Favorite National Parks

[SL2024 80]

12 hours ago, Dashinka said:

Yellowstone is great, and Grand Tetons is just South of Yellowstone.  The hike along the canyon rim was amazing, and the hikes around the hot pools was great.  It can get really busy at Old Faithful, but otherwise in late September it wasn't too bad.  One note, October 1, much of the park amenities shut down in both Yellowstone and Grand Tetons in preparation for Winter.  If looking to California, you might want to consider Death Valley.  The hikes there were amazing, and since we do not like it really hot (my wife actually does, but I convinced her to avoid July/August based on my work trips there) we visited in mid-October and it was not too busy.  It really depends on what you like, we enjoy geologic formations, so DV, and the parts in Utah and Arizona are definitely on our favorites list.

 

Not yet.  Big Bend, Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains are on the list.  Planning on Glacier, and possibly Teddy Roosevelt next year, but also considering Acadia.

 

There are so many guides and YT videos out there.  We like to find the less traveled trails in the popular parks and scope those out.  Our favorite hike is still Telescope Peak in DV, the view from the top (a little over 11k ft) is just amazing.

 

Thank you so much for the recommendations. I really appreciate it. They all sound so good!

[Talako 786]

23 hours ago, Dashinka said:

Our favorite hike is still Telescope Peak in DV, the view from the top (a little over 11k ft) is just amazing.

 

I used to work in Trona nearly 20 years ago where you could see that peak.  There are lot of interesting things (and dangerous) up in those mountains if you knew where to look.  The company owned a limestone quarry due west of Telescope Peak.  There was absolutely nothing around.  There was nothing but rocks, sand, and scrub brush.  It was utterly desolate.  However, if you go up into the hills, you could find these little pockets where there would be artesian water flowing.  It was both weird and amazing at the same time to discover a mini water fall or stream in the middle of nowhere.  

[Dashinka 24,654]

1 hour ago, Talako said:

 

I used to work in Trona nearly 20 years ago where you could see that peak.  There are lot of interesting things (and dangerous) up in those mountains if you knew where to look.  The company owned a limestone quarry due west of Telescope Peak.  There was absolutely nothing around.  There was nothing but rocks, sand, and scrub brush.  It was utterly desolate.  However, if you go up into the hills, you could find these little pockets where there would be artesian water flowing.  It was both weird and amazing at the same time to discover a mini water fall or stream in the middle of nowhere.  

Yes, I was amazed when we hiked to Darwin Falls during our visit.

[Neonred 3,581]

If you are into water and diving, Dry Tortugas National Park.  Not easy to get to and it's one of the least visited parks.

Very interesting old fort.

[Boiler 45,767]

I was in Arches a couple of weeks ago, pretty spectacular.

[mam521 2,113]

2 hours ago, Boiler said:

I was in Arches a couple of weeks ago, pretty spectacular.

I've climbed Delicate Arch no less than 8 times.  I love it there, but we haven't been in some time because it's been overrun with pretend glampers. 

 

We used to take our students on a field trip there for work.  Ran 4 bootcamps a year, 3 field trips were Utah, 1 was California.  Covid killed the field trips, unfortunately.  Somehow training people became a cost, rather than an investment.  

[Boiler 45,767]

We spent a lot of time working out what the rocks looked like, one was quite naughty.

[Dashinka 24,654]

3 hours ago, Boiler said:

We spent a lot of time working out what the rocks looked like, one was quite naughty.

Yes, some of those hoodoos and domes can look pretty naughty!  🤣

 

Btw, hw busy was Arches?

[Boiler 45,767]

Definitely out of season, you needed a slot which I booked the day before, $2 I think.