Yellowstone amazed us with all of its variety, and the variety included the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. In fact, the yellow rock walls of the canyon gave Yellowstone its name! When we got to the parking lot in the morning around 10am, it was a little bit chaotic, but we Read more…
We had planned to camp in Yellowstone, but during this trip we have come to realize that we are camping wimps. We love to camp as long as it isn’t too cold, sunny, buggy or wet! Since it was scheduled to be both cold and wet while in Yellowstone, C Read more…
We don’t have any more things we nearly hit while driving, but we did have a deer cross in front of us at Rocky Mountain National Park: We had a long drive from Colorado to Wyoming and passed the Continental Divide 3 times (somehow) within a few mile span. Read more…
The Tetons are so breathtaking to look at because of the geological forces at work in creating them. Many of the National Park roads we have driven on have been winding roads on cliff edges, even in parks not known for having mountains, like Mesa Verde and Arches. In Read more…
Our first morning in the park, we headed to Oxbow Bend. This spot is famous for the way the Snake River reflects Mount Moran on a calm day, and for the animals that congregate there. We did get a calm morning to see the mountain reflected in the river, but Read more…
We drove from Rocky Mountain National Park to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. We were going to spend four days in Grand Teton National Park, but decided it would be good to spend our first night in a hotel in civilization before heading to the parks. It was a rainy day when Read more…
We woke up really early to head into Rocky Mountain National Park. We were headed to the Bear Lake trailhead, one of the most popular in the park, and reputed to fill its parking lot by 8:30am. We made it by 8am, and got a parking spot! The place was Read more…
This is the 12th National Park we have been to as a family – and I think it is my favorite! (A ranks it #5, but whatever!). Other than the sort of insane crowds (long lines to get in to the park, and full parking lots), it was amazing. The Read more…
After a few uneventful days in Boulder (we just relaxed, ran errands, and played at the local playground), we headed up to Estes Park, Colorado, just outside Rocky Mountain National Park. We took a scenic drive up there on the Peak to Peak Byway, and it sure was scenic! This Read more…
While in Colorado, I checked the forecast for Southeastern Utah, where we had planned to spend the following week. The temps were going to be around 100 degrees! Not really great for the long hikes we had planned in the national parks – especially with a four year old! Plus, Read more…