American West, California, Camping, Dogs, Family, Hiking, Historic Sites, National Parks, Outdoors, pets, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing

Bark Ranger Owen Reporting for Duty in Yosemite

The Cranky Campers head north to Yosemite National Park where Owen earns his second BARK Ranger tag, and he and Emily are mistaken for junior park rangers.

California, Camping, Hiking, National Parks, Outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

Joshua Tree National Park

About 130 miles from Los Angeles, California where the Mojave and Colorado Deserts meet, lies Joshua Tree National Park. Joshua Tree is home to a diverse population of desert-adapted species, including the famed Joshua tree for which the park is named. This post details our spring break trip taken in April, an ideal time to visit.

American West, California, Camping, Museums, National Parks, Outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized

Follow Me to Tuolumne

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

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

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.