Santa Cruz Island is just about 23 miles off the coast of Ventura, California and accessible by boat. Island Packers is the National Park Service concessionaire who offers daily service to the islands. With the recent rainstorms in southern California, the Channel Islands are alive with waterfalls and blooming flowers. Hiking through the islands allows... Continue Reading →
Death Valley National Park's northern roads are much less travel these days since Scotty's Castle has been closed for the past couple of years (and will remain closed at least until 2019). The castle was closed due to severe mudslides during an intense rainstorm several years ago. There are still several features In northern Death... Continue Reading →
The Keane Wonder Mine at Death Valley National Park is open once again after a 10-year closure for safety concerns. Visitors are allowed to hike once again up this steep hillside to explore the mine ruins. The trail, which is approximately 2 miles long, is difficult to follow, due to the lack of use over... Continue Reading →
This was my second camping trip over to Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands National Park. We again took Island Packers over for the hour and a half voyage to the island. Upon arriving at Scorpion Anchorage, we walked approximately 1/4 mile to our campground. Our campsite #17 was perfectly sheltered in a nearby... Continue Reading →
For several years of coming to Death Valley National Park, I have wanted to make the 26 mile dirt, gravel, and rock road trip to the Race Track Playa. This road is infamous as a tire eater, and there is no chance I wanted to take my truck through this adventure. This year, I booked... Continue Reading →
We are coming up on our annual winter trip to Death Valley National Park. This has been a destination for our family for several years. This year, I will post the highlights of our trip after returning home for all to enjoy and to help plan your trip to Death Valley. First, accommodations are sometimes... Continue Reading →
The summer months often bring temperatures of 100 plus degrees to the deserts of the southwest. All too often we hear of lost hikers, heat stroke, or other heat related ailments from hiking and recreation in the desert. Recently, search crews worked for over a week and a half to find two missing hikers in... Continue Reading →
Here are some images from our various trips to our National Parks. Nowhere else in the world will you find such a diverse collection of settings, as in the US National Parks. I hope you enjoy!
The Road Travelers 