47parks – Page 3 – The Park Pilgrim

47 Parks

Zion Recap

October 28, 2016March 10, 2019

Length of Stay:

3 days, 4 nights

Highs:

Unique hikes
Scenic drives

Lows:

Litter! (Tossing sunflower seeds, nut shells, and food scraps on the ground is rude and unacceptable. Yes, it may be biodegradable, but it’s not native to the desert environment, it’s an eyesore to your fellow hikers, and it will take a long

47 Parks

Last November I visited Zion national park and was completely astounded at what I discovered. My eyes were opened up to a whole other world that existed beyond my day-to-day reality. Looking up at the cliffs, barely acknowledging the below-freezing weather, something inside of me shifted. A blatant desire was born – a passion to … Read more

47 Parks

Bryce Canyon Recap

October 25, 2016March 10, 2019

Length of Stay:

4 days, 4 nights

Highs

Exploring the canyon on an ATV

Lows

Somewhat crowded, somewhat cold

Favorite Hike

Navajo/Peekaboo loop (a fascinating look at the hoodoos from up close)

Favorite Treat

Pioneer-style black licorice caramel

47 Parks

A Canyon That’s Not Really a Canyon

October 23, 2016March 10, 2019

20161017_154055

Okay, so I know that it’s called Bryce Canyon, but technically it’s the top portion of a long eroded staircase that gradually descends all the way down into the state of Arizona. Natural amphitheaters – large circular hollows in the rock – are filled with strange and fascinating shapes called Hoodoos. The Native Americans … Read more

47 Parks

Great Basin Recap

October 21, 2016March 10, 2019

Length of Stay:

3 days, 3 nights

Highs:

Touring Lehman caves and learning about the underground speakeasy during Prohibition
Exploring the ancient bristlecone pine grove (some of these trees are more than 5,000 years old)

Lows:

Wind storms (poor Clarence was being pelted with flying debris throughout the night)

Favorite Hike:

Timber Creek loop

Favorite … Read more

47 Parks

Dark Sky

October 19, 2016March 10, 2019

20161016_144703

Great Basin national park is in the middle of nowhere. Driving towards the park on highway 50 (dubbed The Loneliest Road in America) was quite an experience. It’s easy to become wrapped up in the separateness of it all. Isolation, but not loneliness, seemed to mark the surrounding countryside. I cruised along happily, towing Clarence … Read more

47 Parks

Capitol Reef Recap

October 17, 2016March 10, 2019

Length of Stay:

3 days, 3 nights

Highs

Picking apples in the orchard
Attending a ranger-led geology program that explained some neat things about the park’s rock history

Lows

Weird weather – it was hard to plan for hikes since the temp would change 10 degrees within the course of an hour

Favorite Hike

Chimney

47 Parks

Fruita!

October 16, 2016March 10, 2019

Nope, that’s not a typo. There’s a district within Capitol Reef national park named after the plentiful fruit orchards planted by Mormons in the late 1800’s. It’s a spectacular place, full of lush greenery due to the confluence (that’s a fancy word for junction) of a creek and river. The surrounding desert region protects this … Read more

47 Parks

Canyonlands Recap

October 14, 2016March 10, 2019

20161006_122401

Length of Stay:

2 days, 3 nights

High:

Fantastic hiking that truly immersed me into the natural wonders of the park

Low:

Sunburned lips

Favorite Hike:

Murphy Point

Favorite Treat:

Prickly pear cordial (the local establishments sell a lot of prickly pear victuals: fudge, licorice, tea, etc.)

Favorite Random Moment:

Watching lizards – yep, just

47 Parks

Peekaboo

October 12, 2016March 10, 2019

I’m not talking about that ridiculous game you probably last played as an infant or with an infant. I’m referring to this glorious 10-mile hike that took me deep into Canyonlands national park. The jury’s still out on why exactly it’s called Peekaboo, yet I have a couple of theories.

Most of the hike is