Big Bend National Park

Posted on April 15, 2022 by admin

From the tip of southern Texas, we traveled northwest along the Texas/Mexico border to the “bulge” of southern Texas. It is appropriately called “Big Bend” because that is where the Rio Grande River makes a huge bend toward the southeast and then bends back to the northeast. In the crook of this huge bend is Big Bend National Park.

Spring was a perfect time of year to visit before the heat set in. It was still chilly at night, and not many cacti or wildflowers were blooming yet except for a few bluebonnets (the Texas state flower) that were starting to bloom by the roadside.

We stayed in an RV park in the town of Terlingua (Ter-ling-gwa), a little town that got its start in the 1880’s when “quicksilver” (mercury) was found in the area.

The first thing I noticed was how vast this area is that Big Bend encompasses. You can see the purple mountains in the far distance, and somewhere beyond those mountains is the Rio Grande, and beyond them is Mexico. Though it is only #15 on the list of the largest national parks, Big Bend National Park is over 800,000 acres, and is larger than Yosemite National Park.

There are plenty of things to do in Big Bend NP including scenic drives, day hikes, river trips, bird watching, fishing, horseback riding and stargazing. Speaking of stargazing, Big Bend has the darkest night skies of any national park in the lower 48 states and is designated an International Dark Sky Park.

The Big Bend NP website has suggestions for scenic drives. We drove on all the paved roads in the park. The Ross Maxwell Scenic drive took us to Sotol Vista where we had a view over the entire valley. The notch in the distant ridge is where the road would end. That is where the Rio Grande cuts through steep cliffs at Santa Elena Canyon.

Santa Elena Canyon at the end of the road.

This is the “notch” in the faraway ridge you were looking at in the last photo. But first, some sites along the way.

We stopped at the Mule Ears Overlook. You don’t have to have much of an imagination to see the “mule ears”.

Tuff Canyon and Castalon Peak were other stops.

Near the end of the road, there is a massive mountain of rock wall that makes a natural barrier at the border of USA and Mexico.This is where the Rio Grande cuts through the rock and becomes Santa Elena Canyon.

Rock walls on the border make a natural barrier.

The Rio Grande is a favorite place for those who like to kayak and canoe down the river. It’s also a favorite spot to watch the sunset, as it sets between the two walls.

We brought a picnic supper with us so we could wait for the sunset. But instead of staying at Santa Elena Canyon, we started making our way back along the same road, stopping to photograph the “golden hour” effect on various mountains and hills.

The sunset did not disappoint.

The next day we packed a lunch and drove to the high country of Big Bend on the Chisos Basin road. In less than 6 miles, this road climbs over 2,000 feet above the desert floor to an elevation of around 4,500 feet. As the road gained elevation, the desert flora soon gave way to drooping junipers, gray oaks and the tall Douglas firs and Arizona pines. The air was notably cooler.

The road ended at the Chisos Mountains Lodge and the Chisos Basin Visitor Center. The parking lot was full, so we turned around and went back home.

Our third day of exploration took us to Panther Junction where we turned onto the road to Rio Grande Village. This 20 mile drive descends nearly 2,000 feet in elevation on its way to the Rio Grande. Along the way we drove through a tunnel, and stopped for a view of the Rio Grande from above.

Looking out across to the Rio Grande, we could see the mountains on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande. Nearby, we saw a spineless prickly pear cactus and other native plants.

Down by the river is a campground, but the sites had no hookups. Even in early March the weather was quite warm. A generator would be a must.

We drove to the Rio Grande river overlook at Boquillas Canyon. Curiously enough, a sketchy-looking man was there selling trinkets and souvenirs to tourists for a high price. I’m not sure if he was from Mexico or the USA. There were three vehicles parked on the other side of the river and a canoe pulled up on the opposite bank. It’s hard to tell why the vehicles were there, and if they had anything to do with the peddler.

Rio Grande River at Boquillas Canyon Overlook

Another day we visited the nearby “ghost town” of Terlingua. The town is now a tourist trap more than a ghost town. A few old buildings and ruins could be seen. We visited a general store next door to the Holiday Hotel and the Starlight Theatre. We strolled through the old cemetery and then bought supper-to-go at the Rustic Iron BBQ.

On the way home, I took a peek in the Quilt store in the town of Terlingua. Two little ladies were sewing away. The owner said she has 14 quilters working for her. When I asked how she ended up in the middle of nowhere, she said, “The warm weather!” “Yep,” I said, “That’s why we’re here.”

Big Bend National Park was better than I anticipated. I found myself wanting to visit again someday because there’s so much more to see.

South Dakota Sights

Posted on March 8, 2022 by admin

Whenever I think of South Dakota, I think of a flat wide expanse of endless prairie, a picture I got in my mind from reading the Little House books. But when we arrived in South Dakota we found beautiful forested mountains with pretty green meadows spaced in between the hills. Western South Dakota in the Black Hills region is a region of surprising beauty. Tucked away in these hills is the iconic Mount Rushmore. (See my blog on Mount Rushmore)

In the Black Hills region are other interesting places to explore. One of the places I wanted to see was the Crazy Horse Memorial. This is a privately-owned memorial to Crazy Horse, a leader of the Lakota Sioux Indians. The sculptor, Korczak Ziolkowski, who dedicated his life to carving this memorial, is now deceased and his descendants have taken on the project.

I had mixed feelings about Crazy Horse Monument. For one thing, after 71 years, it is far from being completed. In contrast, Mount Rushmore was finished in only 14 years. Some reasons for the delay are said to be the weather, tourists, the size of the project and lack of funds. Critics say it has become a money making project for enriching the sculptor’s family. I can’t say for sure that is true, but I was disappointed. It does seem like the 40,000 square foot Visitor’s Center has taken over the central focus instead of the rock carving.

Below is a prototype carving of what the mountain will look like when finished. It’s sad to think I might never see it completed in my lifetime.

The outline of the horse’s head on the mountain yet to be carved.

We wandered around the huge visitor center for nearly an hour. It seemed like we were rushing through it just to be able to see it all. The buildings also house The Indian Museum of North America which houses a large collection of art and artifacts showing the histories and cultures of over 300 native nations. One impressive exhibit was this Navajo Indian rug.

Other items in the museum showcase the artist’s talent such as this carving of Henry Standing Bear, a cousin of Crazy Horse. He was the one who found the artist Korczak Ziolkowski for the Crazy Horse project.

Many Indian handcrafted items were on display. This beautifully crafted pine quill basket caught my attention.

Having taken a pottery class, I’m always fascinated by handmade pottery. These look like they were from a wood-fired kiln or pit.

Other exhibits were this highly decorated horse outfit and the hand-crafted canoe pictured below.

It was irresistible to get a photo of a buffalo up close like this. It was easy to see why the Indians liked the buffalo hides for keeping them warm in the cold winters.

The artist Korczak Ziolkowski, and his wife had 10 children. They must have been a musical family as there were many musical instruments from their home on display in the museum.

We stopped to eat dinner in the nearby town of Custer where a painted buffalo caught my eye. Since it was late in the year, many places were already closed for the winter. We found a Pizza Hut and I ordered chicken wings. They were really good!

Another day we drove to Wind Cave National Park and took a tour into the cave. The cave is so named because as the air pressure changes on the outside, the air blows in or out of the cave to maintain equal pressure. Two brothers discovered the cave when they heard wind blowing out of a hole in the ground. When one leaned in to get a better look, his hat blew off his head.

Wind Cave is the second longest and most complex cave in the world. Only a small part has been explored. It is home to “boxwork”, a unique formation found only in this cave.

One of the stories our guide told us about was in the early history of the cave tours, there was a guide that led tourists down into the cave with a lantern. If he saw a passage that he wanted to explore, he would leave his guests in the dark and go exploring, sometimes leaving them there in the dark for hours before returning. I can’t imagine being left in pitch dark for hours not knowing for sure if the guide would ever return!

Above ground we saw prairie dogs, bison and park-like prairie grasslands and hillsides with forests. I pondered if this would be a nice place to live someday–but then I thought about the cold winters. Hm. Probably not.

Mount Rushmore

Posted on October 26, 2021 by admin

Rapid City, SD

September, 2021

One of my bucket list items was to see Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. The Mount Rushmore National Park is near Rapid City, South Dakota. There are so many things to see in this area, I wished we had spent two weeks there instead of just one. We did our best to see as many as possible.

The day we chose to go see Mount Rushmore was a beautiful day with clear blue skies.

Entrance to Mount Rushmore is free. However, there is a charge for parking. For seniors, it was $5. We parked in the parking garage and made our way to the entrance and the Avenue of flags which displays the flags from all 50 states. We found our state flag of Texas.

Underneath each flag is a plaque with the date the state entered the union and the rank in order of the states joining the union.

At the amphitheater, I took a few more photos of these huge carvings. It was an amazing feat of architecture, sculpture and engineering that took years to complete. It is an iconic American Monument that needs to be preserved.

It wasn’t just a matter of carving a face in the mountain. The sculptor had to choose the best angle so the images would catch the light and cast shadows to show off the carvings. There were “catch light” rocks that made the eyes look real. The rock had to be the right hardness. It took a lot of skill and knowledge to carve this.

I walked down the path to the artist’s studio where the trees nicely frame the monument.

As we drove away from the park we got one more view of George Washington as we rounded a corner.

We went to the evening program. The Ranger told his story about what happened 20 years prior on September 11, 2001, when our country was under attack. The National Parks were closed and then put under high alert for any suspicious activity.

This Ranger related to us that while he was sitting on top of the head of George Washington at night all alone on September 11, looking for planes or anything that looked suspicious, he wrote a script of what he was going to say in his program the following evening. That was the program we got to hear the night after the 20 year anniversary of 9/11.

He told how each of the four Presidents had faced great adversity in trying circumstances that tested them and made them into the great leaders they became. He shared his own story of adversity. He then related those times to the challenges that faced our nation after the attack. Our leaders and our nation overcame adversity and went on to become the most powerful nation on earth. It was very inspiring to hear.

Rushmore at night before lit up and Avenue of flags of 50 states.

Avenue of flags and Mount Rushmore lit up at night

Veterans lower flag at end of evening program.

White Sulphur Springs, Montana

Posted on October 14, 2021 by admin

September, 2021

The little town of White Sulphur Springs is located in the western half of Montana about midway from north to south. To get there from Choteau, Montana, we went through Great Falls and then south on Highway 87 through the Little Belt Mountains and Lewis and Clark National Forest. It is some of the prettiest scenery, going over Kings Hill Pass of 7400 feet, and past quaint little towns tucked in among the forests.

On the edge of White Sulphur Springs is an RV park with a view of the Big Belt Mountains to the west. The smoke from fires in the west made beautiful sunsets in the evenings.

View from campground at White Sulphur Springs, Montana

We were familiar with this quiet little town, having spent some time here last year. There are plenty of day trip destinations from there. One place I really wanted to see this year was the “Top of the World Drive” on Highway 212 going from Yellowstone National Park to Red Lodge, Montana.

To get to this highway, you must take Highway 89 to Yellowstone National Park, across the border in Wyoming. We ate a picnic lunch just inside the north entrance of Yellowstone NP. Then we followed the road to Mammoth Hot Springs and on to Tower-Roosevelt.

Along the way, I stopped to get a photo of a waterfall and some other scenery. Due to the smoke from the fires in the west, it was very hazy.

As we traveled through Yellowstone NP, at one point we had to stop to let some buffalo cross the road. Seeing them up close made us realize how huge these beasts are in size.

Smoke and haze along creek and mountains in Yellowstone NP

Once you leave Yellowstone NP, the road quickly ascends on its way to Beartooth Pass. This pass climbs to nearly 11,000 feet in elevation giving views of alpine lakes and epic views.

A mountain meadow and lake along Beartooth Highway.

Looking back at switchbacks on road to Beartooth Pass

Views of glacial lakes and steep canyons along Beartooth Highway

We came across some construction work on the road that had us going along a steep cliff on a temporary roadway. It must take constant work to keep this road in good condition.

Road construction along Beartooth Highway.

I remember traveling this route when I was a kid on one of our family vacations to Indiana. My dad stopped along the road at one point so my sister and I could play in the snow and make snowballs. We never got to play in snow where we lived in the Arizona. That was quite a treat for us in August. (However, this year in 2021, we saw very little snow.)

That night our family stayed in Red Lodge, Montana. We ate dinner at a café that served all kinds of wild game dishes. I wasn’t brave enough to try any back then. After dinner, we went back to our cabin where we fell asleep to the sound of a gurgling creek out back of the cabin.

On our day trip there, I found the place where we stayed and got a photo. The place was in bad shape, but it looks like someone may be fixing up some of the units.

The cabins we stayed in many years ago when I was a kid are now in disrepair.

Possibly the location of the cafe where we ate many years ago in Red Lodge, Montana. It is now a pizza place.

The town of Red Lodge is now a tourist trap with lots of shops and eateries. It also has quite a few luxurious houses surrounding it. It is still a cute and quaint little town, however, and a fun place to visit.

Old Coca Cola sign shows evidence of the past in Red Lodge, Montana

We ate BBQ here for lunch in Red Lodge, Montana.

On our way home, I spotted this sight while going through one of the small towns in Montana. I couldn’t resist stopping and getting some photos of the evening sun on this grain elevator. It made a nice ending to our day.

Glacier National Park

Posted on September 17, 2021 by admin

August, 2021

Glacier NP is one of those “can’t miss” places to see. It was one of our main destinations this year. Little did we know that when we started planning our itinerary back in February of 2021, that campgrounds near the park would already be filled up til mid-August. That meant that we needed to kill some time before we could get to Glacier National Park.

We decided to spend June and July and the first part of August seeing parts of Oregon and Washington, and I’m so glad we did. We had fun, cool weather (for the most part) and we got to see some beautiful sights.

Now, you can’t just drive into Glacier NP anymore. You have to have a Park pass (we had a Senior National Parks Pass) PLUS you need a ticket for Going to the Sun Road. That ticket is good for 7 days, but you have to go online ahead of time to reserve your time. This limits the number of people who can enter the park on any given day. Since there is only one road going through the park, it gets a lot of traffic.

The day we finally got to visit Glacier NP was a rainy day. Though the rain kept some people away, it was still hard to find a parking spot at the scenic turn-outs. So we just drove.

Up, up the mountain we drove, on curvy, windy, roads with only a short rock wall separating us from the edge of the cliff and valley below. Ray was driving, and I took photos out the window. It made me nervous to look straight down. Ray was in the driver’s seat so he wasn’t scared. Later, when I was driving up the same road and Ray was in the passenger seat, he said he felt a little scared too.

The Road to the Sun in Glacier NP is not for anyone afraid of heights!

The road is very narrow, and at times it seemed like we would scrape the other cars as they passed by. We finally found a turnout where I could get some photos of the valley.

Going to the Sun Road winds through the valley of Glacier NP along McDonald Creek.

Along the way, we saw some waterfalls with a boulder that looked like it could roll right down.

Waterfall on the Going to the Sun Road, Glacier NP.

I was really disappointed that there were no glaciers to see. We saw what looked like patches of snow. I wouldn’t really classify them as glaciers. The valleys were carved by glaciers years ago so the name is still appropriate.

Some small patches of snow from glaciers are seen here.

As we climbed higher and higher in elevation, the clouds settled down over the top of the mountains and it got foggy and misty. The highest point was Logan Pass where Logan Visitor Center is located. The parking lot was full, so we drove a short ways and stopped at a turnout at Lunch Creek where we ate our picnic lunch.

From there we could see another waterfall and the remains of a glacier.

We got there just in time before the mist enveloped us. We decided to turn around and go back the way we came instead of driving through the entire park that day. It was a good choice. By the time we drove back through the valley, we were able to find parking at some of the viewpoints that had previously been too packed to stop.

Colorful rocks cover the bottom and line the sides of McDonald Creek.

My grandfather’s name was Lake Macdonald, so of course I wanted to see Lake McDonald. (spelled differently). The rocks on the bottom of the lake and on the shore are a beautiful array of colors.

Colorful rocks on the shore of Lake McDonald

We visited the park a total of three different days. The weather never did get sunny. One of those days I hiked to McDonald Falls.

As we drove upstream alongside McDonald Creek, we found another waterfall and interesting views.

Blue-green waters of the melted glaciers at McDonald Creek

On our third day in Glacier NP, we drove completely through the park, barely stopping except to eat our lunch. At Logan Pass, the road winds down to the small town of St. Mary.

We drove from one end of the park to the other, and then drove around the outside of the park on the south side back to where we started. It was also a beautiful drive, but long.

Coming down the other side of Logan Pass

The other side of Logan Pass is much different in that it suffered damage from recent forest fires that changed the look of the landscape. There is a lake on that side too–St. Mary Lake which is about 1500′ higher in elevation than Lake McDonald.

Fire damage and St. Mary Lake in background.

Even with the recent rains, the smoke from fires in the western states came back quickly to make a haze over the mountains. We had planned to stay a few days in St. Mary, but due to the smoke, we decided to leave early. Our pass for Going to the Sun Road had expired, and we were ready to move on.

A Museum and a National Historical Park

Posted on August 27, 2021 by admin

July, 2021

Columbia River Maritime Museum

While we were staying in Seaside, Oregon, we went to The Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, Oregon. As we entered the museum, we saw a large map of the shipwrecks at the mouth of the Columbia River.

We watched a 3D surround sound documentary of “Aircraft Carrier–City at Sea” in the Theater. Then we wandered around the exhibits and learned about the extreme conditions of the Columbia River Bar, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Columbia River Bar Pilots.

U.S. Coast Guard Rescue display at Columbia River Maritime Museum.

Display in Columbia River Maritime Museum.

The museum tells the history of the Columbia River from the times of the Indians and their dugout canoes to the present day. The museum is very expansive and takes 2 or 3 hours to see everything. We took a break for lunch and walked across the street to a food truck to get lunch and then came back to see more.

Outside the museum is docked the Lightship Columbia, a National Historic Landmark. It is an actual lightship that used to guide ships to safety at the mouth of the Columbia River. I was able to go aboard and see the sailors living quarters. The lightship is a floating lighthouse manned by a crew of 17 men working two to four week rotations, with 10 men on duty at a time. It was in use from 1951 to 1979.

The Columbia Lightship–part of The Columbia River Maritime Museum.

We learned at the museum that ships today must have a specially trained pilot to guide them through the mouth of the Columbia River where it meets the Pacific Ocean. This pilot will come aboard their ship and guide the ships through the treacherous waters and sand bars at the mouth of the river. We saw several large cargo ships waiting their turn.

Cargo ships on Columbia River await their turn to go through the dangerous waters at the mouth of the Columbia River.

Lewis and Clark Natl. Historical Pk.

Lewis and Clark have always been two of my favorite explorers ever since I read “Streams to the River, River to the Sea” by Scott O’Dell. The story of their amazing adventure is told in part at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park near Astoria, Oregon, off Highway 101. Besides having another national park to check off of our list, it gave us a day of learning about the history of our country and some exercise as we hiked the trails near the visitor center.

We stopped at the Visitor Center where we saw a short film about the story of the winter fort of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in1805 – 1806. They named it Fort Clatsop after the nation of Indians who resided nearby.

Replica of Fort Clatsop, the winter fort of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

At the fort we watched a demonstration of the loading and shooting of a black powder rifle.

We walked down a pathway to the place on the river where Lewis and Clark could possibly have docked their dugout canoes.

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park actually has several different site locations. Many of the other sites are only minutes away. We decided save some of those different locations for another visit at another time. In all, we had an enjoyable day visiting this park.

Nevada Northern Railway

Posted on August 9, 2021 by admin

June 11, 2021

After leaving Arizona, we made our way north by way of eastern Nevada, going through Caliente, Ely and Wells, NV.

On the way there, we drove along the backside of Great Basin National Park. I could see Wheeler Peak in the distance. We drove to the top of it when we visited the park last year. The 13,000’ peak still had snow on it.

In Ely, we stopped for four nights so we could ride the Nevada Northern Railway and visit the Museum. The Railway is a National Historic Landmark and the museum complex includes a rail yard on 56 acres with 63 structures to explore.

We enjoyed a 90 minute ride in an old passenger car pulled by a steam locomotive.

The train depot for the Northern Nevada Railway.

The elevation of Ely is 6,437 feet. In winter, this snowplow was used to clear the snow off the tracks.

Water tower for Northern Nevada Railway.

The ride took us through the hills around Ely to a large copper mine and back. Along the way we learned about local history.

We view the historic town of Ely, Nevada, on our train ride out to the mine.

As we head out of town and uphill, the smoke gets blacker.

Copper was used for wiring homes for electricity in the late 1890s. This was once a thriving mine and is still being mined today.

Humorous grave yard on the way to the Robinson copper mine.

On the way back, we were told that sometimes the train gets held up by bandits, but we didn’t see any that day. We did, however, see the graveyard and fake western town nearby.

On our way there and back, this fellow with his little dog on the back rode along the highway parallel to the railroad track.

As we arrived back at the depot, we see the rainbow at our journey’s end as the locomotive lets off steam.

Kolob Canyon Utah

Posted on July 22, 2021 by admin

October 11, 2020

Zion National Park is bigger than I thought! We drove into Kolob Canyon little realizing it was a part of Zion NP. However, there is no road to the main part of Zion through Kolob Canyon. It’s a dead end road. But the beautiful red rocks cliffs are just as stunning.

This was a nice short trip to the backside of Zion to see more of these amazing rocks.

Two more nearby sites we saw while camping in Hurricane, Utah, were the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) Camp in Leeds, Utah, and an old ghost town that was a former mining town called Silver Reef.

The CCC was an organization started from 1933 to 1942. It was a work relief program for young men between 17 and 28 years old. It provided manual labor jobs related to the conservation and development of natural resources in rural lands owned by the federal, state and local governments. It provided them with food, clothing and shelter plus a wage, part of which was sent home to their families.

Silver Reef was once the site of a silver mine in 1866. Geologists were at first uncertain about the claim since silver is not normally found in sandstone.

Categories: Airstream Travel Tags: CCC camps Utah, CCC corp, Civilian Conservation Corp, Hurricane Utah, Kolob Canyon Utah, Leeds Utah, Mining towns, red rocks, Silver mines, Silver Reef Utah, sites to see in Utah, Southern Utah travel, St. George Utah, Utah travel, Zion Kolob Canyon, Zion NP | Comments

Bryce Canyon National Park

Posted on July 22, 2021 by admin

October 10, 2020

On the way to Bryce Canyon, we passed through Red Rock Canyon. In Bryce, you are looking down into the canyon. However, in Red Rock Canyon, you are down in the canyon looking up.

The red rock spires reach into the sky.

We drove on to Bryce Canyon where we saw this awe-inspiring display at Sunset Point. It wasn’t sunset, but the rocks were beautifully reflecting the afternoon light. Down below were trails, wildlife and conifers. It you look closely, you can see the tops of the trees.

Bryce Canyon is a changing landscape. The spires, or hoodoos, as they are called, continue to change through erosion from wind, rain, snow and ice.

Bryce Canyon National Park is a rather narrow but long national park positioned along the edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. In the distance are the gray, white and vermillion cliffs that stair-step down to the land below. The elevation at the rim varies between 8,000 to 9,000 feet in elevation, thus the expansive views.

At around mile 12 of the road into the park, there is a “natural bridge,” which is really a natural arch. The name was given so long ago that it stuck. A true natural bridge by definition is formed by flowing water that cuts through the sandstone. This arch was formed by other means.

Looking across the span of Bryce NP at the end of the road at Rainbow Point.

We enjoyed our day at Bryce Canyon National Park. We would like to go back some day to spend more time there.

Categories: RV Travel, Utah Travel Tags: Airstream, Airstream Travel, Bryce Canyon, Bryce Canyon NP, Bryce National Park, Full Time RVing, National Parks, Red Rock Canyon, Red Rock Canyon Utah, Utah, Utah destinations, Utah scenery, Utah travel

Great Basin National Park

Posted on July 22, 2021 by admin

September 22, 2020

A little town called Delta in the central western part of Utah was a nice little town where we stayed for a week. It was the closest we were going to get to Great Basin National Park on our 2020 journey, so we decided to take a day trip to add another National Park to our accomplishments. Even so, it was more than 100 miles to the park which is actually in Nevada. We packed a lunch and headed out in the morning. It was a pretty barren landscape until we got within 30 miles or so of the park. There’s a huge dry lake, Sevier Lake, that offers some views from the highway. It is an endorheic lake (a drainage lake with no out-flowing streams to other bodies of water).

Before we drove far inside the park, we stopped at an outdoor exhibit. In the field beyond was an old car. It you look beyond it, you can see part of the Great Basin that the park is named after. According to Wikipedia, “the Great Basin is the largest area of contiguous endorheic watersheds in North America. It spans nearly all of Nevada, much of Oregon and Utah, and portions of California, Idaho, Wyoming and Baja California in Mexico.” It is a vast area. What is surprising is that the Great Basin National Park itself is mostly a road up a 13,000 foot mountain called Wheeler Peak, and the surrounding foothill areas. The park derives its name from the surrounding basin area.

View of Wheeler Peak

The drive up to Wheeler Peak was breath-taking. Right away you could look over the vast distances of the Great Basin below. The smoke from the summer wildfires in the west obscured our view somewhat.

As we traveled further up the mountain, the aspen trees began to show their fall colors.

The road took us over 10,000 feet in elevation. At the top are the bristlecone pines, some of which are hundreds of years old. Looking up close at the pine cones, I realized why they are called “bristlecone” pines.

Here’s a closer view of Wheeler Peak. At the end of the road is a parking lot where there are trailheads for hiking trails to see ancient bristlecone pines and even one trail to the top of Wheeler Peak. The high elevation and thin air would deter me from such an adventure. On the day we went the parking lot was full, so we turned around and headed back.

Other items of interest to explore would be the alpine glaciers, Lexington Arch–a natural arch, Lehman caves, and the many trails around the park. This park is a hidden gem that I recommend exploring if you ever get the chance.

Categories: Airstream Travel, Utah Travel Tags: Bristlecone Pines, Fall colors, Fall colors in Utah, Fragrance, Full Time RVing, Great Basin National Park, Nevada travels, RVing, Utah travels

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Our Airstream Travels

Category Archives: National Parks

Big Bend National Park

South Dakota Sights

Mount Rushmore

White Sulphur Springs, Montana

Glacier National Park

A Museum and a National Historical Park

Lewis and Clark Natl. Historical Pk.

Nevada Northern Railway

Kolob Canyon Utah

Bryce Canyon National Park

Great Basin National Park