A brief video of birds and a sunset at Meaher State Park in Alabama.
park
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve
White in New Orleans, we visited a couple of units of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve.
The first unit was the French Quarter visitor center in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana.
Another unit was Chalmette Battlefield, site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815:
Natchez Trace Parkway
We drove along about 140 miles of the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. A weird park barely wider than the road, with thousands of years of history.
Though we drove both ways on that portion, so a total of about 280 miles, plus some detours, over two days.
We also drove past Elvis Presley’s birthplace and Tupelo National Battlefield, and visited Meriwether Lewis National Monument.
An interactive map (see the NPS site for the full route map):
Tupelo:
Back to the Parkway:
Alabama state line:
Tennessee River:
Tennessee State Line:
Meriwether Lewis National Monument, where Lewis of Lewis & Clark died and was buried:
Laurel Hill Road:
Sunset:
A nice scenic drive, with some interesting stops.
Garvan Woodland Gardens
We visited Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Map:
An interactive map:
An impressive architectural feature is Anthony Chapel, which we had to quickly visit as it was about to be closed for a wedding:
A waterfall:
Model trains:
This was in early November, so they were in the process of adding holiday decorations:
An impressive treehouse:
A very nice garden, highly recommended.
Hot Springs National Park
We visited Hot Springs National Park, an urban park in the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Map:
Convenient free parking:
The main feature of this national park is “Bathhouse Row”, a series of historic bathhouses that used the natural hot water of the area; some of which still operate today.
Buckstaff Baths is one that still offers bathing; Jenn did a traditional bath and massage package here:
Ozark:
Quapaw Baths is another that still operates; Jenn did a more modern spa package here:
Lamar:
This bathhouse contains a gift store:
The Maurice:
The Hale:
The Fordyce contains the park visitor center:
Floor plan:
Stained glass windows:
Historic bathhouse exhibits:
Machinery in the basement:
Spring in the basement:
Locker room:
Ladies lounge:
Exhibits:
Gym:
Info exhibits:
A handy reference model of Bathhouse Row:
Superior Baths contains a restaurant and brewery — the only brewery on national park land:
Menu:
Trolley:
Hot fountain:
Hot spring:
The Grand Promenade:
Hot spring:
Arlington Hotel:
We also visited the nearby Hot Springs Mountain Tower, with a view of downtown.
Approaching the tower:
A switchback road to the tower:
Info sign:
Token to go up the elevator:
There are two viewing levels; the lower one is enclosed:
Upstairs is an outdoor viewing level:
Parking area:
View of downtown:
A bit different than the usual national park.
Lake Dardanelle State Park
We stayed at Lake Dardanelle State Park in Russellville, Arkansas. (Campground Reviews listing.)
A delightful lake and campground. The nuclear power station across the lake was totally fine.
Dates:
- Check in: 2023-10-22
- Check out: 2023-10-29
- 7 night
Weather:
- Cloudy, rain on last few days
- High temps ranging between 74-82°F, lows around 59-66°F
- Negligible wind
Noise:
- No road noise
- Distant train noise (across lake), minimal horns
- A little neighbor noise
Site:
- #1, back in, asphalt
- Needed to disconnect toad, parked in front
- A little unlevel side-to-side; used hydraulic jacks
- Asphalt driveway about 60 feet long by about 12 feet wide
- No site on passenger side; grass and big trees, about 30 feet wide
- Grass and big trees on driver site, about 40 feet wide
- Concrete patio, about 20 x 12 feet, with picnic table and charcoal grill
- Fire pit
- Two tent pads
- Clean site
Utilities:
- 50 amp power, super-conveniently located
- 65 PSI water, super-conveniently located
- Unthreaded sewer connection, somewhat conveniently located (2 10-foot pipes needed)
Internet (in usage priority order):
- T-Mobile: 55 Mbps down, 17-37 Mbps up, 68 ms ping
- Verizon: 25 Mbps down, 18-24 Mbps up, 98 ms ping
- AT&T: 105 Mbps down, 15 Mbps up, 70 ms ping
- Starlink: not used
- Campground Wi-Fi: none
Amenities:
- Trash and recycling bins nearby
- Lake
Our review on Campground Reviews:
Delightful state park by a lake
We had a back-in site on Loop A, with a nice view of trees and the lake…and the nuclear reactor cooling tower. This is fine. We were also there during the monthly testing of the emergency evacuation siren. This was also fine. Other than that, it was pretty peaceful. The site was a bit unlevel side-to-side, but not too bad. Walking by the lake and taking the trails through the forest was pleasant. We would absolutely stay here again and try to get sites 10, 12, 14, or 16 that back onto the lake. We camped at Lake Dardanelle State Park in a Motorhome.
Campground map:
An interactive map (you may need to scroll it, as the campground might be off the top of the map; look for Campsite Road opposite Ramp Loop):
Our site:
We used our pop-up tent, as there were some bugs (though not as bad as some places):
There was a tent pad connected to the site by a short path (a little hard to see under the leaves):
The power and water utilities were super-convenient; the power was right next to the power on our coach, and the water was right next to the wet bay. The sewer needed two 10 foot hoses, which is fine:
The site post, with a rotating Reserved/Available sign, and a yellow note we added to let the camp host know we’d checked in:
The leveling control panel when we first arrived, showing a side-to-side slope:
Other sites:
This pull-through site at the end of the road, #16, would probably be the best site, with unobstructed water views:
This (#14) would also be an excellent choice:
A Tiffin Allego Bus in site #12:
Another nice site (#10):
Garbage and recycling bins near our site:
The lake:
Nuclear One across the lake; it actually has two power plants — the first uses the lake water for cooling, and the second uses this cooling tower:
Evacuation sign:
Lots of squirrels roaming the grounds:
Swampy area:
A blue heron, swallowing a fish:
Bathrooms under construction:
The nearby marina:
Meadowbrook trail:
Sunset:
A very nice state park. We’d be happy to stay here again, hopefully in one of the sites at the end of the road (see the pictures above).
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
We visited Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Amarillo, Texas. The second largest canyon in the country.
Entrance:
Canyon view:
Visitor center:
Heading down into the canyon:
Store:
Merry Christmas; New Orleans Celebration in the Oaks
Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, or Happy Holidays!
To mark the occasion, here’s a post out of sequence. We stayed in New Orleans around Thanksgiving this year, and while there attended the New Orleans City Park’s Celebration in the Oaks holiday lights. The blog posts about New Orleans aren’t scheduled to be published until February (yes, I’m rather behind; we do things faster than I can post about them!). But I figured I could bring this one forward to a more appropriate time.
This holiday celebration has driving and walking options; we did both. Here’s a map of the routes:
We started with the driving portion, where one drives along roads in the park that have holiday light decorations:
A timelapse video from my 360 camera of the drive:
We then parked at the mini golf in the park, and played a round (Jenn won):
Then proceeded to the walking part, wandering around the New Orleans Botanical Garden and environs, with lots of holiday lights:
Jenn reaching for a star:
A cute narrated Cajun Night Before Christmas story, with synchronized lights:
An amusing New Orleans variation of 12 Days of Christmas:
Model trains:
Amusement park rides were also included, but we didn’t participate in any (considered the train, but it was full, and the carousel, but didn’t want to wait):
It is a nice historical carousel, though:
A fun festive evening. Always interesting to see local variations of holiday lights.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
Video: Scott City, Kansas to Guymon, Oklahoma motorhome travel timelapse
A timelapse of driving our RV, a Tiffin Allegro Bus motorhome, 163 miles from Scott City, Kansas to Guymon, Oklahoma, with some additional footage from my 360 camera, mounted on the truck being towed behind our coach.
Travel from Scott City, Kansas to Guymon, Oklahoma
We drove our coach 163 miles, about 3 hours of driving, from Scott City, Kansas to Guymon, Oklahoma.
Here’s a map showing our route, heading south:
An interactive map:
Our coach by the lake, before hooking up our truck:
Toaded:
We stopped by the dumpsters to take out the trash on the way out:
Departing the park:
Paladin in his safe space next to the passenger chair:
Scott City:
A clever idea to use the water tower as a cell tower:
There were lots of oversize load trucks on this route, including several with really long wind turbine blades:
And other things:
A brief bathroom stop (using the bathroom in our coach, of course):
More wind turbine blades and farm equipment:
Presumably a radar sphere:
Another one:
A lunch stop at a Subway at a gas station:
Another oversize load:
Paladin in his safe spot:
A pedestrian bridge in the ironically named Liberal, Kansas:
Oklahoma state line, and some roadworks:
Oklahoma sign:
This water tower reminded me of the famous Warner Bros one:
Hooker, Oklahoma (the Wikipedia article says the motto is “It’s a location, not a vocation”):
Half the main road through town closed for roadworks:
Our destination:
