Great Sand Dunes National Park

We visited Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado:

Sign

Mountains and sand dunes:

Mountains

The picnic area parking was full of people who had inconsiderately parked there then gone to the dunes, but we found an empty amphitheater as an alternative place to have our picnic lunch:

Amphitheater

With a better view of the dunes, anyway:

Amphitheater

The visitor center was being renovated:

Visitor center

So they had a temporary visitor center building set up:

Visitor center

Jenn enjoys collecting cancelation stamps:

Cancelation stamp

And smashed pennies (with a couple of fascinated little girls watching her):

Smashed penny

The temporary gift shop:

Visitor center

Then we headed out to the sand dunes:

Sand dunes

A selfie:

Jenn and David

We rented a couple of sand sleds from the KOA RV park:

Jenn with sand sleds

Sand dunes:

Sand dunes

Jenn:

Jenn

Sand dunes:

Sand dunes

Jenn preparing to slide:

Jenn preparing to slide

Me with a sand sled:

David with a sand sled

Jenn waxing her sand sled:

Jenn waxing sand sled

Selfie:

David

A video of Jenn sliding down a sand dune, and wiping out at the end:

Sandy Jenn:

Jenn

Jenn

Kite:

Kite

Beard in the wind:

David

Grasses and rainy mountains:

Grasses

Log and dunes:

Log

The dunes with the stream in the foreground:

Sand dunes

Impressive sand dunes, and a fun experience.

Rocky Mountain National Park day 1

We visited Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado:

Sign

In the Beaver Meadows visitor center, a relief map:

Relief map

A line to get into the park, which was using a two-hour window timed entry system:

Line

We headed along Bear Lake Road, and stopped for a picnic by a creek:

Jenn

Rocky Mountains:

Rocky Mountains

Another stop at Sprague Lake:

Sprague Lake sign

Sprague Lake stream

Fish in the stream:

Fish

Sprague Lake:

Sprague Lake

Sprague Lake

Selfie

Sprague Lake

Bridge

An accessible campsite:

Accessible campsite

Sprague Lake

Sprague Lake

Rocky Mountains

We enjoy winding dirt roads… so headed up the one-way Old Fall River Road:

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

Old Fall River Road

The dirt road ends at the Alpine Visitor Center:

Old Fall River Road

Alpine Visitor Center:

Alpine Visitor Center

Alpine Visitor Center

Jenn

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Rocky Mountains

Elk:

Elk

Outside the park, more elk on the side of the road:

Elk

Elk

We also saw a moose:

Moose

Moose

Moose

Golfing to the Sun and waterfalls in Glacier National Park

Once the family arrived at the campground, we did another couple of trips into Glacier National Park. I didn’t go on one, but for the last trip, we all went to West Glacier Village for lunch, swag shopping, and mini golf. Then went a bit into the park to look at some waterfalls.

The Café:

Café

Burger:

Burger

Gift shop:

Gift shop

Golfing to the Sun mini golf:

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

Golfing to the Sun

I got a hole in one on the 18th hole; yay!

Golfing to the Sun

A bear makes rude comments on the putting skill:

Golfing to the Sun

Mercantile:

Mercantile

We headed into the park:

West Entrance

Lake McDonald:

Lake McDonald

McDonald Creek:

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

A viewing deck:

Viewing deck

Viewing deck

Selfie

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek bridge:

McDonald Creek bridge

McDonald Creek

McDonald Creek

A horse tour crossing the bridge:

Horses

Horses

Horses

Horses

Lake McDonald Lodge:

Lake McDonald Lodge

Lake McDonald one last time:

Lake McDonald

Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park

We did a day-trip around the south of Glacier National Park, then along the iconic Going-to-the-Sun Road through the park.

Here’s an interactive route map with some of our stops marked, going counter-clockwise:

Highway 2 south of Glacier:

Highway 2 south of Glacier

A stop at Silver Staircase Waterfall (probably more impressive at another time of year):

Silver Staircase Waterfall

Silver Staircase Waterfall

Silver Staircase Waterfall

Glacier from US-2:

Glacier from US 2

Glacier from US 2

East Glacier Park:

East Glacier Park

Whistle Stop Restaurant for lunch:

Whistle Stop Restaurant

Whistle Stop Restaurant

Whistle Stop Restaurant

Two Medicine Road:

Two Medicine Road

Glacier National Park sign:

Glacier National Park sign

Two Medicine Road:

Two Medicine Road

Two Medicine Road

Two Medicine Lake:

Two Medicine Lake

US-89 heading north towards the St Mary Visitor Center:

US 89

Roadworks:

Roadworks

US-89:

US-89

St Mary Visitor Center:

St Mary Visitor Center

St Mary Visitor Center

St Mary Visitor Center

St Mary Visitor Center

St Mary Visitor Center

St Mary Visitor Center

St Mary Visitor Center

St Mary Visitor Center

Views from Going-to-the-Sun Road, through the park:

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Going-to-the-Sun Road

An interesting van:

Interesting van

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Going-to-the-Sun Road

Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

Logan Pass

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

A closed underground restroom:

Closed underground restroom

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

A little close:

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

An iconic red bus:

Iconic red bus

Tunnel

Tunnel

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

View from Going-to-the-Sun Road

Waterfall:

Waterfall

Waterfall

Waterfall

Lake McDonald:

Lake McDonald

Roadworks:

Roadworks

Roadworks

Heading out the west entrance:

West entrance

Glacier National Park halfway

Since we had a short drive to Moose Creek, we decided to visit Glacier National Park that evening.

The park currently requires reservations to enter the main part during the day, but entry is unrestricted from 4 PM. We had reservations for every day, except that first day.

Entrance:

Entrance

West Glacier Village:

West Glacier Village

West Glacier Café:

West Glacier Café

Golfing to the Sun mini golf:

Golfing to the Sun

Entrance sign:

Entrance sign

Entrance station:

Entrance station

Our annual pass expired (since we’ve been doing this for a year), so it was time to get a new one. Great value for us:

New annual pass

Apgar visitor center:

Apgar visitor center

Passport stamp station, with phone chargers provided; nice of them:

Passport stamp and phone chargers

The visitor center:

Visitor center

An iconic red bus:

Red bus

Views along Going-to-the-Sun Road:

Views

Views

Views

Tunnel

Views

Wildfire smoke:

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Waterfall

Logan Pass visitor center, halfway along the road, and at the continental divide:

Logan Pass visitor center

Logan Pass visitor center

Stamp

Logan Pass visitor center

Flowers

Flowers

Flowers

Heading back down the hill:

Views

Views

Views

Views

Views

Lake

North Cascades National Park

We went up to Concrete, Washington — almost to Canada — just to check off another national park, North Cascades.

A rather nice entrance sign:

ENtrance sign

A map of the Newhalem area:

Map

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Jenn enjoys getting the passport cancellation stamps:

Passport cancellation station

A helpful sign:

Helpful sign

Do not touch the bear:

Do not touch the bear

Relief map:

Relief map

Displays:

Displays

Displays

Boardwalk to a viewpoint:

Boardwalk to viewpoint

View

View

We had a picnic lunch there:

Picnic

A tunnel:

Tunnel

Another tunnel:

Another tunnel

A bridge:

Bridge

Mountains:

Mountains

Mountains

Viewpoint at Diablo Lake:

Viewpoint at Diablo Lake

The lake is a fascinating color:

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Selfie

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

Diablo Lake

A very dusty road, due to roadworks:

Dusty road

Lake:

Lake

Outside the park, a Wilderness Information Center:

Wilderness Info Center

Relief map:

Relief map

The reason for visiting it, another passport cancellation station:

Passport cancellation station

Wilderness Info Center

Crater Lake National Park

We visited Crater Lake National Park in Oregon.

Crater Lake is Oregon’s only national park. We’ve been there a few times before, and no doubt will be back many times.

If you haven’t been to Crater Lake, you haven’t experienced the color blue.

One thing we haven’t yet done is drive all the way around the lake. The East Rim Drive is closed most of the year; it only opens late in summer, it feels like only for a few weeks, though is probably longer. One day we’ll make it at the right time!

Here’s a map showing the open and closed portions:

Crater Lake map

Crater Lake sign:

Crater Lake sign

Road:

Road

Snow:

Snow

Snow

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Picnic:

Crater Lake

Boat:

Crater Lake

Bikes

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Selfie

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Road closed:

Road closed

Snow:

Snow

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Visitor center:

Visitor center

Visitor center

Store:

Store

Visitor center

Relief map:

Relief map

Crater Lake Lodge, currently being renovated:

Crater Lake Lodge, currently being renovated

Squirrel:

Squirrel

Crater Lake:

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Selfie

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake

Crater Lake