Category Archives: National Parks

Avalanche Lake — West Glacier Hikes, Part 1

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All comforts aside at the Pine Near RV Park, the thing that really kept me anchored in Winthrop for three days was my insane job.  I had scheduled 10 days off on vacation to visit Glacier National Park.  I always say you don’t really take a vacation from my corporate job…you just shove a week’s worth of work to either side.  Once clients realize you are leaving, they start piling on the “one last thing before you go” list.

It was also a much longer drive from North Cascades to Glacier National Park than I had anticipated.  It was a gorgeous drive along the Jocko and Flathead Rivers, following the expansive Flathead Lake just outside of Kallispell, with its 160 miles of shoreline. Continue reading →

The Bear Facts about Glacier National Park

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Glacier National Park is a hiker’s paradise. Over 700 miles of trails lead through some of the most spectacular and wild country in the Rockies.

But this is also bear country. There are an estimated 1,000 bears in Glacier National Park – around 600 black bears, and less than 400 of the endangered grizzlies. Continue reading →

Going to the Sun in the Sun!

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What do you do when you arrive in Glacier National Park on a sunny day?   You drop everything and head straight for the “Going-to-the-Sun” Road!   Weather is fickle here in the park, and if you should get a sunny day, take every advantage!

The Going-to-the-Sun Road is a 50 mile stretch of two-lane that runs east to west, right through the heart of Glacier National Park.  In fact, the Going To The Sun Road is the only way you can access the park by automobile.  And not just any automobile.  Continue reading →

Highway 101…Eastbound

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I’ve now driven just about all of Highway 101 from south to north through three states, starting in Arcata, California in mid-May all the way to Forks, Washington, where the highway soon begins to turn eastward.   This feels like a significant milestone after traveling in a northwesterly direction for so many months. Continue reading →

What’s UP in the OP NP

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My original intent in working my way around the OP NP (Olympic Peninsula National Park) was to make South Beach Campground my first stop.  Several people suggested it was a “must do” because of its proximity to the beach.  But I take one look at the RVs lined up bumper to bumper, jockeying for beachside real estate and realize I am still traumatized by Camp Agoraphobia.   I just can’t do it.   So I keep driving toward my next planned stop, Continue reading →

Paradise to Sunrise (Mt Rainier Part II)

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The weekend masses have not yet descended upon Cougar Rock Campground, so it is a cool, quiet morning.    I marvel at my good fortune to get two blue sky days in a row in one of the “the snowiest places on earth.”   I can see a few wisps of clouds, though, so I know the weather system is changing, so I hurry out for my intended destination for the day, Sunrise. Continue reading →

Off the Grid and On to Paradise

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After being in Oregon for two glorious, fun-packed months, it is finally time to say goodbye. Summer is fleeting, and the entire state of Washington is still yet to be explored. I have loved the state of Oregon more than any other state in the US…granted, I have yet to spend a winter here. But the winters would have to be pretty darned horrendous to offset the glory days of summer. Continue reading →

Lupine, Lighthouses, and Love…

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One of the scenic drives in Redwood National Park is deserving of a post all on its own. When I stop at the Kuchel Visitor Center, I am given one of the typical NPS foldable brochure maps. As I am asking the ranger for information, I happen to notice a picture on the back of the brochure. My next question is “How do I get THERE??” Continue reading →

Walking Amidst Giants

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After a night in the Elk Prairie Campground and the Tall Trees Trail, I moved on further north via the Drury Scenic Parkway to Jedediah Smith State Park.  This was one of my favorite experiences, parking alongside the Smith River beneath massive redwoods. I had walls of green with leaves touching the rig on all three sides. Good thing I had a rally in Oregon to go to, or the Winnie might be covered in moss by now. 😉 Continue reading →

Roads, Rhodies, and Redwoods

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I leave Redding via Highway 299, and oh, my, what a ride! It is a gorgeous highway that mostly follows the Trinity River through a heavily wooded canyon, but what an exhausting drive! One hundred forty miles of ups and downs, and an excellent opportunity to check the status of the Tracker, as I can practically see it out the window on the continuous sharp turns! Continue reading →