hiking

Bryce Canyon National Park

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Our nation has some incredible national parks and Bryce Canyon ranks up there as one of the most unique and naturally beautiful that we’ve visited so far. Punctuated by hoodoos, massive, beautifully-colored stone columns sculpted from thousands of years of erosion, Bryce in places reminded us of the man-madeTerra Cotta warriors we saw in China. Lined up one after the other, the fluted walls can be seen from the roadside but are best explored on foot. We did both.

First we drove the length of the park using this cool app called Just Ahead, which provides GPS-guided audio narration that plays automatically as you travel down the road. We’ve used this tool before, and it really helps provide an introduction to the park and its history.

From Rainbow Point in the south we worked our way back north stopping at ten overlooks along the way. Each viewpoint was different from the last. One included a massive stone arch; another provided sweeping views all the way to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. The drive was a great way to get oriented to the park, and it helped us plan the next two days.

The next morning we were in the park by 6:00 a.m. in an attempt to avoid the heat and the crowds. We succeeded and were rewarded with a spectacular sunrise and cooler weather.

The premier hike in Bryce Canyon National Park is the Queens Garden/Navajo Loop Trail. The three mile walk took us through massive hoodoo “forests,” stone arches, and snaking switchbacks which provided incredible views of the landscape.

The hike culminates in the climb up Wall Street, a steep, narrow canyon which has been fortified with stones to support the trail. It’s a popular spot in the park, so we were glad to get in and out relatively early.

Even though it was very dry we found water at Mossy Cave. The short hike to small waterfall featured a large cave that is covered with icicles in the winter. No ice this time of year, however. In fact, many people were playing in the water. We skipped that.

One of the most appealing features in Bryce Canyon is the five mile shared-use path that runs from outside the park to Inspiration Point. We loaded up the bikes, hitched up the dogs, and pedaled the path through the forest and into the park to see the sights from another perspective.

Along the way we could see the canyon rim, the lodge, and other park features. The dogs really seemed to enjoy it. Mia, in fact, slept most of the way!

Bryce Canyon National Park is one not to miss, even though it’s not massive. You can probably do the park in a day or two, but don’t rush. The incredible views change with the time of day and with the weather. That’s why we hope to return during a different season to see it again.

Crater Lake National Park

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Crater Lake was formed over 7,500 years ago when a large eruption caused Mount Mazama to collapse and then fill with rain and snowmelt. This was our 20th National Park visit.IMG_8470We took a day to explore the highlights of Crater Lake National Park and probably could have spent more time if the Visitors Centers and other amenities had not been closed due to COVID-19. The nice thing about visiting at this time is that the crowds are thin and it’s easy to get in and out of what would otherwise be crowded attractions. At some times we were the only people at the lookouts.
IMG_9921We entered the park from the north where we are staying for a few days.  The Lake Lemolo/Crater Lake North KOA has been a great base from which to explore the area. We are about 13 miles north of the National Park and right on the shores of a nice little reservoir in the middle of the Cascades.IMG_9929To explore the National Park we followed the advice of Michael Joseph Oswald who wrote the book Your Guide to the National Parks and drove the Crater Lake Rim Road in a clockwise direction. This gave us the opportunity to easily pull off to the right to see many views of the beautiful lake.

Crater Lake is America’s deepest lake at 1,943 feet. At one point the mountain that created it stood at over 12,000 feet, but it collapsed after a major eruption and created the crater that became the lake. And, yes, in mid-July there is still a bit of snow along the rim.

Why is it so blue? It’s not because of its depth or mineral content. Instead, it’s because blue wavelengths are reflected back instead of being absorbed by the depths of the lake. Sunlight is able to penetrate deeply into the water and the lake’s magnificent, intense blues are due to its great depth and clarity.IMG_9864.JPGWe drove the 33 mile rim trail and stopped at all the highlights. There are waterfalls, overlooks and sweeping views. IMG_8486.JPGOne side road took us to the Pinnacles, unique formations of pumice spires, created by erosion along a steep-sided canyon. Some of the cones are especially tall, tapering to a sharp point. Super cool. IMG_9891We also did a short hike, the Castle Crest Wildflower Trail, which featured the annual display of wildflowers that inhabit the area. It was only a half-mile trail, which was fine with us injured travelers.

We are picnic-lunching every day and it’s really fun to pack our food (Lentil Ceviche on the menu today) and find the perfect place to dine.  Today we found a spot right on the rim where we set out our ground cover and enjoyed the views. Steve decided it was also a good place for a photo shoot.

There’s a lot more to explore at Crater Lake had we been up to hiking and/or biking at our usual pace. Considering Steve’s broken collarbone and my ailing foot, we took it easy and appreciated the views. We did spend a little time on the trails around the campground.

Steve is back to hiking and running slowly and I’m back on the bike a bit. Nothing crazy, but we are itching to get back to normal.

 

 

Clipped Wings

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2020 showed so much promise for travel and adventure and then, like everyone else on the planet, our plans were derailed by COVID-19.  As one neighbor put it, “our wings have been clipped.” And while we wait out the stay-at-home orders and nationwide closures, we are dreaming of our next road trip.

IMG_7802After leaving Austin earlier than planned on March 18 we headed towards home via Waco, Midland, TX, and Las Cruces, NM.

It was a much faster trip coming home…about five days. On the way back to Arizona we witnessed increasing shutdowns of rest areas, stores, and restaurants.  Empty grocery store shelves caused even greater discombobulation.  Every day brought a scary new reality. Many of those new realities seem to be sticking around for awhile.IMG_7846

For the last month we’ve been glad to be off the road and in the safety of our little townhome in Prescott, AZ.  It’s not a bad place to be if you have to be grounded! IMG_7916Throughout April we’ve stayed very close to home, venturing out just to go to the grocery store or to get exercise. We can hike the trails right from the house, and we enjoy some of the country’s best mountain bike trails.

Our little community has grown closer during this time. Ever since stay-at-home order was issued, we have been gathering (with appropriate social distance) in the parking lot at 4:00 p.m every day for happy hour. IMG_7885 It’s BYOB and chair and it only lasts an hour but it’s a been a great way to stay connected and support one another. We’ve even celebrated birthdays while following the recommended guidelines for safety! It’s been a great time to be in Prescott with beautiful weather and lots of outside time.IMG_7077Later this week I’m headed in to have surgery on my foot in hopes that four years of pain while hiking and walking will be addressed.  Now that elective surgeries are being done in Arizona, I jumped on the opportunity to get my issues addressed while we are grounded at home. I plan to do a few blog posts here to report on this next adventure.

Here’s hoping you and yours are healthy and safe!