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Zion National Park

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Zion National Park has quickly become one of the most popular national parks in the country. Although almost all national parks have seen an increase in attendance over the past decade, Zion’s location (just 160 miles from Las Vegas) and beautiful geography has rocketed it to the fourth most visited park in 2018. With over 4 million visitors a year, the park can feel very crowded, especially in the summer months. However, with some planning you can still have an amazing experience!

Hiking the Narrows

There was really just one thing our family HAD to do in Zion, and that was to hike the Narrows. The Virgin River flows through Zion Canyon, creating a beautiful gorge with thousand foot walls. The narrowest part of this gorge has been aptly named The Narrows, and it is one of the most popular locations in the park. This hike is unique because the river is the trail. Hikers must enter the river and wade over slippery rocks through flowing water to experience the beautiful views in the canyon. With the right equipment and preparation it can be an unforgettable experience! Here are our tips for a successful hike in the Narrows.

#1: Rent equipment

Hiking through a river can be challenging to begin with, but without the proper equipment it can be dangerous. Several outfitters in the nearby town of Springdale offer rental packages. The items and prices vary with the season, but we opted for the warm weather rental from Zion Outfitter for $25. This price included the sweet red canyon boots that the boys are wearing in the picture (they come in adult sizes, which look equally ridiculous), neoprene socks, and a hiking stick with a wrist strap. Many people try to hike the Narrows in bare feet or old sneakers, but that could easily turn into a sprained ankle. The canyon boots have a thick rubber bottom that grips the rocks and is designed for the purpose of hiking in water. They aren’t waterproof, so the water does get in and squish around as you hike. I guess this is all part of the fun though, right? At first, I didn’t think the walking sticks would be all that necessary, but after experiencing this hike, I wouldn’t go without one. They prevented so many falls and helped us keep our balance while navigating the rocks and currents. And Zion Outfitter allowed us to pick up the equipment the day before our hike without an extra fee, which helped us get an early start. I also suggest getting a waterproof case or pouch for your cell phone or camera. It allowed me to capture these photos without fear of dropping my phone into the river!

#2: Get there EARLY

I can’t emphasize this point enough. The Narrows is absolutely beautiful, but it is one of the most popular locations in the park. Because the river isn’t wide, the space for hikers is limited. We woke up at 5:00am, quickly dressed, put on our crazy canyon boots, ate a quick breakfast and grabbed our supplies. We were lucky enough to be camping in the park, so we only had a short walk to the shuttle stop at the Visitors Center. The first shuttle leaves at 6:00am. I don’t think we made it for the first one, but we were close. The ride to the Temple of Sinawava stop was about 40 minutes so we arrived a little before 7:00am. The shuttle was pretty full, even at this time of the morning, but there is a one mile walk on a paved trail to get to the start of the Narrows. We entered the Virgin River at the same time as a handful of other families. After hiking for about an hour, there were no other people in sight. For about 4 of the 6 hours that we hiked, we saw very few people. However, as we were leaving the Narrows around 1:00, hikers were shoulder to shoulder coming in. We heard someone describe it as, “more crowded than Disney World.” I heard another person say, “Can you imagine how cool this would be if we were the only ones here?!” You can! It’s possible to experience the Narrows as a quiet, solitary hike if you’re willing to lose a little sleep.

#3: Take it slow

This is a hike that is definitely more about the journey than the destination. To hike the entire Narrows is around ten miles round trip. Very few people set out to complete that, partly because walking in water isn’t easy and partly because there’s no need to hike that far to experience the beauty of the gorge. Along the way are walls of rocks, little waterfalls streaming down, boulders to climb, patches of earth to take a rest on, and chest high water to swim in. I suggest you take it slow and steady, be cautious to prevent injuries, and enjoy the natural surroundings.

#4: Hike as far as possible

The further you go, the fewer people you see. But also, the canyon becomes even more narrow. Very little sunlight can reach the bottom unless the sun is directly overheard, and the canyon walls take on some beautiful curves. It took us about three hours to reach the most narrow point, and I have to give props to my boys because we didn’t see any other children this far in. They were troopers, and they were rewarded with an unforgettable hike!

#5: Soak it all in

I’ve completed many hikes in my day, but the Narrows is a special experience. There’s something about hiking in the cool water, surrounded by rock walls that have been there for millennia, listening to the birds, and eventually feeling the warm rays of the sun that awakens all of the senses. As I mentioned before, this hike is about the journey. It’s difficult to walk quickly in water, and there’s no reason to rush. There’s really no destination to seek or goal to achieve. This allowed us to slow down and soak in the experience, and I just kept thinking about how grateful I was to be there with my family.

Hiking the Narrows was another check off on my bucket list, and it completely lived up to my expectations. Hopefully these tips will help someone else to have a good experience! And this definitely won’t our last trip to Zion National Park. If you know anything about Zion, you might be wondering how we skipped the Bright Angel Trail. (Look it up if you haven’t heard of it!). We decided the boys, especially Liam, were a little too young to navigate the steep drop-offs and chains. So I’ll be back to complete that some day, most likely with my daredevil Jack at my side!

Bryce Canyon National Park

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Another day, another beautiful Utah park! Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for hoodoos, the tall, weathered rocks that cover the landscape. It is the largest concentration of hoodoos found on the planet, and they make for some beautiful photos! Because the campgrounds in the park weren’t taking reservations this summer, we stayed at Ruby’s Inn and Campground just a few miles outside the entrance to Bryce. I’m not a huge fan of private campgrounds to begin with, but Ruby’s was an unforgettably bad one. However, the proximity to Bryce Canyon was great, and we spent a full day hanging out in the hoodoos. Here are the highlights of our time there:

Mossy Cave Hike

We started our day with this short, fun little hike. The hike begins along Route 12, rather than inside the park. It’s less than a mile, but goes past a muddy river, up a hill, and then branches. The path to the left goes up to Mossy Cave, a cavern with water dripping and plants growing. The trail to the right gives views of a waterfall. Along the trail, hoodoos are visible. We opted to do this with a ranger guiding the way, so we were able to learn about the history of the area and the geology of the park. I wouldn’t prioritize this hike, but it’s especially good for preschoolers since it’s very short with plenty to see.

Queens Garden to Navajo Loop Trail

After our short hike to Mossy Cave, we headed in through the main entrance and parked at Sunrise Point. Looking down at the canyon from the rim is beautiful, but hiking down in and walking among the unique geological features is definitely a memorable experience. The Queens Garden to Navajo Loop is a 2.6 mile hike that combines two popular trails and can be done in either direction. We chose to enter the canyon on the Queens Garden trail, which begins at Sunrise Point. This is considered the least strenuous trail because it descends more gradually than other options. If you’re worried about hiking at elevation (or just generally hate climbing uphill), I would recommend doing this hike in the opposite direction. Start on the Navajo Loop side of the trail to avoid climbing up the steep switchbacks at the end of the hike. No matter where you begin, the trail will take you down 580 feet and allow you to walk among the hoodoos. We stopped at Queens Garden, Two Bridges, and Thor’s Hammer along the way before hiking out of the canyon on the Navajo Loop trail, ending at Sunset Point. This is an excellent family hike, but be sure to bring lots of water and take breaks on those crazy switchbacks as needed! The photos below show some of the views from the trail.

Scenic Drive

If climbing up and down steep trails isn’t your idea of a good time, there’s still plenty to see at Bryce Canyon! The sweeping views from the canyon rim are amazing and can be seen from the various stops along the 36 mile (round trip) scenic drive. After our morning hikes, we stopped at the picnic area near Sunrise Point to refuel then headed out on the scenic drive. We drove the entire length, stopping at most of the overlooks. Some of the stops on the drive have a short, paved trail to get to the scenic view. Our favorite stops (not counting Sunrise and Sunset Points) were Natural Bridge, Rainbow Point, and Inspiration Point. It started to rain on the way back, and there were storm clouds in many of our pictures. By the time we got back to the Visitor Center it was a full downpour. I’m glad we got our hikes in early!

We had a busy day exploring Bryce Canyon. The scenic drive was beautiful, but hiking the canyon was my favorite part of the day. It seems that the National Park Service agrees, and they had an initiative going on called the “Hike the Hoodoos!” Challenge. Nine benchmarks had been set up along trails on the park, and a small prize was given if you have a photo with at least three of them. Looking for the benchmarks gave the boys a little more motivation and they loved the vinyl stickers they received for completing the challenge. Such a fun idea to get people out of the car and exploring the park!

Mesa Verde National Park

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View of Spruce Tree House

Most of the national parks that we visit have a focus on preserving the natural beauty of the area – mountains, lakes, rock formations. Mesa Verde National Park is different. Located in the southwestern corner of Colorado, it was a created to protect and preserve the archeological remains of the Ancestral Puebloans who built their homes and villages in the cliffs of the mesa from 600 to 1300 CE. There are over 5,000 archeological sites within the park, including more than 600 cliff dwellings. Many are remarkable well preserved considering that they are between 700 and 1400 years old! The history buffs in our family were eager to get out and explore all that this park had to offer. We spent an entire day, from early morning until after sundown, out on the mesa visiting the sites. These are our favorites!

Scenic Drive through History

There are several areas of the park that can be accessed without a guided tour, and most are just a short walk from the paved roads of the park. We started our day by driving from Morefield Campground, stopping at the Montezuma Valley overlook and the Park Point overlook for sweeping viewing of the surrounding area. From there we headed to the Far View Sites, where the remains of 50 villages can be found within a half mile of each other. There is a trail system that connects the sites, and a guidebook is available that describes exactly what you’re looking at. Some of the remains are well preserved, while others are just the remnants of a foundation in the ground. It’s best to explore this site first because it would have been far less impressive after viewing the expansive and well-preserved cliff dwellings.

Our next stop was the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum. This doubles as a visitor center, with park rangers on hand to answer questions. There is a 20 minute film about the history of the area and the people who called it home. This provided a lot of necessary context, especially for the boys, so I would strongly recommend it. The museum has dioramas and exhibits of artifacts that had been recovered during the excavation of the sites. It was interesting to see the pottery, footwear, utensils, and art from that time period. Out the back of the museum is a trail to Spruce Tree House, a large and well-preserved cliff dwelling. While we were there the trail was closed due to recent rock falls, but there are nice views of it from the area outside the museum. This area also has a cafe, gift shop, picnic area, and restrooms. We had lunch in the picnic area before continuing our drive onto the Mesa Top Loop. This is a 6 mile loop, with 12 stops. Each has a short, paved walking path to the site. There is a guide brochure that describes the history and archeology of each of the stops. Some were more interesting than others. Highlights from the Mesa Top loop include views of Cliff Palace from above, the grand Sun Temple, and Square House. It took us about 90 minutes to complete the loop, stopping at all 12 sites along the way. There is a lot of history to experience on the drive, so it’s a great option for those who are unable to do the more physical cave dwelling tours.

Balcony House Tour

This cave dwelling tour allows you to enter into Balcony House, a thirteenth century structure with over 40 rooms. It’s considered to be an adventure tour because it requires participants to climb a 32 foot ladder, scramble through an 10 foot long, 18 inch wide tunnel, and walk along the edge of a cliff. There is a replica of the tunnel in the visitor center for people who want to try it out before booking the tour. Ryan is a big guy and had to go through sideways, but he fit without any issues. The tour starts on a path that descends 100 feet along the cliff edge. This leads to the big ladder. It was nerve wracking to climb, but I was more focused on Liam than myself. Not looking down helps a lot. Once everyone in the group was up the ladder, the tour guide provided information about the rooms and structures we could see. The wooden pegs for the balcony were still standing over 800 years after being placed! The views of the surrounding area were beautiful from the dwelling. Once the ranger had answered everyone’s questions, we squeezed through the tunnel which was the only entrance to the dwelling when the Ancestral Puebloans lived there. Then it was up several more ladders and stone steps to get back to the top. This was a great tour to get the adrenaline flowing while also experiencing history!

Cliff Palace Sunset Tour

The National Park Service offers guided tours of three cliff dwellings: Balcony House, Cliff Palace, and Long House. In order to attend a guided tour, tickets need to be purchased in person at the Visitor Center (or a few other locations in and around the park). For people passing through the area, especially during the busy summer season, it can be difficult to get same-day tickets. One of the only tours that can be reserved in advance is the Cliff Palace Sunset Tour. The tour is more expensive than the standard one, but its longer and the group is smaller. And we hit the ranger lottery when David Nighteagle, a Native American from the Lakota tribe and a long time national park ranger, was assigned to guide our tour.

The tour began with a short walk down from the top of the mesa along a path. We sat along the rocks and heard about some of the history of the area. Ranger Nighteagle focuses on having people on his tours connect to the location on an emotional level, so we spent some quiet time enjoying the sunset and views of Cliff Palace before making our way to the cliff dwelling. Cliff Palace contains over 150 rooms and is thought to have been a place of significance to the Native Americans who lived here. Because of the number of rooms and kivas, it may have had administrative or ceremonial purposes. We were able to walk through the site, as the ranger shared information about the people who lived here and answered questions. We sat on a windowsill to view original artwork on the ceiling of one of the rooms, and as the sun began to set, Ranger Nighteagle took out a handmade flute and played a song of thanks to the spirits. It was both eerie and beautiful. Leaving the site required climbing up several ladders and stone steps. We came out just as the sun was dropping below the horizon.

This is truly a special site, containing archeological evidence to a past that we know little about. Seeing the sites on these cliff ledges where thousands of Native Americans made their homes gave us a tiny glimpse into what life may have been like for them – their priorities, struggles, and fears. We learned a lot, but also saw how many questions are left unanswered. Why did they suddenly leave these cliff dwellings that took years of hard work to create? What threatened their safety? The mysteries are as intriguing as the facts. And that is what makes this Jack’s new favorite national park!

Glacier National Park

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View from the boat ride across Lake Josephine

As we planned this trip, I did plenty of research to decide which places we would visit.  I ordered a book about national parks, visited countless websites, and read online reviews.  Glacier National Park came up repeatedly as one of the most beautiful places in the country.  We debated whether or not we should add the six hour drive to make the trip from Yellowstone to northern Montana so we could explore Glacier National Park, and we finally decided that it would be worth the extra milage.  And I’m SO GLAD that we did!  This is how we spent our time.

Going to the Sun Road

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A section of Going to the Sun Road

You can’t visit Glacier without a drive on the beautiful, winding, 50 mile Going to the Sun Road that connects the eastern and western part of the park.  It crosses the Continental Divide at Logan Pass, at an altitude of 6,646 feet, and there are dozens of scenic turnouts and trail heads along the way.  As we drove we saw glacial lakes, cedar forests, alpine tundra, and breathtaking vistas.  Many of the parking areas fill up very early (as we discovered at 8:15 at Logan Pass one morning), but a free shuttle is available that runs continuously throughout the day.  However you travel it, GTTSR cannot be missed!

Hidden Lake Overlook Trail

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Hidden Lake Overlook Trail

This hike is one of the most popular trails at Glacier, and for good reason.  Its just under three miles round-trip, and the views along the entire path are amazing.  The hike starts at Logan Pass with a paved trail, and then transitions into a wooden boardwalk with quite a few steps.  As we passed through the alpine meadows, with the mountains
looming above us, we saw small streams of glacial run-off.  There were wildflowers, pika, and weasels along the way.  There were even mountain goats!  Once the boardwalk ended and the trail became a dirt path, we could look down to see the valley below, and Hidden Lake came into view.  Such a beautiful way to spend a late afternoon in Glacier National Park.

 

Hike to Grinnell Glacier

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View of glacial lake from the trail

From the time that we added Glacier National Park to our summer road trip itinerary, I knew that I had to get up close to a glacier.  The most highly recommended way to do that is to hike the Grinnell Glacier trail.  This actually takes quite a bit of planning.  First off, the trailhead is located in Many Glacier, one of the more remote areas of the park.  In Many Glacier there is a lodge, a motel with cabins, and one of the most sought-after campgrounds in the entire country: Many Glacier Campground.  There are 103 campsites in Many Glacier Campground, with 41 available for advance reservations.  The sites are available six months before the arrival date, and are gone the minute they become available.  I was pretty bummed that we didn’t get a site initially, but I kept checking the website for cancellations and got lucky.  We reserved our site and were one step closer to seeing a glacier.

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The next step was to secure the boat ride. The trail to Grinnell Glacier is over 11 miles long, but you can cut about three and a half miles from that by reserving a boat ride across Swiftcurrent Lake and Lake Josephine.  There are a limited number of tickets, so its important to reserve as early as possible.  We bought boat tickets that included a ranger-led hike, which helped ease some of our fears about bears since this would ensure that we were part of a group.

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Jack and Liam trying out their packs before the big hike

The last think we needed to worry about was Liam. He’s only five years old, and and eight mile, steep hike is definitely a challenge for him.  I knew he could physically do it, but I was worried that it wouldn’t be enjoyable for any of us.  But Ryan and I really, really wanted to experience the hike and seeing the glacier, so we decided to go for it.

The hike started out steep, but as with everything in Glacier National Park, it was absolutely gorgeous.  As we climbed in altitude, we could see the glacial lakes below, so blue. There were wildflowers growing along the path, and we climbed steadily for several hours.  The only issue that Liam had was img_3807passing under a waterfall that goes right across the trail.  There’s no way around it, and it was scary to him to have all that cold water falling on him with slippery rocks below his feet and a cliff off to the side.  We made it through, but there were a few minutes of howling after that.  As we continued, the ranger paused several times to point out interesting rocks and plants, and we stopped for lunch with just about a half mile from the glacier.  The final push to the summit was steep and rocky, but once we made it to the top we could look down on the glacier and the lake with icebergs floating

The ranger led us down to the edge of the lake, and the kids were able to feel the cold water.  The walk down was much easier, and both boys were such troopers.  I was so proud of them both.  We ended up logging over 10 miles of walking for the day, but it was so worth it.  It was one of my favorite days of the entire summer.

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Boat Ride on St. Mary Lake

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The weather while we were in Glacier National Park was absolutely beautiful.  It was warm and sunny, and cool enough at night to enjoy a fire.  Before leaving the eastern part of the park, we booked a boat tour of Saint Mary Lake.  We had already driven Going to the Sun Road and hiked several trails.  We wanted to experience the beauty of this park from the water.

The guide was young and personable.  She talked about the science and history of the area, pointing out parts of the landscape as we passed.  It was a little tough to get good photos, so I decided to just relax and enjoy the ride.  We stopped at a spot where we could get off the boat and take a very short five minute walk to a pretty impressive waterfall.  While we were there we saw a marmot sunning itself on a rock.  It was a peaceful, relaxing morning, and the boys had blast splashing in the water along the shoreline when we docked.

After spending five days in Glacier I definitely have a new favorite national park!  The scenery, wildlife, and hiking were top notch.  Glacier also has more ranger-led programs and educational opportunities than any other park that we’ve visited.  There’s no cell service in most of the park, making it easier to disconnect and fully embrace the experience.  I know I’ll never forget our time there.  But if you have any desire to visit, don’t wait long.  Due to climate change, it is predicted that all glaciers in Glacier National Park will be gone by the year 2030.

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Yellowstone National Park

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Grand Prismatic Spring, as seen from the Fairy Falls Trail

It’s not like any other place on the planet.  After visiting, I realize why this is the first plot of land that the government decided to protect as a National Park. The uniqueness of the geothermal features, the diversity of the wildlife, and the varied landscapes make Yellowstone National Park the quintessential road trip destination.  And it did not disappoint.  Our four days in Yellowstone were chock full of adventure.  Here are the highlights!

Geysers

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The Grand Geyser

When people most people think about Yellowstone, visions of Old Faithful come to mind. Old Faithful is one of the most famous geysers in the world, mostly because its erupts so regularly.  However, Yellowstone is home to over 500 geysers, some of which are even larger and more impressive.  And when you just happen to be in the right place at the right time to see one of the more unpredictable geysers erupt, it makes for a pretty memorable experience.  We were able to see Grand Geyser this way, and we felt like we won the lottery!

As for seeing Old Faithful, we decided to climb up the Observation Point Trail to watch an arial view of the eruption.  The trail was short and very steep, but watching Old Faithful without the crowds was awesome.  And by the time we climbed down and cooled off with some cold drinks, we were able to see it erupt from the ground level as well.

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View of Old Faithful from the Observation Point Trail

Hot Springs

img_2954There is something about heat and water that make for some incredible sights.  We saw hot springs throughout Yellowstone, but none can beat the Grand Prismatic Spring found in the Midway Geyser Basin.  The colors, formed by bacteria living in the cooler water along the edges, make the Grand Prismatic Spring a favorite place for photographers.  As we struggled to get a good shot from the boardwalk, someone suggested that we walk the Fairy Falls Trail, which leads to an overlook of the Grand Prismatic Spring.  It was there that I got my favorite photograph in Yellowstone.  (See above – its the featured photo!)

We saw hot springs throughout Yellowstone.  The steam rising up from the ground, especially in the cool morning hours before the crowds arrived, made us feel like we were visiting another planet.

 

View of Grand Prismatic Spring from the boardwalk
One of the hot springs in the West Thumb Geyser Basin
A steamy hot spring on a cool morning
View near the Artist Paint pots
View from the top of the trail near Artist Paintpots

Wildlife

img_3332Maybe its because we’re from New York.  Maybe its because they’re such huge, majestic creatures.  Whatever it is, we never get tired of seeing bison!  We saw a single male bison on our way through Hayden Valley, sitting right by the side of the road.  But when we drove out to Lamar Valley, they were everywhere.  I’m not exaggerating when I say we probably saw over a thousand bison, hanging out in herds of 50 to 300.  The drive was so scenic, with rolling hills and views of the river.  We spent a whole morning with our eyes in the binoculars, watching the bison and looking for a glimpse of a bear or wolf.

While in Yellowstone, we also saw a coyote, bighorn sheep, deer, and elk.  We even saw a female moose walking through the West Thumb Geyser Basin.  There were signs everywhere saying “Keep Off, Fragile Ground”.  I just kept waiting for the poor cow to fall through, but she just grazed on the grass then walked off into the woods.

 

 

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

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Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Yellowstone is really really crowded in the summer.  When we first drove up to Canyon Campground where we stayed all four nights, we saw long lines of cars waiting to get into both the North Rim and South Rim drives.  I don’t have patience for that kind of traffic in a national park, so we decided that the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, including views of upper and lower falls, would be done first thing in the morning.  And it worked out perfectly.  We beat the crowds and pretty much had the trails to ourselves.  We were able to walk down to the brink of Upper Falls and I took the steep walk down to the brink of Lower Falls.  Gorgeous scenery in every direction.

We should all be thankful that there were people in history who had the foresight to protect this land from development.  There is so much to learn and experience in Yellowstone National Park.  From the geysers and hot springs to the countless hikes and walks, to the valleys where wildlife can be seen, its a magical place.  Check out the slideshow below for some more photos from our time in Yellowstone!

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Custer State Park

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View of the hills in Custer State Park – with evidence of the December 2017 fire that burned over 50,000 acres

 State parks often get overlooked because people assume they’re less impressive than the national parks, but Custer State Park has it all – beautiful scenic drives, wildlife everywhere, and plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy.  It is located about two hours west of Badlands National Park, not far from Rapid City.  We spent a few days in this corner of South Dakota, enjoying the tourist attractions of Rapid City and looking for wildlife in Custer State Park.  Here are the highlights!

 Mount Rushmore

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It’s iconic.  We’ve all seen the photos of the faces carved into the side of a mountain, but driving up and seeing the massive scale and beautiful surroundings makes Mount Rushmore even more impressive.  Jack, with his love of American History, was especially excited to visit and learn about how this national monument came to exist. We watched the video in the Visitors Center, browsed the exhibits in the museum, walked a portion of the Presidential Trail, and the boys completed their Junior Ranger badges.  We visited at the end of a long day, so getting both boys to stand for a nice picture was nearly impossible, but we made it through without a full-blown Liam meltdown, so it was a good visit!

 

Liam finally posed for a picture!
Jack and Ryan on the Presidential Trail
Checking out the exhibits
Junior Rangers!
View of George Washington through the cave

Crazy Horse Memorial

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The Crazy Horse Memorial (and yes, those are trucks up there!)

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a lesser-known monument, created in memory of a Native American named Crazy Horse who was killed by the United States government in 1877 while defending the land occupied by the Lakota people.  This memorial is still under construction, and once completed it will be the largest sculpture in the world.  Progress is slow because the non-profit foundation in charge of the Crazy Horse Memorial refuses to accept federal funds.  Ryan and I had visited back in 2009, and it was interesting to see how the monument had changed over the past nine years.

Bear Country USA

img_1913I love bears.  They are such interesting and impressive animals, but it’s difficult to see them in the wild.  And even if you’re lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one, it’s far too dangerous to get close enough to capture a great photo.  Bear Country USA is a drive-through wildlife park where bears, bighorn sheep, bison, wolves, and dozens of other animals are allowed to roam (somewhat) free.  Of course, you’re required to keep the windows rolled up and stay in the car, but driving through and seeing these amazing animals up close was awesome.  A black bear walked right by our car, close enough to reach out and touch it!  As our car slowly moved through, we were able to watch the bears splash around in their pool, run around and play with each other, and sleep in the shade. It was worth every penny!  At the end, there’s a section where you park the car and walk around, seeing some of the smaller animals, including bear cubs!

Wildlife

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Bison herd along Fisherman Flats

We chose to visit Custer because I read that it was one of the best places in the country to see bison. We had actually booked a Buffalo Safari, but after seeing so many bison in the Badlands, we decided to cancel and take our chances at finding them on our own.  We stopped at the Wildlife Station Visitor Center and asked where we should go to see bison.  They directed us down an unpaved road called Fisherman Flats.  The scenery was beautiful, but we didn’t see much.  Until we got to the end of the road.  There was a huge herd of bison right by the road, lounging, grazing, and even a mother nursing her calf.  It was better than we could have imagined.

In addition to bison, there are wild burros that roam around the park.  They are very tame, and Liam especially loved trying to pet them. Many people were feeding them, though it isn’t allowed by park rules.

Wild burro roaming the grassland
A baby burro!

On our drives we also saw pronghorn deer, white-tailed deer, prairie dogs, and lots of birds.  It was a great park for seeing animals in their natural habitat!

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Peter Norbeck Outdoor Education Center

We spent so much time at this gem inside Custer State Park, that had to include it! It’s a new facility, designed for children to learn, explore, and play.  Everything is hands-on, from the museum exhibits to the outdoor play spaces.  They have programs for kids throughout the day, grouping them by age so that everyone can enjoy the activities.  Ryan and I took full advantage of the little lounge room, relaxing while the boys were off learning about weather and bison and everything in between.  Kids can earn a Junior Naturalist badge too!

Liam the prairie dog!
Where Ryan and I hung out
Jack exploring the cave outside

So much more!

Jack has a new found love of rocks and gems, so he was excited to visit the Big Thunder Gold Mine.  The boys were able to pan for gold, which is a lot more difficult than I expected, but we did leave with some tiny pieces.  I thought the boys would be disappointed that they didn’t have a big chunk of pyrite at the end of it, but they both left with smiles.

Big Thunder Gold Mine!
Panning for gold with the help of an expert

While in Custer, we also took a drive up the Needles Highway.  This is a scenic drive that is off limits to RVs and other larger vehicle.  And for good reason.  It was a nail biting, winding road up through the hills, with hairpin turns, big drop-offs, oneway tunnels, and amazing views.  I was glad that Ryan was driving!

View from Needles Highway
Rock formations
One way tunnel!

There are two amazing caves in the area, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument.  We visited Jewel Cave and took the Scenic Tour, which the whole family enjoyed.  And two more Junior Ranger badges were earned there as well.

We packed so much into our three days in the Custer State Park area of South Dakota.  You could easily spend a week here, and you would have PLENTY to do!  There is a great mix of tourist attractions and untouched wilderness, making it a wonderful place to spend time with the family.

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Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania

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Cherry Springs State Park is a relatively small state park in the northern part of Pennsylvania. There are no major cities for over a hundred miles in each direction, allowing the park to have the darkest skies on the east coast.  In 2007 it was designated as an International Dark Sky Park and has since attracted astronomers from around the globe.

The campgrounds and big, blue sky


Highlights:

  • Stargazing: Visitors come to Cherry Springs for one thing: to view the night sky. At 2300 feet atop the Allegheny Plateau, stars, planets, and even the shadow of the Milky Way is visible.  There are two observation fields. One is for serious astronomers and photographers, the other for the general public. The night we visited was clear, and we layed out on a blanket for hours, just mesmerized by the expansive sky. It was an experience that I won’t soon forget. Photographing the sky requires talent and equipment that I don’t possess, so these photos have been borrowed from internet sources but were taken at Cherry Springs.
  • Nature Trail: The sky is definitely the main event at Cherry Springs, but there is a picturesque nature trail with a varied scenery, wild life, and lots of berry bushes with ripe raspberries and blackberries. The whole family enjoyed the short, but pretty trail.

Travel Tip: Unless you are a hardcore camper, consider staying at some of the other state parks in the region and driving up at night for stargazing. Although the campsites were huge, the campground is very rustic with latrine style toilets and no running water. There also wasn’t much to do during the day, with the exception of the short nature trail. So although we had planned for two nights, we left after just one.

Huge campsite!



For Kids: It’s tough for little ones to wait patiently for the stars to appear, but enjoying a beautiful sunset with a campfire and some smores helps pass the time. Fun for parents too!



Until planning this trip, I had never heard of a “dark park”, but after experiencing the awe-inspiring views of the sky from Cherry Springs State Park, I know we’ll be back!  



Watkins Glen State Park, New York

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We visited many beautiful places this summer, but none quite like Watkins Glen State Park.  Located in the Finger Lakes region of New York, near Seneca Lake, Watkins Glen is a 400 foot gorge through which the Glen Creek flows. The natural stone path leads visitors along a breathtaking trail, with stunning views around each turn.

Some of the many waterfalls seen along the trail



Highlights:

  • Gorge Trail: This 1.5 mile pathway offers the best views of the entire gorge. Magnificent rock formations, waterfalls, and moss covered bridges provide beautiful scenery the entire length of the Gorge Trail. 

The Narrows

The Heart-Shaped Pool

Seen along Gorge Trail


A beautiful bridge along Gorge Trail

Sunlight shining through the rocks



Travel Tip: Although this trail is on the shorter side, be sure to wear appropriate footwear. The rocky trail can get wet and slippery, and there are 832 steps along the trail. And if a round trip hike sound like too much, a shuttle at one end of the gorge will bring you back to the main entrance for $5. 

Liam and Grampy on the Indian Trail

A great walk for all ages!

Climbing stairs with Grammy

A portion of Gorge Trail



For Kids: Not only are there 19 waterfalls along the Gorge Trail, the path even goes behind two of them! Kids will feel the spray of the water as they pass behind Rainbow Falls, and can reach out to feel the cold water pouring over the rocks. It’s exciting for children of all ages!

Jack touching the waterfall

Family photo under Rainbow Falls


Another beautiful view of Rainbow Falls

Jack and Ashley in front of Lily Pond


Watkins Glen State Park is a gorgeous, almost magical place. The scenery is varied and picturesque. Combine it with a trip to nearby Letchworth State Park for a wonderful few days enjoying the natural beauty of upstate New York!

Letchworth State Park, New York

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Often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of the East”, Letchworth State Park is a 17 mile stretch of natural beauty. The park is located 35 miles southwest of Rochester, and has recently been named the #1 state park in the U.S. We spent four days camping, hiking, and enjoying all that Letchworth has to offer.


Highlights:

  • Scenic Views: The first glimpse into the gorge is shockingly beautiful. There’s nothing about the surrounding landscape to suggest that such a remarkable natural formation is hidden in the midst. And you don’t need to be an avid hiker to enjoy the views. The most impressive areas can be seen from parking areas right off of the park roads!
  • Waterfalls: Letchworth State Park boasts three gorgeous waterfalls, appropriately named Upper Falls, Middle Falls, and Lower Falls. Each can be seen as part of the scenic drive or from the popular Gorge Trail. Just don’t forget your camera!
  • Hiking: There are few things that I find more relaxing and enjoyable than a walk in the woods, and with over 66 miles of hiking trails, Letchworth provides plenty of opportunities to get out and explore the area. We spend much of our time hiking different areas of the park – even in the rain!
  • Family!: After spending a month on the road, it was awesome to have two of my sisters join us for the weekend at Letchworth! The boys especially enjoyed games of Old Maid, trips to the playground, and making smores with Aunt Ashley and Aunt Amanda. They drove almost three hours to see us, and we loved every minute of the time we spent together!

Travel Tip: Although the hiking and nature walks are some of the best activities that Letchworth has to offer, their trail system can be confusing. The gift shop at the visitors center sells a $7 book that gives a detailed description of each trail, provides suggestions for connecting trails to make loops, and contains a laminated trail  map, which was especially handy during our morning walk in the rain.


For Kids: Just a month before our visit, in June 2016, Letchworth unveiled a 7 million dollar Nature Center. Designed as an educational space, there are interactive exhibits and staff who are eager to share hands-on items like animal furs with the kids. They even have a butterfly garden, a playground, and a 1 mile Storybook Nature trail with 14 stations, each a page from a story about the environment.

Letchworth is well-deserving of its title as the top state park in the nation! They have it all here: A museum, a visitors center, a nature center, scenic drives, amazing hikes, plenty of picnic areas, and there is even a hotel within the park if camping isn’t your thing. Despite it’s remote location, it is absolutely worth the travels to witness the beautiful gorge!

Niagara Falls, Ontario

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View from the top of Skylon Tower

Niagara Falls is an absolutely breathtaking natural beauty, attracting tourists from all over the world. At 180 feet, Nigara Falls is the second largest waterfall in the world, and the amount of water that pours over it is amazing. The entire town of Niagara Falls is focused on the waterfalls, and there are plenty of options for viewing it. With everything from ziplines to sunset cruises there is something for everyone! We purchased the Adventure Pass, which included a Hornblower Cruise, the Journey Behind the Falls, the White Water Walk, Nature’s Fury 6D Experience, and 2 days of unlimited rides on the WeGo bus. It definitely kept us busy! 

Jack and Liam checking out the falls from the window of the Visitor’s Center


Highlights:

  • Hornblower Cruise: It’s the quintessential falls experience to get a poncho and join the masses for a boat ride that takes you right up close to the falls. It’s an experience for all ages to feel the mist and hear the roar of the falls. And you WILL get wet!

    Rocking the red ponchos

    A view of the falls with a Maid of the Mist boat

    A close-up from the Hornblower

  • Journey Behind the Falls: An elevator ride took us down into a series of tunnels that lead to lookout points where we could see that we were actually behind the waterfall! My favorite part was the observation deck with great views super close to the falls!

    The tunnel behind the falls

    A view of the falls from the observation deck

    Jack getting sprayed by the mist

  • Skylon Tower: We debated about spending the money to ascend the tower after spending a full day viewing the falls, but I am so glad that we did! We actually ate dinner at the buffet restaurant up there, which was pricey but also allowed us to visit the observation deck after dinner. This was my favorite spot to view and photograph the falls. You can fully appreciate their magnitude and beauty from the top of Skylon Tower.

    The boys all ready for dinner on top of Skylon Tower

    My boys and I at the top

    The American Falls from the top of Skylon Tower

    Travel Tip: Make time to go see the falls at night, as they are colorfully lit. They even have fireworks and live music on some nights! 

    Night falls!

    Nigara falls is all lit up!


    For Kids: My boys really loved Niagara’s Fury, though I wasn’t overly impressed. It starts with a cute film on the history of Niagara Falls told through cartoon characters and then moves into more of an IMAX type of experience that includes water flying around. I think he’s crazy, but Jack says it was his favorite thing. 

    Even the movie requires ponchos!

    And if you want something that doesn’t require a poncho, both of my boys liked looking for rainbows in the mist.

    Rainbows never get old



    We had a great time in Niagara Falls. It is one of those places that is just overwhelmingly cool, agood item for a bucket list. The only downside for me is that the town is super touristy and we visited during peak season, so there were lots of crowds and long lines. Two days was plenty, and we were ready to head back into the wilderness!