Voyageurs National Park is located in Northern Minnesota on the Canadian border. The large network of lakes and boreal forests create a remote and ecologically diverse park. The park name commemorates the French-Canadian fur traders, called “voyageurs” who were the first European settlers in the region, but the region has been occupied for 10,000 years … More Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota
Isle Royal is the largest island in Lake Superior, located near the Canadian border. Although we accessed the island by sea plane departing from Grand Marais, Minnesota, the island is technically part of northern Michigan. It is an UNESCO International Biosphere Reserve and due to its remote location, the landscape is pristine. Indigenous people including … More Isle Royal National Park, Michigan
Road trips are our thing. We love long drives, the expanse of the open road, the literal and metaphorical space to just think. We needed this road trip for our mental health. Feeling stuck for two months in places that were not our own while our travel plans for the next four months crumbled apart … More National Park Road Trip
North Cascades National Park is basically the Glacier National Park of Washington, featuring dramatic peaks, alpines lakes, and glaciers along the Canadian border. The park is bisected by the Skagit River, which unfortunately has a series of dams along it. The North Cascades Ranges is the most expansive glacial system in the contiguous United States … More North Cascades National Park, Washington
After visiting my family in the Bay Area, we made our way north to visit Lassen Volcanic National Park and Redwoods National Park. We wanted to see Crater Lake on our way north to the Washington parks, but it was still closed. So instead, we opted to take the coastal Highway 101 along the Oregon … More Oregon Coast Scenic Drive
Channel Islands National Park is located just off the coast of Ventura, California. It is a series of islands protected for the variety of species each boasts. We sat awhile on the beach watching surfers and scanning the horizon for the islands. Unfortunately due to COVID, the only boat service wasn’t operating so we couldn’t … More Channel Islands National Park and Pacific Grove, California
Mount Rainier National Park surrounds the majestic Mount Rainier, a 14,411 foot tall stratovolcano. Mount Rainier is the highest point in the Cascade Range and is covered with more than 25 glaciers. The Carbon Glacier on Mount Rainier is the largest glacier by volume in the contiguous United States. Climbers who attempt to summit this … More Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Olympic National Park is located on the Olympic Peninsula if northwestern Washington. The park features alpine areas with the Olympic Mountains and glaciers, temperate rainforests, drier forests, and pacific coastline. These three distinct ecosystems form the stunning scenery of the park. The Hoh people are native to the region. The rainforests are filled with old-growth … More Olympic National Park, Washington
Lassen Volcanic National Park features Lassen Peak, the largest plug dome volcano in the world. The area surrounding Lassen Peak is still volcanically active with boiling mud pots, hot springs, and fumaroles. Sulphur Works geothermal area is just off the scenic highway through the park and is basically a mini-Yellowstone. Lassen Peak had a series … More Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
Redwoods National Park is part of a large conglomerate of multiple California state parks and the national park itself, protecting 45% of the remaining coastal redwood old-growth forests in Northern California. The forests are considered temperate rainforests and are home to the tallest and some of the oldest tree species on earth. Redwood trees used … More Redwoods National Park, California