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
Big Bend National Park, Day 1 Our Stay in Terlingua, TX Visiting Big Bend National Park On our way driving to Terlingua, TX, we entered Big Bend National Park at Persimmon Gap in the Santiago Mountains. The park’s oldest rocks can be found here. This area is geologically fascinating and unique. Large mountains eroded and […]
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Exploring the Natchez Trace Parkway Mississippi A Scenic Drive on the Natchez Trace Parkway We drove a part of the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway, a 444-mile route stretching from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee. The parkway roughly follows the Old Natchez Trace, a historic trail used by various groups, including Native Americans, early settlers known
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A Petrified Forest in the South Mississippi Ancient Giants: Mississippi’s Petrified Forest The Mississippi Petrified Forest, a registered natural landmark since 1966, is a unique natural wonder and one of only two petrified forests in the eastern United States. Although we visited the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona last year, we were glad we
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Exploring the Beauty of the Buffalo River Arkansas A Scenic Hike on the Ozark to Pruitt Trail On this beautiful autumn day, we hiked the Ozark to Pruitt Trail, a moderate and popular part of the Buffalo River Trail. The Buffalo River is a national river that winds its way through the heart of the
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Great Smoky Mountains NP – Day 2 North Carolina April 2022 The Sacred Heart of the Smokies April 28, 2022 1.43 mi 0:31:29 hrs 58 °F Six days later, we went back to the Smoky Mountains to try some new trails. We started with the steep, half-mile climb up to Kuwohi, which was formerly called
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Hiking the Appalachian Trail to Siler Bald North Carolina Siler Bald, The Crown of the Nantahala We had an amazing day hiking. After a steady and sometimes challenging climb along another part of the famous Appalachian Trail, we finally reached the “top of the world” for lunch. We made it to Siler Bald, a beautiful
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Great Smoky Mountains NP – Day 1 North Carolina April 2022 Exploring the Heart of the Smokies One of the main reasons we chose to stay in Franklin, NC, was its proximity to the Oconaluftee entrance of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which was just under an hour’s drive from our Airbnb. The Smokies truly
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Hiking the Appalachian Trail from Allen Gap, TN Tennessee A Short But Tough Stretch on the Appalachian NST On this beautiful day, we hiked a short section of the Appalachian Trail. We began at the Allen Gap trailhead and followed the ridge through the Cherokee National Forest, right on the Tennessee-North Carolina border. The scenery
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17,000 Years of History at Ocmulgee Mounds Georgia April 2022 Our Visit to Ocmulgee Mounds After visiting Macon, GA, we stopped at Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, which preserves 17,000 years of human history. The site’s timeline runs from Ice Age hunters to the Muscogee (Creek) people. Paleo-Indians first inhabited the land, but the Mississippian
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A Legacy of Peace at the King National Historical Park Georgia April 2022 Honoring King’s Spirit of Nonviolence While we were in Atlanta, we visited the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. The park is located in the heart of the Sweet Auburn district, a lively Black neighborhood. Although we didn’t get to see
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