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 →
Keane Wonder Mine: Death Valley Golden Treasure
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 →
A Weekender in Cleveland
Cleveland offers a little bit of everything: scenic beauty, rock and roll, history, sports, and fine museums. I had the opportunity to travel to Cleveland for a three day weekender with my son, and we had the opportunity to see a lot in those three days. It was the first time there for both of... Continue Reading →
Hike Prepared: Your Life Depends On It
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 →
Great Basin National Park: From Top to Bottom
This past week's trip to the Great Basin National Park was my second journey to this remote destination in eastern Nevada. I did write a blog based on my last trip, but I wanted to provide some more detail on this page. Just like last time, we set up camp at the Wheeler Peak Campground.... Continue Reading →
Oahu (Part 1) Waimea Valley: A Little Slice of Paradise
My wife and I decided back in the winter to take a trip to Oahu for our 14th Anniversary. This is her first time traveling to Hawaii, and my 3rd. When setting up our schedule, we wanted to have a balance of relaxation, yet not miss any of the "must see" places on the island.... Continue Reading →
Off the Beaten Path: Great Basin National Park
As with several of the national park trips I have taken with my family, when I mention how we love the Great Basin National Park, people look at me with amazement and wonder. First of all, it should be understood that this park is not the easiest to get to (even though there is fairly... Continue Reading →
Island Adventure: Camping on Channel Islands National Park
SANTA CRUZ (SCORPION RANCH)--- CHANNEL ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK My latest adventure took me off the road and onto a boat, traveling to the Channel Islands National Park. Specifically, I went to Santa Cruz Island (Scorpion Campground). Santa Cruz Island is one of five islands in the national park, off the coast of southern California. Island... Continue Reading →