Death Valley has been getting record rainfall over the last few months. Kind of curious what impact that has on wildflowers and other plants in the driest place in the US.
Also for all the talk about visiting Lassen, Lava Beds National Monument is a great stop when in the area.
I can't give you specific trails, but I'd definitely look at the Canyonlands Island in the Sky district. Some amazing views just driving through the park and few shorter trails to get even better views. Also lots of trails out in LaSal National Forest, not sure if you need a day use permit. But it's gravel road out there so not sure if you'll be equipped for that. None were particularly harrowing either, but it can be slow going and narrow in parts.
North Cascades being that low is pretty surprising. Only one that’s an easy weekend trip from a major population center.
Moving to 1-1.5 hours outside North Cascades in May. Thinking about doing an Alaska backcountry trip this summer - something where you take a biplane and then hike out. But those fucking mosquitos...and grizzlies.
I think there's a few reasons: It's still every bit of 2.5 hours from Seattle Rainier is the obvious choice, and Olympic is more welcoming/diverse (Olympic is first, N Cascades is a close second for me) There aren't a bunch of "family friendly" hikes -- most of the stuff is backcountry and pretty gnarly I think the last one is pretty important. Not the best to go for a day and explore -- you really need to have some gear and be committed.
Curious how they measure that. A main highway goes through North Cascades. You can pull off at many spots and go hiking without ever having to register or go through a gate.
I thought the Park was still a good bit north of Stehekin. Like you can get to it from there but it's a hike and there's more around Stehekin that's not in the park.
idk when we went for a few nights a couple of years ago all of the merchandise at the lodge store and various places in the area said Stehekin - North Cascades NP so I assumed we were in the park but maybe not quite edit: I just looked and the Golden West Visitor Center right next to the lodge says it's in the park so who knows https://maps.app.goo.gl/K4h2NNsfFz7mCbS4A
I believe none of park boundary actually reaches the highway. There is a National Recreation Area that buffers the park from the main road. So very few people actually get inside the park boundary. Most (maybe all) of the park is designated wilderness which means there isn't much the park service can do, or wants to do, to put infrastructure inside what is actually the national park. That leads to very few visitors. Most people who visit the North Cascades area actually in Ross Lake NRA and not the NP. Same thing goes for Chelan area.
Tortugas limits access, or it would be higher with all the tourists at Key West. We tried to book a ferry 90 days out and it was booked all week.
Spent sunrise to sunset at Joshua Tree both Friday and Saturday Place is so cool. Incredible place to read too The drive from Kingman via Hwy 95 and Hwy 62 is sooo fun Spoiler
Jude a stupid place. I fucking loved Zion. But then every time a pic pops up from our western parks trip we’re like damn that place was the best. And then the next place is like damn that place was the best. It never stops, I loved being out there so much.
Have a hike for tomorrow in Rocky Mountain National Park and the forecast has turned to absolute shit. So I drove here tonight and hoping to be able to get back to Breckenridge tomorrow. Snow and wind gust up to 70. Should be interesting to say the least. View from my $100/night hotel
this place is the best deal ever. Only 6 cars in the parking lot. I might be murdered or die by tree falling tomorrow. I lived a good life
It took me an hour to go a mile. I got to a point where I couldnt tell where the trail was going and had to take my phone out to look at AllTrails every couple minutes. On the way down saw multiple people not even remotely prepared for the conditions. One of the couples that were had 3 little kids with them. Stopped at the visitor center on the way back for some merch and one of the rangers had to keep answering the same question and was like please don’t go up cause we don’t want to come rescue when you get lost.
I want to finish my professional career in Flagstaff and retire in San Francisco but ending up in Tucson at some point wouldn't be such a bad fate Sendero Esperanza Trail to Wasson Peak at Saguaro West is so elite