Category: National Parks

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Backpacking to Dewey Point in Yosemite National Park

The view from Dewey Point with El Capitan to the left.
The view from Dewey Point looks the High Sierras in the distance with El Capitan to the left.

The hike to Dewey Point from the McGurk Meadow Trail in Yosemite National Park is a hike to a fantastic view of El Capitan with Half Dome in the distance and the majestic tops of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in the background. While many people do this hike as a day hike, we decided to backpack in and spend the night at Dewey Point.

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Hiking Grand Canyon Of The Yellowstone To Ribbon Lake

Lower Yellowstone Falls from Artist Point.
The view from Artist Point at Yellowstone National Park of Lower Yellowstone Falls and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone can be spectacular.

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is an incredible sight to see and hike along in Yellowstone National Park. From different vantage points, you can marvel at Lower Yellowstone Falls. The forest along the hike was tranquil and mediative, and once we left the crowds, we probably saw a little more than a dozen people.

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Hike to Darwin Falls at Death Valley National Park

Darwin Falls is a spring-fed waterfall at Death Valley National Park.
Darwin Falls is a spring-fed waterfall at Death Valley National Park.

A waterfall at Death Valley National Park? Yep, there certainly is, and the hike to Darwin Falls is pretty easy for the most part.

The hike starts off from the parking lot and follows a Darwin Wash back to the waterfall. We didn’t start to notice water until about .7 miles from the trailhead that flowed from the waterfall in a stream. As we ventured further back, we went from a dry desert wash to trees, cattails and other greenery, including ferns, fed by the water.

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Hiking Desolation Canyon at Death Valley National Park

From the high point of the Desolation Canyon Trail at Death Valley National Park, you can see the Panamint Mountain Range, Telescope Peak, portions of Cottonball Basin, Middle Basin and Badwater Basin.
From the high point of the Desolation Canyon Trail at Death Valley National Park, you can see the Panamint Mountain Range, Telescope Peak, portions of Cottonball Basin, Middle Basin and Badwater Basin.

If you love dirt and sand, Desolation Canyon at Death Valley National Park is for you. If you don’t, the view at the end and colors in the canyon walls is may be worth the hike, but getting there can be a chore.

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Hiking the Maze at Joshua Tree National Park

The desert landscape on the Maze hike is full of desert vegetation, trees, and land formations.
The desert landscape on the Maze hike is full of desert vegetation, trees, and land formations.

I’ve heard for years about The Maze at Joshua Tree National Park, and I finally got the opportunity to hike it. Maybe it was because of the hype I heard that I was expecting more than what it offered, but even with that said, I was in no way disappointed.

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Hiking Lost Palms Trail at Joshua Tree National Park

Hiking to the Lost Palms Oasis at Joshua Tree National Park is like hiking through a garden in the desert.
Hiking to the Lost Palms Oasis at Joshua Tree National Park is like hiking through a garden in the desert.

Hiking to Lost Palms at Joshua Tree National Park is like hiking through a desert garden. If you’re up for hiking through the desert, there really is a lot to see as far as plant life goes on this hike, along with great landscape vistas.

On this hike, you will more than likely come across cholla cacti, indigo bush, jojoba, California juniper, creosote bush, mistletoe, Mojave yucca, Mormon tea, barrel cacti, granite rock, palm trees, but no Joshua trees in this part of the park.

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Hiking Skull Rock Nature Trail and Split Rock Trail at Joshua Tree National Park

The desert landscape at Joshua Tree National Park is striking, but pictures do not do it justice. It needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated.
The desert landscape at Joshua Tree National Park is striking, but pictures do not do it justice. It needs to be experienced to be truly appreciated.

This is the hike that made Joshua Tree National Park my favorite park. The Skull Rock Nature Trail/Split Rock Trail for me were over the top with scenery and ease. The video below and pictures do not do it justice. This hike needs to be experienced.

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Use Caution When Hiking in Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks

You can tell how bad you're dehydrated by the color of your urine.
You can tell how bad you’re dehydrated by the color of your urine.

Starting this week and over the next few weeks I’m going to write about some hiking we did in Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks. While I strongly encourage anybody to visit and hike those parks, I want to talk about the dangers of those two parks because while beautiful, their environments can be very dangerous and even fatal if precautions are not taken.

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Hiking Mirror Lake in Yosemite National Park

Mirror Lake at Yosemite National Park.
The scenery at Mirror Lake at Yosemite National Park can be stunning.

Mirror Lake in Yosemite National Park is a beautiful hike that is pretty easy and hikes through forests and next to big granite rocks. Upper and Lower Mirror Lake live up to their name where the reflections in the water of the landscape around them can be gorgeous.

There are several places you can start the hike from, and we jumped on the Yosemite Valley Loop Trail off of Ahwahnee Drive about .34 miles short of the Ahwahnee Hotel. The Mirror Lake hike itself is about a 2.4 mile loop, but we wanted to make a longer hike out of it, so we ended up hiking 7.2 miles.

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Mist Trail To Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park

Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park from a distance running down the granite rock with forest trees in the fore and background.
Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park is a stunning waterfall.

The hike from Yosemite Valley up to Vernal Falls and then over to Nevada Falls is incredible, and one of many of many spectacular attractions of Yosemite National Park. But even hiking through the beauty of the forests, it does take work to make it to the top of either waterfall.

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Backpacking to Rancheria Falls in Yosemite National Park

Rancheria Falls in Yosemite National Park.
Rancheria Falls in Yosemite National Park can be stunning to watch from a vantage point off the trail leading to the campground.

At the right time of the year, backpacking to Rancheria Falls in Yosemite National Park can be beautiful with wildflowers all around, Wapama Falls with its powerful gushing water, and almost the constant views of the blue waters of the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir.

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