We took a drive into Yosemite National Park to visit the Hetch Hetchy reservoir.
national park
National parks that we have visited.
Yosemite National Park: Yosemite Valley
After arriving at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes, we took a drive into Yosemite National Park to visit the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center, and take some photos of some interesting rocks.
Yosemite Valley, with Half Dome visible:
Tunnel:
Waterfall (barely flowing at the end of summer):
El Capitan:
Waterfall:
Historic church:
Welcome Center:
Yosemite Valley map:
We had dinner at the grill, with a couple of ravens watching us (and looking like sitting on my shoulder for a moment):
Heading out of Yosemite Valley:
We headed back into the valley a few days later, and explored some more stuff:
Ansel Adams Gallery:
Exploration Center and Theater (the movie was worth a watch):
Indian Village:
Lassen Volcanic National Park
We visited Lassen Volcanic National Park again. The main visitor center was closed, but the museum was open, so we went there first:
And unlike last time, the road through the park was open, so we enjoyed the sights:
The Sulphur Works area was like a tiny Yellowstone. I know many people don’t like the sulphur smell, but we enjoy it, probably thanks to that association (and with Rotorua in New Zealand):
It was nice to be able to see more of the park this time.
Gateway Arch National Park
We visited Gateway Arch National Park in St. Louis, Missouri.
The NPS map:
An interactive map:
Map sign:
Old Courthouse, currently being renovated:
Gateway Arch:
Inside the visitor center, a model tram; eight of these go up and down each leg of the arch:
Exhibits:
A model of the observation area at the top of the arch:
Line to the top:
Boarding pass:
Waiting for the tram:
Our tram:
Looking through the windows in the tram doors to the inside of the arch:
Trams at top:
Top of the arch:
630 feet high:
Jenn taking a photo out an observation window:
Views from top:
Shadow of the arch:
Waiting for the tram for the journey down:
Selfie in the tram:
Inside the arch:
Out of the tram:
Tram waiting area:
Arch store:
Arch cafe for a snack:
Under the arch:
A rather unique national park.
Mammoth Cave National Park
We visited Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. It is notable as the longest cave system in the world, with over 400 miles of passages.
Visitor center:
Mammoth cave has several guided tours available. We did the “Domes and Dripstones” tour, which required taking buses to a cave entrance:
Down into a sinkhole:
Cave entrance:
Looking down:
Underground ranger talk:
Not too bad a picture of me:
Lots of steps:
Historic graffiti:
Very flat cave ceiling:
Ranger talk area:
More steps:
The “Frozen Niagara” formation:
Vertical panorama of a dome:
An interesting cave, but we’ve seen nicer-looking ones. Just shows that size isn’t everything.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
We visited Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina over several days, starting with a long drive from Pigeon Forge, north of the park, to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center at the southern side of the park (plus a bit further to the southernmost visitor center of the Blue Ridge Parkway; see a separate post about that).
The NPS map; click or tap to interact:
An interactive map of our route:
Parking tag required:
Elk were re-introduced to the park in 2001:
Oconaluftee Visitor Center:
Farm exhibits:
Elk in front of elk sign:
An interactive map of our route for our second visit, to the Sugarlands Visitor Center and Clingmans Dome:
Sugarlands Visitor Center:
Clingmans Dome:
Passport stamp:
Split rock:
Path to the lookout; we decided not to go up there:
View:
An interactive map of our route for our third visit, to Cades Cove:
Horses:
Old church:
View:
Visitor Center:
Old farm buildings:
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:
