Tag: find your park

california, Camping, Museums, national parks, outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized

Into the Yosemite Valley

thecrankycamper

"It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter." - John Muir Yosemite Valley is the most visited area of the park, and for good reason.  Powerful granite walls and evergreen dominate the valley landscape, with massive waterfalls cascading down imposing cliffs. Many of Yosemite's most famous landmarks are found in the Valley.  Even the tunnels on Wawona Road leading in are iconic.  In every direction, there is great beauty- and much exploration fun.

american west, california, Camping, Museums, national parks, outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized

Follow Me to Tuolumne

thecrankycamper

Less visited than the Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows is a jewel along Highway 120 on the eastern side of the park, with miles of hiking trails, domes to climb, and the pristine Tuolumne River sunning through it.

california, Camping, Museums, national parks, outdoors, photography, Travel, Vacation

Yosemite National Park

thecrankycamper

Yosemite National Park is one of the oldest national parks in the US, first protected in 1864 by President Lincoln. The park sits in the Sierra Nevada mountains in central California and extends across four counties. Most of the park is considered wilderness, but its wild beauty attracts millions of visitors a year, consistently placing it in the top ten most visited national parks.

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.