I hope everyone’s enjoying their summer and getting the most out of our great outdoors! Our much-anticipated summer trip came and went in a blink of an eye, and we have now started the countdown for my daughter’s first day of school. I neeeeed moooooore tiiiiiime! It was a rare summer to have our daughter … More Crater Lake National Park
Did you know that California has over 1,100 miles of coastline with over 450 beaches? Within those beaches there are around 63 designated California State Beaches that are managed by the State Parks system (this doesn’t include all the beaches in State Parks along the coast). New Brighton is one such California State Beach located … More Camping at New Brighton State Beach
Happy 2018! I hope you enjoyed the holidays and created some wonderful memories! Last week on the way to one of my bucket list destinations (Zion National Park), we stopped and camped at Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada. I was so impressed with this place! Although this is a very popular place for … More Winter Camping in Valley of Fire State Park
One minute we’re cruising along Generals Highway in Kings Canyon National Park and then presto, we’ve crossed over to Sequoia National Park. Two parks for the price of one! Always love a good bargain. These two parks are managed as one, but they feel like completely different parks with different Visitor Centers, and overall feel … More Sequoia National Park
A few weeks ago, I got that notice from WordPress. The one that everyone who blogs using WordPress has gotten or will get once they reach their one year mark (“Happy Anniversary with WordPress.com!”). A bloggiversary as some call it, a great reminder to reflect on your year of blogging and be appreciative of your … More How It All Began…
After a night at Mojave National Preserve we were on our way to the Grand Canyon! The nice weather on our drive made us hopeful that the forecast was wrong and it would be beautiful and sunny when we arrived. Just when we started believing in Thanksgiving miracles, we saw them! The massive rain clouds that … More Grand Canyon National Park
A number of years ago, we accidentally discovered that the week before Thanksgiving is one of our favorite times to travel. We had made a trip to Arizona to visit family and as an afterthought we decided to visit the Grand Canyon. That trip has remained one of our most memorable and special national park trips simply … More Mojave National Preserve
Lassen Volcanic National Park is truly a unique and awe-inspiring place worthy of National park status, yet the number of visitors to this park remains relatively low. Perhaps it’s due to the remote location of this park with no other famous attractions nearby, as well as the limited time the park is accessible. Although Lassen … More Lassen Volcanic National Park, Day 2
Location: Lassen Volcanic National Park Directions: 50 miles east of Redding on Hwy 44 (to the Northwest entrance of the park) Campground: Manzanita Lake campground (amenities included camp store, pay showers and laundry, kayak rentals), $24/night, reservable through recreation.gov 6 months in advance Fees: Park entry fee $20, Campground fee $24/night Date traveled: July 2016 … More Lassen Volcanic National Park, Day 1
Location: Big Basin State Park, California Directions: Big Basin is located about 1.5 hrs (65 miles) south of San Francisco and about 40 minutes (25 miles) north of Santa Cruz via Highway 9 and 236. Campground: Huckleberry Campground Fee: $35/night Ever since I heard about the Berry Creek Falls loop hike at Big Basin State Park with … More Camping in California’s Oldest State Park
Location: Doran Regional Park, 201 Doran Beach Rd, Bodega Bay, California Campground: Doran Regional Park campground, 120 sites, $35/night Reservations: sonomacountycamping.org, reservations can be made 1 year in advance Date of trip: May 2016 We left our home on Saturday excited about the gorgeous weather, convinced that the weather report was wrong for the Bodega … More Sonoma Coast camping
Location: Joshua Tree National Park, California Campground: Indian Cove, at the end of Indian Cove Road off of Hwy 62 Campground ammenities: Pit toilets, water available at Indian Cove Ranger station 2 miles from campground Campsite: # 73 Reservations: recreation.gov, 6 months in advance (Oct-May). No reservations during summer months (first come, first serve) Campsite … More Joshua Tree National Park
Location: Pinnacles National Park Directions: east side entrance – off of Hwy 146 via Hwy 25 (32 miles south of Hollister, CA and 29 miles northeast of King City, CA) Campground: Pinnacles campground, $23/night, open year round Park entrance fee: $15 Date of visit: April 2016 With three days of rain in the forecast, we left … More Springtime in Pinnacles National Park
Day 4: Exploring the area south of Furnace Creek Location: Death Valley National Park Points of Interest: Artist’s Drive, Golden Canyon, Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point Hike: Golden Canyon (1 mile, one-way, up to Red Cathedral Junction, start at Golden Canyon parking area) Lodging: Furnace Creek Inn Trip Date: December 2015 Final part of the Death … More Death Valley (and Star Wars) in December, part 4
Day 3: Mesquite Springs campground to Furnace Creek Inn Location: Death Valley National Park Points of Interest: Mesquite Springs campground, Mesquite Sand Dunes Campground: Mesquite Springs Campground, $12/night, first come first serve Hike: Mesquite Sand Dunes to highest dune (about 1 mile, one way) Lodging: Furnace Creek Inn Trip Date: December 2015 When I told … More Death Valley in December (Christmas Eve), part 3
