recap – Page 5 – The Park Pilgrim

47 Parks

Rocky Mountain Recap

September 6, 2016March 10, 2019

Length of Stay:

4 days, 5 nights

Highs:

The freshness and crispness of the fall air
Estes Park – what a cute lil’ town to explore in between park adventures!
Meeting Lauren, a fellow adventurer/traveler who captures the beauty of her surroundings through art

Lows:

A campsite that was way too far from the

47 Parks

Black Canyon of the Gunnison Recap

September 2, 2016March 10, 2019

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Length of Stay:

4 days, 4 nights

Highs:

Watching the sun set over the gorge
Taking the Morrow Point Boat tour down the Gunnison river

Lows:

Not being able to see the stars (there was a cloud cover every night)

Favorite Hike:

Gunnison Route into the canyon

Favorite Treat:

Fried Rocky Mountain oysters

Favorite … Read more

47 Parks

Mesa Verde Recap

August 27, 2016March 10, 2019

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Length of Stay:

3 days, 3 nights

Highs:

Touring the Mug House dwelling site (it was a back country tour that was off the beaten path)

Low:

Minor altitude fatigue

Favorite Hike:

Petroglyph Point

Favorite Treat:

Elk quesadilla

47 Parks

Great Sand Dunes Recap

August 22, 2016March 10, 2019

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Length of Stay:

3 days, 4 nights

High:

Meeting so many new friends; it’s encouraging to encounter fellow travelers who are just as passionate about nature as I am

Low:

Sun exhaustion my second day (the weather is deceptive since constant wind makes the sun feel much less intense than it is)

Favorite Hike:

Mosca

47 Parks

Hot Springs Recap

August 16, 2016March 10, 2019

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Length of Stay:

3 days, 3 nights

High:

Touring the Fordyce bathhouse

Low:

Hot, humid, and then extremely rainy

Favorite Hike:

Goat Rock trail

Favorite Treat:

Water – it’s tasteless and odorless but somehow makes my coffee taste extremely delicious

47 Parks

Mammoth Cave Recap

August 11, 2016March 10, 2019

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Length of Stay:

3 days, 4 nights

Highs:

Wild Cave tour
Kayaking down the Green River

Lows:

Not be able to waltz through a cave entrance and explore on my own (something to do with safety, I guess…)

Favorite Hike:

Echo Springs – you get to see where the water flows out of the cave

47 Parks

Great Smoky Mountains Recap

August 7, 2016March 10, 2019

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Length of Stay:

5 days, 5 nights on the North Carolina side
2 days, 2 nights on the Tennessee side

Highs:

Walking in the woods (yep – the hiking was superb)
Learning the history of the Appalachian people

Lows:

Graffiti – some people think it’s “cool” to carve their name into a building that is

47 Parks

Everglades Recap

July 18, 2016March 10, 2019

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Length of Stay:

2 days, 2 nights

Highs:

Petting a baby manatee
Going for a 15 mile bike ride along the canal and through the marsh

Lows:

Deer flies (they’re relentless)

Favorite Hike:

Gumbo Limbo trail

Favorite Treat:

Fresh mango

Favorite Random Moment:

Watching a classic Floridian storm roll in from the Shark Valley observation

47 Parks

Biscayne Recap

July 14, 2016March 10, 2019

Length of Stay:

1 day

Highs:

Canoeing among the mangrove trees
Just barely missing a big load of blue heron poop as it flew overhead (whew!)

Lows:

The amount of trash was slightly depressing (all debris gets washed up among the trees)

Favorite Exhibit:

The visitor’s center had a mesmerizing display of live moon jelly

47 Parks

Dry Tortugas Recap

July 12, 2016March 10, 2019

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Located 70 miles off of the coast of Key West, this was a tricky park to get to. The expansive ocean and the grandeur of the old fort was well worth the 2.5 hour ferry ride.

Length of Stay:

1 day

Highs:

Exploring Fort Jefferson, one of the largest and most strategic forts ever built