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Mesa Verde National Park

Wondering what tour to take while visiting Mesa Verde National Park? It is always a good idea to plan ahead. Visit the NPS website for the park, here. This is the best place to learn about what tours are currently available and what areas of the park may be closed. Then head to Recreation.gov to make your reservations! I recommend downloading the app and checking it often. Different parks have different booking windows and tours often sell out very quickly. Here is what we found to do!

Entering the Park

The park entrance sign and visitor center are located right off Colorado Route 160. The location of the visitor center can be found here. The furthest cliff dwellings are an hour’s drive from the visitor center, make sure you take this into account when planning your arrival time.

Where we stayed

One option to break up the driving and immerse yourself in Mesa Verde is to stay at the Far View Lodge. This is the only in-park lodging, located a half hour from the visitor center. We spent 2 nights here in 2021 and were very pleased with our stay.

After our second day in the park, we dined in the Metate Dining room (reservations recommended, more info here) located in the Lodge’s registration building. The entire family loved their meals which contained a lot of locally inspired flavors.

Above is the view at sunset from our balcony at Far View Lodge. Not only did the lodge’s location get us closer to the cliff dwellings and maximize our time in the park, but the real show occurred after dark. Mesa Verde sits at the center of the darkest skies remaining in the contiguous United States.

Driving Mesa Top Ruins Road

Day 1, after leaving the visitor center and before checking into Far View Lodge around 4:00 pm, we made some stops along Mesa Top Ruins Road.

Knife Edge

From the Montezuma Valley Overlook, the remnants of an old park road can be viewed.

Park Point

Another pull-off along Mesa Top Ruins Road was Park Point. Here you are 8572 feet above sea level. It is the highest point in the park. On a clear day, 3 different mountain ranges are in view. We had haze due to forest fires in the west but it was still a great spot to stretch our legs on the short paved path up to the fire tower.

After checking in at the lodge, we ventured out to see our first cliff dwellings! From the lodge, there are two routes to cliff dwellings. Mesa Top Ruins Road continues for ten minutes from the lodge and splits into 2 loops just after the Spruce Tree House area. The left loop takes you to Cliff Palace, perhaps the park’s most famous dwellings. The right loop takes you to Square Tower House. Both loops contain several other stops as well.

The other route from the lodge is Wetherill Mesa Road. Though closed in 2023, this was the route we took to see Long House and Step House in 2021.

Spruce Tree House

We arrived at our first cliff dwelling during magic hour. The sandstone was beautifully bathed in the light of the setting sun. The view of Spruce Tree House below is just a short walk from the main parking lot. Also, accessible from this area are the Petroglyph Point trail and the Chapin Mesa Museum.

Cliff Palace from Sun Temple

In 2020, the portion of Mesa Top Ruins Road that looped by Balcony House and Cliff Palace was closed. There is a great view of Cliff Palace from the Mesa Top Loop Road, however. By driving this loop and stopping at Sun Temple, we were able to view Cliff Palace at sunset and then again the next day shortly after sunrise.

Square Tower House

For our second day at the park, we started with the view of Cliff Palace from Sun Temple shown above and then headed around the Mesa Top Loop again to tour Square Tower House. This was one of the tours we booked in advance and due to the small size of the group, this tour sells out fast. It was totally worth it if you have the opportunity to go!

View of Square Tower accessible to everyone.

Reaching Square Tower required 3 different ladders!

The view looking away from Square Tower House

More information for the Square Tower House tour can be found here.

Long House

Located on Wetherill Mesa, parking for Long House was 40 minutes away from where we ended our Square Tower House tour. It was fairly easy to do both on the same day. We booked the Square Tower tour first for 8:30 am. Then booked the Long House tour for 1:00 pm. Even with the drive between the two mesas, this gave us time to grab a quick lunch from our room between the two tours. Cliff Palace tours were not running in 2021 and Long House tours are not running in 2023 so make sure to always check the NPS site for the most up-to-date information.

The meeting point for the Long House tour was a 20-minute walk on a paved walkway from the parking lot. The trail to Long House is another 10-minute walk beyond that, so be sure to leave yourself enough time.

Rangers are located at different stops along the path through Long House. This was different from the single ranger that accompanied us to Square Tower. There were a lot more people on this tour but there were enough rangers to answer our questions. We were the first group, of the first tour, for the afternoon. Since there were no tours before us, it felt like we had the place to ourselves. If booking, you may want to select the first tour after lunch as well to have a more intimate experience.

Step House

Also located on Wetherill Mesa, this area is a self-guided walk-through a lesser-preserved cliff dwelling. Though not as intricate as Square Tower, Cliff Palace, or Long House this did not require an advanced ticket. The entrance is close to the parking lot for Long House so we checked it out before heading back to Far View for dinner.

Far View Area

One last stop was a small village of dwellings near the lodge, referred to as the Far View community. The Far View sites were believed to be established before the development of cliff dwellings by the Ancestral Pueblo people.

On day 3 we left the park early in the morning to head to our next destinations, the Four Corners Monument and Navajo Tribal Park, Hovenweep National Monument, Newspaper Rock, and finally Moab, Utah where we planned to hike the next day to Delicate Arch! Sign up below to follow along!

Death Valley National Park-Two days to see the largest park in the continental US

Death Valley National Park is absolutely stunning! The vistas are varied. The mountains are majestic. The landscape is light and airy. We traveled to the California desert in February. This time of year the temperatures were cool and sunny; daytime highs were in the 70’s and the nighttime lows were in the 40’s. The weather was perfect for hiking and we did not encounter the crowds that are so often present during the summer in the parks. It was a very enjoyable trip. Here is what we found to do!

Sunrise at Zabriskie Point

We arrived at the park after dark the first night, greeted only by the luminous stars in the sky! I could not wait to see what the landscape we drove through the night before looked like. I was the first one up, well before the sun, and I convinced my 14-year-old to join me for sunrise at Zabriskie Point.

It was a chilly morning. Zabriskie Point is one of the most famous viewpoints in the park and should not be missed. The trail from the parking area to the overlook is less than half a mile but it does climb uphill. There is also a trailhead to the Gower Gulch Trail from this parking lot if you wish to avoid the crowds and cross the landscape to Golden Canyon. Information about looping this trail for a longer hike can be found at the NPS site here.

The spectacular colors painted over Badwater Basin and the Panamint Mountains as the sun rises.

The Ranch at Death Valley

Getting an early start is helped by staying in the park. We chose The Ranch at Death Valley. It is located in the Furnace Creek area on the east side of the park. The hotel room style accommodations were cramped but worth it for the location. Also on the grounds were a small grocery/gift shop, a couple of restaurants, a pool, a golf course, and a gas station. Make sure you fill up outside of the park, however, the cost of gas was over $7 a gallon (in 2022). The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is right next door.

Dante’s View

After returning from our sunrise trip, the whole family set out for Dante’s view. We retraced our drive from the previous night and took in the beautiful scenery. This also gave us a chance for a photo in front of the park sign!

Dante’s View was a 35-minute drive from the Ranch. It provided sweeping views of Badwater Basin below. Telescope Peak in the mountains across the valley was topped with snow. We walked to the end of the point at Dante’s view and then along the ridge trail toward Mount Perry. We had solitude and sunshine the whole way.

20 Mule Canyon

Driving northwest again on Rt 190 to head back toward Furnace Creek, we took the turnoff to drive through 20 Mule Canyon. This wasn’t one of my must-see stops but it was a very pleasant surprise! Again, we were alone on this 2.8 mile packed dirt road. At one point we pulled over and walked a bit on the parched land. This was the site of one of many borax mines; the shiny white traces of the mineral still present just beneath the surface in spots.

Coming from cold, grey days in western New York, it was very nice to just sit in the sun for a few minutes and enjoy the view.

Badwater Basin

This was my favorite stop of the day! We descended from an elevation of 5,575 feet at Dante’s View to 282 feet below sea level in Badwater Basin! I had been really looking forward to seeing the odd geometric shapes in the salt flats. This was the busiest spot we checked out that day and we also arrived around 1:00 pm, probably the busiest time of day. Venturing off the boardwalk, it seemed like the salt flats were too worn down by walkers to present the way I envisioned. I tightened my hat even tighter, it was really windy, and set out to pass all the people milling about to see if I could find a spot less trampled.

Success! I probably walked a little over a mile until there was no one in front of me anymore. The wind was still blowing fiercely but the warm sun kept it from chilling me. I was alone with the weird geometric salt pan spread out before me. Soon my family caught up and I snapped plenty of photos while they giggled in the windy playground of parched earth.

Here, the lowest point in America and the highest point in the continental United States are only 84 miles apart. The fascinating shapes on the ground below my feet are formed when groundwater rises up through the earth and evaporates, leaving behind the salty residuals from an ancient inland sea.

Natural Bridge

Driving back up Badwater Road now, there were so many spots to check out! Our next stop was the road to Natural Bridge. Though unpaved, we were able to make it the 1.5 miles with our rental van without a problem. From the parking lot, the trail to Natural Bridge is just under 1-mile, all uphill. The beautiful blue skies were a nice contrast to the canyon walls.

This was a short stop but definitely worth it in my opinion.

Devil’s Golf Course

Another quick stop, the Devil’s Golf Course was named for the odd and sometimes dangerously sharp mounds of salt that, again, form from the rising and evaporating groundwater.

Artist’s Drive

Another detour off Badwater Road that is worth taking is Artist’s Drive. We made several stops along this scenic route.

About 3 miles into the 9-mile artist’s drive, there is a little pull-off on the right. You will not find this canyon on the map but there is room for a few cars to park and explore this secret canyon here.

We hiked no more than half a mile in, but the kids enjoyed the rock scrambling along the way.

After leaving our secret canyon, the next stop was Artist’s Palette. The sun was getting lower in the sky which really brought the colorful hills alive.

Artist’s Palette is a commonly photographed vista in Death Valley. The different colors are caused by the oxidation of different minerals. Iron turns red, Manganese turns purple, and Mica turns green. Just like us, the hills glow when just dressed up a little.

Golden Canyon

Our last stop on our first day was Golden Canyon. The Golden Canyon Trail would have taken us right back to Zabriskie Point where our day started but we were losing daylight and only hiked in about a mile before retracing our steps. The whole network of trails through this area can be found here.

Golden Canyon is also of special interest to Star Wars fans. It was here that the Jawas carried R2-D2 away in the 1977 film, A New Hope.

My family enjoyed the scenery, even if the droids were no longer around.

It was a very busy, very satisfying first day in Death Valley. We headed back to the lodge as the sun set to lay out plans for Day 2.

Rt 190

No trip to Death Valley can take place without driving the long expanse of road known as California route 190. This road crosses the park covering some 81 miles from the eastern park entrance sign to the western park entrance sign. We drove the whole distance, some of the most visually pleasing images of that drive are shown below.

Salt Creek

Our first hike on day 2 was the Salt Creek Interpretive Trail. This .5 mile lollipop loop trail traces the quiet Salt Creek, home of the Salt Creek Pupfish. From the parking lot, a boardwalk path snakes over and around Salt Creek, which flows in winter and spring. The playful-looking pupfish were easy to spot in the creek. The have adapted to very warm waters as well as salinity twice that of the ocean.

It was here, along Salt Creek, that the persistence of life really becomes obvious. Death Valley, despite its name, is not a harsh desert wasteland at all. It is full of plants and animals uniquely adapted to their environment, scratching out their lives, finding a way to survive. It should serve as a good reminder to humans that life is both fragile and resilient, that our environments dictate our success based on our unique strengths, and that unlike the pupfish, we can change that.

Mesquite Sand Dunes

As a kid, I thought desert meant sand as far as the eye can see. Though I have visited many desert regions, I had not encountered inland sand dunes until a trip to Great Sand Dune National Park in Colorado. The Mesquite Sand Dunes were just as grand. We arrived early to view the ripples in the sand free of foot prints, it was majestic.

U2 Joshua Tree Shrine

On a lark, I looked up the coordinates for the site of the U2 photo shoot for the album Joshua Tree. I learned that the tree was gone, but that a shrine had been erected amongst its decaying branches. I had to check it out.

Located just outside the western park entrance, the drive there itself was spectacular. I love Joshua Trees. If you do too, you can view more of them by visiting my post on what to do in Joshua Tree National Park here. I was pleasantly surprised to drive into the proper environmental conditions again in Death Valley and to see the trees with a dusting of fresh snow against the equally powdered mountains.

The shrine was easy to find and felt so adventurous! The GPS coordinates led to an open expanse, we just pulled off of CA 190 and started walking. If you are a fan of the band this is a cool stop to check out!

Darwin Falls

There is water in Death Valley! We took a rough dirt road two and a half-mile off the main route to get to the trailhead for Darwin Falls. We then hiked the roughly 1-mile trail to the waterfall.

My family was having a difficult time believing me when I said we were hiking to a waterfall. The hike started up the canyon through a dry creek bed. After half a mile, there was some green in the vegetation and we even saw some flowers blooming….but still not water.

Eventually, and almost out of nowhere, the ground became damp. The trees grew taller. We could hear and see songbirds! At about 18 feet high, Darwin Falls was indeed a unique spot to explore in Death Valley.

Devil’s Corn Field

A quick stop along Rt 190, these Arrowweed shrubs grow in formations that resemble bundled corn. Almost looking like they are planted in neat rows, this was an interesting enough roadside attraction to stop at and take a photo with the mountains behind them.

Sunset over the Mesquite Sand Dunes

The sun was setting on another adventure. The kids wanted to hit Mesquite Sand Dunes one more time in order to act out their own version of Luke Skywalker staring off into a Tatooine sunset (0r two, they believed the second sun was hidden behind the clouds). Cue in Binary Sunset by John Williams, I think they captured it pretty well.

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Weekend Getaway in Tucker County West Virginia

Getting there

This trip fulfilled a long time dream… traveling with my best friend and her family! A journey filled with stops, good music, and constant conversation is part of the fun! Tucker county was a 5-hour drive from home so we picked a picnic spot just over halfway there for lunch and a little sightseeing. Ohiopyle State Park was the perfect fit, definitely a destination in itself. On this trip, we checked out the Tharp Knob Picnic Area and Cucumber Falls. Perhaps this will be a destination in itself in the future!

View from Tharp Knob with the town of Ohiopyle below.

Ohiopyle State Park is full of recreational activities. We just picnicked and explored one of the many waterfalls while stretching our legs. Both Tharp Knob and Cucumber Falls were short stops right off of Ohiopyle Road. You could see the view or the waterfall in as little as 15 minutes or relax at either for the whole afternoon.

A great stop on our way to West Virginia, Ohiopyle State Park!

Where to Stay in Tucker County

For this trip, we rented a home through Airbnb. I have found that areas of the country that have ski resorts are great places to look for vacation rentals in the summer months. There are often a lot of places to choose from even just a month or two in advance. If you are looking for a last-minute summer trip, find a ski town and check out what Airbnb has to offer. We chose a home near Timberline Mountain ski resort in a private homeowners association. The location was secluded and came with the use of two ponds to kayak on (we brought our own kayaks) and access to private trails and trails in the Dolly Sods wilderness. The rental agency was easy to work with and if traveling to the area again, I would book directly with them at Mountain Top Realty.

Views around one of the private ponds in the Old Timberline community.

Private hiking trails around the second pond in the Old Timberline community.

Road from rental home leading up to the Dolly Sods wilderness area.

View from the Valley View Trail bordering the Old Timberline community and the Dolly Sods Wilderness.

Activities

One of our favorite stops in Tucker County was Blackwater Falls State Park. You can read more about our visit here.

View from Lindy Point in Blackwater Falls State Park

Another great place to explore, if you like hiking, is the Dolly Sods Wilderness. We only saw a couple of miles of this area but it is definitely worth the trip by itself.

Views from the Valley View trail en route to the Rocky Ridge trail in the Dolly Sods Wilderness

We were visiting in late June and were fortunate enough to coincide with Mountain Laural blooming at that elevation. The groves of Mountain Laurel we encountered were simply breathtaking.

Mountain Laurel Grove on the Harmon trail, just off of the Rocky Ridge trail

Everyone’s favorite activity this trip was the float trip we took down the Cheat River. We booked with Blackwater Outdoor Adventures the day before. This tour company offers both whitewater and flatwater adventures on the Cheat River near Parsons, West Virginia.

Tucker County History

With so much outdoor adventure nearby, this was a great destination for our families. Beyond the outdoors, Tucker County offers up some interesting history as well. Once an impenetrable wilderness, the first non-natives to the area were attracted by the fur trade. Next, railroad and lumber interests combined to make the area more accessible and commercial. Tucker County soon housed mills, banks, tanneries, and hotels.

By 1930, Tucker County forests had been clear cut, stripped of easily mined coal, and had no more animals valued for their fur. People had wiped it clean of any value. The town of Davis was called a stump town, there were no trees, only stumps. An area high school, built on land riddled with mine shafts, collapsed into one. Fortunately, it was a school holiday and no one was hurt.

The rise and fall happened quickly. Neither the original industry nor the destruction was in evidence on our trip. What I liked best about the area’s history was experiencing the land that rose like a phoenix out of the literal ashes firsthand. Everywhere we went was beautiful. People had stripped it bare, felt the loss, and allowed it to regrow and be repurposed. It was in the end, beautiful.

5 Favorite Hikes in Shenandoah National Park

The view from the Summit of Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park

Though there are few national parks on the east coast, Shenandoah National Park is a great one. I have visited several times and although I have not hiked all the trails (there are more than 500 miles of trails), I do have some favorites. Here is what we found to do!

Skyline drive through Shenandoah has wonderful pull-offs and interesting stone work along its 105 miles.

No trip to Shenandoah National Park would be complete without a drive along Skyline Drive. For some visitors, that is all they do. We like to venture off the road and have found hikes we like for all skill levels.

Dark Hollow Falls

A favorite to hike with kids is the Dark Hollow Falls trail. It is short, shady, and offers a 70 foot waterfall. Though pretty steep, you arrive at the falls after only .7 miles.

Though a shorter hike, snacks for kids before the way back up is a good thing to have along.

Parking for the Dark Hollow Falls trail is between mileposts 50 and 51, here. After a hike, the Byrd Visitor Center just down Skyline Drive makes a great stop.

For more information about this trail, visit the NPS site.

Stony Man

We took advantage of a free, range-led hike from the Skyland area of the park to the Stony Man viewpoint. These programs change often, check the NPS website to help you plan for your own trip. This 1.6-mile round trip hike takes you along a portion of the Appalachian Trail as well. You can read more about this hike here on the NPS site.

Rose River Falls

The hike to Rose River Falls was a 4-mile circuit making it longer than both the Dark Hollow and Stony Man hikes. The waterfall, though over 60 feet high, was obscured by trees and it was not easy to access its base. Still, we liked this hike because it followed the shallow Rose River for quite a while giving us ample opportunity to rest, cool off, and just reflect.

Parking for Rose River Falls can be found between milepost 49 and 50 near the Fisher’s Gap overlook. For a more detailed map, see the NPS page here.

Hawksbill Summit via Upper Hawksbill trail

Hawksbill Summit is the highest point in Shenandoah National Park at 4049 feet. There are 3 different ways to hike to the summit. Two of the trails start at the Hawksbill Gap parking lot between mileposts 45 and 46. The third hike begins from the Upper Hawksbill parking area past milepost 46. We chose this 3rd route because our kids were small at the time and this 2.1-mile hike was less steep or shorter than the other options. All 3 trails are clearly marked on the NPS site here.

Old Rag

For my favorite hike in Shenandoah National Park, we left the kids at home! The hike up Old Rag is a very strenuous 9.4 mile circuit, that sometimes requires scrambling over large boulders with all 4 limbs.

Starting up the mountain, a bridge toward the end of the circuit.

Trail access for Old Rag does not start from Skyline Drive, a detailed map and parking directions can be found at the NPS site here.

Walking through the forest on the way back down.

Where to Stay

We have stayed in 2 different areas when visiting Shenandoah National Park. I love in-park lodging because it gets you that much closer to the trails. For that reason, we chose the Skyland Resort on our first visit.

Our cabin at Skyland and a young bear spotted from the deck.

On our trip to Old Rag we stayed outside the park, near the trailhead. We found a great B&B online, Sharp Rock Vineyards.

Sequoia National Park-what to expect when visiting in April

Entrance sign at the southern entrance to Sequoia National Park

A typical spring break destination is not a trip into the mountains but then I have never been a typical traveler. I met up with my brother in California in April and we decided to check out Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. When planning for the trip, I discovered the need to be prepared for a large variation in weather conditions. I was also a bit unclear about what would be open. So after making the trip, I hope to pass on some information to make your travels to the Sierra Nevada range in April a bit smoother. Here is what we found to do!

California Poppy, the state flower, can be seen blooming throughout the state in early April.

The foothills-Three Rivers, CA

The foothills were awash in spring colors. Flowers were blooming everywhere and day time temps were in the mid 70’s or higher. We rented a cabin in Three Rivers through Airbnb. This was a nice gateway community with a few restaurants just a few miles south of the entrance to Sequoia National Park. The Kaweah river flowed past the back of the cabin and provided a very calming setting for our stay.

Kaweah river and cabin nestled in the trees.

What I needed, What I didn’t

I overpacked for this trip. Even after checking the weather for all locations I was visiting, I wasn’t sure exactly what I would encounter. Again, I was prepared for a wide range of weather and any trip in another year might see very different conditions. Here is what I found useful on this trip:

Comfortable hiking pants
T-shirt
Fleece jacket
Ball cap
Hiking Boots
Hiking Poles
Backpack
Water bottle
Sun glasses

What I did not use on this trip included:

Snow boots
Gloves
Winter hat
Snow pants
Winter coat
Crampons
Tire chains

I had all of these items on hand except the tire chains. If the weather turns snowy, which can happen in April or even May, tire chains may be required and are available to rent from local businesses outside park entrances. I was glad that this trip didn’t require them.

View of the Kaweah River and the Sierra Nevada mountains after entering the park.

What was open, What was not

The General’s highway starting from the Foothills Visitor Center and continuing through Kings Canyon National Park was open along its entire length. Many of the secondary roads were still closed for winter. The following areas of Sequoia National Park were not available in early April:

Crystal Cave
Moro Rock
Tunnel Log
Crescent Meadow

Best Stops in Sequoia National Park

Shortly after entering the park, is Tunnel Rock. Viewable from the road, there is also a pull off so you can grab a photo of this iconic spot.

We parked in the Giant Forest Museum area. Here we saw the Sentinel, walked under a giant sequoia lying across the bear hill trail, and strolled around Round Meadow on the interpretive Big Trees Trail.

The Sentinel, an averaged sized Sequoia!

Fallen sequoia across the Bear Hill Trail

My favorite hike of the day combined the half mile Big Trees trail with the .7 mile out and back Sunset Rock trail for a little over 2 miles of walking from the parking lot. I didn’t see this trail on the park map nor had I read about it in any of my pre-trip planning. It was just a trail we encountered and choose to follow before ending our first day in the park. Sometimes these unplanned moments are the best.

What not to miss-General Sherman

Our second day in the park required an early start. I wanted to see General Sherman, the world’s largest Sequoia tree, but not compete with crowds. We parked in the main lot here. The walk to the tree was just under 1-mile in length but I would recommend strolling along the Congress trail as well to take in different views of the General Sherman tree, walk through a fallen sequoia, and see other majestic sequoias along the way.

The General Sherman Tree is not the tallest and it is not the widest, but its total volume makes it the largest tree on earth. It is also not the oldest, at roughly 2200 years old, it is 1000 years younger than the oldest trees. Standing in front of it though, with all its burn scars on display, one feels its wisdom. This tree has persevered and that in itself has been enough. It serves as a powerful reminder to all who view it that you don’t need to be all the “est’s”, but in persevering, one can be enough.

Wandering and Wondering around Devil’s Tower National Monument

When taking a road trip across the United States, there are so many choices to make. I usually start by picking a few must-see places, then finding a driving route with the best balance between scenery and efficiency. Once that is done, I find reservations for lodging along the way. Then finally I fill the driving days with interesting stops along the way! Devil’s Tower National Monument did not make the cut on a 2015 adventure and I regretted it, so when I was planning another cross country trek last year, I was sure to include it. Here is what we found to do!

Lodging

We planned to stop at Devil’s Tower Monument on the return trip from Yellowstone National Park. I usually start my research of an area 6 months to a year in advance and I was thrilled to see that Devil’s Tower had one privately owned in-park lodge. I like booking in-park lodging whenever I can because I feel it maximizes our time in a place. This is a luxury that I am willing to pay for, it is sometimes difficult to get a family of 5 ready and out the door! Being in the park gets us that much closer to our starting point for the day.

Devil’s Tower at sunset from the road to Devil’s Tower Lodge.

Devil’s Tower Lodge could not have been a better choice! I can not say enough positive things about our stay. The lodge is located at the rear of the park, on adjacent, private land. You enter the park and follow the directions from the lodge to arrive. There are a few rooms to let in the main building but there is also a stand-alone cottage. We chose the cottage, named the Weissner Cottage, after that first person to climb the tower. It had two bedrooms, a bath, a large kitchen/dining/living area, and its own deck. There was plenty of room for a family of 5.

View from our private deck at Devil’s Tower Lodge

In addition to a room for the night, the Devil’s Tower Lodge offered a hot breakfast and an optional family style dinner. I would recommend that you make a reservation and get there in time for dinner. We had two wonderful home cooked meals, a refreshing change for a family whose cooler was getting down to peanut butter and jelly! The meals were served family style and the large dining table served all the lodge’s guests for the night. It was nice to chat with other travelers from all over the country. In addition to the common dining area in the main building, there was also a living room with books and games and two pianos. It was a nice place to sit and relax both before and after a meal.

View of the tower as we left the lodge and headed to the visitor center.

History

Devil’s Tower was the very first United States National Monument, established by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906, but this area was special to a lot of people long before then. In researching some of the oral histories of the monument, I was struck by the presence of a large bear in most of the Native American stories I read. In several of the stories, the Great Spirit played a role in raising the rocks to protect people from a great bear. I found 6 different tribes listed as having geographical, historical, or cultural ties to the tower. Today, the tower is still visited for sacred rituals, the most common of which are prayer offerings. Throughout the monument, there are colorful clothes scattered about. These religious artifacts are sacred and should not be touched.

But the tower’s history starts long before any people walked the earth. Along the trail, interpretive signs talk about the tower’s formation and though much is agreed upon, some aspects of its creation are still uncertain. It is known that it is made of a rare form of igneous rock and that it is the largest example of columnar jointing in the world. It is also agreed upon that the igneous rock occurred as a volcanic intrusion through layers of surrounding sedimentary rock, put just how that process took shape is uncertain.

It was fascinating to wander around such an unusual and important natural artifact.

Hiking

There are a handful of trails in the park which provide great views of the tower and even take you through a prairie dog town, but the most popular is the paved, 1.3 mile Tower Trail.

Prairie dogs call the Devil’s Tower area home.

We arrived at the visitor center early, before it opened, so we had the trail mostly to ourselves. Before heading around the monument though, the boys were drawn to the jumbled rocks at its base. I didn’t realize that you can scramble up these rocks, and it was a very nice surprise. I followed the boys as they climbed up all the way to the base where only permitted climbers can continue on.

Look carefully in the above photo for two boys scrambling up the rocks!

After ambling back down, we rejoined our teenage daughter who opted out of the scramble and started the loop around the monument’s base. Each side of the monument offered a different perspective of the giant monolith. We watched as the sun rose behind it and finished our walk before it reached its highest point in the sky, welcoming in the midday tourists.

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Tupper Lake Triad hiking challenge…in winter!

For a change of scenery, we headed to the Adirondacks in February. I had three goals, to visit the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, to relax in a cozy cabin, and to hike the Tupper Lake Triad! We used Airbnb to find a cabin for 3 nights and booked advanced tickets to the Wild Center then packed up all our warmest gear and set out! This post will take you on my quest to complete the three summit hiking challenge centered near Tupper Lake.

Mount Arab

The Tupper Lake triad can be hiked in summer or winter and consists of three small peaks. This will not cross any 46ers off your list, but they are also not to be taken lightly! The first hike we attempted as a family was Mount Arab. It was the shortest of the 3 hikes at 2.0 miles round trip, but also the steepest with an elevation gain of 764 feet over 1 mile.

The trailhead was easy to find and even with recent snowfall, the roads were clear. The parking area can be found here.

Depending on which family member you ask, the hike up was either grueling, miserable, challenging, or fun. The trail was well packed with evidence of hikers, snowshoers, dogs, and even skiers preceding us. We had a couple of pairs of crampons, but one adult and two kids just hiked in winter boots. As we neared the top, the vegetation became icy. It was a cold day, in the upper teens.

At the top, three of us climbed the fire tower. Though the view was obscured by the incoming snow, the feel of the cold and sting of the wind made it an invigorating experience.

The descent was much quicker. The steepness of this trail occasionally allowed (required?) some sliding down on our bottoms. It was nice to hear the squeals of happy children and not their whines of discontent.

I hung back to enjoy a moment of quiet and my family beat me back to the van. I returned to see my youngest lying in the snow, tired but clearly pleased by his accomplishment.

Goodman Mountain

Day 2-The adults set out for an early morning solo hike while the kids did what teens and preteens like best, lounge. In our house, this means watching TikToks and playing Minecraft. Sigh. But it is vacation, right? Everyone should get a chance to relax.

The Goodman Mountain hike was the longest in the challenge at 3.2 miles. It was much gentler in its ascent though, rising 581 feet over that first mile and a half.

The trailhead is located right off of route 30, just south of Tupper Lake. The walk started very gradually. It was nice to breathe the fresh air and hear the quiet. My husband and I walked along, mostly in silence. Compared to the previous day’s moderately strenuous climb to Mount Arab, this was a much more leisurely hike.

Once at the top, we sat on a rare, exposed rock and took in the view. The snow was starting to fall again. It was lovely.

Coney Mountain

Day 3 and our final hike in the challenge. This time the kids came with us! But did everyone make it to the top?

The Coney Mountain trail (trailhead parking found here) was 2.2 miles roundtrip with an elevation gain of 548 feet. The parking area was at the top of a slight incline that had not been plowed. Our minivan made it up on the second try, but on very snowy days, it might be a better option to park on the side of Route 30. The difficulty of this hike was compounded by the 6 new inches of snow that had fallen the night before. We were not the first to break trail that morning, we met a pair of snowshoers coming down, but this hike did require a bit more energy with each step.

We set out in two groups, as child 2 had fought with child 3 and child 3 was refusing to hike with child 2. We eventually passed child 2 on the trail. He opted out of the summit in favor of snowman building.

The scene preceding our venturing up the trail in two separate groups.

Though not as long as the trail to Goodman Mountain and not as steep as Mount Arab, this was a pretty tiring hike. I passed child number 1 about two tenths of a mile from the summit. She was resting and drawing hearts and names in the snow. I did not think I would see her at the top.

My husband was the first to the summit. The snow had turned to rain, not at all what I was expecting after two days of brutal cold, and the view was mostly obscured by the fog. He turned back to catch up with the older kids while my youngest and I sat for a minute and enjoyed our accomplishment.

Sending some encouragement down to his siblings.

Despite the youngest’s encouragement for his siblings to join us. We sat alone at the top for a few minutes. I hope that someday he will remember this conversation and that my words will help him to overcome future struggles. At the beginning of this hike, he did not want to go. At all. He was mad at his brother, the snow was deep, but he put one foot in front of the other and started climbing. When we were tired, we rested, but we didn’t stop. He didn’t give up. The feeling of accomplishment at the top was his reward. Life is full of ups and downs. I want him to remember that and to push through difficulty until the next summit is reached.

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3 days to see Poughkeepsie and the Catskills

It was November 2020. We wanted a change of scenery for our Thanksgiving Holiday. We wanted to stay in-state, but see something new. All activities needed to be socially distant and close to the house we rented. Life was a bit……stressful! I wanted a break. Here is what we found to do.

Day 1: 1st stop-Russell Brook Falls

To break up the drive and make the most of the daylight, we stopped in Roscoe NY and took a quick detour to Russell Brook Falls. After a short drive down Russell Brook Road, there was a small parking area on the right.

From the parking area, it was a short walk to the falls. First, cross a bridge and then take the right at the fork to go directly to the falls. A map at the trailhead gave suggestions for longer hikes around Trout or Mud ponds if one had more time and wished for a longer hike.

Take the less traveled path to the right to access Russell Brook Falls.

We spent 20 minutes or so admiring the falls before getting back on the road. It was a blissful moment of calm.

Day 2: 1st stop-Mohonk Preserve

I wanted to do some hiking. I always want to do some hiking. The kids wanted to sleep in. So my husband accompanied me to the Mohonk Preserve just after dawn, on a rainy morning, so I could get in a hike I have been wanting to do. I recently picked up the book America’s Best Day Hikes by Derek Dellinger. I agreed with a lot of his choices so I thought I would follow his recommendation and check out the Bonticou Crag and Table Rocks trails in the Mohonk Preserve.

We parked at the Spring Farm Trailhead. It was still pretty foggy, but the trails were peaceful this early in the morning.

We crisscrossed several old carriage trails before arriving at the Bonticou Crag spur trail. As it was still pretty damp, we decided that conditions weren’t appropriate for the rock scramble required and took the less rocky Northeast trail followed by the Cedar trail to loop to the Table Rocks trail.

Lot’s of rocks and roots along the Northeast trail.

Sights along the Cedar and Table Rocks trails.

We were the only hikers on table rock. The solitude and quiet were calming. I sat for a long time and watched the fog lift and the water drip from the tree branches.

The Mohonk Preserve manages an 8000 acre portion of the Shawangunk Ridge, a northern end of the Appalachian Mountains. The ridge at this northern end is wide and flat with views on clear days of the valley below and the Hudson River. Table Rocks and Bonticou Crag, like other areas of the ridge consist of sandstone and conglomerate with a high concentration of quartz which gives these rocky outcroppings a very light grey color. The flat surfaces of Table rocks were also covered with a variety of different hued lichens. Table rocks had a lot of interesting, but potentially dangerous, deep fissures. I would not suggest this hike for families with young children.

Straddling a deep fissure in the sandstone conglomerate of Table Rock.

After leaving Table Rock, we retraced our steps as the sun came out and the sky turned blue. I hope to visit this area again someday in another season.

One last look at Mohonk Preserve as the morning sky turns to blue.

Day 2: 2nd stop-Walkway over the Hudson

After an early dinner, 3 of us headed out to check out some sights around Poughkeepsie. The Walkway Over the Hudson sounded like a great place to stretch our legs and take in a view. There was ample parking nearby.

The walk from the parking lot to the opposite side of the river was about 1.5 miles with nice views along the way.

Day 2: 3rd stop-Home of FDR

This was a very quick stop to drive around the former president’s residence. If I were in the area again, I would love to tour the home, but this time we just snapped some photos of the exterior.

Day 2: 4th stop-Vanderbilt Mansion

As with the home of FDR, we knew that the Vanderbilt Mansion was closed but the park-like grounds were open and VERY inviting. Instead of just snapping a photo and driving away, we walked the grounds as the sun set. It was really a very interesting home and a lovely end to the day.

Walkway leading toward the Vanderbilt Mansion

This Vanderbilt mansion was built in 1898 by the grandson of The American railroad magnate, Frederick Vanderbilt. Having no children, upon his death it went to a niece, who then passed it on to the National Park Service in 1940.

Day 3: Minnewaska State Park-Awosting Falls

Heading back home, there was one more stop I wanted to make, Minnewaska State Park. This is definitely not a park to see all in one day. We decided to start with the Lake Minnewaska area, one of the park’s three sky lakes. Right after the entrance, was the parking area for Awosting Falls, so we stopped there first. The walk to the falls was half a mile on a paved trail.

The walk to the falls follows Peter’s Kill.

Green along the trail, even in November!

After the walk to the falls, we drove into the park a bit and parked at the Lake Minnewaska Visitor Center for one final stop on this trip.

Day 3: Minneswaska State Park-Hike around Lake Minnewaska

Our first look at Lake Minnewaska from the visitor center.

My youngest and I set off to hike the roughly 2-mile loop around the lake. We traveled counterclockwise from the visitor center and our first stop took us down to lake level to a little beach area.

The half way point of the loop afforded beautiful views looking up the lake.

We climbed back up in elevation as we embarked on the second half of the loop. Once we were overlooking the lake again on its eastern side, the landscape flattened out and there was a picnic area with lot’s of great views.

I took in the views, appreciative for this opportunity in a time of great uncertainty. It was time to head back home.

Allegheny River Trail

The favorite family bike path this summer was the Allegheny River Trail, traveling both north and south from Kennerdell, PA. We actually did sections of this trail over two days, but this is a great day trip for anyone living in the area or for whoever may just be passing through. The kids especially loved the tunnels which were long enough to require the use of headlamps while traveling through them.

View of the Allegheny River, which the bike path follows, from the Kennerdell Overlook.

In June of 2020, we rented a house for a couple of nights in Kennerdell, right on the river. This gave us the opportunity to do a little kayaking as well!

For our first day of biking, we headed north. Our starting point was very close to the southern entrance of the Kennerdell Tunnel off of a private road. This tunnel is 3350 feet in length. It was pathed throughout and had reflectors to mark the center. Due to its length and curve at the end, you can not see from one end to the other making the headlamps not only fun but necessary!

For more information on the trails including parking, facilities, and maps, consult the Allegheny Valley Trails Associations website.

We traveled about ten miles on the trail. It was paved the entire way except for a roughly 1-mile section of the shared-use gravel Kent Road. The views of the river from the path were beautiful, here and there were also benches or picnic tables to rest and enjoy it. At one point we stopped to watch a Bald Eagle fishing across the river.

We turned around at the Sandy Creek trailhead junction. There were nice views of the bridge over the Allegheny. This looked like another great path to come back and ride sometime!

The next day we headed south on the Allegheny River Trail. This time our goal was a stop at Freedom Falls and the Rockland Tunnel about 10 miles down the path. We enjoyed more beautiful views of the river.

We parked our bikes at the Rockland Station Road trailhead. The tunnel was in view from here but we took to the road and walked a half-mile up to see Freedom Falls and the Rockland Furnace. We sat and ate our packed lunch in front of the falls. What a fantastic spot! Other than a few people camping up on the hill, we had the whole place to ourselves.

Exterior and interior views of the Rockland Furnace.

After resting by the falls we explored the ruins of the Rockland Furnace. This furnace was in operation from 1832 until 1854 for the production of iron. It was in pretty good shape considering that it hasn’t been used in 160+ years! It is all that remains of the town of Freedom that once stood here. Interesting to think that this area was once probably treeless and that trees have again overtaken the land. After we were done exploring it was time to travel our second tunnel. The Rockland tunnel is 2868 feet long but still long enough to not see the other end! We traveled through it and back again as we headed back to the house for a relaxing dinner and a family game to end our weekend get away.

Another look at the Kennerdell tunnel from the inside!

Frenchtown, NJ

October 2020 brought us to Frenchtown, NJ for a couple’s weekend while the kids stayed with Oma for the weekend! Why Frenchtown? It was within a 6-hour drive, had plenty of outdoor activity nearby, and was in a state that did not require us to quarantine after we returned! I did a quick google search for the best small towns and Frenchtown met our requirements! Frenchtown sits right on the Delaware River which forms the border between western New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania.

I booked three nights at the National Hotel. We arrived after 9:00pm the first night, but the dining room was open until 10:00. I loved the feel of renting a room above the restaurant in this old hotel. The service was great and the staff were all friendly.

Facade, stairs, and lobby of the National Hotel

Day 1

The next day was a beautiful fall day. We took a walk along the Delaware River and the Uhlerstown-Frenchtown bridge which crosses the river. Then we had breakfast at the Frenchtown Cafe before heading out on our bikes to explore the Delaware and Raritan bike path.

Sidewalk in front of the Frenchtown Cafe

The bike path! Wow, what a great find. There are actually two paths, one on each side of the river. The D&R Canal towpath trail is on the New Jersey side and the Delaware Canal towpath trail is on the Pennsylvania side. Both paths are about 60 miles long and there are multiple bridges across the river so you can spend a few hours or a whole day making a loop or figure 8’s along the trails.

bike path near parking in Frenchtown, great orientation sign along trail, a pedestrian bridge crossing

There was beautiful scenery on both sides of the Delaware river. The New Jersey side was wider, with the Pennsylvania side often being only wide enough for a single bike, but both sides were equally scenic.

There were a lot of well preserved remnants of the the days when canals in this area were essential for bringing resources to manufacturing centers during the industrial revolution. The D&R canal transported freight between Philadelphia and New York. The Delaware Canal has retained most all of its features from its operations in the 1800’s even though the last paid canal fare was in 1931 when railroads overtook canals as a means of efficient transport.

There was no shortage of interesting historical markers or quiet places to stop and rest along the trail.

We rode our bikes from Frenchtown on the D&R towpath trail to the pedestrian bridge at Bull Island. We crossed the river here but continued south and crossed again to arrive in the quiet town of Stockton, NJ. We stopped for lunch at the Stockton Market, an indoor farmer’s market with an eclectic mix of offerings.

Sign at the entrance of the Bull Island Recreation area along the tow path bike trail.

After lunch we headed back north, crossed the pedestrian bridge again to bike up the Delaware Canal towpath trail on the Pennsylvania side of the river. We finished 28 miles of biking with a great covered bridge before crossing one more time back into Frenchtown.

After our busy day of biking, we dined at the Frenchtown Inn. To encourage greater social distancing, they converted outdoor space into a unique dining experience. It was a relaxing meal with a view of the bridge and the Delaware River.

Day 2

Day 2 was a drive to investigate a nearby county park, the surrounding area, and Washington Crossing Historic Park.

Ringing Rocks County Park was a little gem of a place. The highlight was its boulder field full of rocks that resonate different pitches when hit. The rocks showed scars from all the attempts at making music here!

Scars on the rocks were they have been struck.

The trail at Ringing Rocks formed a loop that took you around the boulder field and past a seasonal waterfall. The trail was wooded and well marked.

Season waterfall, just a trickle in October

After hiking the roughly 1-mile loop around ringing rocks we took a scenic drive through eastern PA to pass through the Frankenfield covered bridge on our way to Washington Crossing Historic Park.

After reading 1776 by David McCullough a few years ago, I had a vivid mental picture of what George Washington’s Christmas crossing of the Delaware was like. I was excited to find that the location was not far from Frenchtown while I was planning this trip. On the drive there we passed signs for Bowman’s Hill Tower and made a quick stop there. There is an entrance fee and they recommend reserving an entrance time online in advance. The website can be found here.

The view from the top of Bowman’s Hill Tower

The majority of the park was just a short drive down the road from the tower. The park preserves several buildings present during the 1776 crossing. My favorite was McConkey’s Inn, located right next to the Delaware River. The sign said that this inn was where Washington and his aides ate dinner prior to the crossing.

Sign marking the crossing on the New Jersey side of the river.

The common thread running through the sights we visited was the power of transformation. This area was transformed from untamed wild, to purposed for human use, to abandonment, to a balance between their history, preservation, and enjoyment. May we all find this balance in our travels. May we pay tribute to the past with an eye for sustainable balance in the future.