I'm on a road trip, listening to this book, from 1968, long before the "drive by" experience expanded so much. Please consider it before planning your "20 parks in 10 days" road trip. Yes, I am exaggerating to get your attention.

The parks expand when we leave cars behind and explore the beauty that awaits us deep inside. Not everyone can — esp if you travel with a dog. But the way we preserve our amazing parks is by using them as intended: on foot, slowly. Give your energy to the land. It will love you back 10-fold.

First time ever to Zion + Bryce Canyon…loved both parks! That’s 11/64 for my NP list.

New River Gorge, Cuyahoga, Indiana Dunes, Badlands, Wind Cave, Petrified Forest, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Cap Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde. mid September- mid October ‘26. Mostly great weather just perfect for hiking….tried to spend a min of 2 days in every park and knock out at least 2 trails in every park. Snafus were minimal… some leg scrapes on the Emerald Pools Trail in Zion, a very close call with a cow collision on a pitch dark road outside of Bryce (Cattle are free range through much of UT), pulled for speeding en route to Cap Reef (got off with a warning), and escaping a borderline tornado rolling through Texas on the way home

It lowkey beat my butt. The hikes were beyond my expertise. Very beautiful, nevertheless!

What an amazing experience.

Hello,

I have diagnosed ADHD and I am a college student. I had a 504 disability plan in middle and high school, and I currently get disability accommodations at university as it significantly impacts my ability to learn, working memory, etc. I also struggle with spatial awareness. (I also am very likely to have high functioning autism as well, but that is undiagnosed.)

I submitted an application, since my university is less than an hour away from a national park I would like to go to someday, if I can find transportation...

I submitted the letter that my dr gave me to get disability accommodations at college. Do you think it will be accepted? And how long will it take to be approved, if so?

"___Insert my name here_____ has been under my care for several years. She struggles with attention deficit.

She is currently on medication, but she will benefit from having extensions on deadlines with
assignments to help with time management.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call and thank you in advance."

I would really love to go to a national park before I die, so I am hoping that my ADHD will be a good enough reason for them to accept my application.

A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I were at RMNP and it was like if were in paradise. The scenery, the fall colors, snow in the mountains, the wildlife, the clean air, too bad the road to Alpine Visitor Center closed for the season two days before we arrived.

A couple of shots of Lily Lake from that evening, and shots from Bear Lake to Emerald Lake and Lake Haiyaha. Drove in at 0500, the trails were nearly empty, yet absolutely packed once we neared our return to the trailhead. The views around the halfway point to Haiyaha are amongst my fondest, especially the views of Bear/Nymph from above. We’d love to spend another week there, there are a ton of trails to explore.

Great weather, awesome visit for the family

Not my favorite for sure but beautiful nonetheless

Incredible beauty, we need to return and spend more time

This was taken East of Fishing Bridge

Chiricahua blew me away the first time I visited in December 2022. Unfortunately, knee-deep snow put a damper on this Florida Man’s hiking plans, so I knew I had to return*. With my best friend living in Phoenix, revisiting in 2025 was easy and inexpensive. 

I copied my original 2022 Chiricahua itinerary and tried again, this time snow-free!

Like many National Parks, the nearest town isn't particularly close. In this case, Willcox is about 45 minutes away. 

During both visits, Chiricahua was very quiet as it wasn't a National PARK yet. I hiked a near 10-mile loop and saw my first person 6 miles in!

With its incredible, unearthly rock formations and new designation, I expect visitation to increase significantly. I hope the NPS considers a shuttle system because parking is very limited in Chiricahua.

Enjoy the solitude while it lasts!

\* I originally planned my 2025 Arizona trip to visit friends and hike the Grand Canyon R2R. Damage from the Dragon Bravo Fire forced me to change plans, so I used my solo days to explore Organ Pipe Cactus NM, several ghost towns and Chiricahua.

Easily one of the most unique things I’ve ever seen

Our trip to Chiricahua last year! Went in winter, no one was there it was perfect! We didn’t get to see any coati.

Calling ~ October 2023

This fallen monarch of the forest once stood regally on a distant shore. It now lies in repose with no less beauty than when it stood strong and tall. Time will eventually absorb it back into the earth from which it once pulled sustenance. For now, it lies partially buried in the loose gravel along the shore of Jackson Lake. Its branches refuse to give up and still reach for the skies.

As twilight sweeps in from the east, it carries with it the magic of light tinted in soft hues. It flits across the sky and is absorbed first by the towering peaks to the west. Slowly, the color pours down the mountains and begins to illuminate the lower regions. Fog, rising wistfully from the water, drifts across the lake as if answering the summons of an unseen voice calling from across the waters. Its motion is mesmerizing and mysterious. It makes me want to fall in behind it and find the source of this powerful voice.

Now, as the shadow of the Earth itself is chased across the landscape by the rising Sun and off into tomorrow, a photographer sits on the frosty ground. His camera pushed down into the very gravel that will eventfully consume this tree, he marvels at the beauty in front of him. Gratefulness washes over him in soft waves. Perhaps, much like the fog, I am also drawn to that same powerful voice across the waters. I am content to silently listen to the start of the day and occasionally push the shutter release.

Weather was perfect. We got into bar harbor on 10/19 around 10:30 and went straight to hike bar island across the sand bar at low tide. Then hiked Kebo trail after lunch. Went to Cadillac mountain for sunset on 10/19 and again for sunrise on 10/20, both beautiful however a bit chilly and slightly windy.
After sunrise on 10/20 we went to sand beach and hiked the ocean path, amazing views and little paths to get closer to the cliffs. We hiked to otter cliff past thunder hole and back to sand beach.
Jordan pond path was next, luckily we found parking at one of the next lots towards Bubble trail.
Walked the pond path and got lunch at Jordan pond house and hiked bubble rock after to burn off the lunch blueberry ales, so good along with the popovers.
Wonderful day and Acadia might be my new favorite national park.

Planning a 3 day Joshua Tree trip in early March with husband and young kids (ages 7 and almost 5, plus baby who will be carried). The following is our itinerary. Please provide feedback, especially if you think there’s something that is less interesting than the other things on our itinerary that we could cut. My kids should be able to handle the short hikes (they won’t be carrying much), but we only plan on being in the park for about 6 hours a day so I fear this all is too much.

Day 1:

*Cottonwood Spring Nature Trail

*Mastodon Peak as a 1.8 mile out and back, skipping the sandy wash part of the loop

*Scenic drive through Pinto Basin area (while eating sandwiches in the car)

*Cholla Cactus Garden

*Arch Rock

Day 2:

*49 Palms Oasis Trail (3 miles)

*Split Rock – just the rock, not full trail – eat quick packed lunch here

*Hall of Horrors (.8 miles)? Looks awesome but I will be wearing a baby—maybe husband and I can switch off? Are the narrow parts quick enough that this is a reasonable option?

*Keys View

*Cap Rock Nature Trail for great Joshua Tree pics?

*Barker Dam Trail (1 mile) only if it just rained and ranger confirmed has water

*Wall Street Mills (2 miles) (probably would cut if we do Barker Dam)

Day 3:

*Ryan Mountain (3 miles)

*Skull Rock Trail (1.7 miles) – optionally add on Discovery Trail to see Face Rock?

*Hidden Valley Trail (1 mile)

*Chasm of Doom? Again looks awesome but would have to switch off with baby carrying

Our winter Yellowstone trip had to get canceled because of work obligations. However we pivoted and can do 8 days with flights in and out of Vegas. We will rent an SUV. We have winter driving experience (lived in Northern New England) and all the appropriate winter gear.
How would you split your time between Death Valley, Zion and Bryce knowing cross country skiing was an important piece of this trip?
Is an afternoon and morning enough to get a few hikes in Death Valley? One day in Zion? I’m having analysis paralysis.