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Post by hikerchick395 on Dec 1, 2016 9:29:52 GMT -8
I know that many of you avoid national parks because of the crowds (and were there crowds this year!) But did some of you find yourself traveling for a new experience or just staying local...and still finding a new experience.
In the past few years, we've been lucky to visit a lot of national parks out of the state, but this year we just stayed local in California. Spent two days in Carrizo Plain NM, a day in Devil's Postpile NM, a day in Sequioa NP via Mount Whitney and two days in SEKI via Kearsarge Pass to Bullfrog Lake and via Bishop Pass to Dusy Basin (on the NPS 100th birthday.) Spent four days in Lassen Volcanic NP during their 100th birthday week. Our usual park is Yosemite...spent 17 days there and still managed to go on a new hike, after all of these years. But OUR PARK this year was Death Valley. We spent 19 days this year, so far, and have been discovering and rediscovering nooks and crannies that we could've never imagined. And we have plenty to keep us busy there for years.
So...did you find your park?
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foxalo
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Post by foxalo on Dec 1, 2016 9:39:53 GMT -8
This year we traveled to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons as well as Craters of the Moon. My son is ready to go back to Yellowstone. Our next trip will be to the Southwest in hopefully two years. This coming Summer is a trip north.
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Post by starwalker on Dec 1, 2016 9:53:41 GMT -8
I found my park 10 years ago when my wife and I worked at Zion. In the 5 summers we worked there, I hiked over much of the Park. I would still like to go to some places below the West Rim that seem to be visited at all. It would take some off-trailing, but Phantom Valley just has a ring to it and I'd love to go down into it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2016 9:56:40 GMT -8
Normally, I visit Guadalupe Mountains NP (in west Texas) at least once a year, but missed it this year.
I did visit Pecos NHP near Sante Fe, NM, and did a day hike on the Glorieta Pass hiking trail, the site of a Civil War battlefield.
Most of us (including me) didn't learn in American History class that there actually were Civil War engagements in the West, but there were a few.
The park doesn't offer overnight backpacking or camping, but it was a nice location for a day hike, and acclimate for a higher elevation backpack trip in the Pecos Wilderness (Sante Fe NF), which is a few miles further north.
The park also has a historic Native American pueblo and mission church, but I didn't have time to take it in on this trip.
Pecos NHP was the only NPS site I made it to this year.
Enjoyed it; and recommend it to anyone visiting the area.
BTW; this is a great thread. Thanks for starting it.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2016 10:09:26 GMT -8
This year we traveled to Yellowstone and Grand Tetons as well as Craters of the Moon. My son is ready to go back to Yellowstone. Our next trip will be to the Southwest in hopefully two years. This coming Summer is a trip north. What did you think of Craters of the Moon? Did you guys go into any of the caves? Yellowstone and the Tetons are pretty amazing. This year I went to the Kings Range aka Lost Coast area of Northern CA. Went in the rainy season and had the whole place to myself. It was beautiful. And i got very lucky since it only rained at night for 3 of the days. Daytime hiking was dry.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Dec 1, 2016 10:27:09 GMT -8
Well, I went to a "park-in-progress", Patagonia Park, in Chile. It's in the process of becoming a national park, although obviously not a U.S. park. And yeah, it was great. ETA: and a few in Madagascar, some of which may have been national parks. I guess like BL below, my answer is half yes.
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davesenesac
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Post by davesenesac on Dec 1, 2016 10:44:27 GMT -8
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talus
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Post by talus on Dec 1, 2016 10:48:41 GMT -8
I guess I found King's Canyon. First time I ever got out of paying an entrance fee in the NPS. In through Bishop Pass and out through Piute.
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Post by hikingtiger on Dec 1, 2016 11:19:18 GMT -8
Got some non-NP wilderness time this year and went to Gettysburg NMP. It was close to work, so I figured I'd go since it was convenient.
Next year, looking at either Glenveagh and Killarney or Jotenheimen and Dovre-Sunndalsfjella.
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BigLoad
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Post by BigLoad on Dec 1, 2016 12:11:32 GMT -8
Technically, no, I didn't visit any National Parks this year. I did spend a good bit of time in National Recreation Areas administered by the National Park Service, though, so it's half of a yes.
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Post by hikerjer on Dec 1, 2016 12:37:55 GMT -8
Rode my bike through Yosemite in August. First I've been there in over 35 years. Hiked in both Zion and Bryce Canyon last spring. Since Yellowstone is in my backyard, I made it there a couple of times and will again for some x-country skiing this winter. Very quick day hike in Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l Park. Hope to make it down to the Grand Canyon in February. Can't complain except I didn't make my annual trip to Glacier.
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desert dweller
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Post by desert dweller on Dec 1, 2016 12:40:53 GMT -8
So far, I've visited two national parks this year. One was Saguaro National Park in Tucson. The other was on Tuesday. While driving through Missouri I stopped by Wilson's Creek National Park where the first battle of the Civil War was fought. Thanks to driftwoody for the suggestion. I knew about the battle but hadn't visited the site.
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climbmda
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Post by climbmda on Dec 1, 2016 12:44:22 GMT -8
No National Parks this year. We stayed local, so Voyageur, Isle Royale, or Apostle Islands (if National Lakeshore counts) are our only options.
We did hit the BWCA 3 times, and a bunch of state parks, though. It was our first year really getting back in the swing and prioritizing camping and outdoors. Next year will be better. Glacier for sure, and probably Isle Royale, too. Plus more BWCA and more MN, WI, and MI state parks.
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whistlepunk
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Post by whistlepunk on Dec 1, 2016 12:56:58 GMT -8
The Park websites and visitor centers always highlight the most popular trails. I ask about the less popular trails. I get funny looks. But I hiked all day on two consecutive days in RMNP on a August weekend and did not see another person on the trail either day.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on Dec 1, 2016 13:07:51 GMT -8
So far, I've visited two national parks this year. One was Saguaro National Park in Tucson. The other was on Tuesday. While driving through Missouri I stopped by Wilson's Creek National Park where the first battle of the Civil War was fought. Thanks to driftwoody for the suggestion. I knew about the battle but hadn't visited the site. I visited the area primarily to hike in the Hercules Glades Wilderness, but I'm also a Civil War buff so I visited the battlefield. I had good timing, because as I walked up to the historic Ray House on the battlefield an elderly gentleman dressed as a Union officer (actually a local history professor) was just starting to give a lecture to the young college students in his group, and he welcomed me aboard. The house was 80% original intact, including the bed where the body of Nathaniel Lyon (first Union general killed in the war) was laid out and another bed where several of the Ray children had slept.
He explained how the mattress was actually like a huge pillow case stuffed with feathers and whatever natural grasses from outside worked well. It had to be inspected regularly for holes, because bugs from the materials inside could crawl out and bite folks as they slept. He then pulled back the mattress to reveal a rope cross-hatched back and forth which supported the mattress (no box springs in those days). The rope had to be periodically tightened, or it would sag and the children on the edges of the bed would begin to squeeze into the kid in the middle.
Most old sayings have a basis in real life, and this one goes: Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite.
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