Tag: national parks

How to Make the Most of 48 Hours in Yosemite as a Solo Adventurer

Post author By Hannah

Yosemite National Park is a breathtaking wonderland nestled in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, known worldwide for its dramatic granite cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and ancient, towering sequoias. From the moment you enter Yosemite Valley, you’re greeted by a majestic, almost surreal panorama: the sheer face of El Capitan rising nearly 3,000 feet above the valley floor, Half Dome’s iconic silhouette etched against the sky, and the enchanting mist of Bridalveil Fall tumbling down rocky slopes. Don’t let the prospect of adventuring by yourself deter you from seeing these staggering feats of nature. 48 hours in Yosemite is the perfect amount of time to see the most unforgettable sights, go on a few awe-inspiring hikes, and watch a breathtaking sunset or two.

These landscapes are more than scenic—they are a rare, living testament to the power of glaciers, volcanic activity, and tectonic forces that shaped the land over millions of years. Each vista in Yosemite offers a new sense of wonder and awe, combining rugged, untouched beauty with a peaceful serenity that draws millions of visitors each year. It’s no wonder Yosemite is consistently one of the most-visited parks parks in the National Park System!

Fast Facts About Yosemite National Park

Size: 747,956 acres

Visitors: 3,897,070 visitors annually (data from 2023)

Highest elevation: 13,114 feet at Mount Lyell

Closest Airports: Fresno-Yosemite (FAT) and Mammoth Yosemite (MMH) airports are both ~2.5 hour drive to Yosemite Valley; Sacramento Airport (SMF) is ~3.5 hour drive to Yosemite Valley

National Park Initiation: October 1st, 1890 by an Act of Congress (3rd national park in the USA)

Fun Fact: Yosemite is home to three groves of sequoias, and the oldest one— Grizzly Giant— is estimated to be about 3,000 years old

Yosemite’s place in history as one of the first protected landscapes in the world adds to its legacy. In 1864, during the heart of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant. This made Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove the first public land ever set aside by the U.S. government for preservation and public use. This landmark decision was the foundation of the National Park system (NPS).

While Yellowstone is heralded as the first national park, much of the nomenclature used to protect Yellowstone land was modeled after the Yosemite Grant. The big difference? Yosemite is housed entirely in California, whereas Yellowstone occupies regions of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Due to its multi-state occupancy Yellowstone became the first park protected nationally. Yosemite was not long after! In 1890, Yosemite was officially designated as a national park, making it the third in the NPS. Today, it stands not only as a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers but as a symbol of America’s commitment to preserving its most extraordinary natural treasures for future generations.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

The most popular time of year to visit is summer into early fall, with the highest visitation in July and August. This time of year, you can expect temperatures to get up into the 80s and 90s, but it will cool off into the 50s in the evening.

Having just visited mid-October, I am a staunch supporter of the slightly-off-season visit! With highs in the 70s, it was perfect for hiking… but not too cold to camp through the evening! No real chance of snow and likelihood of rain is still pretty minimal. The only downside is that the park has dried out some. Mirror Lake becomes more of an enchanting puddle and the Mist Trail is much less likely to soak you, compared to early summer. None of this takes a way from the beauty of the park— just a slightly different experience. Worth it, in my opinion, to deal with almost HALF as many fellow visitors!!

girl taking selfie with tunnel view in yosemite national park as a backdrop — a must visit spot when you only have 48 hours in Yosemite

Thou Shall Not Pass

Due to issues with congestion and traffic in the park, a timed reservation system has been implemented at Yosemite. This only is in place during the busy season! In 2024, this was as follows:

4/13 – 6/30	Reservations only required for weekends and holidays from 5 am to 4 pm
7/1 – 8/16	Reservations required daily from 5 am to 4 pm
8/17 – 10/ 13	Reservations only required for weekends and holidays from 5 am to 3 pm

This differs from the $35/vehicle entrance fee everyone pays for admission into the park. The entry fee is enforced year-round as it’s important for preserving and maintaining the park. The timed entry reservation system is completely different! Its sole purpose being to control the influx of people into the park. This is an online reservation system, so there is a $2 fee. You can make your ticketed entry reservations here.

If you have camping or lodging reservations in the park or are on a park-authorized commercial tour, you do not need to worry about securing a timed entry reservation.

Accommodation Station

Yosemite National Park offers a diverse range of lodging options. If you’re looking to stay in the park and enjoy a bit more comfort and style, there’s a few different historic lodge and hotel options. For outdoorsmen (and women) more keen to be surrounded by nature’s simplicity, you actually have two different kinds of options here. There are 13 campgrounds in the park for a “typical” tent-camping experience. There’s also a handful of hybrid camping options including some permanent canvas tents and structures in the backcountry. Regardless of where you’re resting your head, each option brings a unique way to experience Yosemite. There really is a perfect retreat for every kind of adventurer.

As noted above, a nice perk of staying in the park is this precludes you from needing a timed entry pass, if you happen to be visiting during the high season months. Two birds with one stone!

Yosemite will sometimes close down an area for a season to do maintenance. All Lodge and Modified Camping availability is visible using the links below or at travelyosemite.com. Similarly, campground closures and anticipated re-openings can be found at recreation.gov.

Lodges

The Ahwahnee
Yosemite Valley Lodge
Wawona Hotel
Curry Village (wooden cabins and permanent canvas tent ‘cabins’)
White Wolf Lodge

*photo of Ahwahnee via travelyosemite.com*

Modified Camping/Permanent Tents

Housekeeping Camp – three-sided concrete structures with canvas roofs and privacy curtains
High Sierra Camps – backpacking to permanent structures (requires lottery participation)
Tuolumne Meadows Lodge – canvas tent “cabins”
Glacier Point Ski Hut – large bunk bed area that sleeps up to 20 people in a single room (only open in winter; must transverse backcountry to arrive)

*photo of Housekeeping Camp via travelyosemite.com*

Campgrounds*

* Campsites go like HOTCAKES!!! Campgrounds will be fully booked up weeks in advance, but there’s hope for last minute campers. I snagged 3 nights in the park with less than a week’s notice using Campflare. It’s an app that will let you know when a campsite in a given campground becomes available. Be prepared to act fast though because things do not stay vacant long!

** It’s worth noting, Camp 4 is an awesome campground, but it has a bit more of a hostel feel than other spots in the park, as it’s a shared site campground. Also, you do have to walk your tent and camp items a short distance. Overall it’s a bit less individual or private than other campgrounds in the park, but some people really dig that vibe. All in all, it’s a cheaper campground/campsite (for a solo traveler) at only $10/person/night.

Yosemite Valley Shuttle

Yosemite Valley is a popular area of the park, so to facilitate traffic and parking concerns, there are two shuttle systems within the valley. They both run from 7am to 10pm, hitting the key points of interest, as noted below. Since the East Valley shuttle runs a smaller loop, buses tend to arrive a little more frequently. Even at that, the longest wait time is estimated to be about 22 minutes.

Two Day Itinerary

While I am no stranger to a fun solo adventure, anything more than two or three days starts to feel like a lot of time by my lonesome. That’s just me though! I felt that about 48 hours in Yosemite was the perfect amount of time to experience the park’s highlights without feeling rushed. There’s ample time to explore iconic spots like Yosemite Valley, Glacier Point, and Mariposa Grove— taking in scenic views via a couple moderate-length hikes, a relaxing bike ride, and breathtaking drives.

It’s worth noting, everyone has different comfort levels, but ~8 miles is the most I like to hike by myself. If you are visiting Yosemite with friends or if you feel comfortable going on long hikes solo, Half Dome is one of the most renowned hikes in the park. The ~16 mile trek was a bit much for me to tackle alone, but it is an option! Especially if you’re open to staying a third day!

DAY 1

To make the most of a full day, it does help to arrive in Yosemite the night before. That way, when you wake up, you’re ready to hit the ground running. I stayed at Camp 4, which was very centrally located, but there’s certainly other lodge and campground options in the valley to choose from.

Vernal & Nevada Falls via the Mist Trail

The Vernal and Nevada Falls via the Mist Trail is an awesome hike because it combines breathtaking waterfalls, diverse terrain, and unforgettable views into one memorable hike. This trail takes you up close to the powerful cascades of Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall. A rather immersive experience, the waterfall mist cools off hikers as they ascend, hence the trail’s name. Climbing the granite stair-master-come-to-life alongside Vernal Fall is rather unforgettable, but so worth it as you’re rewarded with sweeping views of Yosemite Valley and the Merced River atop Nevada Falls.

The hike is around 6.5 miles from the trailhead. A heads up/FYI, I ended up parking in Curry Village, which made it more of an 8ish mile hike– just so you’re mentally prepared. It’s certainly not an impossible endeavor, but the 2,208 ft of elevation is definitely not easy peasy.

Yosemite Valley Loop Trail Bike Ride

After a rewarding hike it’s nice to just relax for a minute. While I loaded up the cooler and brought a bunch of food with me, it was super comforting to know Yosemite has loads of food options. It’s so peaceful to just snag a spot to rest for a bit and enjoy lunch with an awesome view.

Up next? A bike ride! The Yosemite Valley Loop is about 20 miles total, but even just doing part of it is a worthwhile adventure. The path weaves past Mirror Lake, El Capitan, the Meadow, Bridalveil Falls, and Yosemite Falls. It’s a bit of a choose your own adventure. Even better? There’s a free bike share program in Yosemite that allows use of bikes for 2 hours at a time. That was about all the physical activity I was keen on, after the morning hike, but The Yosemite Valley Lodge has bikes for rent as well if you’re looking to cruise around a bit longer ($30 Half Day/$40 Full Day).

Set Up Camp

If you’re down to camp, Upper Pines, Lower Pines, North Pines, and Camp 4 are all located in Yosemite Valley. For anyone planning a last minute trip in Yosemite’s busy summer season, Camp 4 might be your best chance at snagging a campsite as these are released one week out. The other three campgrounds open up campsite reservations 5 months in advance. North Pines is actually so sought after, there’s a lottery system in place as part of the booking process there! A friend recommended Camp 4 to me, and I loved it! It’s set up a bit different than typical national park campsites, but it lends itself to a fun, community environment.

Tunnel View

Finish the day out by taking in the sunset at Tunnel View. It’s hard not to feel like a photographer, with the sun painting El Capitan and Half Dome with rays of golden light. This spot is easily accessible, making it a popular choice for capturing postcard-worthy photos. Even if you don’t take a single picture, simply soaking in the magic of Yosemite’s dramatic landscapes is an unbeatable way to round out the day. The sweeping views from Tunnel View at sunset encapsulate both the grandeur and tranquility of Yosemite in an unforgettable scene.

DAY 2

Yosemite Valley Visitor Center

This is the largest visitor center in the park and the main hub for park information. It’s a must-stop for any park-goers looking to secure their park stamp! It also offers a buffet of resources like maps, exhibits, and interactive displays that cover the park’s history, geology, and wildlife.

I sometimes like to snag a couple postcards at the park visitor center to send to my sisters, and there’s a very conveniently located post office right around the corner. In general, there’s a lot in the area by the visitor center, so go to the bathroom, grab a snack, and get ready to go, because day two takes us out and away from the valley.

Glacier Point

Home to one of the most spectacular, panoramic views in the park, Glacier Point features sweeping vistas of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and the High Sierra peaks. Sitting at over 7,200 feet, this viewpoint provides a breathtaking perspective of the valley and its renown, granite landmarks.

Depending on how much time you have or perhaps how your legs are feeling, you have two options for taking in the view. You can either take a short walk to a viewpoint or hike the Sentinel Dome and Taft Point Trail. The latter is about 5 miles round trip and a little over 1,000 feet of elevation. It makes for a nice, brisk start to the day. This is what I opted for (and loved it), but either way you’re going to have a beautiful morning.

Glacier Point is accessible by car for approximately late May through October or November, depending on conditions.

Mariposa Grove

Mariposa Grove is home to over 500 giant sequoias. These are one of the largest and oldest trees on Earth, with some towering over 200 feet tall and living for more than 2,000 years. These ancient giants, like the iconic Grizzly Giant, offer visitors a rare glimpse into the ancient natural world, making a walk through the grove a powerful, humbling experience. There’s a tranquility to the forest that is simply different from other regions of the park.

Getting to Mariposa Grove is a bit of an adventure. After arriving at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza, everyone must take a shuttle to the grove. Once you arrive at the grove, there’s a few different hiking options, but we recommend the 2 mile Grizzly Giant Loop Trail. How many times in life do you have the opportunity to see a 3,000 year old tree??

Mariposa Grove Shuttle Hours

6/25 – 9/2	8 am to 7 pm (last bus leaves Mariposa Grove at 8 pm). Buses pick up every 10 to 15 minutes
9/3 – 11/2	8 am to 5:30 pm (last bus leaves Mariposa Grove at 6:30 pm). Buses pick up about every 15 minutes
11/3 – 11/30	Weather permitting, 8 am to 3:30 pm (last bus leaves Mariposa Grove at 5:00 pm). Buses pick up about every 15 minutes
12/1 – 4/15 (at least)	No shuttle service available

When the shuttle service is not running, the only way to reach Mariposa Grove is via a 2 mile walk (each way) along the Washburn Trail or the Mariposa Grove Road.

Bunking Down

Where you choose to spend the night is rather dependent on where you are headed the next morning. I live in southern California so the Wawona campground was perfectly situated. That being said, if you are headed north, you might want to consider another campground or sleeping accommodation. If you decide to stay at the Wawona Campground, the Wawona Meadow is an awesome spot to stargaze!

As a solo traveler, I felt 48 hours in Yosemite was the perfect amount to sample the park and experience the sights for myself. Exploring by myself, I’m always happy to have just gone out there and adventured, instead of always waiting to go with someone else. That being said, I’m already excited to head back in the future— hopefully to hike half dome with some friends! Life is a balance— happy travels!

A literal life saving queen, Kayla Grace is an Army nurse in southern California. She can be found patching patients up in the emergency department but is equally likely to be spotted out hiking or backpacking. She is also quite the coffee connoisseur, and she will go out of her way to find a local coffee shop when she visits somewhere new!

Tags California national parks, national park camping, national parks, Yosemite national park

national parks travel

A Half Day In the Badlands: An Adventure Packed Guide

Post author By Hannah

Badlands National Park in South Dakota is a unique and rugged landscape, known for its dramatic rock formations, deep canyons, and expansive prairies. The park is home to some of the most striking geological features in North America, with colorful layers of sedimentary rock that tell the story of millions of years of natural history. It’s also a haven for wildlife, including bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs. Badlands is characterized by its otherworldly beauty and the sense of solitude that it offers. An adventurous half day in the Badlands is the pit-stop you can’t afford to miss!

If you’re driving through South Dakota, a half day in the Badlands National Park is ideal for experiencing the key highlights. The scenic Badlands Loop Road offers stunning viewpoints, allowing you to capture the essence of the park’s striking landscapes without feeling rushed. A few short hikes let you explore the rock formations up close. In just a few hours, you can see the park’s iconic formations, spot wildlife, and enjoy breathtaking views, making a half day the perfect introduction to the Badlands.

Fast Facts About Badlands National Park

Size: 244,000 acres

Visitors: 1,046,400 visitors annually (data from 2023)

Highest elevation: 3,340 feet at Red Shirt Table

Closest Airports: the Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) is 70 miles away (~1.5 hour drive) or the Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) is 240 miles (~4 hour drive)

National Park Initiation: November 10th, 1978 (established on the same day as Theodore Roosevelt, making them the 38th and 39th national parks)

Fun Fact: there are many native tribes associated with the park, but the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is actually part of the southern region of the park

We recently moved from Wisconsin to Oregon. Instead of driving straight through, we decided to make a road trip out of it! We stopped at Custer State Park, Yellowstone, and the Tetons, but the views of South Dakota were the most unexpectedly breathtaking! Xavier kept us humble by staying incredibly stoic, despite all the excitement.

A Good Night’s Rest

Perhaps the most important part of maximizing your time on a busy day? Getting a good night’s sleep! There are certainly accommodations nearby when you are visiting Badlands, but what’s more convenient than staying in the park?? In-park accommodations tend to either be very economical (camping) or a little on the spendy side (lodge living). Either way you have great options to choose from. It’s worth noting, both camping and the lodge will fill up quickly. If you know this is where you want to stay, book sooner rather than later!

Cedar Pass RV and Campground

The Cedar Pass RV and Campground is located near the Ben Reifel Visitor Center. It has restroom and shower facilities as well as pretty easy access to all amenities of Cedar Pass Lodge. There’s 96 camp sites, and practically all of them have scenic views of the badlands formations.

Sage Creek Campground

The Sage Creek Campground is a bit more of a backcountry experience. This campground is located on Sage Creek Rim Road, with 22 sites. It’s free and first-come first-serve; however, it’s only accessible via an unpaved road that may temporarily close after winter storms and spring rains.

As an FYI, motor homes, pull behind trailers, and other recreational vehicles >18 ft are prohibited. Pit toilets and covered picnic tables are available, but not water. Potable water is available at the Ben Reifel Visitor Center.Generators are not permitted here.

Cedar Pass Lodge

The Cedar Pass Lodge is open for visitors to stay from April 19th– October 20th. You can bunk down in one-of-a-kind cabins with custom-made, regionally handcrafted lodgepole pine furniture. If you’re open to tasting the lodge’s take on native cuisine, the Cedar Pass Restaurant makes fresh fry bread daily for their Sioux Indian Tacos. Worth trying!!

It’s worth noting, if you happen to visit outside these months, you might want to pack some snacks (or lunch) for yourself as it’s a bit of a drive to get to the nearest grocery store or restaurant. The last thing anyone needs is to find themselves hungry and far away from food!

◁ An Action Packed Half Day ▷

Get ready for a little bit over everything in the Badlands! While the weather can get quite warm in the summer months, even in August, it can still feel cool in the mornings. It’s worth it to get up early to ensure you’re not hiking in the heat of the day. With its location not too far off the interstate, a half day is the perfect amount of time to see a vibrant sunrise, a couple adventurous hikes, a handful of memorable overlooks… and hopefully a bison spotting or two.

There are three entrances into the park. The Pinnacles and Northeast entrances are relatively easy to access off of I-90. If you find yourself making a cross-country road trip, like we did, this stop might not be much of a detour!

Big Badlands Overlook

The Big Badlands Overlook is right inside the Northeast entrance of the park. This makes it a perfect first place to pull over and pop out! Even if it wasn’t conveniently located, it would still be a must-see spot in Badlands National Park because it offers sweeping, panoramic views of the park’s dramatic landscape. From this vantage point, you can take in the colorful layers of eroded rock formations, deep canyons, and rugged cliffs that truly define the Badlands. The overlook provides an excellent introduction to the park’s unique geology and is especially stunning at sunrise, with the soft morning light enhancing the vibrant colors of the terrain. It’s a very accessible viewpoint— perfect for capturing the park’s vast beauty.

The Door Trail

The Door Trail is a unique hike. It starts along a boardwalk and becomes a bit more of a choose-your-own-adventure. Hikers can explore the natural terrain for a more immersive adventure, following numbered signs that lead to the end-of-trail viewpoint. This hiking experience offers visitors an up-close experience of the rugged landscape, while not being too overwhelming as the trail is only 1 mile round trip. Its mix of ease and rewarding views makes it a great option for visitors of all ages and abilities.

The Notch Trail

If you only do one hike in the Badlands, it should be The Notch Trail! Even though it’s only 1.5 miles in total, it features a unique blend of experiences: a steep wooden ladder climb, narrow pathways, and dramatic views of the surrounding Badlands formations. The trail leads you through canyons and cliffs, culminating in a spectacular overlook of the White River Valley. The Notch Trail’s obstacles and breathtaking views make it a bit more adventurous than you might initially presume, for those seeking a bit of thrill in a relatively short distance.

Don’t be fooled, by the ladder— it’s a much steeper climb than it appears to be!

man with baby in carrier on his back amongst the spires, having a most enjoyable half day in the badlands

White River Valley Overlook

The White River Valley Overlook stands out from other viewpoints because it offers expansive views of the park’s eroded cliffs and spires with the vast White River Valley stretching out in the distance. Unlike some other overlooks that focus on the more compact rock formations, this viewpoint gives visitors a true sense of the Badlands’ wide-open spaces and the interplay between the rugged badlands terrain and the surrounding grasslands. The contrast between the jagged formations and the rolling valley below makes it a particularly unique and serene spot.

We especially loved it because there’s a worn path that ventures out into the ridge spires. As always, proceed with caution, but it’s fun to have a bit more immersive feel!

Panorama Point

Panorama Point is special because it offers visitors a sweeping, 360-degree view of the park’s vast, layered landscape. It lives up to its panoramic name by providing a comprehensive view of the surrounding badlands, prairie, and distant horizons. This makes it an ideal spot to fully appreciate the park’s impressive terrain.

Pinnacles Overlook

Pinnacles Overlook offers one of the most expansive views in the park. From a towering vantage point, the rugged cliffs, eroded spires, and deep canyons Badlands are known for are showcased. Pinnacles Overlook is also a prime spot for wildlife sightings, including bison, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs. This makes it a must-see stop for nature lovers and photographers alike!

A half day in the Badlands National Park was an unexpected delight as we made our way across the country. The technicolor spires and canyons really are something to behold! If you are looking for the closest neighboring national park, you don’t have to look very far. Wind Cave National Park is only 2 hours away… as is Custer State Park! We hope you have a lovely adventure— happy travels!

written by Hannah

Hannah traded the warm beaches of southwest FL for the outdoor adventure locale that is Bend, OR. Despite the distance, Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves making time to explore newfound hikes. These days she has some extra pack weight; however, Xavier is notorious for being unimpressed by sweeping vistas.

Tags Badlands National Park, half day at Badlands, national parks

national parks travel

One Perfect Day in the Tetons: Top Highlights & Must-See Spots

Post author By Hannah

Grand Teton National Park, located in Wyoming, is a breathtaking destination known for its towering peaks, pristine alpine lakes, and abundant wildlife. Dominated by the jagged Teton Range, the park offers visitors a stunning mix of rugged mountain landscapes, lush forests, and serene valleys. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy endless activities, from hiking and boating to wildlife spotting and photography, with the iconic Jackson Hole valley as a backdrop. Whether you’re seeking adventure or simply want to soak in the park’s natural beauty, the Tetons and all the top highlights are a must-visit for anyone exploring the American West.

The staggering Teton peaks are nothing short of awe-inspiring, and a full day in Grand Teton National Park provides the perfect amount of time to experience its most iconic highlights. If you really enjoy hiking, you could easily spend a few days here; however, a single day affords you the time to capture the essence of the Tetons without feeling rushed.

Fast Facts About GrAND TETON National Park

Size: 310,000 acres

Visitors: 3,417,106 visitors (data from 2023)

Closest Airport: Jackson Hole Airport — this is the only commercial airport located entirely within a National Park (in the US)

Became a National Park: in 1929 by an Act of Congress

Highest point: 13,770 feet at the peak of Grand Teton mountain

Fun Fact: the coldest temperature recorded in the park was a whopping -63°F! Brrrrrr!

We recently moved from Wisconsin to Oregon, and instead of driving straight through, we decided to make a road trip out of it! We stopped at the Badlands, Custer State Park, and Yellowstone, but the views of the Tetons might have just been the most astounding. Xavier kept us humble by sleeping through all of the breathtaking views.

woman with baby in backpack carrier in front of Taggart lake -- one of the top highlights in tetons national park

‘Twas the Night Before

There are loads of accommodation options when you’re visiting the Tetons because Jackson is close enough that it makes for a convenient base camp. The only thing more convenient? Staying in the park! In-park accommodations tend to either be very economical (camping) or a little on the spendy side (lodge living). Either way you have lots of options to choose from— you can explore them all below. It’s worth noting, both camping and the lodges will fill up quickly. If you know this is where you want to stay, book sooner rather than later!

Camping

Lodges

THE DAY

Get ready for an action packed day! The below order of stops is loosely organized around starting your day in Jackson; however, the stops can be re-organized however it makes sense for your diving plan! Get ready for a couple of gorgeous hikes, a handful of postcard-worthy viewpoints, and a dreamy relaxation spot to end the day!

Driving the loop as detailed below takes right around two hours total. This really flies by when you’re popping out for different stops along the way! You can see the stops from a bird’s eye view below.

Mormon Row

Mormon Row is a fantastic sunrise spot due to its iconic views of the Teton Range, with the historic barns of Mormon Row in the foreground. As the sun rises, it bathes the mountains in soft, golden light, creating a breathtaking contrast between the rugged peaks and the pastoral setting. The weathered barns are remnants of early Mormon settlers, and they add a unique and photogenic element to the scene. The calm morning air, wildlife activity, and serene atmosphere make sunrise at Mormon Row a magical experience. Just be aware, this is by no means an “underrated” sunrise spot…. you will be one of many photographers, so if you’re committed to the shot, you’ll want to arrive early!

Jenny Lake

Nestled at the base of the Teton Range, the crystal-clear waters of Jenny Lake reflect the towering peaks, creating picture-perfect views. This is arguably the most popular spot in the park, so even if you aren’t up to catch the sunrise, you should plan to head here first! The lake itself is serene and beautiful, but it also serves as a gateway to some of the park’s most-hiked trails: Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Its accessibility and breathtaking surroundings make it a must-visit spot in the Tetons.

Spending a full day in the Tetons means you have time for a couple hikes. While you can hike around Jenny Lake to get to the Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls trailhead, the boat ride there is rather scenic. It’s also helpful for the economy of time on an action-packed day. Clocking in around 2 miles, this is a perfect way to start the day, without feeling too overwhelming. Hidden Falls is certainly worth stopping at, but the views from Inspiration Point are the crown jewel of this boating and hiking extravaganza.

Boats depart every 10-15 minutes, running continuously throughout the day. They don’t take reservations, you simply pay upon arrival and hop on the boat. Pricing can be found here.

Be Bear Aware: If you already own bear spray don’t forget to pack it, and if you don’t own some, STRONGLY consider either renting or purchasing some. Bear sightings are not uncommon in Grand Teton National Park— especially when out hiking. The hikes included in this itinerary are well trafficked enough by other people, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry!

bear spray at the ready, even at Inspiration Point!

Taggart Lake

Now, the Inspiration Point trail is a really beautiful and amazing experience, but you end up with an awesome view of the lake… you don’t really have a view of the Tetons. For that reason, we feel you need to do at least one other hike to fully take in the Tetons.

We LOVED the Taggart Lake hike! Since we’d already trekked a bit at Jenny Lake, the sub-500 feet of elevation and just-over-3.5 mile length was welcome. Plus the views of the lake were absolutely gorgeous— pictures don’t quite do it justice. This is the kind of spot where you wouldn’t be sad to pack a snack and a sparkling water, and just hang out for a bit, taking it in before you head back! We felt this was a perfect compliment to the Inspiration Point hike– different enough that you get two unique hiking experiences in the park.

To save a little time/distance, you could treat this trail as an out and back instead of a loop… it might shave off half a mile or so. If you have a bit extra time, you can keep stepping to Bradley Lake and hit both! As an alternate option, the trailhead for Delta Lake isn’t far; however, this trail, while beautiful, might be a bit much (~8 miles + >2,ooo ft elevation) for a one-day itinerary.

beautiful teton views on the trail to Taggart Lake

Schwabacher Landing

Schwabacher Landing provides the most picturesque views of the Teton Range, reflected in the calm waters of the Snake River. This requires a short walk from the parking lot, making it fun to stop at different points along the path, to find your perfect shot.

Snake River Overlook

This overlook provides panoramic views of the Snake River winding through the valley with the Teton Range as a majestic backdrop, perfect for scenic photos and iconic landscapes. The juxtaposition of the river against the mountains makes this a must-stop!

Colter Bay Lakeshore

Located along Jackson Lake, Colter Bay offers serene views of the Tetons. There’s no bad viewpoints in the Tetons, but I think this one just might be the best. There’s also recreational opportunities like boating and kayaking, and easy access to nature trails, making it as picturesque as it is family friendly.

While the fun activities might not make the agenda with only one day in the park, it’s worth grabbing a beer at Leek’s Marina & Pizzeria. While the views here are truly incredible, the pizza….. was not. Perhaps we came on an off day, but alas, can’t say we recommend the pizza– the beer was good though!

A bit farther south, the Trapper Grill sits on Lake Jackson. We didn’t stop here, but the menu seems solid, and the views look sublime! Even if you don’t grab lunch or dinner at the Trapper Grill, the Signal Mountain Lodge General Store is right next door, which makes for a convenient spot to grab some lakeshore relaxation snacks.

String Lake & Leigh Lake

To round out the loop around the park, head back down to String Lake and Leigh Lake. This area is a bit of an underrated gem, and it’s the perfect place to wind down. This is by no means a secret spot, but we were so enchanted with how cozy this area was. There are loads of little alcove ‘nooks’ along the lake, with a bench and small sandy beach area. There’s also a scenic walking path between String Lake and Leigh Lake if you are looking for one final stroll to end the day.

taking a little dip— beware the water is *COLD*!

scenic path/trail between String Lank and Leigh Lake

Grand Teton National Park is amazing because you can appreciate the staggering beauty of the park by just driving through it. The more you have time to explore the more immersive the experience becomes, but you truly can spend a full day in the park and leave feeling satisfied with the sights, sounds, and experiences. This is a park we are already excited to come back to!

While we just have the one little peanut, our friends over at Plan More Adventures tackled a Yellowstone and Tetons trip with three kiddos. You can check it out here. We hope you have a lovely adventure— happy travels!

written by Hannah

Tags Grand Teton National Park, national parks

national parks

Maximize Your Time: A One Day Itinerary for Yellowstone

Post author By Hannah

Yellowstone National Park is a cornucopia of sights and experiences. It was the first national park– not just in the United States but in the world! From the eternally iconic Old Faithful Geyser to the dozens of dazzling hot springs in the park to the breathtaking Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and all the little wonders in between, Yellowstone is memorable! One day certainly goes fast, but we can help you maximize your time!

In a park of this magnitude, you could easily spend a week hiking and leisurely exploring the park. However, if you’re planning a multi-park road trip or perhaps trekking across the country, sometimes there’s only time for the essentials. If you’re hoping to hit the highlights, we have a jam-packed one day itinerary for the adventurer looking to do the most. For anyone looking to spend two days in the park, we have a bit more in depth itinerary here.

Fast Facts About Yellowstone National Park

Size: 2,221,766 acres

Visitors: 4,501,382 visitors (data from 2023)

Closest Airport: the Jackson Hole airport (JAC) is ~50 miles from the south entrance of the park and the Bozeman airport (BZN) is ~90 miles from the north entrance

Became a National Park: March 1st, 1872 when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act (first national park in the United States AND in the world)

Highest point: 11,358 feet at Eagle Peak

Fun Fact: Yellowstone is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined! Even more fun— more than half the world’s geysers exist in Yellowstone.

road trippin’

We recently spent a few days in Yellowstone as part of a cross country road trip, and we found Yellowstone to be unique for a few different reasons. It truly is a diverse park. Yellowstone has hot springs, geysers, mountains, an incredible canyon, waterfalls, and amazing opportunities for wildlife encounters. The breadth of experiences here is special!

Yellowstone is also one of the most tourist-friendly national parks we’ve been to. What do we mean by that? There’s good to excellent accessibility at most of the viewpoints, lots of bathrooms, lodge accommodations, campgrounds, restaurants, gas stations throughout the park etc. It feels like a park that’s equipped for large volumes of visitors, without going toooo far to feel like a theme park-esque experience.

making an entrance

There are five entrances into Yellowstone: East, Northeast, North, West, and South. Realistically, the entrance you plan to arrive through will dictate the order that you hit everything. As such, we’ve detailed the top must-do spots and included a map of where exactly everything is, to help you see the day from a bird’s eye view.

Grand Loop Road effectively makes a circle through the park, so this road serves as the backbone of our highlight reel. It also simplifies navigation in the park. Service in the park tends to be pretty poor, so the straightforward driving route and copious signage helps ensure everyone gets where they intend to.

Rest Up

How to make the most of a full day? Get a good night’s sleep! And when you only have one day in Yellowstone, it’s important to make the most of your time! If you are able to arrive in the park the night before, it can help with the flow of your day. There are accommodations near the various entrances to the park, but most entrances to the park (i.e. all but the north entrance) are still about an hour away from the big sights.

If you want to stay in the park, there are two general options: camping or lodge life. The park lodges are unique to each region of the park they’re in, which gives each place historic character. You can check out all nine options here. The lodge and cabin stays in the park tend to run a little on the expensive side, but park of what you’re paying for is the location of being steps away from something amazing!!

It’s a little strange but four of the campground’s sites are available through recreation.gov (linked here). The other five are booked through the lodge reservation webpage (linked here). The booking itself is relatively straightforward— just a little peculiar to have it split up!

photo taken by our friend Zachary Splinter (IG: master_splint3r)

THE KEY STOPS:

Between the multiple entrances to the park and the many welcome stations at each entrance, the arrival process into the park is as streamlined as it gets; however, it’s always a good idea to get into the park sooner rather than later (or just stay in the park overnight :)). Things start to get more crowded around 10am, so an earlier start helps ensure you can enjoy a bit more nature to yourself.

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone stretches for about 24 miles, and this amazing feature is worth taking in from a few different vantage points. There’s a bunch of awesome viewpoints to take in the canyon from different vantage points. We found Yellowstone to be a more accessible park, so even if you can’t or don’t want to hike, you can still take in the awesome vistas, just steps from your car.

Artist Point

If you’re in the park early, this is a nice overlook to wander over to. You are able to see both the canyon as well as the waterfall from afar– it’s a nice spot to catch the sunrise! With this as your first stop, it’s an amazing way to start the day.

North Rim Hike… or Drive.

The North Rim Overlooks are connected by road as well as hiking trail, making them relatively easy to access to a variety of adventurers. While there are overlooks up by the parking lot, some of the cooler views are accompanied by a bit of sweat equity. For example, the Brink of Lower Falls trail drops 600 feet over a short 0.4-mile stretch of switchbacks to the Lower Falls viewpoint. This was probably our favorite spot along the North Rim but they are all worth hitting!

view of Yellowstone Canyon from Lower Falls (falls directly to the right)

Lookout Point, Grand View, and Inspiration Point all afford slightly different vantage points. Similar to Lower Falls, Lookout Point (view pictured below) also has a combination of stairs and graded descent that are worth the huffin’ and puffin’. Whether you’re driving or hiking, you won’t regret going to at each stop!

If you look closely or zoom in on the above picture, just to the right of the falls, you will see a viewing platform with a handful of people standing on. This is the Lower Falls viewpoint!

steps down to lower viewpoint at Lookout Point

The Yellowstone River and Canyon are truly breathtaking and it’s so grounding to take in the technicolor wonder. What makes this canyon even more interesting is its constant evolution. If you look out across the canyon walls, you’ll notice some steamy, active hydrothermal features. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone was our favorite area of the park!

Hayden Valley

Driving south from the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, along Grand Loop Road, will take you through Hayden Valley. This approximately 7 mile stretch of landscape is gorgeous to drive through. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife because this area is one of the best spots in the park to spot some of the large mammals the park is home to. The grizzly and black bears are spotted more frequently in the spring and early summer days. They tend to be found at higher elevations as the summer goes on, but you never know where you might see one. Bison are more likely to be seen at any time throughout the summer, with coyotes commonly spotted as well!

There’s so many different areas to pull out if you *think* you might see something off in the distance…. or if you want to simply stare at the bison grazing nearby. There’s no singular recommended destination or overlook in Hayden Valley. It’s simply a beautiful drive with a high probability of animal sightings. This is first on the list because early risers may be even more likely to spot animals if you’re driving through at dawn (or dusk).

If you see a bunch of cars pulled over, there’s a good chance someone has spotted something exciting! If you see a cluster of cars, it doesn’t hurt to pull over as well! You never know what you might see!

Old Faithful

Timing up your Old Faithful experience takes a bit of planning. This iconic geyser erupts every 94 or 68 minutes… plus or minus ten minutes. So while the eruptions are routine, they’re just far apart enough that you might find yourself waiting a while if you arrive right after the previous eruption. The Old Faithful Visitor Center has a sign out that estimates when to expect Old Faithful’s next performance. This is helpful but having something online is just a bit more useful as you try and time up your morning.

We used this NPS website and this informative site to help give us an idea of when to show up. It’s better to be 15 min early than 2 minutes late!

The Old Faithful area of the park will get busy… there’s no getting around that, but if you get to the park relatively early, you do have time to do the Grand Prismatic Overlook hike first. We recommend this because the ambient temperature earlier in the day is still rather chilly– even in the summer months. Why is this relevant? Well, Old Faithful is erupting hot hot hot water, so if it’s cold outside, the water plume becomes pretty shrouded in steam. Still neat to see but perhaps not the expected view.

old faithful erupting on a cool morning with more steam than water visible— an iconic sight at yellowstone national park

Upper Geyser Basin hike

The Upper Geyser Basin hike begins just steps away from Old Faithful and showcases dozens of hot springs and geysers (AllTrails link here). This boardwalk trail stretches about 3.5 miles total. While it’s totally possible to just walk part of the trail and then head back, in our opinion, some of the more impressive features are further along the trail. Morning Glory is the final hot spring on the path, and we were glad we walked all the way to the end to check it out!

Yellowstone is home to so many hot springs and geysers, you’re be hard-pressed to hit them all, even with a few days in the park. While this walk doesn’t highlight all of them, you can leave knowing you were able to see some unique geological wonders.

hot springs along the Upper Geyser Basin boardwalk

Grand Prismatic Hot Spring Overlook Trail

There’s so many hot springs in Yellowstone, but none is more memorable (or larger) than the Grand Prismatic. You can certainly check out the overlook at ‘ground level’, but in my opinion, the bird’s eye view is superior. There’s a bit of sweat equity involved, but the 1.5 miles round trip is very manageable (AllTrails link here)!

When you’re nearing the hot spring, you want to park at the Fairy Falls trailhead. If you’re driving around Grand Loop road clockwise, this means you’ll take the turnoff for the Fairy Falls trail, which is actually just before the Grand Prismatic overlook parking lot.

This is a relatively small viewing area and it does get rather popular, so come with patience in your heart. When you’re in Yellowstone— especially in the summer— it seems like everyone’s advice is to get to ‘XYZ’ early. Generally speaking, this is great advice, but when you’re only in the park for one day, you can’t hit everything early!

In our opinion, the Grand Prismatic is a spot that’s better to hit later. The colors of the hot spring “pop” and become more vibrant when the sky is overhead, so arriving a little later in the day should afford you awesome, vibrant views. It’s never fun to do a hike in the hottest part of the day, BUT at least it’s a relatively short hike!

Mammoth Hot Springs (optional)

Just inside the North entrance of the park, you’ll find Mammoth Hot Springs.Yellowstone is home to many different hot springs– what makes these springs unique are the travertine terraces that have formed as a result of the hot springs. The thermal water rises through limestone, carrying dissolved limestone to the surface, creating the memorable terrace formation these hot springs are known for.

To take in the multi-level wonder, there’s a boardwalk path that weaves in and through the hot spring. If you hit every nook and cranny, it’s about 2.5 miles long. Now, if you have time and want to stretch your legs, it’s a nice board walk saunter with a healthy amount of stairs. If you’re rushing along, you can more or less get the gist of it by poking around for 15 minutes or so.

If you’re planning on either arriving or departing the park via the North entrance, stopping here is a no-brainer. The terraces are rather unique and certainly worth a stop if it’s along the way. That being said, and this might be an unpopular opinion, but if you’re coming and going through the East, South, or West entrances, tacking on this stop miiiight not be worth the drive time. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but if we were crunched for time AND knowing this is the only big stop in the north part of the park, we’re not sure the “awe-factor” here is worth allllllll the extra driving it would take to see this single geological wonder.

One day in Yellowstone flies by! Maximizing your time can feel tricky… trying to see as much as you can but not be so rushed you hardly enjoy it. Our plan should thread that needle perfectly. We hope you have an amazing time exploring all the breathtaking beauty this historic national park has to offer. Happy travels!

written by Hannah

Tags national parks, travel Yellowstone national park, yellowstone

national parks

Yellowstone’s Iconic Sights & Hidden Gems: The Ultimate 2-Day Itinerary

Post author By Hannah

Yellowstone National Park is a cornucopia of sights and experiences… a crown jewel in the national park system, sitting atop a super volcano. It was the first national park– not just in the United States but in the world! Whether you’re looking forward to the iconic sights or the quiet moments of peaceful nature, Yellowstone won’t disappoint. From the famous Old Faithful Geyser to the dozens of dazzling hot springs in the park to the breathtaking Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and all the little wonders in between, Yellowstone is memorable!

In a park of this magnitude, you could easily spend a week hiking and leisurely exploring. However, if you’re planning a multi-park road trip or perhaps trekking across the country, sometimes there’s only time for the essentials. If you’re hoping to hit all regions of the park, we recommend at least two days in the park. Yellowstone is large, so you will spend a couple hours just driving around. And that’s before you even get out to see anything!

If you’re zooming through and are looking for a one-day packed-to-the-gills itinerary, you can find that here.

Fast Facts About Yellowstone National Park

Size: 2,221,766 acres

Visitors: 4,501,382 visitors (data from 2023)

Closest Airport: the Jackson Hole airport (JAC) is ~50 miles from the south entrance of the park and the Bozeman airport (BZN) is ~90 miles from the north entrance

Became a National Park: March 1st, 1872 when President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act (first national park in the United States AND in the world)

Highest point: 11,358 feet at Eagle Peak

Fun Fact: Yellowstone is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined! Even more fun— more than half the world’s geysers exist in Yellowstone.

road trippin’

We recently spent a few days in Yellowstone as part of a cross country road trip. This was our first big hiking trip with our son, so we were stoked to make the most of it. We’ve been told it gets more challenging as kiddos can run away, but man oh man… it was notably more time consuming to get out the door with an 8 month old in tow vs. just rolling out of bed ourselves. Everything we did, we did with him along for the ride, so whether you’re a solo traveler or parent to a young, wild soul, this itinerary should flow nicely for you!

There are five entrances into Yellowstone: East, Northeast, North, West, and South. This itinerary is centered around an arrival through the east entrance; however, the days’ activities circumduct the park, so you can hop into the “circle” from any entrance. Yellowstone is immense, so this is by no means an all inclusive list BUT this is a great snapshot of Yellowstone’s must-see highlights.

DAY ONE

The day starts arriving through the East entrance of the park. Between the multiple entrances to the park and the many welcome stations at each entrance, the arrival process into the park is as streamlined as it gets; however, it’s always a good idea to get into the park earlier than later. Things start to get more crowded around 10am, so an earlier start helps ensure you can enjoy a bit more nature to yourself.

Hayden Valley

Driving north along Grand Loop Road will take you through Hayden Valley. This approximately 7 mile stretch of landscape is gorgeous to drive through. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife because this area is one of the best spots in the park to spot some of the large mammals the park is home to. The grizzly and black bears are spotted more frequently in the spring and early summer days. They tend to be found at higher elevations as the summer goes on, but you never know where you might see one. Bison are more likely to be seen at any time throughout the summer, with coyotes commonly spotted as well!

Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

Artist Point

If you’re in the park early, this is a nice overlook to wander over to. You are able to see both the canyon as well as the waterfall from afar– it’s a nice spot to catch the sunrise! Just an amazing way to start the day.

North Rim Hike… or Drive.

If you look closely or zoom in on the above picture, just to the right of the falls, you will see a viewing platform with a handful of people standing on. This is the Lower Falls viewpoint!

Canyon Village

Yellowstone is unique for many reasons, the least of which being that it’s one of the most “city-ized” national parks we’ve been to. Now, millions of acres of the park remain largely unavailable and untouched by visiting tourists (as it should), so it’s less commercial and more self-sufficient. For example there’s multiple post offices throughout the park. There’s not just gas stations but small auto body shops as well. The park is home to multiple lodges, restaurants, and visitor centers too. And more bathrooms than I’ve seen in any other national park!!

Canyon Village is one of the small hubs or “cities” in the park. North Rim Drive ends right near this area, so it’s a perfect stop to grab some lunch…. or to send off a postcard!

Lamar Valley (optional)

As you follow Grand Loop Road north, you will find yourself heading to the northeast corner of the park. As you approach Theodore Lodge, there will be an opportunity to turn right onto Northeast Entrance Road. While it’s not quite time to leave the park yet, Lamar River and the Lamar Valley are down this corridor.

Similar to Hayden Valley, Lamar Valley is a gorgeous expanse of scenery and known wildlife spotting locale. If you’re hoping to spot a wolf, this is actually the best place in the park to have a chance; however, dawn and dusk tend to be the best times to see them. While we didn’t see any wolves, we did see a whoooole bunch of bison!

Northeast Entrance Road stretches about 33 miles and takes about an hour to drive, so driving all the way out and back takes around 2 hours. Depending on how early you start your day, you might have time for this, but Lamar Valley is in the inner half of the drive, so going the full length of the road isn’t exactly necessary– especially during a two day trip!

Mammoth Hot Springs

Just inside the North entrance of the park, you’ll find Mammoth Hot Springs. Yellowstone is home to many different hot springs– what makes these springs unique are the travertine terraces that have formed as a result of the hot springs. The thermal water rises through limestone, carrying dissolved limestone to the surface, creating the memorable terrace formation these hot springs are known for.

To take in the multi-level wonder, there’s a boardwalk path that weaves in and through the hot spring. If you hit every nook and cranny, it’s about 2.5 miles long. After a stretch of drive time in the car, it feels good to stretch the legs out!

Catch Some Zzzzzs

There are so many options for where you may choose to rest your weary bones for the night. Day two is primarily focused on exploring the southern half of the park, so getting lodging farther south just makes it easier to hit the ground running in the morning. Accommodations in Yellowstone have a huge range. You can have convenience and breathtaking views with a budget-friendly price tag by camping in the park. There’s luxe lodge stays that will be well appointed and opportunely located. There’s also West Yellowstone just minutes outside the park.

Camping Out

If you own a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad, this is a no brainer!! All three campgrounds have awesome, scenic views in the park AND avoid the wasted time that comes with driving out of and back into the park. It makes it easier to hit the ground running in the morning! The only downside of camping is that even in the summer months it can get chilly in Yellowstone…. like down into the 30s, so be sure to bring a warm sleeping bag! We decided this might be just a little too chilly for our 8 month old, but we hope to take him camping next time we roll through!

Mid-Range in West Yellowstone

West Yellowstone really is minutes, if not seconds away, from the West entrance to the park. We were booking accommodations last minute and snagged a room at the Best Western Western Inn (dog friendly!). Not only was the room great, but we were walking distance to the Yellowstone Beer Company as well as Firehole BBQ. Tasty beers and phenomenal barbecue!! If you have even a remote interest in smoked meat, this is a fantastic meal– especially after a full day adventuring around in the park.

Luxe Lodge Life

The biggest aspect of ‘luxury’ associated with the on-property lodging is the convenience of being in the park. Despite West Yellowstone being “just outside the park”, it’s still about an hour long drive from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful. The cost of the room is tied up in location location location! and character! Can you imagine waking up and watching Old Faithful erupt from the comfort of your room?? The Old Faithful Inn is notoriously popular as the building was finished in 1904, constructed with local logs and stone– making it one of the largest log-style structures in the world!

photo via yellowstonenationalparklodges.com

DAY TWO

Grand Prismatic Hot Spring Overlook Trail

When you’re nearing the hot spring, you want to park at the Fairy Falls trailhead. If you’re driving around Grand Loop road counterclockwise, this means you’ll actually drive past the signs for Grand Prismatic, following signs to the Fairy Falls.

Beware, even with the hike, this is a relatively small viewing area and it does get rather popular, so come with patience in your heart. While it’s wise to get a relatively early start to your day, this isn’t necessarily a recommended sunrise hike. The colors of the hot spring “pop” and become more vibrant when the sky is overhead, so arriving by 8:30-9:30am should afford you awesome views, while still allowing you to arrive at old faithful by/before 10am.

Old Faithful

We used this NPS website and this informative site to help give us an idea of when to show up. It’s better to be 15 min early than 2 minutes late!

Upper Geyser Basin hike

West Thumb

West Thumb is essentially a large inlet of Yellowstone Lake. There’s a fun one mile loop along the West Thumb Geyser Basin Trail that takes you past the Thumb paint pots as well as a handful of geysers and hot springs, and the West Thumb shoreline (AllTrails link here)!

Lake Yellowstone

Yellowstone Lake is the largest freshwater lake above 7,000 ft elevation in the United States, making this a relaxing spot to end the day. If the weather is nice, the park offers one-hour guided tours aboard Lake Queen II, for the Yellowstone Lake Scenic Cruise. This is a paid tour, but ticket prices are very reasonable. During high season, tours run into the late afternoon and early evening hours, so this makes for a lovely way to wind down. When we visited, an evening shower rolled through, so we just went and grabbed dinner at the Lake Lodge Cabin. They have tables right up against the window, giving you an amazing view out to the lake.

At this point in your adventuring, you’ve likely encountered an elk or two, but if you haven’t, they tend to wander around in the area of the park into the evening. We stayed in the Lake Yellowstone Cabins and were so delighted with all the elk we saw wandering around as we were arriving. Always practice mindful safety around wild animals! We ended up rather close, just because they caught us by surprise!

Sleep It Off

Where you rest for the night largely depends on where you’re heading in the morning. If you plan to leave the way you came (out the East entrance), bunking down near Yellowstone Lake, or even heading for Cody likely makes the most sense. If you plan to drive south to explore Grand Teton National Park next, staying in West Thumb might be a better stop.

Camping Out

From tent campers to RV campers and all the rooftop tents and fifth-wheelers in between, it’s hard to beat the bang for your buck you get with camping! As long as you have the right gear, this is an awesome way to experience the park… we’re already excited to come back and camp with our littlest camping buddy one day!

Luxe Lodge Life

We stayed at one of the Lake Yellowstone cabins and loved it! Elk were wandering past our cabin as we arrived and it was so charming! Similar to the Mammoth and Old Faithful Lodge stays, perhaps a little expensive, but we were so thrilled with the location.

Map It Out

The map can look a little chaotic, just because Yellowstone is so big! Having a bird’s eye view of the park can make it a little easier to see the vision of the itinerary. This map is awesome because Grand Loop Road pops in red and almost all the stops noted above are highlighted below on the map.

Two days in Yellowstone fly by! Planning an action-packed itinerary is tricky— trying to make the most of your days… but not being so busy and rushed you hardly enjoy it. Our plan should thread that needle perfectly! We hope you have an amazing time exploring all the iconic sights and hidden gems of this historic national park. Happy travels!

written by Hannah

Tags national parks, travel Yellowstone national park

national parks

The Most Memorable Day at Gateway Arch National Park

Post author By Hannah

Does an urban national park sound like an oxymoron? While national parks usually embody sprawling, untouched wilderness, the Gateway Arch breaks the mold as it celebrates the Westward expansion of the United States. This eye-catching memorial is the tallest man-made monument in the United States, designed by architect Eero Saarinen. There were over 170 unique designs; however, his particularly memorable design was chosen and has stood the test of time since its inception in 1963.

St. Louis is home to the one and only Gateway Arch National Park, making this park much easier to reach and robustly experience than others in the repertoire. While it might not take your breath away quite like the staggering beauty of some of the other larger, more natural parks, there’s a certain charm to the historic reminder of our country’s growth. While eager history and architecture buffs would likely be keen to make a day of it, for most, a half day is the perfect amount of time to allot for visiting the Gateway Arch National Park.

Fast Facts About GATEWAY ARCH National Park

Size: 91 acres

Visitors: 1,618,774 visitors (data from 2022)

Became a National Park: Feb. 23, 2018

Highest point: the top of the arch is 630 ft high — interestingly it’s also 630 feet wide from leg to leg

The upside of the park’s small stature is that it’s rather easy to get the full experience in a half-day visit. We swung through driving back up to Wisconsin, and this was baby Xavier’s first national park visit. While he *technically* visited Indiana Dunes, Rocky Mountain, and Olympic National Parks in utero, the Gateway Arch made for a very un-intimidating first national park for us to visit with him. I must say, he’s a hard man to impress… he had the audacity to try and sleep through the whole thing!!

Park vs Monument… the NPS tea

The Gateway Arch is the tallest monument in the United States, but that begs the question… why is it a national park and not a national monument? There’s not a great answer for this name change and corresponding national park designation, as they were decided upon in Congress. Interestingly, the National Park Service did have something to say on the matter submitted a statement to the hearing on the legislation for the name change that said:

“… the National Park Service strives to provide consistency in the naming of park units. To better align with the standard nomenclature for units of the National Park System, we recommend that Congress re-designate the unit as “Gateway Arch National Monument.” National parks contain a variety of resources and encompass large land or water areas to help provide adequate protection of the resources. The existing 59 designated national parks protect at a minimum thousands of acres each, and some span millions of acres. At only 91 federal acres, we believe that the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial is too small and limited in the range of resources the site protects and interprets to be called a national park.’”

This makes Gateway Arch National Park the only urban national park in the repertoire– certainly unique, but also setting an interesting precedent for future designations. Will this remain the only smaller, more urban national park or will others join its ranks in the years to come? Only time will tell!

When To Visit

While the most popular time of year to visit is in the spring and summer months, we stopped by on a beautiful day in January and very much recommend a mid-winter visit. There were no lines to deal with, and even on a more frigid day, so much of what you come to see is indoors, so the time of year is less important.

TIME TO EXPLORE

Depending on where you’re coming from, getting into the arch may be a bit counter-intuitive. If you head over right from the designated parking garage, you won’t have any problem wandering to the west entrance, which faces Fourth Street and the Old Courthouse. If you’re out walking along the river, the entry point is *not* in the base of either arch; however, you can exit from the arch legs, which sometimes confuses people.

Tickets

Upon entering the building, the ticket counter is easy to spot. If you plan to visit in the spring or summer months – especially on a weekend day, you should consider purchasing your tickets in advance, to ensure you’ll be able to make it up!

Security

With your ticket in hand, the next step will be going through security. Think of a more-relaxed version of TSA. You’ll have to empty your pockets and step through a scanner, but no one is going to make you dump out your water bottle. As an important note, no weapons, including pepper spray and fixed-blade knives (except fold-out pocket knives with a blade size less than 4″) are allowed, so if you keep pepper spray on your keychain or in your purse, you’ll want to make sure that stays in the car. Even if you don’t plan to take the tram ride, you will still need to go through the security checkpoint to get to the museum, cafe, documentary movie, and gift shop areas.

Museum of Westward Expansion

The museum is quite lovely to wander through, and rather engaging for visitors of all ages with its interactive displays and exhibits. Not only are there exhibits detailing the nuances of westward expansion in US history, but there’s a rather interesting section about the arch architecture. It’s fun to see the runner-up designs and learn more about the unique tram system that carries visitors to the top. Depending on how early you arrive before your tram time, you can explore the museum before or after you ride… or both!

a memorable museum exhibit, demonstrating the history of the icon Gateway arch

Tram

Once you’re through the museum, the lower level space opens up, and you can head on down to get your tram ticket scanned. As the group awaits the arrival of all its participants, everyone is provided a boarding pass of sorts for their individual tram. Each tram can hold up to 5 people, but man oh man would that be a snug fit to put five grown adults in one tram car. I’m not sure how things go over the summer, but it was definitely nice that groups were more dispersed.

After everyone in the group has arrived, there’s a short background history of the arch provided, and then everyone is led over to their assigned tram. The ride up goes quickly, only taking a couple minutes.

The windows at the top are a little small, but it’s rather amazing to peer out of the Mississippi River and the city of St. Louis and realize you’re doing so from the top of the arch. Everyone has ample time (about 8-10 minutes) to look around, read some of the signage, and take a picture or two, and then it’s time to head back down. The descent is just slightly speedier than the ascent, and in no time at all, your back– boots on the ground!

Once you’ve ridden the tram, it’s worth a couple minutes of your time to pop back into the museum and read about the unique transportation system constructed to carry people up the arch… it’s one of a kind!

The Extras

We really enjoyed reading, watching, and listening in the museum, but if you’re keen to learn more, there’s a documentary movie you can check out (showtimes here). While tickets aren’t free, it’s likely the cheapest movie ticket you’ve bought in a while! You can also head over to the gift store to collect your passport stamp and pick up any mementos you might desire. There’s a little virtual reality experience you can check out as well– looks like something that could be fun for kiddos.

There’s a cafe if you’re feel pecking, but it’s worth noting, the upside of being an urban national park is that there’s a whole bunch of dining options within easy walking distance

The Old Courthouse

Once you’ve had your fill of arch exploration, you can head over to the courthouse. What is so special about this courthouse? It was the site of not one but two cases that became formative to the cultural landscape. In 1847 Dred and Harriet Scott, an enslaved couple, sued for and were granted their freedom. This case went through appeals and ended up going before the Supreme Court, which overturned the original verdict, stating that since slaves were property they didn’t have the right to sue. BIG YIKES. This case is reflective of culture in the United States at the time and is thought to be one of the precipitating factors of the Civil War.

It’s also where Virginia Minor and her husband sued for her right to vote. She went on to become a huge advocate for suffrage rights for women.

The historic courthouse is currently closed as it undergoes a multi-million dollar renovation project. That being said, it’s set to be finished by 2025, and should be quite impressive whenever it’s completed.

Riverboat Rides

Not exactly a park experience, but you can take in the Mississippi River and view the Arch from the water on a riverboat cruise. The boats are a callback to a bygone era, when steamboats ruled the river and drove local commerce. We visited on a beautiful January day, but it wasn’t quite let’s-take-a-riverboat-cruise warm, which is why the riverboat tours only run March through November.

If you’re passing through town, you could definitely see the Gateway Arch in a few hours, but if you’re looking to make a day of it, this would be a perfect way to savor the Arch and get to know a bit more about St. Louis and the history of the hard-working river.

Gateway Arch National Park is not only an impressive architectural monument, but it serves as an important memory to the westward expansion of our country and journey we took as a nation to get here. It’s certainly worth stopping by if you’re in St. Louis or road tripping nearby. Due it’s rather urban stature, it’s hard to compare the ~natural beauty~ of a man-made arch to some of astounding feats of nature at other parks; however, the very nature of this ‘park’ is a memorable memorial to the country’s growth that houses many of the nation’s most alluring national parks!

If you’re looking for your next national park adventure and you enjoy a national park with a little extra historical significance, Dry Tortugas National Park might tickle your fancy. This old fort can be found about 70 miles off the coast of the Florida keys, making it rather remote but incredibly picturesque.

written by Hannah

Tags Gateway Arch National Park, national park travel, national parks

national parks

One Full Day Exploring in Olympic National Park

Post author By Hannah

The Olympic Peninsula, a veritable cornucopia of ecosystems in western Washington, is home to the one and only Olympic National Park. This unique park houses a rainforest, wilderness beaches, sub-alpine forests, rugged glaciers, and breathtaking lakes, making it rather one of a kind. One could easily spend a few days here, exploring all the nooks and crannies of the peninsula, but sometimes time is of the essence. If you have limited time to spend exploring in Olympic, we have the perfect itinerary for you… but rest up and pack your snacks because it’s going to be quite the action-packed day!

Washington is home to three national parks— Olympic being the most-visited, with 2,432,972 visitors in 2022. It boasts 73 miles of wilderness coast, over 3,000 miles of streams and rivers, and 60 glaciers. For eager outdoorsmen (and women) the park has 611 miles of trails to scout out, which still leaves the other 95% of the park as a designated wilderness area. The medley of sights, sounds, climates, and creatures is truly amazing.

Fast Facts About OLYMPIC National Park

Size: 922,651 acres

Visitors: 2,432,972 visitors (data from 2022)

Distance from Seattle: 85 miles — 2.5 hour drive

Became a National Park: June 29th, 1938

Highest point: Mount Olympus at 7,980 ft

Busiest month to visit: August — 634,516 visitors

Sister Kayla currently lives in near-by Tacoma, so she’s had the opportunity for a bit more robust exploring, but my arrive-a-couple-days-before-our-friend’s-wedding timeline didn’t leave much wiggle room in the ‘ole itinerary. As always, a little bit of adventuring is better than no adventuring! Here’s as much as we could cram into ~24 hours in Olympic National Park.

Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center

In the northern mountains of the Olympic peninsula, you’ll find the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center and trailhead. There’s more than one hike on the docket for today, so you don’t want to burn too bright too soon. If you just want to stretch out your legs, there’s a few meadow loop trails that let you meander without getting too taxing. Perhaps you’re feeling ready to take on the day?! The Hurricane Hill via Hurricane Ridge hike is 3.4 miles long with 826ft of elevation to climb. Not exactly easy peasy, but the panoramic views are a most amazing way to start the day.

Unfortunately we visited in June 2023, and the Hurricane Ridge area of the park was temporarily closed as the Hurricane Ridge Day Lodge burned down in May 2023. This temporarily changed operations in this region of the park, but the park has since re-opened. Currently, only 430 vehicles are allowed access at the Heart O’ the Hills Entrance on Hurricane Ridge Road. If you’re stressing about making it into the park, there is a shuttle service that runs, even as the park hits the 430 vehicle limit. You can find out more about the shuttle stops and cost here.

Even though the Hurricane Ridge area of the park has opened back up, it’s not quite fully operational at this point. The infrastructure is still limited, so don’t plan on stocking up on gift store swag or snacks at this visitor center… think porta-potties and big self-sufficiency energy. You can find more information and recent access updates here.

Crescent Lake

Heading west in the park will bring you to Crescent Lake and all the fun that awaits. There’s a few different spots to go hiking here, and they’re all great options. The Moments in Time trail clocks in at 0.7 miles with only 9 feet of elevation, so this is going to be perfect for anyone that’s looking for more of a walk than a big time hike. If you enjoy hiking but aren’t in the mood to tackle serious elevation, the Devil’s Punchbowl trail will be a nice 2.5 miles with just under 140 feet of elevation.

Now, if you’re looking for a real kick in the pants, Mount Storm King is the hike for you. It’s a little over 4 miles round trip and tackles 2,100 feet of elevation. What makes this even more exciting? The 4 miles is an out and back trail, so it’s really ~2 miles each way, with the first (and last) 0.5 miles being flat. For those of you math wizards, that means you’re going to crush over 2,000 feet elevation in 1.5 miles making it *not* a hike for the faint of heart.

Once you start going uphill, you pretty much don’t stop climbing until you reach the viewpoint… with the last portion of the hike being steep enough that there’s ropes in place to help weary hikers haul themselves up. That being said, the view at the top really is rather spectacular— more than worth the grueling climb. I did it while I was pregnant, so you definitely can crush it!!!

Rialto Beach

The next stop on the adventure route here is Rialto Beach. You can always pack your favorite floaties, but it’s not likely you’ll find yourself using them. Even when we visited in the middle of June, it was still rather chilly and overcast. You’re much more likely to be rocking gore-tex boots and rain pants!

Don’t let that slow you down– the beach really does have an ethereal sort of charm. Still feel like your legs have some energy left in the tank? Take a walk on the beach! If the tides are in your favor, you might even make it up to some cool rock formations on the north end of the beach via the Hole-in-the-Wall trail (3.3 miles out & back).

Hoh Rainforest & Campground

Continuing south but also a bit inland on the Peninsula, you’ll find the Hoh Rainforest. As you make the trek out to the rainforest, you’ll be able to watch the climate and topography change yet again. This is the last stop on the itinerary for the day… with a bit of a chose-you-own-adventure option. What do you consider a full day… sun-up to sun down, or a full 24 hours? If you have the time to stay the night, we do recommend popping a tent and hunkering down for the night. While the line for entry to this part of the park can get quite lengthy, arriving later in the day should help avoid peak wait times.

We stayed at campsite #70, and like the locale. Not necessarily the most private or secluded campsite, but it was along the river and nice and close to the bathroom— without being so close you have to worry about all the bathroom foot traffic. The campground is also an easy walking distance to the Hoh Visitor Center, so it was nice to set up camp and then go wander on over.

Extra things to know:

As an added bonus for any Twilight fans out there, getting from Rialto Beach to the Hoh Rainforest involves driving through Forks, WA. Yes, that’s right— the town in the Twilight series isn’t made up… it’s a real place out on the Olympic peninsula. While we didn’t catch a glimpse of any vampires, it’s always fun to feel like you’re in the pages of a book.

If you’re planning to swing by the grocery store, you might find yourself out in a bit of a food desert. The Forks Outfitters Thriftway is about the only grocery store you’re going to find as you go from the beach towards the rainforest, so either make sure you have everything you need for dinner before you leave Port Angeles, or plan to snag food at this local stop.

HOT TIP

As an aside, if you’re ever trying to snag a campsite on short-ish notice in a national park, the app ‘Campflare’ is a lifesaver. Campgrounds can fill up months in advance, and you can’t always count on the limited release (i.e. available 2 weeks, 1 week, 4 days out) sites to be available because those can go snatched-up-in-seconds FAST.

You input the campground you’re interested in staying at as well as the dates you’re looking for, and you will get notified immediately if a campsite becomes available. We’ve only recently discovered this app ourselves, but we’ve had good luck with snagging campsites at both Rocky Mountain and Olympic National Parks. A friend was able to luck into three consecutive nights at the same campground in Glacier with only ~2 weeks notice. Nothing is ever guaranteed, but it is rather helpful to know about!

waking up to find Kayla under her sleeping pad instead of over it **¯\_(ツ)_/¯**

Spruce Nature Trail & Hall of Mosses Loop

To round out a cool 24 hours in the park, sneak in one final hike before you hit the road. While Olympic is home to glaciers, they remain remains rather elusive on this trip as the 35 mile round trip hike to Blue Glacier from the Hoh Visitor Center isn’t exactly one-day-itinerary material. Instead, the Spruce Nature Trail (1.2 miles) and Hall of Mosses Loop (0.8 miles) make for a nice morning walk before you head out for the day. Even if your legs are feeling tuckered out from all the hiking the day before, both trails combined tackle less than 110 feet of elevation, so it truly is just a walk as opposed to a grueling climb.

Time flies when you’re having fun, and the dynamic duo of sister time plus a new park makes for a very fast day of adventuring indeed. Olympic National Park has an amazing array of beautiful scenery to take in. It’s so worth making time to visit on your next trip out to Washington. Have time for more than one park? Head over to the iconic Mount Rainier next, to check out some outstanding day hikes.

written by Hannah

Hannah has learned the hard way to be careful what you wish for— sometimes happily ever after lands you with a husband and puppy… in the Midwest. Despite leaving Florida to move to Wisconsin, Hannah maintains her bossy big sister role with regular phone calls to keep up with all the little sister shenanigans. Notoriously chatty with her patients as well, Hannah stays busy as a physical therapist, but loves spending weekends exploring newfound hikes.

Tags national parks, Olympic National Park, Washington hiking

national parks travel

The Six Best Day Hikes in Mount Rainier National Park

Post author By Kayla Wherry

Mount Rainier towers above the skyline at 14,411 ft elevation and is a snow-capped, breath-taking vision of nature year-round. Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages and fitness levels travel to come experience the trails and the accompanying views. The transcendent peak is visible in the distance from over 100 miles away, and is a beautiful reminder of the vast topography within the park. The different regions of the park offer unique viewpoints of Mt Rainier. When you’re exploring someplace new, you want to be sure to make the most of your time. We’ve outlined the six best day hikes in Mount Rainier… the hardest part will be choosing which one to do first!

Whether you’re new to outdoor adventures or a seasoned wilderness explorer, there’s abounding beauty for everyone to savor. The views make hikes of any length fly by and steep elevations feel worth it. Grab your trekking poles and pack your bags!

Five Mt. Rainier Park Regions

It comes as no surprise that the landscape varies in different regions of the park. With over 250 miles of trails, there’s enough forests, rivers, lakes, and streams to stay enchanted for weeks. Before you get hiking, it helps to get your bearings. Due to the sheer size of the park, trails are sorted into five different areas.

Sunrise — Northeast
Ohanapecosh — Southeast
Paradise — South
Longmire — Southwest
Carbon River & Mowich — Northwest

The mountain for which the park is named stands tall and impermeable in the center. There’s no way to drive through the center of the park, but there are ample trails to explore its surroundings.

Our Six Favorite Hikes

1. Mount Fremont Lookout Trail

The Sunrise area of the park showcases the impressive rocky terrain on the northeastern side of Mount Rainier. The Mt. Fremont hike was one of the first hikes we took in the park as continues to be a favorite, with its 360 degree views from the old fire tower lookout. While it wasn’t easy, we didn’t find it to be too overbearingly challenging at 6 miles with a little over 1,000 feet of elevation, and we felt we were rewarded in spades with both the magnitude of Mt. Rainier as well as the seemingly endless stretch of green valleys to the north. It boasts one of the best Rainier summit views in the park!

Mt. Fremont is one of the six best day hikes in Mt. Rainier national park with its sweeping views

2. Burroughs Mountain Trail

The Burroughs Mountain Trail also stems from the Sunrise Visitor Center and stretches 9 miles, tackling nearly 2,500 feet of elevation to climb the three Burroughs. Even if you don’t go the whole stretch you will be privy to beautiful views throughout, with the second Burroughs mountain, showcasing spectacular views of Mount Rainier as well as the Emmons Glacier. While wildlife spottings are never guaranteed, we’ve seen goats, marmot, and deer somewhat regularly. Last time we were in the park we even saw a bear. Definitely a trail for a hardier hiker, but so worth it!

3. Silver Falls Trail

A bit easier on the knees, the Silver Falls Trail in the Ohanapecosh region of the park is a very palatable 3 miles round trip. Compared to many other trails in the park, it’s relatively level, with about 500 feet of elevation gained in total throughout the hike. This makes it a more popular hike for families and hikers of all ages. The trail follows the Ohanapecosh River, and makes for quite the sight as the icy glacier water tumbles through Silver Falls. Another fun bonus, this is a loop trail (as opposed to going out and back along the same trail), so you will get to enjoy different forestry scenery on your way back.

4. Skyline Trail

The Skyline Trail Loop is in the, very aptly named, Paradise area of the park. This little slice of heaven is the most popular among visitors and for good reason. The colorful meadows and running streams are just as idyllic as they sound, and it’s equally beautiful as the warm hues of fall foliage roll in. As this trail is a loop, you have two options for your climb. If you tackle the trail clockwise, you will have a steeper but shorter journey up to the Panorama Point. If you’re keen on a more graded climb, you’ll want to tackle this trail counterclockwise. Regardless of how you get there, both the journey and the destination are worthwhile.

5. Mildred Point Trail

Making your way into the Longmire region of the park, set your sights on the Mildred Point via Comet Falls trail. This trail stretches almost 8 miles and climbs over 2,500 feet of elevation. Don’t let that intimidate you though! This hike is a true two-for-one special. About a mile and a half in, you’ll get to enjoy the enchanting waterfall at Comet Falls, followed by some heart-pumping switchbacks and a log bridge that will lead you to Mildred Point.

From your perch at the top of a meadow, you will have an unfettered view of the ever-lovely Mt. Rainier. You really can’t beat the diverse landscape of this hike with its rushing waterfalls, flowing rivers, charming bridges, and endless meadows… all with Mount Rainier as a stunning backdrop.

6. Tolmie Peak Trail

Gotta save the best for last! At the end of a 15 mile-long dirt road you’ll find the beginning of the Tolmie Peak Trail, right alongside Mowich Lake. This hike exudes etherial beauty with its sweeping views of Eunice Lake, rolling alpine peaks, and a snow-covered Rainier. The cherry on top? Tolmie Peak houses another fire-tower lookout, which guarantees a panoramic view. This hike covers about 5.5 miles and over 1,500 feet of elevation, making it moderately difficult, but certainly doable!

But Wait, There’s More

The National Park Service Website has a complete list of trails, up-to-date trail conditions, and information regarding the various campgrounds. As an outdoor enthusiast, I generally love being outdoors, but I’m rather partial to a hike that ends in a gorgeous view. My favorite aspect of the AllTrails website is that you can see pictures other hikers have taken, to better grasp the hard-earned view you’re hiking out for.

As a note: whatever trail you choose, be sure to stay on the trail— no creating new short-cuts! Even though it seems small, if everyone trampled the meadows a little, the collective damage would be massive.

Packing your Day Pack

Can’t crush your hike without your day pack! There’s nothing like being stoked for an awesome day hike, only to realize half-way in that you don’t need half of what you’re carrying. Even worse is when you realize you forgot something crucial! Due to the snowfall Mount Rainier National Park receives every year, this list would be more extensive for winter months. We have you covered for all your late spring, summer, and early fall hikes.

Jacket— this is top of the list for a reason… mostly because it will be unnecessary for a majority of your hike. That being said, chances are, if you plan to spend any extended period of time at the peak, you will likely be glad to have it. Additionally, if there’s any chance of rain, it’s also not a bad idea to bring a rain jacket along with you as well. The weather can change quickly. Rain jackets aren’t heavy and they’re well worth it when the heavens open!

Camera — whether it’s a DSLR or an iPhone, the view is definitely something you’ll be glad to look back on later!

Trail map — you can either download a trail map from the NPS website or grab one from the trailhead, but it’s always a good idea to have a map with you. The trails are well-kept and the signage clearly dictates which paths to follow for desired destinations. That being said, we are big ‘safety first, safety always’ gals, so it’s always a good idea to have a map, just in case you get lost!

example of the trail map for the sunrise area trails

Snacks — our go-to hiking snacks are dried mango, fresh fruits (in mason jars so they don’t get smushed) & veggies. Who doesn’t love a couple handfuls of homemade trail mix?? There’s nothing like reaching the viewpoint and sitting down to take it all in, with a tasty treat.

Water — for an approximately 6 mile hike, we usually take 20-40 oz of water per person, depending on the day. This is not including the water bottles we keep in the car to drink from before and after the hike. We always like to ensure we have more than enough water to stay hydrated, without carrying around extra weight.

Sunglasses — while sunnies are always a good idea for hiking, Mount Rainier has snow year-round, and snow tends to reflect the sunlight, sometimes making it feel even brighter out.

Sunscreen — as you climb in elevation, the breeze can keep you cool and make you forget the sun is still beating down on you. Even if you sunscreen up before you depart, you may want to re-apply!

Headlamp — not necessary for shorter most daytime hike, but if you plan in hiking around sunrise or sunset, you’ll be glad to have a headlamp. While cellphones have flashlights that might suffice in a pinch, it’s safer and easier to hike with your light hands-free.

Chapstick — while this won’t necessarily make or break your hike, chances are you’ll be glad you have it. A chapstick with SPF is a bonus.

The 411 on Furry Friends

Generally speaking, Mt. Rainier is a no dogs allowed park. The exception? The Pacific Crest Trail stretches along the west coast of the country and cuts through the park. As such, this is a technical caveat since dogs are allowed on the Pacific Crest Trail throughout its entirety. That being said, all other trails (including the ones above) and campgrounds do not permit any non-service animal pets.

The best time of year to visit? Later than you might think. It all depends on the longevity of winter… or rather how cold the spring season is! We’ve gone hiking fourth of July weekend, and had to change plans on the fly due to snowy trails. Mid-to late summer and all throughout fall would be the best time to make an appearance.

written by Kayla

A literal life saving queen, Kayla Grace is an Army nurse in Tacoma, Washington. When she’s not fixing up tiny humans on the peds floor, she is likely to be found running, walking, or hiking outside— or crushing a home improvement project, as she has recently purchased her first home! Since moving to Washington, Kayla has maintained a plant-based diet— a feat largely unattainable by any other sister, but she makes it look *almost* possible with her I-can’t-believe-these-are-vegan chocolate chip cookies.

Tags hiking, mount rainier, national parks

national parks travel

Everything You Need to Know About the Kenai Fjords

Post author By Hannah

The Kenai Fjords National Park maintains a unique topography with its frigid water and flourishing forest, interwoven around millennia old ice and snow. The crown jewel of the park is the Harding Icefield, with over 30 glaciers stemming from this remnant ice sheet. These historic glaciers carved out fjords, leaving behind the deep, narrow inlets the park is named for. Here the ice age lingers at the intersection of cautious exploration and intentional preservation. With such diversity, there are many ways to gain an appreciation for the pristine, immense wilderness, so we detailed everything you need to know about the Kenai Fjords, to help make the most of your time.

Alaska is home to eight national parks, and the Kenai Fjords is arguably the most accessible park in the state, only two and a half hours away from Anchorage— Alaska’s largest city. Not only does the park itself have a worthy draw, but the Kenai Fjords are the beloved backyard of Seward, a popular fishing town on the Kenai Peninsula. Between the two, this pocket of Alaska is a must-visit for anyone keen to experience the beauty of pristine, immense wilderness!

Fast Facts About the kenai fjords National Park

Size: 607,805 acres

Visitors: 411,782 visitors (data from 2021)

Distance from Anchorage: 130 miles — 2.5 hour drive

Became a National Park: December 2nd, 1980

Most unique feature: the Harding Icefield — over 30 glaciers stem from this icefield!

While park stretches into a vast expanse, we did our best to explore as thoroughly as possible. From float planes to kayaks to good ole fashion boots, we set out to see everything there was to see. Below we have detailed your hike options, all of the various tours available in the area, and ways to ensure you catch a glimpse of the unique wildlife — as well as all the tips and tricks to ensure you have the best time.

Up, Up, and Away

Nothing like catching a bird’s eye view! Due to the expansive nature of the park as well as the hardiness of the topography, a plane tour can be a fantastic way to experience the lay of the land, from a bird’s eye view. We were headed to the Seward area via Moose’s Pass, so we stopped by Scenic Mountain Air for a float plane tour. The hour-long jaunt explored the south-central Kenai Peninsula. From our vantage point, we were able to see the Harding Icefield, Chugach Mountains, endless lakes and waterfalls, as well as a handful of wildlife sightings. My favorite spot to see was Bear Glacier Lagoon and the many icebergs it houses.

If you’re looking for a flightseeing option a bit closer to Seward, Seward Air Tours is a small plane experience with eight different tour options to choose from. If you’re keen to chopper through the skies, Seward Helicopter Tours offers not only a flight tour but they also have an option to go dog sledding over a glacier. While we didn’t do this in the park, we did something similar near Girdwood at Punchbowl Glacier and can attest that it is so beyond cool.

These Boots Were Made for Hiking

Having already appreciated the park from above during our float plane tour, we were excited to explore with our boots on the ground. The hiking options in the park are limited to the Exit Glacier Overlook Trail and the Harding Icefield Trail. Basically you get to choose between very easy or very challenging.

Trekking out to the Harding Icefield is a 9.2 mile out and back trail that tackles over 3,600 feet of elevation. During the summer months there can be ice and snow on the trail, so be sure to wear appropriate footwear. Even in later summer or early fall months, consider bringing spikes if you plan to walk on the icefield once you arrive. This rugged trail is prime real estate for all kinds of wildlife sightings, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled!

If you arrive at the park around 10am or 2pm, park rangers lead walking “tours” along the Exit Glacier Overlook trail. While the 2.2 miles of trail doesn’t take that long to hike, they provide additional commentary and insight regarding the park, evolution of the glacier, and local preservation. No advanced registration is needed, and there’s no cost associated with the walking educational opportunity.

For travelers that live by their own set of rules, the trail is easily navigated independently and the views are just as spectacular! As you walk out to the glacier overlook viewpoint, you will notice low-profile makers with years on them. These denote where the glacier extended to at various points throughout history. It’s one thing to hear how our glaciers are melting but another to see the receding line for yourself. Regardless of whether you go with a group or explore solo, the Exit Glacier is humbling to experience.

Whatever Floats Your Boat

Exploration by land, by air, and next up: by sea! We went adventuring with Major Marine Tours and loved it. Their Kenai Fjords Wildlife tours run for four hours, six hours, seven and a half hours, or eight and a half hours. We opted for a four hour tour (mainly because we were going as a family and our dad doesn’t always fare well on boats). While the longer tours will dive deeper into the park, we felt four hours was a perfect amount of time to see glaciers, fjords, and an outstanding breadth of wildlife. Our favorites were the puffins, humpback whales, seals, and mischievous otters. It was so thrilling to see these guys out in the wild.

What to expect? Upon entry on the boat, each group was assigned to a “home base” table, to store their things at and use as they pleased. In addition to the tables, there was ample space inside the boat as well as on the decks for people to observe as they pleased. And observe we did!! The captain was fabulous and any time we were near any sort of wildlife that may be of interest, he would linger (at an appropriate distance) to ensure everyone had an opportunity to see. They had snacks and drinks available for purchase, but you can also bring your own food and drink on board with you as well.

Major Marine Tours boat in the dock: good to show you everything you need to know about the Kenai Fjords

Paddle Powered

For a more immersive boating experience, hop in a kayak! If you’re not a big kayaker, it can certainly feel intimidating to be out in such a tiny boat; however, it is immensely serene to feel so small in the magnitude of nature’s magnitude. The interaction with nature is so much more intimate, with curious harbor seals popping their heads up a couple feet from your kayak– checking out what you’re up to.

We embarked on this adventure through Miller’s Landing, and wholeheartedly recommend them! Full disclosure, we suited up for a dusk kayaking trip to Bridal Veil Waterfall, so technically we stayed within the confines of Resurrection Bay and didn’t quite make it into the national park waters; however, this was more than enough adventure for us. They do offer all kinds of full day kayaking trips for more committed paddlers. Regardless of your paddling destination, it is humbling to experience the fjord environment and wildlife in this way.

The 30-Second Scoop on Seward

The Kenai Fjords National Park Visitor Center is actually located in the heart of Seward, making it very centrally located; however, not where you might expect to find it. Be sure to stop in and chat with a park ranger, stamp your national park passport, and collect any park mementos. While it’s not the true visitor center, the Exit Glacier Nature Center is a visitor center-like building near the trails in the park, so it’s not completely wilderness out there!

If you’re feeling a bit peckish, you have loads of restaurants to choose from. The Lone Chicharron Taqueria is going to have some fantastic tacos, while Gold Rush Bistro boasts an impressive bowl of clam chowder. Sweet Darlings has chocolates and gelato that are guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth. If you’re looking to crack open a cold one, Seward Brewing Company is an awesome local craft brewery.

Sampling different restaurants was easy because Seward is pretty compact. The main populus of the city stretches about a mile and a half long and is rather walkable. However, if you struggle with mobility impairments, Seward has a free shuttle to aid in transportation (and exploration!).

A majority of Alaska’s national parks are reachable only by bush plane and/or boat. Not only are the Kenai Fjords a breathtaking reflection of the wilderness Alaska is hailed for, but the accessibility of this park only adds to its charm. Any additional plane or boat trips taken once you arrive only add to the fullness of the experience.

If you’re eager to encounter more of Alaska’s astounding natural beauty, Denali National Park and Preserve is less than five hours outside of Anchorage, and boasts grandiose heights as the highest peak in North America. You won’t regret adding this mammoth park to your Alaskan bucket list. Happy travels!

written by Hannah

Tags Kenai Fjords National Park, national parks, travel Alaska

national parks travel

Eight Unique Adventures To Have in Denali National Park

Post author By Hannah

Denali National Park and Preserve is home to not only the highest peak in North America but abundant wildlife as well. If you visit in the summer, the nearly endless daylight provides ample opportunity to maximize your exploration time. When you’re heading to a park as massive as Denali, it can be daunting to plan your trip. Whether you’re staying for a day or a week, we’ve compiled a list of unique adventures to have, to make the most of your time in Denali National Park.

While the national park system certainly caters to the outdoorsy, adventurers of any tenacity can enjoy the beauty of the park. From breath-taking hikes to picturesque plane rides and all the sled dogs in between, you won’t regret visiting this humbling reflection of nature’s boundless might.

Fast Facts About Denali National Park

Size: 6.1 million acres

Visitors: 427,562 (data from 2022)

Distance from Anchorage: 240 miles — 4 hour drive

Became a National Park: February 26th, 1917

Most unique feature: Mount Denali reaches up 20,310 ft, making it the highest peak in North America!

As with any national park, nature’s beauty shows off in a surreal way. Below we have detailed eight unique activities to allow you a robust Denali experience. Denali National Park is a perfect embodiment of the stark, Final Frontier allure Alaska is known for. Here’s to happy adventures!

1. Hike Horseshoe Lake Trail

Depending on where you’re departing from, getting to Denali can be a way. If you’ve spent a couple hours in the car, and are looking for a nice hike to stretch your legs out, the Horseshoe Lake Trail is a perfect option. It’s an awesome hike for everyone in the family to get out and enjoy nature.

Two miles goes by quickly, with all of the sweeping views. On this particular hike, we crossed paths with another group that saw three moose traipsing through. While we missed seeing them on our Hourseshoe jaunt, we ended up seeing at least one moose every day we were in the park and the surrounding Healy area!

2. Conquer the Mount Healy Overlook

The Mount Healy Overlook Trail is a perfect hike to start the day with– the early bird gets the worm, and the early risers get an empty trail! We were after it by 7am, and didn’t see anyone else out on the trail until we were heading back down the mountain! The 7 miles and over 2,700 feet of elevation was an energizing kick in the pants. Once we made it to the top, it was hard to want to head back. Looking out at the horizon was as beautiful as it was peaceful.

While any hiker could certainly crush this route, the elevation and length kept some of the less outdoorsy members of our family away. Not a terribly technical hike but just lengthy… and the elevation a little cumbersome if you’re from the flatlands of Florida!

3. Grab a Bite at Morino Grill

When you’ve tuckered yourself out and need a bite, be sure to stop by the Morino Grill. It’s the only restaurant in the park, so they run the monopoly on sustenance for hungry hikers. The menu has all the hearty staples, so there’s bound to be something to hit the spot– especially since they maintain gluten free and vegan options.

It’s conveniently located next door to the Visitor Center, so it’s easy to get your national park passport stamped and snag any park mentos. Alaska’s tourism runs year-round, but the large majority of visitors arrive over the summer, so the Morino Grill is closed through the winter season.

4. Explore Denali from a Bird’s Eye View

Denali National Park and preserve stretches out to cover over six million acres. With such a vast magnitude, it’s impossible to see everything by foot. To expand your exploratory reach, a flightseeing tour can take you to new heights! This kind of aviation adventure was a humbling way to observe the magnitude of the Alaskan mountain range, see Denali up close, and appreciate the complete isolation of the Alaskan wilderness. While it’s guaranteed to be a breathtaking view regardless of what plane or helicopter you’re in, we explored with Talkeetna Air and could not recommend them more!

We actually landed on a glacier and were able to appreciate the immense landscape from the ground up. It is beyond humbling to realize how truly isolated one can be in the snowy Alaskan range– even in summer.

5. Visit the Denali Sled Dogs

Denali National Park remains steeped in its traditional roots and has maintained their pack of sled dogs since 1922. The temperature of the winter can make machinery unreliable, but the dogs thrive in the cold. They have the intuition a snowmobile lacks, which becomes life-saving in a white out or when avoiding dangerous ice. You can meet these hard working boys and girls at the kennels, just under two miles from the Visitor’s Center. Not only are there puppies to meet, but in the summer, you can pretend to drive a sled and learn more about the dog sledding culture.

6. Mush in the Park

While the park dogs will take your for a ride in the summer, they’re busy working in the winter time, so if you want a mushing experience, tracking down Denali Dogsled Expeditions is a must! They’re the only company that currently is permitted to offer dogsledding tours inside the park premises.

As we visited in the summer, this wasn’t an option, but we did have the opportunity to dogsled elsewhere. We can attest that it’s big cool to be pulled through the snow by eight very eager dogs.

7. Spend a Night Under the Stars

Looking for a fully immersive experience? Go camping! Denali doesn’t house a lodge with sleeping accommodations for guests, so if you’re looking to spend the night in the park, you better pack a tent!

There’s six campgrounds to choose from, with a whole world of backcountry camping available as well. The Riley Creek Campground is the closest to the entrance of the park and houses a shower and laundry facility— which can be rather nice at the end of a long day. As an additional bonus, the Riley Creek Mercantile is right next to the campground. It maintains a supply of items such as water bottles, bear spray, sunscreen, and such. They also sell sandwiches and some pre-packaged food if you’re in a pinch.

Some campsites can be booked in advance while others are first come, first serve only. You can find out more information about each campground here, to ensure you arrive prepared.

8. Bus or Bust!

Intra-Park Transit

There’s only one road through Denali National Park, so in order to mitigate traffic and parking snafus, there are free busses that transport visitors about 15 miles into the park, with their final stop at Savage River. If you’re keen to explore a bit further into the park, there’s an alternate bus options that will take you the rest of the 92 miles along Denali Park Road. This bus system has a nominal fee, depending on how far you plan to go. Both of these options are non-narrated bus rides, existing exclusively for transportation needs. As such, riders are free to disembark and re-board different buses as they please.

Narrated Tours

There’s a bus ride for everyone! For anyone less keen on transportation to a remote hike and more interested in a cultural history lesson, there’s a trained naturalist waiting for you. These tours run anywhere from 4 hours to 13 hours, depending on how deep into the park you’re looking to adventure. These bus options can be thought of as more of a paid tour— i.e. it will not stop at campgrounds and is not designed to ridden in a hop on/hop off style.

The Denali Park Road is 92 miles long, but landscape anomalies can close the road down, so be sure to check conditions out before you go.

two sisters in front of the Denali National Park and Preserve sign with eight unique adventures to be had in the park

Denali National Park and Preserve boasts some outstanding feats of nature, and we had such fun exploring the little slice we did. We stayed in this region for two nights and felt it was a perfect amount of time to explore the park and surrounding area. Our stop in Denali was part of a two-week road trip, exploring a beautiful sliver of the gargantuan state of Alaska. Check out the full itinerary here. Happy travels!

written by Hannah

Tags Denali National Park, Denali National Park and Preserve, national parks, travel Alaska

national parks travel

Discovering the Wild West in Arches

Post author By Hannah

Arches National Park is home to over 2,000 arches as well as a myriad of other astounding feats of nature. Conveniently placed near Moab, outdoor enthusiasts of all backgrounds find themselves drawn to explore the curious rock formations. Whether you’re planning an Arches-only trip or hitting up all the parks in Utah, you won’t regret adventuring to Moab and discovering the wild west that Arches showcases with such grandeur.

Not only are the various arrays of arches just incredible to see and stand under, but the views from the park, with the La Sal mountains in the backdrop, are astounding as well. Arches National Park is an incredible testament to the power and simple beauty of nature.

Fast Facts About Arches National Park

Size: 76,519 acres

Visitors: 1,806,865 (data from 2021)

Highest elevation: 5,653 feet at Elephant Butte

Distance from Moab: 13 miles — 20 minutes

Distance from Salt Lake City Airport: 240 miles — 4 hour drive

National Park Initiation: November 12th, 1971

While you could totally spend a week in Moab, between Arches, Canyonlands, and all the other fun Moab is known for, one or two days planned specifically for Arches National Park is enough to hit the highlights and feel like you robustly experienced the park. We tend to enjoy an action packed day, so the ideal itinerary might vary from person to person. Fitness level, time of year, and one’s desired Arches bucket list are all going to be factors that dictate just how long you should allot for this astounding and fantastic park. Below we have detailed how to ensure you are allowed into the park, our favorite hikes, the best spots to stargaze, and the scoop on camping in the park— as well as a handful of tips and tricks to ensure you have the best time.

Securing Your Timed Entry

Where to start? Let’s make sure you make it in the door! From 2009 to 2019, visitation to Arches grew over 66 percent, with most people arriving during the same peak hours each day. Due to this influx, the park has integrated an initiative to spread arrivals out (from 7am to 4pm) from April 1st – October 31st. The aim of the timed entry program is not to reduce the quantity of individuals visiting the park but to more evenly disperse their arrival throughout the day.

What exactly does timed entry mean? Prospective park visitors can reserve a 1 hour slot in which they will enter the park. These openings range from 7am-8am to 4pm-5pm. It is important to arrive at the park within your window otherwise your entry may be denied. Taking a last minute trip and worried you won’t be able to get in? Additional tickets are made available at 6pm MDT the calendar day prior. If you are having technical difficulties and are unable to secure any timed entry tickets, your other option would be arriving at the park before 6am or after 5pm.

Hike It Out

We actually almost skipped the Delicate Arch Hike because we thought it would be overcrowded, and I am so grateful we didn’t. While the park is home to a myriad of arches, Delicate Arch just might be the most iconic. Not only is Delicate Arch massively impressive, but the La Sal Mountains in the backdrop make it a beyond picturesque view. My favorite moment in the park was standing under Delicate Arch, looking out at the mountains. If you only have time for one hike, this should be it!

The Devil’s Garden Hike is quite the catch-all trail as it leads to an array of different arches. We utilized this trail to go all the way down to the Double O Arch, stopping at the Dark Arch, Landscape Arch, and Navajo Arch along the way. The viewpoints were certainly beautiful, but this hike was worth doing just for the views of the horizon. We also found some of the climbing and scrambling to be fun and adventurous.

It cannot be said enough, be sure you pack yourself enough water. Due to the long, unshaded nature of this trail, going earlier in the day is especially advisable, but if you are hiking in the afternoon, ensure you are prepared.

Campgrounds

Devils Garden Campground is the only campground available at Arches National Park. As such, its busy season is quite busy, and the 51 campsites go like hotcakes. Campsites can be reserved up to six month in advance between March 1 and October 31. In the low season, campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Campground facilities include drinking water, picnic tables, grills, and everyone’s favorite… flush toilets!

Hankering for a Snack

There is no lodge or restaurant in Arches, so be sure to bring along all the snacks and meals you might need. Arches’ close proximity to Moab makes tracking down sustenance daily easy. Grocery stores like City Market are the perfect way to make sure you have everything you need before embarking on your adventure. When you’re done exploring, nothing hits the spot like a cold treat on a hot day. There’s a handful of tasty-looking shops, but we can confirm that Moab Frozen Yogurt is a delightful little dessert desert oasis.

Starry Eyed

On a clear night, you can see the stars almost anywhere in the park. Areas off the main road prevent the headlights or people coming and going affecting your night vision and photographs. The farther north you drive into the park, the darker the sky will be. We initially drove to the Petrified Dunes Viewpoint but found the light pollution from Moab to be disruptive, so we hopped in the car and drove a bit farther to the Balance Rock picnic area.

While these points aren’t terribly far from one another, it made a huge difference in visibility. The best spots to stargaze are at Balance Rock, just past Balance Rock at either the Windows section or the Garden of Eden, and at Panorama Point.

If you have a flashlight or headlamp with a red light setting, bring it along! White lights can be harmful to your night vision, but the red lights are much more gentle. This is also respectful to any photographers out trying to capture pictures of the stars. Due to the long exposure necessary to photograph the stars, extraneous white light can be disruptive. If you have any star identification apps, they may be able to help you find constellations as well as the Milky Way.

As a note, Canyonlands National Park is about 45 minutes away from Moab, and therefore the light pollution of Moab. If you are a night owl with the evening flexibility, the stars will be even more amazing at its gold-tier International Dark Sky status.

How are Arches Made?

To be considered one of the park’s 2,000+ official stone arches, an opening of at least three feet must exist. This hole can stretch in any one direction, and there’s no requirement for width. For this reason, many of the arches in the park are so narrow, you might walk right past them as though it’s just a small hole in a stone.

The rock that makes up much of Arches is different layers of sandstone. Water takes advantage of cracks in rock surfaces and wears the sandstone down into fins. The park only receives 8-10 inches of precipitation per year. This doesn’t sound like much, but if the park were to receive too much more rain, the sandstone would potentially erode so quickly that the arches wouldn’t be able to form. The rain and snow that fall at Arches is a perfect quantity to erode the underlying rock at a sustainable pace to create the gorgeous sandstone arches.

The picture below are from the Arches Visitor Guide, which provides a more thorough explanation. If you have any additional questions about arches or any other geological features, be sure to ask a park ranger. We happened upon one whilst out on the Devils Garden trail, and found she was a wealth of information regarding various questions we had accumulated along our hike.

Pets

Everyone loves their furry friend, but pets can be quite disruptive upon entry into a new ecosystem. For this reason, pets must be on a leash 6 feet or less, and owners are responsible for picking up after their pet all areas in the park. The only places pets are welcome is on established roads or in parking areas as well as in the campgrounds and picnic areas. They are not allowed on any other trails, overlooks, wilderness areas, or in public buildings in Arches. (Service animals are the exception to these location restrictions.)

While Arches isn’t terribly pet-friendly, nearby Dead Horse Point State Park and the La Sal National Forest are both more accommodating.

Planning Ahead

The Elements

If you are going to be out hiking for any length of time, you should ensure you have packed sufficient water. Doing a longer trail? It’s never a bad idea to pack a snack or two to ensure you can keep up your stamina. If you’re not used to heat and elevation changes, it can fatigue you even more quickly on an empty stomach.

Get out early to avoid the heat of the day and the crowds. If you are an early bird, the earlier the better to afford you a bit more tranquility in the park and perhaps a stunning sunrise view. For any and all that do their best work in the afternoon, heading to the park around 3pm or 4pm will allow you to miss both the strongest UV rays of the day as well as all the morning park-goers.

Come Prepared

Pack your sunscreen… and perhaps a hat as well. Even if you are getting after it before the sun has reached its peak, the rays are strong, and sustained exposure will leave you burned!

Layers, layers, layers!! Despite the scorching hot temperatures during the day, the early mornings and evenings can still be quite chilly– plus the temperature can vary by elevation or lack of sun exposure (i.e. deep in a canyon). Even when visiting the summer, be sure to pack a few warmer layers!

A walking stick or trekking poles are never a bad idea. These are beneficial for any hike, but I was especially grateful to have mine when hiking Devil’s Garden!

discovering the wild west in Arches on the Devils Garden trail with the La Sal mountains in the background

While all national parks are home to outstanding feats of nature, Arches is perhaps the most uniquely mysterious. While science has a perfectly logical explanation as to how arches are formed, it still feels like nothing short of a miracle to stand under Delicate Arch, looking up. We hope you have a chance to make it out west and enjoy Arches in all its glory.

written by Hannah

Tags Arches, Arches National Park, national parks, travel Utah, Utah National Parks, visit Arches

national parks travel

Capitol Reef: Making the Most of a Beautiful Desert Oasis

Post author By Hannah

Capitol Reef National Park is the youngest of Utah’s five national parks, with its inception in 1971. The south-central desert park is home to an impressive, nearly 100-mile Waterpocket Fold. This wrinkle in the earth’s crust breathes life into high desert ecosystems and some enduring historic orchards. Whether you’re planning a Capitol Reef-only trip or hitting up all the parks in Utah, you won’t regret exploring the immense sandstone canyons and savoring breathtaking panoramic views that make this desert oasis unique. With so much to explore in this expansive yet underrated park, making the most of your time is a priority!

Not only does this area boast unique geography, but it’s also steeped in rich history. From historic farming practices to trails named after infamous outlaws, Capitol Reef remains intriguing.

Fast Facts About Capitol Reef National Park

Size: 243,921 acres

Visitors: 1,226,511 visitors annually (data from 2019)

Highest elevation: 8960 ft — in upper Deep Creek drainage near Billings Pass

Distance from Salt Lake City Airport: 220 miles — 3.5 hour drive

National Park Initiation: December 18th, 1971 by President Richard Nixon

Below we have detailed our favorite hikes, beautiful drives, stargazing walks, where to bunk down, and an unexpected spot to grab a snack— as well as all the tips and tricks that will ensure you have the best time.Where to begin? Start by getting your boots dusty! There’s nothing like a hike to take in the sights and put yourself in the heart of nature.

Top Hikes

What’s a visit to a national park without a hike? Capitol Reef has dozens of hikes to choose from in the various regions of the park. We have highlighted a couple we loved and thought maximized hiking time— plus one on our list to tackle next time we visit.

The Cassidy Arch Trail is a nice afternoon challenge, with an elevation gain just shy of 700 feet. It offers gorgeous views of not only the Cassidy Arch but of the waterpocket fold as well. Hiking to a viewpoint is always rewarding, but this hike showcases dramatic views the whole time! A few spots along the trail can be a little hard to follow, but the cairns placed throughout ensure no one wanders too far from the trail.

The Grand Wash Trail is an easy flat trail, with virtually no hiking to be done. With minimal elevation change, this long walk, is probably about as kid-friendly as it gets here. Easy to find, it starts from the same parking lot as the Cassidy Arch Trail. The Grand Wash Trail has been likened to the Narrow hike in Zion… without the water. It will make travelers of any size feel tiny in comparison to the staggering canyon walls.

The Navajo Knobs Trail is one of the more strenuous hikes in the park, clocking in at a little over nine miles round trip and over 2,100 feet of elevation. While we didn’t have time to explore this stretch, the trek appears to more than worth it— delivering spades of top-of-the-world feels.

Scenic drive

If you’re less inclined to hike, perhaps a scenic road trip is more your speed. Capitol Reef offers a virtual “guide” of sorts, available on their website. This 8 mile drive takes about an hour and a half and takes visitors through some of the park’s highlights. Be sure to pull the webpage up before you leave (service can get spotty), so you can read a little background information and history on various spots along your drive.

Perhaps you don’t have time for the full scenic drive but want to sneak in one last view before you leave? Two miles west of the Visitor Center, Panorama Point and Gooseneck Point stand 800 feet above the Sulphur River. These viewpoints showcase the millions of years of erosion it took to carve out the canyon.

If you are going for an evening drive, you have certainly picked the correct place. Capitol Reef is a designated International Dark Sky Park due to the opportunity to experience near-pristine night skies. Visitors can snag night sky charts from the visitor center, to aid in stargazing. No gatekeeping the best stargazing spots— a list, organized by district, can be found here.

panoramic view of the Waterpocket fold from the Cassidy Arch Trail in the desert oasis that is Capitol Reef National Park

Camping

Capitol Reef National Park does not have a lodge or restaurant, so if you want to eat, pack a lunch, and if you want to sleep, bring a tent! There are three campgrounds in the park: one developed and two primitive. The campgrounds are each found in a different district of the park.

Fruita Campground

The Fruita Campground is located in the Fruita Historic district, and it is open year-round. It is the only developed campground in Capitol Reef National Park. This campground might just feel like a slice of heaven, surrounded by historic orchards, with the Fremont River running nearby.

In this campground, there are 71 sites. Each site has a picnic table and either a fire pit or above ground grill (a handful have both), but no individual water, sewage, or electrical hookups. There are restrooms with running water and flush toilets; however, there are no showers. Campers visiting from March 1st to October 31st must make a reservation— up to 6 months in advance to ensure availability. For the remainder of the year, all campsites are available on a first come, first serve basis.

Cathedral Valley Campground

The Cathedral Valley Campground is exactly where one might imagine it, in the Cathedral Valley District— at the northwestern-most point of the park. This campground has six sites, each with their own picnic table and fire grate. There is a pit toilet, but no water available. As this is a primitive campground, there is no cost or need for reservations. Campsites are available year-round on a first-come, first-serve basis. It’s important to note, access to this campground requires a high clearance four-wheel drive vehicle, and is occasionally inaccessible due to recent weather. Be sure to stop by the visitor’s center to ensure you don’t encounter any undue surprises.

Cedar Mesa Campground

The Cedar Mesa Campground is found in the Southern Waterpocket district, about 25 miles south of the Visitor Center. Up at a cool 5,500 feet elevation, this campground has five sites, each with their own picnic table and fire-grate. There is a pit toilet, but no water available. As this is a primitive campground, there is no cost or need for reservations. Campsites are available year-round on a first-come, first-serve basis. Usually two–wheeled vehicles are able to access the Cedar Mesa Campground, it too will occasionally become inaccessible due to weather. Be sure to stop by the visitor’s center to ensure you don’t encounter any undue surprises.

Special Programs

Capitol Reef National Park offers a handful of programs to facilitate visitors’ exploration. Program availability fluctuates given time of year and current staffing. Check out the visitor center or campground bulletin boards for more details upon your arrival.

Kids and adults alike can learn more about the geologic story of Capitol Reef in a 30 minute Geology Talk from a park ranger. Guided hikes are less of a plan-in-advance adventure, and more of a see-if-it-works-out option. Hour and a half long hikes are led to various locations in the park, but be sure to stop by the visitor center for schedules and meeting points.

Hoping to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way? Its International Dark Sky Park designation makes this a world class spot for stargazing. These tours usually run about thirty minute and are typically offered near the new moon, to maximize the dark sky. As the moon waxes back to its full muster, Full Moon guided walks are offered. These tend to be a little longer, running about an hour and a half.

Orchards

Capitol Reef is home to a few gorgeous orchards, bearing cherries, apricots, peaches, pears, and apples. Trees in bloom are always beautiful but in the middle of the desert, these fruit trees feel like an oasis.

In the late 1800s, Latter-Day Saints planted thousands of trees in the fertile Fremont River Valley. The remaining trees are remnants of this pioneer community in Fruita, making these historic orchards the bearers of heirloom fruits. These orchards remain ignorant of current farming practices as they are maintained year-round with historic cultural irrigation practices, pruning, pest management, mowing, planting, mapping, and grafting. Prioritizing the robust preservation of these orchards remains an important goal for Capitol Reef National Park, as Fruita has been fondly nicknamed “Eden of Wayne County”.

making the most of your time at Capitol Reef includes visiting the beautiful orchards and seeing all their blossoms

Snack Time

When the trees are bearing fruit, park visitors are allowed and encouraged to pick the fruit. You will know an orchard has ripe fruit, ready for harvest when you see a “U-Pick Fruit” sign.

Fruit pick from the orchard must be paid for, but this done with ease with a self-pay station, scale, and fruit price list located near the entrance of the orchard. Caring for these orchards with historic farming practices is a time intensive job, so all proceeds of fruit picked is invested back to support the preservation of these historic orchards.

Respect Mother Nature

A couple tree-care kindness reminders: do not climb the fruit trees or hang hammocks between them. While the unattainable apple at the top of the tree always looks the most delicious, you do not have to climb the tree to reach it. Ladder and pickers are available to help with the just-out-of-reach sweet treats. Additionally, an orchard sounds like the perfect place to string up a hammock and take a nap, but this is not permitted as fruit trees are easily damaged. If you are interested in learning more about these beautiful, historic orchards, you can do so here.

The 411 on Four-Legged Friends

In Capitol Reef, pets are permitted, but they are only allowed in the developed areas of the park, and must always be on a leash. Wonder what is included in this list of developed areas? More than you might think! Pet are permitted on the trail from the visitor center to the Fruita Campground, on the Fremont River Trail, in unfenced or unlocked orchards, in the Chestnut and Doc Inglesby picnic areas, in campgrounds, within 50 feet of roads (paved and dirt) open to public vehicle travel, and in parking areas open to public vehicle travel. Pets are not welcomed on other hiking trails, in public buildings, or in the backcountry.

Plan Smarter, Not Harder

The Elements

Pack your sunscreen… and perhaps a hat as well. Even if you are getting after it before the sun has reached its peak, the rays are strong and sustained exposure will leave you burned!

Ridin‘ Dirty

If you are going down to Utah for a national parks tour, you won’t be disappointed to have rented a higher clearance car. We were able to get by with a sedan, but if we were to do it again, we would have a higher clearance car— especially for this park! Of the five parks in Utah, we found Capitol Reef to be the most rural.

Capitol Reef is visited less than some of Utah’s other illustrious parks, but that’s what makes it a perfect spot. With over 1 million people visiting annually, you will certainly see other visitors exploring , but the remote nature of Capitol Reef limits the crowds. Be sure to add this technicolor desert escape to your bucket list!

written by Hannah

Tags Capitol Reef National Park, national parks, Utah National Parks