Biscayne National Park 

Park 29/59 wasn’t that great and I hate saying that about a National Park. While doing the research for this park, we came across this:

(From http://www.nps.gov/bisc/index.htm)

Boat Tours, Paddle-craft Rentals and Select Conveniences Temporarily Unavailable

Glass-bottom, snorkel, diving and island boat tours, and rentals for canoes and other paddle-craft, are temporarily unavailable. The park is working to resolve the issue as soon as possible and regrets the inconvenience.

So….we went anyway and found that there isn’t much to do at Biscayne when you are land-locked. The park Visitor Center looks like a small marina and there is a short walking path that leads out towards the bay. Nice quick stroll down this path, and while you have a nice view of the bay, to your right you will find boats pulling out of the marina adjacent the park as well as a great view of a power plant. Jets from the nearby Navy Base do provide some entertainment as they made several passes while we were there. Pretty loud, but interesting to watch as they went about their business.

Because we were staying in Florida City we did make another attempt (Perhaps we missed something?) at the park on a Saturday, and wow, was it packed! Picnickers, and birthday parties filled the grounds! It looked like any local city park on a summer’s day. Not exactly a National Park experience.

I get the fact that this park is to protect the bay and that most of the park is under water. I’ve seen images that are very interesting and places that I might like to explore. Perhaps it is a great place for local schools to come and learn about the bay but for visiting park guests from out of state, not really worth the stop without being able to experience the bay itself. Take a pass.

More images here.

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Recently I had the pleasure to work with WTTW's Jay Shefsky on the Sandhill Crane Migration and their stop-over at Jasper Pulaski Fish and Wildlife area. We got quite the suprise when a phone call came in from the Field Museum's Josh Engle who had spotted two Whopping Cranes nearby. Pretty cool anytime that you get to see an endangered species.

The link to the video  - Chasing Cranes

Guadalupe National Park. Yep! For certain I had never heard of that one. Nor have I ever heard of anyone saying let’s go there on vacation! But since the Park is on the wife’s list and its right next door to Carlsbad Cavern, we were off! AND, this park doesn’t disappoint! It’s the remnants of an ancient coral reef and boasts the highest peak in Texas. Others claim that McKittrick Canyon is actually the prettiest spot in all of Texas. Now that may be true, but I think that that may have been said in another season other than winter. We enjoyed hiking this park and it far exceeded our expectations. While we didn’t do the 3000ft climb to the summit we went on a lot of hikes that were challenging and gave us the escape that we were looking for. I couldn’t get over the silence. Not a sound.

Located right on the border of New Mexico it’s a very easy trip from either El Paso or Carlsbad. Carlsbad is about the closest town with a familiar hotel chain so Heidi and I stayed there. I would highly recommend to anyone who goes to Carlsbad not to miss out on this lesser known gem. Be sure to catch a sunrise and set, at the park. Park number 23 for Heidi was a great surprise!

For more photos - click HERE!

Trying to get a small break from this relentless winter we packed up and headed south. Flying into El Paso, we made our way to our first destination, Big Bend National Park , and the 22^nd park on Heidi’s list. This park sits 4 ½ hours to the south of El Paso and on the Rio Grande River. The river separates the US and Mexico and cuts through canyons making for some great views.  It could also give Montana a run as “Big Sky Country”. Clear blue skies provide a horizon to horizon view and the stars certainly are “Big and Bright” in this area of Texas.

Santa Elena Canyon

Santa Elena Canyon

Most of the towns in the area are abandoned as are the couple of old homesteads within the park. An abandoned hotel and store sit next to the river where hot springs still provide relief for sore knees bubbling up at over 100 degrees. These springs were once touted as a cure-all to most every disease known and attracted many people.

Heidi at the "Spa"

The park hotel was sold out so we stayed in the town of Lajitas. The town won’t be on your GPS and this hotel sells out quickly, but I would give it a recommend and the bar and restaurant made for a great place to unwind after a long day of hiking.

Big Bend kept surprising us with its different features and terrain. From the hot springs, deep canyons, great hikes, and big skies, it kept us going from sun-up to sun-down.

Rio Grande Valley

Lost Mine Trail

Just north of Lajitas we did come across an old movie set, worth the trip.  -  Contrabando

Church at Contrabando

Although we went during February, and everyone says the "You should see it in the fall!", we enjoyed the hikes and everything that the park had to offer.

To see the rest of the photos, as well as other National Parks, simply click HERE.

Reviews:

Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa

4 out of 5 Stars

Shower could use some help

Confusing to check in- “Where’s the lobby?”

Great bar, service and food

Staff was great

Heidi and I decided on Hawaii’s National Parks early on in the year, however we weren't that sure that we were going to be able to go. I don’t think that I’ll ever forget her excitement when she told me that she had booked the tickets and said “We’re going.”

Maui

The airport in Maui is small and the entire island is pretty easy to get around. There can be some traffic going from one side to the other, but sitting in traffic in Maui just doesn’t seem to take the same toll on you as it does in Chicago. Weird!

Our first nights were spent in Kaanapali at the Kaanapali Beach Resort. A little older with clean rooms and grounds and the beach was a very nice white sand beach. The Tiki Bar by the pool was a nice place to relax after a long day of site-seeing. Yes, most certainly I would stay there again. What everyone seems to ask is “Was it expensive?” Yes. So is everything in Hawaii. I’m sure that there are deals if you look and before going we read about everything from renting a time-share to stocking up at Costco.  Research, set your budget and then be prepared to crush it.

The first stop planned was Haleakala National Park on the island of Maui. We decided to make the trek to see the sunrise atop the 10,000 foot peak. The sunrise at Haleakala is the number one thing not to miss on Maui! From the top of the dormant Volcano, you are above the clouds, and the light changes in seconds. The peak looks as if it is from a different world with old cinder cones and volcanic rock.

(Sunrise Haleakala)

Warning!

It’s cold. 35 is tough after enjoy an 80 degree day at the beach. People were wrapped in their hotel blankets.

(Heidi at the summit)

It’s crowded. Get there early! Parking at the top fills up fast, and there’s only one winding road to the top.

It’s desolate. One road-side coffee shop about halfway up, and yes, at 4:00 in the morning, they were open.

It does clear out fast 15 minutes after the sunrise. Plan to enjoy the summit and take your time on the way down. It’ll be slow going anyway as you dodge the bicycle groups heading down.

However, DO NOT MISS THIS!

After the sunrise Heidi and I walked a couple of the trails and checked out the views. Making her way into the visitor’s center she had her book stamped and park number 20 on her bucket list was logged.

Heading back down the mountain we stopped at the hotel to lose about 30 pounds of clothes. We decided to hit the north shore of the island and check out the various beaches, cliffs and overlooks.

(Nakalele Blow Hole)

(North Shore, Maui)

After a couple of nights there, including our Thanksgiving Luau, we made our way to Hana, and the Travaasa Hotel.

(Road to Hana)

(Road to Hana)

(Heidi trying to catch crabs)

(Haleakala National Park)

What a place! No TV, radio, or clocks in the room. A perfect spot to call home base and relax while exploring the rest of Haleakala. Each day we explored new sites along the coast and hiked to several waterfalls within the park. Two pristine beaches on the way are straight out of a postcard. I loved Hana, and although Heidi would have liked a few more restaurant / shopping choices, it was perfect.

(Hana Sunrise)

Hawaii

We flew to the big island and made our way to the Volcano House Hotel located in (number 21 for us) Volcanoes National Park. Typical National Park Hotel and you can tell that it had recently gone through a makeover. Heidi and I have enjoyed the times that we have spent at National Park Hotels and, while they may not have every modern amenity, the character hooks us every time. Our room overlooked the crater and at night gave a nice red glow letting you know that the forces of nature were still working away forming a bigger island.

(Volcanoes National Park)

While no lava was currently hitting the ocean we enjoyed this island immensely.  We spent 3 nights exploring the various areas of the park and making our way along the southern edge of the island up to Kona which was much more touristy. In and around Hilo there were other areas to explore and we can't wait to get back and see the areas that we missed.

(Hawaii Tropical Gardens)

(Akaka Falls)

Wonderful trip and we just can't wait to return to paradise.

To see more photos:

Haleakala National Park

Volcanoes National Park

Reviews:

Photographing Haleakala Sunrise

Get there early, a tripod and GND filters are must haves

Cold, but a not-to-miss destination

Maui Revealed: The Ultimate Guidebook by Andrew Doughty

One of the best travel books and a must have

Kaanapali Beach Resort

I give it 4 of 5 stars

Great staff, beach, Tiki bar, clean room

Pricey breakfast buffet

Old Lahaina Luau

No corniness, good show, and food. Drinks could use some help.

Road to Hana

Yeah, yeah… 600 curves, 100 one-lane bridges, etc., etc. Not that big of a deal, SPECTACULAR scenery. Take it, explore it, and stay in Hana a night. What’s the hurry anyway?

Travaasa Hotel

4 out of 5 Stars

Seaside cottages are amazing

Restaurant Staff needs some training, which is a shame

Volcano House Hotel

Awesome, 5 out of 5 stars. Food and view are just great.

Well we were back out on the road again! This time we decided to hit two out-of-the-way parks and make it back it time to hook up with the friends for the annual guy’s trip to Vegas. There is so much in the southwest to see and since it’s so spread out, making a decision to see this or that always leads to a 6 hour drive.  

Flying into Vegas we hit the Walmart for a cooler and supplies and we made our way to our first destination, Joshua Tree National Park. Now going to the desert in the summer isn’t the brightest idea, however since I couldn’t convince anyone to move the date of the World Series of Poker, we had to make the best of it. But, when the rental car showed 118 degrees, I did start to second guess this plan. The nights were very pleasant and we hiked early and late to take advantage of the cooler temps. All in all we weren’t out that often in the heat and while it was hot, we were ok.

Joshua is a barren place, with a few old ruins of settlers who had once tried to make a go at living in this desolate area. There are many unique rock formations as well as the signature trees, but it is mostly barren with low scrub brush and cactus. Hiking in the heat is tough and it is amazing how fast you can go through the water.  

After spending the night in 29 Palms, we spent the morning hiking a few more trails and started towards our next park, Great Basin.

                This park is truly in the middle of nowhere Nevada, and I can certainly see why it doesn’t attract too many visitors, it's tough to get too! It isn’t a very large park however the 2^nd highest peak in Nevada, Wheeler Peak, is a fantastic hike and offers great views of the basins below. If altitude isn’t your thing, then the Lehman Cave tour is another don’t miss. The 90 minute tour is great and at 55 degrees year round, it makes for a nice cool break. The only downside to this park is the remoteness, as Ely, the nearest town with a decent hotel, is 70 miles away making it a tough commute each day to the park.

After two nights, we headed towards my Aunt’s house in Kanab Utah with Zion being our next destination. Wow! Now we’ve been to Zion before, however never during tourist season. What a difference! The park gets filled quickly and because we are usually there when it’s empty, we had to come up with another plan. Taking in the Kolob Canyon area of Zion (Northern section of the park) is a great way to see some of the Park’s diversity while completely getting away from the traffic in the main section. We spent the entire day hiking and perhaps ran across 10 people. Perfect Day!

Back in the car again! This time we’re heading east through Page and on to Monument Valley. I’ve always wanted to see this area and have always seemed to miss it. It didn’t disappoint. Great views and, although the road is pretty tough through the valley, it’s nothing short of amazing. We had to stop by Horseshoe Bend when we returned to Page for the night. It’s another site not to miss if you are in the area.

After 2400 miles, (no, not a typo) we were headed to Vegas to hook up with friends for the World Series of Poker. While Heidi went home a couple of days ahead of me, we both thought that the trip was worth all of the time in the car and the scenery certainly didn’t disappoint.

To see the photos of the parks, click here and here. Can't wait for the next adventure!

Business trip! The trip required me to work the weekend so I asked my boss if I could have a couple of days vacation at the end of the trip. He agreed and the wife decided that she would come along as Fresno California just so happens to be located right in the middle of a few National Parks.

Now for those of you that have tried such an endeavor, you’re really not “on vacation” on these types of trips. There are lots of phone calls to be made and, because Heidi had given such short notice, a lot of meetings needed planned and attended to while trying to go see some sites. We tried to make the best of it and even though work needed to be done, it was much nicer working in Fresno than back in Chicago where the winter of ’13 just won’t end.

Kings Canyon National Park

Until April 15^th the majority of this park is closed due to snow. What we could see was nothing short of spectacular. The panoramas along with the giant sequoias are awesome! We made our way up the mountain taking in the sites and then on to Hume Lake. Taking a break from the car we walked along the trails and then took in the big trees at several other stops. I cannot wait to see the rest of this park when I return.

Sequoia National Park

This park is a must see if you’re in the area. While the big trees are the main reason most folks go, the trails, canyons and streams from the snow melt, are unreal. The road up the mountain takes you through the Giant Forest where you are surrounded by the tall pines and sequoias. How big are they? Too big to photograph! One tree has a circumference of 96 feet!

Yosemite National Park

The park was a repeat for Heidi and I, but a first time that we were here in the spring. The spring runoff makes all the difference in seeing the park’s waterfalls. We had visited in the fall when most of the waterfalls were a mere trickle. Not so this trip – it’s crazy how much water there actually is.

Pinnacles National Park

The newest of the National Parks. It was upgraded from National Monument in Jan. 2013.  This park is all about the rolling California foothills and a conservation area for some of California’s wildlife. We enjoyed the trails and making our way in and out of small caves along the way. The park isn’t that large and easy to cover. The exposed rocks (ancient Volcano) along the reservoir resides the Pinnacles. After leaving the park we couldn’t resist taking a drive along the coast. While the weather along the coast didn’t cooperate, it was still a much needed break from the Chicago cold.

Great getaway and 3 new parks for my honey!

The rest of the photos are in the park galleries and can be found by clicking Here!