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re: Favorite U.S. National Park?
Posted on 2/15/16 at 2:03 pm to Year of the Dragon
Posted on 2/15/16 at 2:03 pm to Year of the Dragon
In the next few years the wife and I will hit more of the NPs. Those trips have been well worth the money.
1
Posted on 2/15/16 at 4:32 pm to SoFla Tideroller
They really are affordable compared to other vacations.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 4:57 pm to Year of the Dragon
Zion, Grand Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, and Bryce Canyon are some of my favorites.
Going to Grand Teton in October.
Want to do a California trip and hit Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite.
Zion is by far and away my absolute favorite:
The Observation Point hike is amazing!
Going to Grand Teton in October.
Want to do a California trip and hit Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite.
Zion is by far and away my absolute favorite:
The Observation Point hike is amazing!
Posted on 2/15/16 at 4:59 pm to VirgilCaine
Virgil Caine, that's something else.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 5:10 pm to Lima Whiskey
Zion was incredible. My favorite place on earth. We did the Observation Point hike in the morning/early afternoon. Took a bath in the Virgin River that runs through camp, and then went and got some margaritas in Springdale (best NP town I've seen in my travels).
I got to do a road trip with some buddies last spring. We hit Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Plus got some cheap local skiiing in at Powderhorn over the course of a week.
Really sparked my love affair with the National Parks. Have a Grand Teton/Yellowstone trip planned for October with the Mrs.
Have gotten stamps in the NP Passport for Acadia, Cuyahoga, Smokey Mtns, and Shenandoah.
My Top Five Unseen:
1. Yosemite
2. Grand Teton
3. Yellowstone
4. Denali
5. Badlands
I got to do a road trip with some buddies last spring. We hit Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, and Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Plus got some cheap local skiiing in at Powderhorn over the course of a week.
Really sparked my love affair with the National Parks. Have a Grand Teton/Yellowstone trip planned for October with the Mrs.
Have gotten stamps in the NP Passport for Acadia, Cuyahoga, Smokey Mtns, and Shenandoah.
My Top Five Unseen:
1. Yosemite
2. Grand Teton
3. Yellowstone
4. Denali
5. Badlands
Posted on 2/15/16 at 6:44 pm to VirgilCaine
quote:
Zion, Grand Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches, and Bryce Canyon are some of my favorites.
Going to Grand Teton in October.
Want to do a California trip and hit Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Yosemite.
Zion is by far and away my absolute favorite:
The Observation Point hike is amazing!
Been to all of those and Zion is my favorite of all those you listed. The Narrows is the best trail I've done in all of the National Parks.
Grand Teton is amazing too!
Yosemite is my favorite. I haven't been to King's Canyon and Sequioa. While you are in the area you might want to visit Death Valley. I had a blast there.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 9:30 pm to Year of the Dragon
There is a program for 4th Graders & those with them, to get into Nat'l Parks Free, through August 1st.
Posted on 2/15/16 at 9:38 pm to Sancho Panza
quote:
There is a program for 4th Graders & those with them, to get into Nat'l Parks Free, through August 1st.
Cool. I'll check this out.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 1:49 am to Year of the Dragon
As others have said, in terms of sheer breathtaking beauty, Yosemite is hands down the best IMO. It is crowded though.
Posted on 2/16/16 at 12:35 pm to SurfTide
Great thread. Got a big trip coming up and hoping I can get some help from y'all.
Background:
In early June, I'm taking my 4 children (boy-15, girl-14, girl-12, boy-6) west for 2 1/2 weeks of camping and hiking. I camped plenty as a kid but not much recently. Oldest boy is Life rank with Boy Scouts and camps all the time, so we should be ok.
Rough itinerary:
Day 1
• Leave Illinois and drive to Badlands NP in SD. Camp overnight.
Day 2
• Spend the next morning to early afternoon at Mt. Rushmore.
• Leave Mt. Rushmore early afternoon and drive to Crow Agency, MT. Camp.
Day 3
• Spend next morning at Little Bighorn National Monument.
• Leave Crow Agency late morning and drive to St Mary, MT. Camp.
Day 4-8
• Leave St. Mary next afternoon via Going To The Sun road and drive to Flathead Lake.
• Camp at Flathead Lake 4-5 days, touring Glacier NP.
Day 9-15
• Leave Flathead Lake and drive to Yellowstone. Camp there for 6-7 days. Hike, fish, sightsee, etc.
Day 16
• Drive to Jewel Cave National Monument in Custer, SD. Camp overnight.
Day 17
• Tour Jewel Cave early to late morning. Go home.
Some questions:
• Am I rushing through any part of this, or missing something amazing I need to account for?
• Any particular recommendations for Glacier NP sightseeing?
• I have no clue what to do around Yellowstone, so any recommendations on campsites and itinerary would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Background:
In early June, I'm taking my 4 children (boy-15, girl-14, girl-12, boy-6) west for 2 1/2 weeks of camping and hiking. I camped plenty as a kid but not much recently. Oldest boy is Life rank with Boy Scouts and camps all the time, so we should be ok.
Rough itinerary:
Day 1
• Leave Illinois and drive to Badlands NP in SD. Camp overnight.
Day 2
• Spend the next morning to early afternoon at Mt. Rushmore.
• Leave Mt. Rushmore early afternoon and drive to Crow Agency, MT. Camp.
Day 3
• Spend next morning at Little Bighorn National Monument.
• Leave Crow Agency late morning and drive to St Mary, MT. Camp.
Day 4-8
• Leave St. Mary next afternoon via Going To The Sun road and drive to Flathead Lake.
• Camp at Flathead Lake 4-5 days, touring Glacier NP.
Day 9-15
• Leave Flathead Lake and drive to Yellowstone. Camp there for 6-7 days. Hike, fish, sightsee, etc.
Day 16
• Drive to Jewel Cave National Monument in Custer, SD. Camp overnight.
Day 17
• Tour Jewel Cave early to late morning. Go home.
Some questions:
• Am I rushing through any part of this, or missing something amazing I need to account for?
• Any particular recommendations for Glacier NP sightseeing?
• I have no clue what to do around Yellowstone, so any recommendations on campsites and itinerary would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Posted on 2/16/16 at 4:17 pm to FleshEatingSalsa
quote:
Great thread. Got a big trip coming up and hoping I can get some help from y'all.
First of all, looks like a great trip. Second, you are brave for taking 4 kids with you on a road trip.
You picked some wonderful parks/sites to see/hike/camp. I have been in the areas you are planning on going so I may have some advice.
I did not get a chance to go to Badlands when I was in South Dakota. (Ran out of time) Could kind of see it from the freeway and it looked really cool. Also, you will see lots of signs for a town called, Wall. Looks like it might be a tourist trap but worth investigating to see what's there. Mt. Rushmore is a definite. Saw mountain goats while we were there. The town of Keystone which is near Mt. Rushmore may have some fun things for your kids. Think of putt putt, go karts, and water slides. I thought it was kind of tacky but may be something you might be interested in doing. I would highly recommend Devil's Tower while you are there. A very unique geological structure. Lots of hiking and camping options too. Your family might want to consider stopping in the town of Deadwood as well. It is a true Wild West town with daily mock gunfights. Might be a little cheesy but my family enjoyed it. There is a lot of history there and if you like to gamble there are several small casinos downtown. Also, I didn't get a chance to see the Crazy Horse Monument but wanted to check it out. Wind Cave National Park is in that area too. Haven't been to it either so can't add much about it. The Black Hills are beautiful.
I've been to Little Bighorn National Monument. It is a sobering experience. We had a Native American park ranger who was related to people who fought in the battle. Needless to say, you get a different side to the story we all heard in school. She was in tears when she was telling us what happened there and their side won.
Going to the Sun Road is my favorite drive in America. It is unbelievabley beautiful and can be a bit terrifying. Make sure you don't miss the trail of the cedars while in Glacier. I could literally take up a whole thread on that park alone. Place is awesome!!! I'm extremely jealous you are camping at Flathead Lake. So freakin scenic. Don't forget to try local huckleberries while you are there. They are like crack.
Kalispell is a cool town to visit too. Once again, too much to talk about in one reply thread about Yellowstone. For quick recommendations, I would check out the Lamar Valley (great for seeing wildlife), mammoth hot springs, Norris geyser basin, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and Old Faithful geyser. The park is HUGE so plan your days and time wisely. So much to see and do there. Since you are so close to Grand Teton NP you have to go there. You will be blown away. There are no foothills to block the striking mountains. Jackson Hole is a must visit too. I could probably go on and on but I hope that helps you out some. You'll have a great trip!
This post was edited on 2/16/16 at 4:25 pm
Posted on 2/16/16 at 4:32 pm to FleshEatingSalsa
Be prepared for the road to the sun to still be closed in early June
Posted on 2/16/16 at 10:36 pm to SurfTide
quote:
As others have said, in terms of sheer breathtaking beauty, Yosemite is hands down the best IMO. It is crowded though.
Glacier Bay is far more scenic than Yosemite, just has no infrastructure. It takes a little effort to see it.
Posted on 2/17/16 at 7:39 am to FleshEatingSalsa
If you are starting in Illinois, I am assuming you are either taking interstates 70 or 80 to 29 and then hit 90 in Sioux Falls. If so, be sure to go into Sioux Falls and see the park around the falls the city is named for. It is a really pretty area. When we were there, the lady at the SD Welcome Center told us about it, and it was a really nice little 15 minute stop.
While you are at Little Bighorn, make sure you go out to the Reno-Benteen Battlefield. There is a road that follows the ridge, or you can (I believe) walk along the river where the Cheyenne and Lakota were camped.
Wall is somewhat of a tourist trap, but it is still interesting to see. Apparently it started out as a drugstore that offered free water to travelers (and they still will give you a free cup), but it has grown to a huge trading post with restaurant and all sorts of things - a boot outlet, clothing, souvenirs, etc.
Mount Rushmore shouldn't take very long. It is impressive, but once you see it you've seen it.
Very jealous of going to Glacier. When we were out there it was late May and the park was still pretty much closed due to snow, so we didn't make the trip up from Missoula.
As someone else said, if you are at Yellowstone, make the trip down to Grand Teton. It is a beautiful drive, and the Tetons are an amazing range. One of my best pictures from that trip is looking across Jackson Lake to Ranger Peak.
Yellowstone, just take your time and get out on some of the trails. You can do the double loop in a day if you wanted, and you will see some cool stuff, but take the time to get out and see some of the less travelled areas and you will really be in for a treat.
While you are at Little Bighorn, make sure you go out to the Reno-Benteen Battlefield. There is a road that follows the ridge, or you can (I believe) walk along the river where the Cheyenne and Lakota were camped.
Wall is somewhat of a tourist trap, but it is still interesting to see. Apparently it started out as a drugstore that offered free water to travelers (and they still will give you a free cup), but it has grown to a huge trading post with restaurant and all sorts of things - a boot outlet, clothing, souvenirs, etc.
Mount Rushmore shouldn't take very long. It is impressive, but once you see it you've seen it.
Very jealous of going to Glacier. When we were out there it was late May and the park was still pretty much closed due to snow, so we didn't make the trip up from Missoula.
As someone else said, if you are at Yellowstone, make the trip down to Grand Teton. It is a beautiful drive, and the Tetons are an amazing range. One of my best pictures from that trip is looking across Jackson Lake to Ranger Peak.
Yellowstone, just take your time and get out on some of the trails. You can do the double loop in a day if you wanted, and you will see some cool stuff, but take the time to get out and see some of the less travelled areas and you will really be in for a treat.
Posted on 2/17/16 at 11:44 am to FleshEatingSalsa
quote:
• Spend next morning at Little Bighorn National Monument.
• Leave Crow Agency late morning and drive to St Mary, MT. Camp.
Little Bighorn is really cool if you're into history. The markers on the hill are stark and bring it into reality of what happened that day. You have to see it in person to fully appreciate it.
The reservation is a shite hole.
Posted on 2/17/16 at 5:38 pm to RogerTheShrubber
Year, Sarge, PJ, and Roger, thanks for the info. This is really good stuff. I will push our departure back to mid June to get a better shot at Glacier and GTTS Road.
Posted on 2/17/16 at 9:18 pm to FleshEatingSalsa
Pushing your departure date to June is very smart. It was snowing in Glacier @ Logan's Pass and we were there in July.
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