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
Fort Caroline, Where French Ambition Met Spanish Might Florida March 2022 Fort Caroline, The 1st French Settlement During our stay in Jacksonville, we included a visit to Fort Caroline National Memorial, part of the Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve. The French Huguenot settlement of Fort Caroline commemorates France’s first attempt at colonization in 1562. We […]
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St. Augustine, A Journey Through America’s Oldest City Florida March, 2022 St. Augustine, America’s First City As part of our trip, we visited St. Augustine, the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the continental United States. Our stroll through the historic district allowed us to see the many ‘must-see’ landmarks St. Augustine has to offer.
DeSoto National Memorial & Historic Fort DeSoto Florida Februari 2022 A Glimpse into the Past at De Soto National Memorial The landfall of Hernando de Soto and his army on May 30, 1539, is commemorated at De Soto National Memorial. We joined a living history demonstration and learned about Hernando de Soto’s controversial exploration, the
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Everglades National Park Florida February 2022 Everglades National Park The weather had changed, so we drove eagerly to the Everglades for a new adventure on this beautiful day. We spent a long day hiking six trails, ranging from short loops to longer treks, totaling about 11 miles. A Glimpse of the Everglades at Royal Palm
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Biscayne National Park & Homestead Bayfront Park Florida February 2022 Today reminded us that we must prepare and plan when visiting a National Park. At the visitor center of Biscayne National Park, we learned that the park’s sole hiking trail was closed. We also hadn’t realized that Biscayne National Park is primarily a water park,
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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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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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