On the first day at North Cascades National Park, we crossed two swinging bridges to a waterfall and walked among towering red cedars. The national park is about 2 hours and 20 minutes from Seattle, Washington, where we had been visiting. We stayed our first night at North Cascades Inn in Marblemont, Wa., before heading to the far side of the park. Our family did…
See high waterfalls, deep canyons, and house-size boulders along Jackson Falls Trail in Shawnee National Forest. OVERVIEW MY EXPERIENCE I went with a group so I could learn the area before bringing my son here in the future. There is only one way down into the canyon and you can get lost if you don’t know your way. Our group hiked about eight miles, but…
Slide down or walk along the top of the world’s largest gypsum dune field at White Sands National Park near Alamogordo, N.M. My family and I visited three national parks in west Texas and southern New Mexico: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park (just a short stop), and White Sands National Park. Overview The park covers 145,762 acres in the Tularosa Basin, including…
At Guadalupe Mountains National Park, a short hike led to the ruins of the Old Butterfield Stagecoach Route Pinery Station and native plants. My family and I visited three national parks in west Texas and southern New Mexico: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park for a quick stop, and White Sands National Park. About the Park Guadalupe Mountains National Park covers 86,416 acres…
See the largest underground chamber in North America, at almost 4,000 feet long, and watch thousands of bats leave the cave at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. The caverns are located in southeastern New Mexico between El Paso, Texas, and Midland-Odessa, Texas. It is 20 miles outside of Carlsbad, New Mexico, where many nearby hotels are located. My family and I visited three…
Slide down yellow sand dunes at heights of 70 feet at Monahans Sandhills State Park, just 30 miles west of Odessa, Texas. We stopped here on our way to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. A WORD OF CAUTION Make sure to bring drinking water and use sunscreen since there is little shade out on the dunes. You will get sand on you; we wore sandals. My…
An aqua blue spring with crystal clear water flows into the nearby Current River. Round Spring was my destination in Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
In Dallas, we had the chance to watch the Rangers at Globe Life Field and take in the views from the top of Reunion Tower. Reunion Tower Standing at a height of 561 feet in the heart of downtown Dallas, Reunion Tower is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. From the top, visitors can take in the views of the Dallas skyline and landmarks….
Take in the views of eroded canyons and see prairie dogs and wild stallions at Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit.
Hiking part of the Chubb and the Flint Quarry Trail leads to views of the Meramec River and cliff-like terrain along hills. This hike covers 8.8 miles on natural surfaces and gains 968 feet of elevation. With many ups and downs and a rocky trail, I would call it difficult. I hiked down to the Meramec River on the Chubb Trail, doing the Low Water…
