Category Archives: National Parks

Bryce Canyon National Park

Posted on by

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 by

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

Saguaro National Park

Posted on by

May 5, 2020

Tucson, AZ

During the pandemic, we looked for ways to get out of the house now and then. Saguaro National Park was just a few miles away from where we were staying, so we took a couple of trips there. The first day we went, it was overcast, but the wildflowers were in full bloom.  There is a nine mile drive through the park where you can stop along the way at the parking turnouts to take photos.

The second time we went, the main park drive was closed for repairs, but we found a trail that was open in another area of the park. The trail was a paved pathway. We only walked a short distance. I love the way the sun back-lighted some of the cacti.

You can see the start of blossoms on the far saguaros.

The saguaro blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona

Saguaro family

Barrel Cactus

Take a look at the fishhook needles on this one.

This large cholla cactus and the prickly pear cacti show the variety of cacti in the park.

I love how the rows of needles are lit by the sunlight.

There are different varieties of cholla (or jumping cactus) seen in this photo.

The yellow blooms of the palo verde tree on the right are just beginning to show.

Prickly Pear Cactus

The beautiful wildflowers were plentiful this day.

The long arms of an ocotillo cactus (on the right side of this photo) is beginning to bloom.

This saguaro has a funny face!

Close up of Saguaro needles

I hope you enjoyed our tour of Saguaro National Park. There are so many beautiful cacti in the park and so many beautiful mountain vistas. It’s really worth a visit, especially in the spring when the cacti and wild flowers are in bloom.