Category Archives: National Parks

Route 66 Petrified Forest National Park

Posted on January 8, 2013

As you drive through Petrified Forest national park in Arizona, you’ll reach a highway overpass which separates the painted desert section of the park from the petrified forest area. To the north of this overpass is an unexpected displays on the side of the road which celebrates old Route 66. The old Route 66 used to travel right through Petrified Forest national park, and this small display is a recognition of this part of the park’s past. There are several … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks, Petrified Forest | Tagged Arizona, bumper bench, National Park, Petrified Forest, Route 66, rusted car | 3 Comments

Devil’s Golf Course Death Valley National Park

Posted on December 28, 2012

One of my favorite places in Death Valley is the Devil’s Golf Course. A lot of people skip this area because they’re in a hurry to reach Badwater Basin, the lowest point in the continental US at 282 feet below sea level (and all the temporary graffiti that is unfortunately there). While Badwater certainly shouldn’t be missed, taking some time to go down the half-mile dirt road which leads to the Devil’s Golf Course is well worth the time. One … Continue reading →

Posted in Death Valley, National Parks | Tagged badwater basin, dangerous formation, Death Valley, Devil's Golf Course, National Park, salt flats, saltpan | Leave a comment

Is Rock Stacking Graffiti?

Posted on December 22, 2012

I wrote recently about people feeling free to scratch their names into the salt beds at Badwater in Death Valley National Park and whether we should be ambivalent toward this “temporary” graffiti. Even if nature can eventually erase it, doesn’t it just encourage others to mark more areas of our national parks with their names where it’s not nearly as easy for nature to remove the graffiti? Here is another one of those questions that I recently began to wonder … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged graffiti, Mirror Lake, National Park, rock stacking, Yosemite | 3 Comments

Temporary Graffiti Death Valley National Park

Posted on November 21, 2012

One of the unfortunate things and growing problem that I see much too often at national parks is graffiti. I really don’t understand why people feel it’s necessary to come to an amazingly beautiful place, and they feel the need to leave a mark so that it isn’t quite as beautiful for the next person that comes around. In fact, some national parks have resorted to putting up anti graffiti fine signs in an attempt to keep people from marking … Continue reading →

Posted in Death Valley, National Parks | Tagged Badwater, Death Valley, graffiti, national park graffiti, salt flats, temporary graffiti | Leave a comment

National Park Free Days 2013

Posted on November 15, 2012

At the time of me writing this post, there are 398 parks within the national parks system. While many of the most popular national parks charge an entrance fee, there are a large number of parks within the system that are free of charge year round. For the parks that charge an entrance fee, the national parks service designates certain days throughout the year when they waive this fee and offer entrance into all of the parks at no charge. … Continue reading →

Posted in Historical Parks, National Conservation Area, National Forest, National Lakeshores, National Parks, National Preserves, National Recreation Areas, National Seashores | Tagged 2013, 2014, free entrance, Get Outdoors Day, Martin Luther King Day, national park free days, national parks week, no cost, Public Lands Day, Veterans Day weekend | 5 Comments

Cholla Cactus Garden Joshua Tree National Park

Posted on November 11, 2012

While certainly most famous for the Joshua Tree, Joshua Tree national park has a variety of other plant life that is well worth exploring. Just like it’s worth taking the time to stop to see the Ocotillo in the southern part of the park, it’s most definitely worthwhile stopping at the Cholla (pronounced choy-ya) Cactus Garden located in the Pinto Basin (which usually only receive 4 inches of water a year) near the center of Joshua Tree national park. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Tree, National Parks | Tagged cacti garden, cactus, cactus garden, Cholla cactus, Joshua Tree, National Park, nature trail, Pinto Basin | Leave a comment

Dry Yosemite National Park

Posted on November 9, 2012

I stopped by to visit Yosemite National Park a couple of weeks ago, and for the first time, I ran into a dry Yosemite. When you see all those spectacular photos of Yosemite Falls, you might forget that the beautiful scene isn’t constant. Depending on the amount of snowfall the region receives during the winter, it’s not uncommon for Yosemite Falls to go dry in the late summer or early autumn. While the valley is still spectacular, for anyone who … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks, Yosemite | Tagged dry, Mirror Lake, no water, seasonal, Yosemite, Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Valley | Leave a comment

Ocotillo Joshua Tree National Park

Posted on October 22, 2012

While best known for the Joshua Tree for which the national park was named after, that’s not the only plant that can be found within the Joshua Tree national park‘s boundaries. In fact, if you decide to focus exclusively on the Joshua Trees (of which there are plenty which will mesmerize you for countless hours), you will end up missing a plethora of other interesting plants which inhabit the park. With only a bit of effort, you will find that … Continue reading →

Posted in Joshua Tree, National Parks | Tagged deciduous plant, desert bees, desert shrub, Joshua Tree National Park, Ocotilla | Leave a comment

New York 9/11 Fireman Visits All 397 National Parks

Posted on September 12, 2012

I have to admit that visiting all 397 (hopefully more by the time I complete it) national parks is a secret goal I have. I’m not sure if I will ultimately be able to accomplish it, but it always gives me hope when I come across stories like this. Yesterday Girard Owens, a retired New York fire department lieutenant who was a fireman during 9/11 managed to visit his 397th national park — and chose it to be the Statue … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks | Tagged 9/11 anniversary, 9/11. fireman, National Parks, Statue of Liberty, visit 397 parks | 1 Comment

How National Parks Benefit The Economy Infographic

Posted on August 25, 2012

As you might well imagine, I love our national parks. Unfortunately, in these times of budget cuts, that argument is simply not enough when it comes to keep the financial support coming to our national parks. What many people fail to realize, and what is often not expressed when it comes to the funding fights for national parks, is that national parks also provide a huge economic benefit. As part of the 96th birthday of the National Park Service, the … Continue reading →

Posted in National Parks | Tagged economic benefits, infographic, National Park service, National Parks, national parks conservation association, NPCA | Leave a comment