch caves
Delicate Arch has had many names in the past, including “Old Maids Bloomers”, “Pants Crotch” and “School Marm’s Pants.” Although the rumor is not true that the names of Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch were inadvertently exchanged due to a signage switch, in my opinion, the switched names fit better than the current ones.
We hiked up to this arch years ago. But this time, I just took a photo from a distance with a zoom lens.
Delicate Arch
There are over 2,000 natural arches in Arches National Park. There are also hundreds of towering pinnacles, huge rock fins, and giant balanced rocks.
North Window
Windows are formed by blowing sand that erodes the rock instead of water erosion. North and South Windows are sometimes called the “spectacles” because they look like eyeglasses.
North and South Windows
Formations called “fins” are formed when water flows along parallel joints or fractures and erodes the rock away in “slices”.
Fin rock formations
As the afternoon wore on, the clouds parted and the sun lit up the rocks. We weren’t at the end of the scenic drive yet. There were still more sites to see.
Driving along the road, we could see the beginnings of many arches forming in the rocks.
Cave arches
Skyline Arch was one of my favorites simply because you could see it from the road and it had this interesting twisted old tree in front of it.
Skyline Arch
At the end of the scenic drive is Devils Garden Trailhead. This trail leads to Landscape Arch, which is the longest rock arch in North America. It is very long and thin, which makes me think it should have been named “Delicate Arch.”
The wind had kicked up, and it was late in the day, so I only hiked a short way on the two-mile hike to the arch.
The Gates of Argonath
The entrance to the trail is something like walking through the Gates of Argonath in the Lord of the Rings. The rocks tower on either side of the pathway like guards.
Entrance to Devils Garden TrailheadDevils Garden Trail
I hiked far enough to see one of the other arches along the trail called Pine Tree Arch, then turned around and headed back.
Pine Tree Arch
We noticed these holes in the rock above the parking lot. It shows how water enters the rocks and begins the erosion process that eventually forms arches.
The rain was all around us while we were there, but it finally caught up with us as we were leaving.
The rain caught up with us.
Our second visit to Arches made for a beautiful day enjoying the beautiful scenery created by God.
He is the Rock; His deeds are perfect. Everything He does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright He is! Deuteronomy 32:4 TLB
Created in 1966, Guadalupe Mountains National Park contains the highest point in the state of Texas, Guadalupe Peak (8,751′). The park is located near Carlsbad, New Mexico, and just a few miles across the Texas border. In the western “arm” of Texas, this less known national park is well-known for its clean air.
The views of mountains in Guadalupe Mountains National Park with a zoom lens
The Park is intentionally inaccessible. It was created during a time when the environmental movement was in full swing. Ninety-five percent of the park is wilderness. From the eastern border of the park where we were, there are only three short roads into the park. If you like to hike, however, there are numerous trails throughout. For us old people, we had to be content with viewing the mountains from a distance.
There are roads around the outside of the park with various viewpoints. If we had driven several hours more, we might have been able to see more, but we just didn’t have the time.
Like Yosemite National Park, this park also has an “El Capitan.” It is a 1,000′ high limestone cliff. It is visible from the highway as you drive further south. However, we did not go that far.
The wildflowers and cactus were in bloom and we enjoyed seeing the beauty of the desert in bloom.
We visited the historic Frijole Ranch, but the museum was closed. It is only open seasonally when staff or volunteers are available. There was a spring outside the ranch house that flows continually at 5 gallons per minute. A spring house covers the opening and the water flows in a channel through the courtyard.
Frijole Ranch
Outside the Visitors’ Center, we were fascinated with the yucca plants in various states of bloom. The yucca is related to the agave plant.
Yucca plants in early bloomClose up of yucca blooms
Indians called yucca “soap weed.” The roots were used for washing. Other parts of the plant were used for medicine and food. The fibers were used for many things and the seeds were used for tea or dried for making beads.
Yucca plants with mature flowersMature flowers of the yucca plant
And we also saw century plants in bloom. Century plants and yucca plants look similar, but the century plants have “branches” with blooms on the ends.
Century Plant in bloom
Later in the afternoon, the sun finally came out and lit up the mountains.
In the early afternoon, we headed back to our campground. On the way, we were going to pass Carlsbad Caverns National Park, so we decided to stop. We were too late to go on a cave tour, but we looked at the exhibits in the Visitors’ Center. I got my National Parks Passport Book stamped since we had already visited years ago.
The five mile drive into the park was reason enough to visit. The cacti were in bloom everywhere. On our way out of the park, I got a few photos of the blooms. Right at the entrance a huge cholla cactus was in bloom.
This is the view from the Visitors’ Center at Carlsbad Cavers NP. I didn’t remember this from our visit years ago, but it is a beautiful view.
View from Carlsbad Caverns National Park Visitor Center in New Mexico.
More wildflowers decorated the roadside.
I’ve never seen such an abundance of prickly pear cacti, many with bright yellow blooms.
Prickly pear cactusBloom of prickly pear cactus
I kept seeing bright pink patches from the rocks on the cliffs. Stopping to check it out, I discovered they were hedgehog cacti in bloom.
Hedgehog cacti on cliffsideHedgehog cactusHedgehog cactusHedgehog cactus
Ray was curious about the “green chili peppers” he saw on some of the yucca. I zoomed in and got these photos. The chili peppers are really seed pods of the yucca plant. These are yet another stage of the yucca plant.
Yucca seed podsYucca seed pods
Yucca plants take many years to grow.
Yucca plant
Our Escapees park had some beautiful specimens of yucca and ocotillo.
Yucca plant in bloom at Escapees campgroundYucca flowers close up.Ocotillo in bloom
I was somewhat disappointed in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. However, it has been years since I have seen Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I would love to go back and re-visit it again. And, who knows, I might just give Guadalupe Mountains National Park another try also.
Our weeks in Tucson and Benson, Arizona, gave us a chance to explore southern Arizona. Arizona skies seem to have the perfect conditions for amazing sunsets. We enjoyed this beautiful sunset one evening on our walk around the RV park.
Sunset in Tucson, Arizona
Since we were so near Saguaro National Park, I made a quick trip there one afternoon to get my National Park Passport Book stamped. While there, I couldn’t resist a quick trip on the 8-mile drive through the park. The photos of cactus with the snowy mountains in the background were worth it.
Saguaro National ParkSaguaro National Park
Green Valley
One afternoon we took a tour of the Titan II Missile Museum in Green Valley, Arizona, which is just a few miles from Tucson. The missile is not operational, but it was a sobering reminder of the former cold war and threat we faced of nuclear war.
View looking down into the silo of the Titan II Missile
Tombstone
Another popular southern Arizona town is the historic town of Tombstone. One day we packed a lunch and spent the day touring the town. While there, we witnessed a re-enactment of the shootout at the OK Corral. Afterwards we strolled along the streets visiting the Epitaph Press, the Bird Cage Theater, the Arizona Ranger Museum and a presentation of the history of Tombstone.
Actors of Doc Holiday and the Earp Brothers re-enact the shootout at the OK CorralStagecoach ride in TombstoneMain Street in TombstoneHistoric Courthouse at Tombstone, AZ
Benson
We spent one week in Benson, Arizona, just a few miles south of Tucson. Benson is an interesting town because of the murals painted on the buildings and walls around the town. It has a western small town feel to it and reminded me of our former hometown of Mariposa, California.
Mural in Benson, ArizonaAnother mural in Benson, Arizona
Chiricahua National Monument
About an hour drive from the town of Benson is Chiricahua National Monument in the southeast corner of the state. National Monuments may not be as popular as National Parks, but they can be surprisingly beautiful and interesting. It seems there isn’t a substantial difference between the two except that National Parks require an act of Congress to establish and National Monuments do not. Arizona has 18 National Monuments, more than any other state.
Entrance to Chiricahua National Monument
The eight-mile scenic drive starts by winding along the bottom of a canyon surrounded by rhyolite rock pinnacles or hoodoos for which the monument was created to protect. As the road climbs steadily, the views change until you’re overlooking the rock formations from the top of Massai Point at an elevation of 6,870 feet.
Hoodoo rock formations near entranceRhyolite rock pinnacles overlooking scenic drive.
As the road climbed in elevation, we encountered some snow, and could see more mountain ranges in the distance.
At the end of the road is Massai Point where there is a parking lot and a path leading to a stone building. It was a windy day so we were glad to go inside to get out of the wind. Inside we read about the nature and history of the park.
View from Massai Point
At the summit, we could now look down on the many rock pinnacles.
At Massai Point, we could see miles of the surrounding area with distant mountain ranges, including the Dragoon Mountains and Cochise Stronghold.
In the distance are the Dragoon Mountains and Cochise Stronghold
The trees at the higher elevations must be hardy to withstand the harsh climate.
Weathered pine at Massai Point
Chiricahua National Monument is considered a “sky island” because it is comprised of an isolated mountain range that rises up out of the surrounding desert which is like a sea. Because it rises about 6,000 feet above the surrounding valley, it provides a wide range of ecosystems and plant and animal diversity.
Chiricahua NM is one of many “sky islands” in the southeastern desert of ArizonaRhyolitic tuff rock formations were caused by volcanic activity where ash cooled and hardened.
As we drove back down the mountain and out of the park, the evening sun cast a red glow on the nearby mountains. It was late in the day and we were hungry, but I decided to pull over and get one last photo.
As I got out of the truck, I happened to look behind me down the road where we had come. What I saw was this beautiful view of the snowy mountains in the last light of day. By the time I got back in the truck, the light was already gone. I was so glad I stopped for that one last shot.
Road to Chiricahua National Monument
I was surprised at the beauty and interesting topography of Chiricahua National Monument. Though it is off the beaten path, it is worth a visit.
Another surprise was a fascinating article I came across while researching for this blog. The article is about a missing ranger from Chiricahua National Monument. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the link and discovered a tangled mystery. It is quite long, but keep reading. It gets more and more mysterious the further you go. If you care to read it, I will link it below.
This year we tried something new and stayed in some Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds along our way. We found that these parks are generally very nice, and well-kept. The price at this particular one was $14 per night with our National Parks Senior Pass. We made our reservations online and we could pick our campsite and even see a photo of it. The one drawback is that some of them do not have sewer hookups, but there are always free dump stations available.
Army Corps of Engineers Campground, Little Rock, Arkansas
One such park, Maumelle in Little Rock, Arkansas, was right along the Arkansas River which happened to be nearly in flood stage. (The park was well above the water line.) The sites were nicely shaded.
Arkansas River at Maumelle Campground
Hot Springs National Park
Hot Springs National Park is located not far from Little Rock, Arkansas, in the town of Hot Springs. It was the 18th national park established in 1916. However, it had long been a popular place with its ancient thermal springs, mountain views and historic bathhouses with their grand architecture.
We camped at Gulpha Gorge Campground which is within the park boundaries and just minutes away from the Hot Springs National Park attractions. Again, with our National Parks Senior Pass, the fees were very low.
Gulpha Gorge Campground
On the day we explored the main part of the park, we got an early start and found a free parking space near enough to walk to Bathhouse Row. Temperatures were going to be pretty hot that day, so we wanted to get out early to beat the heat.
This national park seemed very different from others, in that, it is located in the downtown area of a small city. The park boundaries extend beyond the downtown area into the hills above the city where the hot springs originate.
On the way to main street, we saw this hot water cascade at Arlington Lawn. We dipped our fingers in the water, and it was hot enough that we couldn’t hold our hands in it for long. The corner area of this block is a park with shade trees, green grass and walkways. Trails wind up and around the backsides of the row of bathhouses.
Park near hot water cascadePool at the bottom of hot water cascadePool at hot water cascade in Hot Springs NP
Looking down Main Street, you can see several of the bathhouses. Some are open to the public, and others are fully operating businesses offering hot mineral baths and spa treatments to their customers. And two are operated by the National Park Service.
Bathhouse Row
The Quapaw Bathhouse is known for its mosaic tile dome.
Quapaw Bathhouse
The Ozark is home to the Hot Springs National Park Cultural Center. The Center features gallery spaces for displaying artwork from the park’s Artist-in-Residence Program. Admission was free but because of time, we had to choose which bathhouses we could explore, and we opted to skip this one.
Ozark Bathhouse
I love the blue awnings of the Buckstaff bathhouse seen below. It is the only one that offers a traditional bathing experience. It has been in continuous operation since 1912.
Buckstaff Bathhouse
The Lamar contains offices for the park’s employees and the park store. I love browsing in the national park store. I don’t buy souvenirs, but it’s fun to look.
Lamar Bathhouse
The Fordyce Bathhouse is in the middle of the block. It functions as the park’s visitor center. It is the largest bathhouse on the Row with three main floors, two courtyards, and a basement under most of the building. It houses the museum.
It is also where I could get my National Parks Passport stamped.
Fordyce Bathhouse
The Fordyce Bathhouse Museum is located here and visitors can go on a self-guided tour. The architecture on this building is really interesting.
Closer view of Fordyce Bathhouse architecture
Inside tour of Fordyce
Our tour began in the lobby where we were greeted by an elaborate fountain situated in a room of wicker rocking chairs sitting on a mosaic tile floor.
Inside Fordyce Bathhouse
Men’s and women’s areas were separate. Here is the the De Soto Fountain in the men’s area.
Fordyce Bathhouse
Below is a photo of the gymnasium with period equipment.
Gymnasium at Fordyce Bathhouse
There were many beautiful stained glass windows and ceilings. This room was an area to relax and enjoy conversation or listen to music played on the grand piano. Notice the beautiful stained glass ceiling and mosaic tiled floor.
Lounge at Fordyce BathhouseGrand piano of Fordyce Bathhouse
At the end of our tour, we walked back to the truck to take a break and get some refreshments. Afterwards I took photos of the other bathhouses before we left.
The Maurice Bathhouse is a commercial enterprise of art and high-end tourist items. The architecture is really beautiful.
Maurice BathhouseMaurice Bathhouse front view
The Hale Bathhouse is now Hotel Hale, a luxury hotel. Overnight guests can stay in historic rooms and experience the thermal springs.
Hale Bathhouse
We drove to another part of town and ate lunch at Chick-fil-A. While we were there, a lady at the table next to us introduced herself and gave us some “must see” sites to see which included the observation tower and the botanical gardens.
We only had one day to see everything, so even though it was hot, we decided to see as much as we could.
Hot Springs Mountain Tower
This tower (shown below) is located on the mountain behind Bathhouse row up a steep winding road. At 1,256 feet above sea level, it overlooks 140 miles of surrounding Arkansas countryside.
We took the elevator up to the top observation deck and enjoyed the views.
Looking out from the observation deck, we could see the town of Hot Springs and Bathhouse Row.
View from Hot Springs Mountain TowerView from Tower
Garvin Woodland Gardens
Another suggestion from our friendly lady at lunch was to see Garvin Woodland Gardens located a few miles outside the city. At one time, it was logged for trees. After the trees grew back a second time, the owner was going to log it again when his daughter, Verna Cook Garvan, stepped in and asked him to spare them. She eventually inherited the land and turned it into a botanical garden, planting themed garden areas, and developing it for over 30 years. At her death it was donated to the University of Arkansas with the stipulation that it be preserved and cared for.
Entrance to Garvan Woodland GardensFlowers at entrance of gardensHydrangeas at entrance of gardens
The garden encompasses 210 acres and has miles of pathways meandering throughout the forest canopy.
Near the entrance is an elaborate garden railroad with several trains running simultaneously through the tunnels and over bridges and tracks.
Garden RailroadGarden Railroad
Though the day was hot and humid, we stayed under the shady trees on most of the pathways. We only explored a small part of the gardens. The pathways wound downhill toward the lake and koi pond.
Miles of shaded pathways lead throughout the garden.Bridge to pathway to Japanese garden area.Bonsai plants in Japanese Garden area.Lilies line the pathwayLilies
All of the water is pumped uphill from the lake to make the creeks, waterfalls and pond.
Round stone bridgePink HydrangeasWaterfallWaterfall into the Koi Pond
When we were at the Koi pond (shown below), I saw something swimming across the water. At first I thought it was a fish, but then I realized as it got closer that it was a snake! It was swimming with its head out of the water using its body to propel it.
Koi PondWaterfallLush green trees and bushesShoreline of lake
What goes down, must go back up. Eventually we had to hike back uphill to the entrance and parking lot. We were glad to get back to the truck and cool off in the air conditioning. We were only able to explore a small part of this huge botanical garden. I would love to go back someday when the weather is cooler and explore more of this place of beauty. It is truly unique and beautiful.
In the Western half of Tennessee we stayed at a Thousand Trails campground near the small town of Saulsbury. Nearly 40 miles away is the national historical battlefield of Shiloh, a civil war battleground. Having never visited a national battleground before, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
Shiloh National Military Park
Replica of Shiloh Church
We started out at the Visitor’s Center where we watched an award winning documentary about the battle of Shiloh that took place on April 6-7,1862. The battle was named after a small church in the vicinity. Ironically, the name Shiloh means “place of peace” or “heavenly peace”. It is much more fitting today as the beautiful grounds are quiet and solemn.
Inside Shiloh Church
The Union Troops came south on steamboats to Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River. The goal was to take the Confederate’s stronghold at Corinth, Mississippi, (a few miles to the south) in order to cut the South’s supply lines. Corinth, Mississippi, was a crossroads where railway lines from the east and west met ones from the north and south. We visited Corinth and saw where these railroads crossed.
Corinth Railroad Junction
General Grant of the Union Army was waiting for Buell’s Army of the Ohio to join him. Little did Grant realize that the Confederates who he thought were in Corinth, had moved near Shiloh to launch a surprise attack.
The Confederate Army under General Johnston originally had planned to attack two days earlier. Due to a heavy rain storm that turned the roads to mud, it took Johnston three days to move his army just 23 miles. They were also short of rations due to the delay.
In the meantime, General Grant was trying to avoid a battle until his reinforcements arrived, but early on April 6th, a Union reconnaissance patrol came face to face with the Confederates and the battle began.
The battle raged for two days with thousands of casualties. At first, the battle went in favor of the Confederates, but after the second day, the Confederates were outnumbered and out of supplies. They retreated to Corinth, where the war continued.
The pathway where the battle began when Union soldiers stumbled into Confederate pickets.
Many beautiful monuments have been erected to honor the armies of both sides. We took a twelve mile self-guided tour on the roads throughout the park. There were many monuments and memorial sites as well as signs with explanations of the battle sites.
Monument to the Iowa soldiersMonument to Indiana Infantry, 17th RegimentConfederate MemorialExplanation of Memorial
The roads through the battlefield were lined with beautiful trees and park-like vistas.
The Confederates amassed more than 50 cannons, the largest concentration of field guns yet witnessed along a half mile frontage, to pound a dense oak thicket in the middle of the battlefield that the Union Army still held.This kept them pinned down while the Confederates surrounded them forcing the Union soldiers to surrender.
This map shows the troop placements and time of day when the Confederates surrounded part of the Union Army. Some were able to escape, but many were captured.
Hornets Nest
Much of the battle of Shiloh took place on farmland of Joseph Duncan.
The Sixth Mississippi lost over 300 men in less than an hour.
No part of this battlefield was left untouched by the horror of this battle. Mass burial graves were necessary to inter the 3,482 dead. More than 16,000 were wounded and 3,844 were captured or missing. This was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War thus far, and the war was only a year along.
Bloody Pond
The Civil War was a costly war in terms of humankind. National Military Parks like this help us to appreciate the history of our country and the freedoms we have because of those who went before and paid the price.
It is sobering to think of the cost of freedom. Young men in the prime of their lives were cut off from living so that we can enjoy freedom to live as we do today. We can honor them by supporting parks like this.
