We went for a nice stroll along the boardwalks of the River Bottomland Hardwood Trail in Tickfaw State Park in Louisiana.
Pavilion:
Boardwalk:
Bayou:
Tickfaw River and bridge:
Closed area:
Bridge:
End of the boardwalk:
hike
Big Bend National Park
We visited Big Bend National Park, again — we first visited it in 2022. That first time, we explored the western part of the park; this time, we explored the eastern side.
Here’s an interactive map of our route:
Entrance sign:
Mountains and cacti:
We had a picnic lunch and short stroll at Dugout Wells, a little oasis where some homesteads once stood, and now just a windmill remains, as far as we could see:
Tunnel:
The Rio Grande Village Visitor Center, the one visitor center we didn’t make it to last time:
Big Rivers, Big Changes:
There’s even a full-hookup campground in the village, though it’s basically a parking lot:
A roadrunner on the road:
There’s also a no-hookup campground, which is nicer, despite the lack of utilities. It even has some sites big enough for us, like this pull-through site:
Interesting rocks:
Lots of Mexican trinkets for sale; this area is on the border with Mexico:
We did the Boquillas Canyon Trail along the Rio Grande river:
Steps:
The Rio Grande river; the other side of the river is Mexico:
Shady tunnel of trees, welcome on a warm day (about 82°F):
More Mexican trinkets for sale; Jenn bought the cloth in the front and a bead roadrunner:
The canyon closing in on the river:
Youngsters on the Mexican side of the river:
Canoes on the river; we spoke with a couple of the people, and they said they were camping down river:
A nice hike; a little too warm for us with little shade, but we survived.
Joshua Tree National Park: Wonderland Ranch & Wall Street Mill
On another visit to Joshua Tree National Park, we hiked to Wonderland Ranch and Wall Street Mill.
An interactive map of our route, going in the north entrance for a change, then to Wall Street Mill, and a picnic dinner on Keys Ranch Road, and finally back out the main west entrance:
An interactive map of the hike; zoom in to see more details:
North entrance sign:
Wall Street Mill Trail:
Wonderland Ranch ruins:
Windmill:
“Here is where Worth Bagly bit the dust at the hands of W.F. Keys, May 11 1943″:
Truck ruins:
Wall Street Mill ruins:
After the hike, we had a picnic dinner along Keys Ranch Road:
Sunset:
Joshua Tree National Park: Hall of Horrors
On another visit to Joshua Tree National Park, we hiked around the Hall of Horrors, an imaginatively named and fascinating set of rocks.
An interactive map of our route, heading in the main (northwest) entrance:
Another interactive map of the Hall of Horrors Area; zoom in to see more detail:
We stopped by the main visitor center:
Park road:
Hall of Horrors hike:
Sequoia National Park: northern side
We visited Sequoia National Park in California, including the Lodgepole Visitor Center and Grill, and the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world by volume. And saw a couple of bears in a tree.
An interactive map of our route:
Relief map in the visitor center:
General Sherman Tree trail, a half mile (each way) path from the parking lot to the tree, through the Giant Forest sequoia grove:
Footprint of Sherman Tree:
Path and steps:
General Sherman tree, the largest tree in the world by volume:
Other big trees:
Tree cross section:
On the way back up the path, we saw a couple of black bears in a tree (not very close, fortunately):
Kings Canyon National Park
We visited Kings Canyon National Park in California, including the Kings Canyon Visitor Center, General Grant Tree, and a scenic drive through the canyon.
An interactive map of our route:
Relief map of the canyon:
Visitor center:
Gift store:
Sequoias:
The General Grant tree, the third largest tree in the world by volume:
Gamlin Cabin:
Kings Canyon National Park is split in two parts, separated by Sequoia National Forest, which has some rather nice scenery:
Back into Kings Canyon National Park:
And on the return trip, back into Sequoia National Forest:
A small waterfall (at this time of year):
New River Gorge National Park: Thurmond and waterfalls
We visited the Thurmond area of New River Gorge National Park, plus a scenic drive to a couple more waterfalls.
The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:
An interactive map of our route for visiting Thurmond and the waterfalls:
Waterfall on the way to Thurmond:
One-way car and rail bridge to Thurmond:
Thurmond:
Train engine:
Passport stamps:
Visitor center:
Train engine:
Historic Thurmond:
Back over the one-way bridge:
Glen Ferris falls:
New River Gorge National Park: Canyon Rim and Bridge
We visited the Canyon Rim area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Canyon Rim section has a visitor center that overlooks the iconic New River Gorge bridge, plus has a winding scenic drive down into the canyon, that passes under the bridge three times.
The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:
An interactive map of our route for visiting Canyon Rim etc:
Going over the New River Gorge Bridge:
Visitor center:
Gorge viewpoint:
Bridge viewpoint:
We did the scenic Fayette Station Road driving tour, that goes down into the gorge:
One way bridge:
A view of the New River Gorge Bridge from the one-way bridge:
New River Gorge National Park: Sandstone Falls
We visited the Sandstone Falls area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Sandstone Falls section features a 1500 feet wide waterfall on the New River.
The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:
An interactive map of our route for visiting Sandstone Falls:
“Masks are optional”; haven’t seen any mention of COVID-19 for a while:
Visitor center exhibits:
Viewpoint overlooking Sandstone Falls:
Sandstone Falls boardwalk:
New River Gorge National Park: Grandview
We visited the Grandview area of New River Gorge National Park, the newest full National Park in the US. The Grandview section overlooks a bend in the New River.
The NPS map of the whole park; click or tap to interact on their site:
An interactive map of our route for visiting Grandview:
A small visitor center:
Grand Canyon of the East:
Path to the main viewpoint:
Road to the Turkey Spur Overlook:
View:
Path with 150 steps to upper viewpoints:
Train:
