Glacier National Park has always been synonymous in my mind with rain. From my experience, “Partly Cloudy” means “Pouring Rain All Day”. However, on our last trip to the park, Glacier redeemed itself: although it did rain two of the…
Into the Heart of the Cascades: Twisp Pass
On a recent trip to Washington State, we were longing for a glimpse of some real, honest-to-goodness North Cascade scenery. Unfortunately, the Cascades, including North Cascade National Park, were still snowed in, due to heavy snowfall and cool summer temperatures. …
Graveyard of Fallen Arches
In Southern Utah there is a fin—or a butte—or a mesa—whatever you want to call it—that sticks up almost out of nowhere just north of the Lake Powell Dam. We visited the fin while searching for Skylight Arch, which I…
Rustic Hoodoos Like No Others in Bisti Wilderness
In a previous post, I talked about Bisti National Wilderness, where you can wander for miles without any trails to keep you from experiencing the formations. However, after my most recent jaunt across the Wilderness, I realized that there is…
Mariscal Mine: Big Bend’s Mercury Mine
In an out-of-the-way corner of Big Bend National Park, there is an attraction that, although visited, would probably be a huge attraction if it was along a main road and in a heavily-visited national park. However, because it’s along a…
Crazy Moqui Marbles!
Have you ever seen a moqui marble? Most people have never even heard of these phenomena, let alone seen them. Yet they are a fascinating piece of geology, and they are just cool to look at. Even if you’re not…
Backcountry Car Camping in Big Bend pt 3
In my last two posts (Part 1 and Part 2), I talked about the “primitive roadside campsites” in Big Bend National Park that are (mostly) along the paved park roads and that are along dirt roads in the southern section…
Backcountry Car Camping in Big Bend pt 2
In my last post (Part 1), I talked about the “primitive roadside campsites” in Big Bend National Park that are (mostly) along the paved park roads. Today, I’d like to continue this discussion of “primitive roadside campsites” by talking about…
Backcountry Car Camping in Big Bend pt 1
Several times during the last several weeks I’ve posted information about trails in Big Bend National Park (Emory Peak, Big Balancing Rock, The Den, and the Oak Springs Trail). Today, I’d like to tell you about one of the great…
Big Bend Slot Canyon: The Den
The Den trail is an adventure without being impossible for the average hiker. It is also a way to experience the Chihuahuan Desert, and to get an idea of the real personality of the desert part of Big Bend National…