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

5 of My Favorite National Park Hikes

I thought it would be fun to share my 5 favorite National Park hikes that I have completed. All of these are great and if you are an avid hiker you should put on your bucket list.

1) The Highline Trail in Glacier National Park. This trail delivers breathtaking beauty around every turn. Starting at the Continental Divide at Logan Pass it follows the Garden Wall through the highest elevations in the Park. Read more about my hike here.

2) Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park. This trail was named when an early explorer exclaimed that only an Angel can get up there. This trail is not for those with a fear of heights (or falling!). Read more about my hike here.

3) The High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park. Scampering up and around the High Peaks of this National Park while surrounded by California Condors, what’s not to like! Read more about my hike here.

4) The Precipice Trail in Acadia National Park. Technically this is a non technical climb as much as it is a hike. The views of the island and the Atlantic Ocean are unparalleled. Read more about my hike here.

5) The Bright Angel Trail in Grand Canyon National Park. You haven’t truly experienced the Grand Canyon until you reach the Colorado River. Beautiful and extremely difficult trail. Read more about my hike here.

Next up, I will share the 5 National Park Hikes that I haven’t completed but are at the top of my list to do.

Thanks for reading. rk

The 5 Most Dangerous National Park Day Hikes

National Parks are known as America’s best idea. As a result, many people think that they are completely safe places to visit. And they can be when proper precautions and planning are taken. However the huge influxes of visitors in recent years has also created a spike in visitor deaths. Below are the 5 most dangerous day hikes in our National Parks.

5) The Precipice Trail in Acadia National Park: This short trail with gorgeous views of the Park and the Atlantic Ocean also has had several deaths from hikers falling from the precarious cliffs. Famed for its 26 iron rungs climbing vertically up Champlain Mountain and the narrow ledge to navigate, this trail is thrilling and dangerous. You can read more about the Precipice Trail here.

4) Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park: One of the most famous day hikes in America is also one of the most dangerous in America. The trail’s notoriety brings a flood of hikers who inevitably are at risk at plummeting to their deaths. The 1400 foot drops on each side of a 2 foot wide trail are breathtaking and treacherous. You can read more about Angels Landing here.

3) The Narrows in Zion National Park: This gorgeous slot canyon in Utah can be as narrow as 20 feet across with rock walls a thousand feet high on each side. Unseen storms upstream can cause flash flooding and a race for your life. As this hikes popularity has increased, so have the drownings.

Wading in the Narrows

2) The Bright Angel Trail in The Grand Canyon National Park: Hordes of tourists descend this trail into the canyon. It’s an easy hike down and the views are amazing. Suddenly you realize it’s getting late and super hot and you now have many miles of switchbacks and thousands of feet of elevation change to get back to the top. Rangers rescue folks here almost daily, but still heat exhaustion claims lives every summer. Read more about the Bright Angel Trail here.

1) The Half Dome Trail in Yosemite National Park: The most dangerous day hike in the National Park system is Half Dome. You’ve probably seen pictures of the nearly vertical ascent up the cables. If one person slips, they can take several others down with them. But this trail is electrifying in more than one way. Stay off Half Dome if thunderstorms are in the area. Not only is the treacherous trail slick, but numerous hikers have been struck by lightning on this trail.

Photo Credit yosemitehikes.com

The 5 Best National Parks for Sunrises and Sunsets

Similar to yesterday’s top 5 National Parks feature, by their very nature all National Parks have amazing sunrises and sunsets. Having said that, some are a little better than others. Without further ado, here is today’s list.

5) Shenandoah National Park: Fighting off strong challenges from Canyonlands National Park and Haleakala National Park is Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. Shenandoah’s Skyline Drive runs north/south atop the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains giving a gorgeous sunrise on one side of the road and an amazing sunset on the other side. Fog is common in the mornings creating a fabulous sunrise.

Sunrise in Shenandoah National Park.

4) Acadia National Park: Next on this list is Acadia National Park. From the summit of Cadillac Mountain you can be the first in the USA to see the sunrise. Really the views from any of the mountains in this park are amazing.

View from Champlain Mountain.

3) Grand Canyon National Park: 3rd on our list is also one of the most visited. Sunrise and sunset bring out amazing colors in the rocks that washed out by the bright sun during the day.

Mather Point.

2) Saguaro National Park: The final two entries on our list are very close. Both are amazing and beautiful. At #2 is Saguaro National Park. A sunset here with a giant saguaro cactus in the foreground is almost as good as it can get.

Saguaros can grow over 40 feet tall!

1) Joshua Tree National Park: California’s Joshua Tree National Park has the best sunsets in the National Park system. Look at this sunset and try to disagree. Congratulations Joshua Tree National Park!

Sunset at Joshua Tree National Park.

Friday Favorites: The Grand Canyon

I love the Grand Canyon. It is God’s creation at its finest. Most visitors see the iconic views from the edge of the canyon, but never see the Colorado River that formed it. This video was taken from the South Kaibab Trail where you can see the foot bridges crossing the river. If you can see in the distance downstream, there is a second foot bridge that takes you back to the top via the Bright Angel Trail.

read about this hike here:

https://bighorntravelblog.com/2016/09/18/sunday-hikes-south-kaibab-and-bright-angel-trails/

The Seven Natural Wonders of the Continental United States

Everyone has heard of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, right?   I thought it would be interesting to look at the Seven Natural Wonders of the United States.   Since I haven’t made it to Alaska or Hawaii yet, I will narrow this down to the Seven Natural Wonders of the Continental United States.  Each of these places is magnificent and has been protected by our National Park System

• Crater Lake – Crater Lake, located in Oregon, is the deepest lake in the United States with a depth of 1949 feet.  When measured by average depth, Crater Lake is the deepest in this hemisphere and 3rd deepest in the world.  Crater Lake was formed when a volcanic caldera filled with water over hundreds of years.  This lake is also known for its extreme water clarity.

Crater Lake (photo credit to guest photographer and friend, Katie)

• The Everglades –  The Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States.  Covering 1.5 million acres in southern Florida, this area is also known as a river of grass.  The Everglades used to consist of over 3 million acres before much of the area was drained for farmland in the early 1900’s.   This area is home to alligators, manatees, and the Florida Panther.

• The Giant Sequoias and Redwoods – These enormous trees in California are the tallest and largest trees in the world.  These two species are closely related.  The Redwoods can reach heights of 375 feet and diameters of 25 feet.  The Giant Sequoias can reach heights of 275 feet and diameters of 30 feet.  These trees truely must be seen to be believed.

Redwood trees in Muir Woods 15 minutes north of San Francisco

• The Geothermal Features of Yellowstone – Located in northwest Wyoming, Yellowstone is an unearthly place.  The first explorers of the area brought back tales of exploding geysers, colorful pools of hot and poisonous water, and boiling mud that were not believed.  We now know that this area sits upon a super volcano that will one day destroy much of North America when it erupts again.  In the meantime, it is a beautiful and mesmerizing place to visit.

Hot spring in Yellowstone National Park

• Death Valley – The commonly held image of Death Valley is of a swelteringly hot wasteland.  While it is true summer temps here can top out at 130*F, there is a lot to be amazed at here.  Badwater Basin in the center of the park is a giant salt flat and at 282 feet below sea level is the lowest point in North America.  Telescope Peak rises directly behind Badwater Basin to a height of 11043 feet.  The only population of the rarest fish in the world exists in Death Valley.  There are less than 200 Devil’s Hole Pupfish left.

Badwater Basin in Death Valley

• The Arches of Utah – The highest concentration of rock arches in the world is in Utah.  Arches National Park has over 2000 arches alone with thousands more spread out across southern Utah.  Landscape Arch spans 290 feet.  Rainbow Bridge boasts a height of 290 feet.  Delicate Arch is arguably the most famous in the world.

Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park

• The Grand Canyon – The Grand Canyon is the only member of this list that is also one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.  It is located in northern Arizona and was carved over a millennia by the Colorado River.  The Grand Canyon has a length of 277 miles, width up to 18 miles and a depth of  6093 feet.  To appreciate the Grand Canyon in all of it’s glory you will want to hike or mule down to the Colorado River.

Sunrise at Mather Point in the Grand Canyon

rk

10 Things You Must See and Do at The Grand Canyon

1)  Walk the Rim Trail.   This is where you see all the postcard worthy views as this trail runs along the edge of the south rim.   There are shuttle bus stops all along the trail.   I would recommend parking at the Visitors Center.   Walking the length of the trail to Hermits Rest.   Take the shuttle to the opposite end of the trail (South Kaibab Trailhead) and then walk back to the Visitors Center.   One way the Rim Trail is 12.6 miles.

2)  Eat at the El Tovar Dining Room.   El Tovar is an architectural masterpiece located directly on the south rim of the Grand Canyon.   Arguably it is the finest hotel in the National Park system.    The El Tovar Dining Room has incredible views to go along with delicious food and an extensive wine list.   I cannot recommend this restaurant enough.

3)  Get a drink at the bar at the North Rim.   Many visitors to the Grand Canyon only visit the South Rim.   Don’t make that mistake.   The drive from the North Rim to the South Rim takes about 4 hours, but you will be awed by the scenery around you the entire time.   The pace at the North Rim seems to be a little slower and the people a little friendlier.   After spending time hiking, taking time to chill at the Roughrider Saloon with a cold beverage is hard to beat.

4)  Hike down to the Colorado River.   Or if you have to, ride the mules down.   As amazing as the vistas are from the rim, looking up from the Colorado River is even more memorable.   I would recommend going down the South Kaibab trail and returning via Bright Angel Trail.   This can be done in a day during the shoulder seasons if you are in shape, but don’t try it in the heat of the summer.   The NPS recommends you get an overnight permit to camp at the bottom.   Round trip this is close to 16 miles (with 8 of it seemingly straight up) so it is difficult to do in a day.

5)  See the sunrise at Mather Point.    Mather Point is the iconic place to see the Grand Canyon.   It is on the Rim Trail and basically right behind the Visitors Center.   Crowds here can be very heavy with everyone trying to get that perfect selfie.   Beat the crowds and get here early for sunrise.   At sunrise you can have the place all to yourself.

6)  See the movie at the South Rim Visitor Center.   Normally I skip the Visitor Center movies, but I was glad I watched this one.   The history of the canyon is interesting and if you can’t make it to the bottom, you can at least see what it looks like in the movie.

7)  Watch for wildlife.    I have been fortunate at the South Rim to see California condors, mountain goats, elk, deer and coyotes.   At the North Rim they have an entire bison herd.   It’s really exciting to see wildlife up close.

8)  See the stars on a clear night with a new moon.   In the majority of the USA, you cannot see the Milky Way or even pick out more than 40-50 stars in the sky because of all the light pollution.   That is not a problem in most of the National Parks out west.   If you are fortunate enough to visit during a new moon, set your alarm and come out at night to be amazed by the millions of stars you can see.

9)  Tour the Hopi House.   The Hopi House is right across the street from El Tovar.  It is in a historic building and seems something like a cross between a museum and a gift shop.   It is a pretty cool place.

10)  Stay onsite.   Whether you stay at El Tovar or one of the other lodges onsite or camp at Phantom Ranch at the bottom, stay onsite to beat the crowds and to get the full Grand Canyon experience.

rk

A National Park for each Month of 2017

Since we are at the beginning of the year, I thought it would be a good idea to list which National Park would be the best to visit during each month of this year.   Of course, at Bighorntravelblog we believe it is always a good time to visit a National Park, but there are some compelling reasons to visit these parks in the month indicated.    I hope that this inspires you to consider visiting National Parks when planning your vacation time in 2017.

January – Rocky Mountain National Park.   Colorado is known for its great skiing in places like Breckenridge, Vail, and many others.   Why not combine a ski trip with a visit to beautiful Rocky Mountain National Park.   Rocky Mountain National Park has plenty of winter activities including ice climbing, mountaineering, snowshoeing and skiing.   This is also one of the few national parks that allows backcountry camping in the winter.

February – Bryce Canyon National Park.   If you think the orange-red hoodoos look amazing in the summer, then you should see them in February when the rock spires are coated with snow.   It is very beautiful and the clear cold skies should make for some great stargazing as well.

March – Death Valley National Park.    Despite the name, in the spring flowers bloom throughout Death Valley.   Perhaps you will get lucky and during a March visit get to see the Superbloom which happens about once a decade (which is about how often they get any substantial rain in the park).

April – Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.   Late April after Spring Break is usually one of the more inexpensive times of year to fly to Hawaii.    The weather here is always perfect plus you could tack on a visit to Haleakala National Park as well.

May – Grand Canyon National Park.   The Grand Canyon is always a great place to visit.   In May you can beat the summer crowds and heat and dodge the snow that is here in the winter.

June – Great Basin National Park.  Summertime is when the crowds really come out to the National Parks.  Why not take this time to visit one of the least visited National Parks in the lower 48.   This is one the best places to see the stars in the lower 48.   Summers are the one time a year you can see the yellow bellied rock marmot.   The yellow bellied rock marmot hibernates for 9 months a year and is usually only seen in mid summer as they sunbathe on the rocks.

July – Zion National Park.   Now I know, Zion is a zoo with crowds in July.   But July is the best time to hike the Narrows or the Subway.   Wading through the cold water of the Virgin River feels great when it is over 100*F and the risk of flash floods washing you out of the canyon is minimized.

August – Olympic National Park.   Olympic is normally very rainy and wet, but in August you have your best shot of sunny skies and relatively warm weather.   The clear skies are also make this a great time for a side trip to the Space Needle in Seattle to get great views of Olympic and Mt Ranier National Parks.

September – Yosemite National Park.   Yosemite is another park that in the summer months is difficult to traverse due to crowds.   But visiting in the winter isn’t great because many of the roads are closed and huge portions of the park aren’t accessible.   September is a great time to visit as school is in session so the crowds are down and all of the park is open for business.

October – Acadia National Park.    Acadia in October is stunning.    The New England foliage is showing their full color and the weather is perfect.   Add in some lobster rolls was watching the ocean crash on the black rocks and I can’t think of a better place to be in October.

November – Biscayne National Park.  Visiting this park in South Florida in the summer is like giving yourself over to the mosquitoes as a human sacrifice, but the bugs die down in late fall but the weather is still nice.   This is the best time of year to visit this park.

December – Yellowstone National Park.   Snowmobiling through Yellowstone is one of my bucket list items.   Wildlife is easy to spot in the snow and the cold air really shows off the steam rising from the hot springs and geysers.

rk