Category: national parks

california, Camping, Hiking, national parks, photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation

Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

thecrankycamper

Nestled in the Inyo National Forest not far from the California-Nevada border and the Eastern Sierras grow the ancient bristlecone pines. In the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, these Pinus longaeva trees grow in the harsh conditions, along with limber pines. The Great Basin bristlecones have stood the test of time and are some of the oldest trees on the planet, with many thought to date over 4000 years old, surviving for millennia in conditions most other plants can't. The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is accessible via U.S. 395 to CA-168, with some narrow and slightly scary parts.

california, Camping, Hiking, national parks, outdoors, photography, Travel, Uncategorized

Henninger Flats Wildflowers and a Word of Caution

thecrankycamper

A follow up to our previous Henninger Flats post, this article features photos of spring wildflowers in bloom, along with safety tips for a good hike.

american west, Family, Hiking, Kids, Museums, national parks, outdoors, photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation

Petrified Forest National Park

thecrankycamper

Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona was another amazing park on our Spring Break Southwest Roadtrip. The landscape born of volcanic activity, sediment deposits, and geologic uplift looked as if it truly were a desert scene of vibrant color painted on canvas. The national park preserves petrified logs, as well as ancient petroglyphs and desert formations.

american west, Camping, Family, Hiking, Kids, Museums, national parks, outdoors, photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation

El Malpais National Monument

thecrankycamper

After four full days of visiting Ruidoso, New Mexico, we headed to Flagstaff, Arizona for the next leg of our Spring Break Southwest Roadtrip, stopping along the way in the scenic and geologically interesting El Malpais National Monument.

american west, Family, Hiking, Kids, Museums, national parks, outdoors, photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

thecrankycamper

The second post in our Spring Break Southwest Road Trip series has us spending some time "indoors." We visited the grand caverns of Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southern New Mexico.