The United States boasts many scenic national parks, monuments, and forests. They can be visited with the “America The Beautiful” Year Pass. It is THE reason my hubby and I explore the United States. After we visited America’s (and the world’s) first national park since 1872, Yellowstone, Wyoming, in 2008, we became hooked on the experience!
We visited 28* national parks fifteen years later (2023). Each park has its unique character, energy, and vibe. For me, It is a spiritual experience to wander through the wilderness.
“Between every two pine trees, there is a door leading to a new way of life. Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine into trees.”
— John Muir, Scottish-American naturalist
2008 – Yellowstone National Park, WY Badlands National Park, WY, Mount Rushmore National Monument, SD
The Continuous Ridges of the Great Sand Dunes New Mexico June 2021 The Great Sand Dunes Illusion While driving toward the Great Sand Dunes National Park, we saw the dunes appearing at the foot of the majestic Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Because these mountain peaks are over 13,000 feet high, we doubted that these dunes […]
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Climbing The Ladder at Bandelier National Monument New Mexico June 2021 Bandelier National Monument, A Quiet Wonder We arrived at Bandelier National Monument around 9:00 AM and had no trouble parking near the visitor center, which was a relief. We were so glad we bought the $2 paper trail guide at the entrance. It was
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Carlsbad Caverns, A Magical World Underground New Mexico June 2021 Luck and Learning at Carlsbad Caverns We had a long 180-mile drive ahead to Carlsbad Caverns National Park in the vast Guadalupe Mountains. To get there on time, we left at 7:00 AM for a 3.5-hour drive through the Texas-New Mexico borderlands. It was a
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White Sands National Park, Catching A Sunset New Mexico June 2021 The Collision of Light and Storm at White Sands After visiting Carlsbad Caverns National Park, we drove back north through New Mexico’s oil country. Although it added a 50-mile detour to Las Cruces, it was worth it to arrive at White Sands National Park
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White Sands National Park, The Alkali Flat Trail New Mexico June 2021 Eerie and Mesmerizing, The Alkali Flat Trail White Sands National Park is a world like no other, a 275-square-mile area of radiating gypsum. It felt more like an alien planet than a desert. While it was designated a National Monument in 1933, its
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Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, A Desert Sanctuary Arizona June 2021 The Beauty and Rupture of Organ Pipe Visiting Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument was an absolute must for us. We didn’t mind the long drive from Tucson to reach this remote corner of Arizona, right on the edge of Sonora, Mexico. It’s actually the
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The White Dove of the Desert, San Xavier del Bac Arizona May 2021 Preserving San Xavier del Bac Every disadvantage has its advantage. While we didn’t complete the trail in Saguaro NP, the extra time allowed us to visit the Mission San Xavier del Bac, a stunning example of Spanish Colonial architecture in the United
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Saguaro West, The Volcanic Oven of the Tucson Mountains Arizona May 2021 XX A few days later, we explored the West Side of Saguaro National Park. This part of the park is located in the Tucson Mountains, on the opposite side of the city from where we had hiked before. We started up the Hugh
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The Crown Jewel of the Anza National Historic Trail Arizona May 2021 The Anza Corridor After our visit to the ruins of Mission Tumacácori, we followed part of the 1,210-mile Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. This route commemorates the 1775–1776 expedition led by Anza, who guided more than 240 settlers from New Spain
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Exploring the Pimería Alta at Tumacácori Mission Arizona May 2021 Preserving the Unfinished, Tumacácori Mission Instead of hiking in nature, we went to explore Tumacácori National Historical Park, near the Mexican border. The story of Tumacácori Mission goes back to January 1691, when the Jesuit missionary Eusebio Francisco Kino arrived in the area. Tumacácori was
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