New Year’s Eve at the Grand Canyon

Here’s an idea for your next New Year’s Eve. The Grand Canyon. I sorta accidentally stumbled into it this year but it was quite fabulous.

I hadn’t realized that this was a thing, but folks come here every year to celebrate the coming of the new year.

I was very fortunate to be able to score a last minute room at the famous El Tovar lodge right on the rim (I had been checking for a couple months and it had been all booked). It was still all decked out for Christmas so that was cool also.

I was also able to sweet talk the hostess into a last minute dinner reservation at the El Tovar Dining Room which is one of the finest places to eat anywhere in my opinion.

The Grand Canyon views were exceptional with clear skies and snow everywhere. The Rim Trail was very icy but that made it all the more fun.

To top it all off, the concessionaire companies threw New Year’s Eve parties. Xanterea had live music at the Bright Angel Lodge, but Delaware North and their DJ proved they could party harder at Yavapai Lodge.

All in all, an unexpectedly wonderful day and evening. Happy New Year! rk

Picture of the Day: Snowy Chiricahua National Monument

I was a little shocked to see this much snow just 70 miles north of the Mexican border in Chiricahua National Monument. I pictured southern Arizona a little differently. Hiking in the 8″-10″ of snow under a cloudless blue sky was magical though and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I hope you enjoy the pictures. rk

Sunday Hikes: Alkali Flat Trail

The Alkali Flat Trail in White Sands National Park was different than any hiking trail I’ve ever done before. It’s a 5 mile loop trail through the seemingly neverending sand dunes. It’s also unusual as most hikers are carrying plastic sleds as well.

The trail follows from one marker to another where you can walk up a sand dune and then sled down the other side. Eventually you get the the far end where you can see the Alkali flights along with the adjacent White Sands Missile Range in the distance.

This hike is really unusual but also amazing with mountains off in the distance surrounding you as you navigate the sand dunes. This is the definite White Sands hike you must do when visiting our newest National Park.

rk

Sunday Hikes: Mount Fremont Lookout Trail

We drove into Mount Rainier National Park from the north and beelined straight to the Sunrise Visitor Center. After checking out the Visitor Center and the area maps, we identified the Mount Fremont Lookout Trail as the one we wanted to hike.

Mount Fremont is a 5.7 mile round trip trail to the closest fire lookout to Mount Rainier. We started on our way with gorgeous views of Mount Rainier in front of us.

The trail wraps around the promisingly named frozen lake. Sadly it looked more like a retention pond during this September hike. I’m sure it was much more impressive in June.

From here the hike picks up elevation and eventually cuts sharply to the right where you walk on scree with the fire lookout visible in the distance.

The lookout has amazing 360 degree views in all directions. The Cascades are to the north and Mount Rainier to the south. This was definitely worth the hike.

We headed back facing Mount Rainier as we watched a helicopter travel back and forth from Sunrise to a spot in the distance. I’m assuming ferrying supplies. We were able to spot a group of mountain goats down below, but the pictures just didn’t come out well sadly.

I can’t recommend this hike enough when at the Sunrise Visitor Center area. I really enjoyed it and hope you do as well.

Thanks for reading. rk

Picture of the Day: Tree of Life in Olympic National Park

Located on the beach near Kalaloch Campground in Olympic National Park, this cool tree looks to be defying gravity. Named the Tree of Life or sometimes the Tree Root Cave, you can walk under the tree and when wet see a waterfall flowing behind it.

I added a shot of the beach as well. The Washington coast is so beautiful.

Thanks! rk

Sunday Hikes: Grove of the Patriarchs

This fun trail is packed with lots of cool sights and is quick to complete as it is flat and only one mile round trip. After several days backpacking in the North Cascades this was right up my alley.

Conveniently located right off the main road in Mt Rainier just east of Paradise Visitor Center, this is a must do hike in Mt Rainier National Park.

The trail begins running along the Ohanapecosh River with plenty of large trees and scenic river views.

At the halfway point you cut right and cross the river on a very cool bridge.

This leads you into the Grove of the Patriarchs. This grove of ancient 1000 year old trees is made up of Douglas Firs and Western Red Cedars. The trails through the grove are mostly on wooden boardwalks to protect the trees.

With fellow Bighorn blogger Josh for scale, you can see the size of these amazing trees.

You head back the way you came, crossing the bridge and soon back to the trailhead. Definitely hit this quick hike on your next visit to Mt Rainier.

Thanks for reading. rk

Picture of the Day: Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park is a beautiful clear lake right next to the Lake Crescent Lodge. After a few days of backpacking and roughing it, there is nothing better than a night at a National Park Lodge. I really enjoyed my stay here and being near the water made it all the better!

Lake Crescent

Lake Crescent Lodge

Sunday Hikes: Ernst Tinaja

Big Bend National Park is a wonderful place! Collectively I have spent over a month exploring the park’s near 1,300 square miles (that’s 10x the size of Atlanta). Each new visit brings new places I had never even heard of to explore. One could spend a lifetime in the Big Bend country and still have more to explore. On our last trip one of these places was Ernst Tinaja.

Ernst Tinaja is by no means a secret but it is tucked away in the less visited eastern side of Big Bend National Park. The trailhead is located off the Old Ore Road about 5 miles from the south entrance near Rio Grande Village. Old Ore Road is considered a 4×4 high clearance only road but as long as it is dry most vehicles can make it to Ernst Tinaja driving carefully (if it has been rainy I would not attempt it, visit Panther Junction visitor center for road info). Along the way are beautiful views of the desert and Chisos Mountains.

Chisos from Old Ore Road

Along the road are a few landmarks starting with Candelilla campsite (one of my favorites), then Camp De Leon campsite and the nearby grave of Juan De Leon (a mysteriously murdered mexican man from the area’s more lawless times). Soon after Camp De Leon is Ernst Tinaja campsite and trailhead marked by a small stone sign. If you hit the La Noria campsites you’ve gone too far.

Grave of Juan de Leon

The trailhead is marked by a small metal sign like most others in Big Bend.

The trail starts in open desert and moves into a valley that then narrows into a canyon. In the valley are large stone ridges running across the trail with small pools of water (after rains anyways). Like many places in Big Bend the past is evident in the geology of the area and it is very clear a river flowed through this area creating the valley and canyon.

As the valley narrows into a rocky canyon there is a relief of shade created by one of the canyon’s walls during most of the day. When the temperatures can regularly reach the 90s even in the winter, any respite from the sun is welcome. The ground is loose and gravely like most dried up desert creek beds until quickly and suddenly turning to smooth pinkish brown limestone with a slight climb up.

Inside the limestone are three ‘Tinajas’, pockets of water collected from past rains (Tinaja literally means Jar in spanish).

I had fun playing with the tinaja reflections

The climb up and around the tinajas is fun and can feel a little sketchy (especially when you’ve heard accounts of mountain lions drowning in the very tinaja you are scrambling by).

Just past the Tinajas on the left side of the canyon is a fascinating force of nature captured in rock where presumably whatever water once flowed through distorted and twisted the limestone wall into a small cave (another place to hide from the sun).

At this point there are two options: turn back or carry on. The canyon continues for miles eventually hitting Ernst Valley (or at least the hills before Ernst Valley, I have not explored this far). With what seems like endless desert to explore turning back wouldn’t be a bad option either.

PSA: Anyone hiking here should know their limits and pack accordingly to their trip. Over 400 people die in National Parks every year with a majority of these deaths being because of drowning or heat exhaustion (both very possible in Big Bend). Visit the Panther Junction visitor center to get info from rangers on how to explore Big Bend safely.

To sum it all up: Ernst Tinaja is incredible and is a highlight of that trip for us now. If you have the ability to hike there, you should. Be careful and have fun! 🙂

Thanks!

– Josh

Picture of the Day: Sunset in Everglades National Park

Had a wonderful dinner with loved ones as the sun set in Everglades City, FL.

Took a few more pictures from the Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitor Center.

Everglades National Park is a great park for kayaking as long as being surrounded by alligators doesn’t frighten you. We saw some really big ones.

As always, thanks for reading! rk

Picture of the Day: Navy Circle

Navy Circle is a part of the Vicksburg National Military Park. It is conveniently located right next to the Mississippi rest area.

During the Civil War, the Confederates located cannons here to fire on Union gunboats in the Mississippi River. Nowadays it’s a great view of the Mighty Mississippi.

I especially liked the view between the two bridges over the Mississippi River. rk