Palo Verde National Park is located in Guanacaste in northwest Costa Rica. It surrounds the Tempisque River, where there is an abundance of birds and other wildlife. We took a boat ride on the river through the forest, which was booked through Hacienda El Viejo Wetlands. Our knowledgeable guide pointed out tons of animals, including herons, crocodiles, lizards, monkeys, and bats. It was nice to get away from the heat by being near the water.
A few years ago, I visited Grand Canyon National Park around Thanksgiving. Over three days, the weather ranged from foggy to snowy to sunny. Grand Canyon had it all! I’m not sure if there is much more to say about this place in addition to what’s already been said by everyone else. Go see it for yourself! Anyway, it’s nice looking back at all those pictures as I’m planning a return there in a few months (if everything works out).
To get from Guayaquil to Cuenca, you have to go through mountain passes in the Ecuadorean Andes that rise up over 10,000 ft in elevation. That quick rise in elevation can easily catch up to anyone, even when you are physically fit. The lack of oxygen can be exhilarating and scary at the same time; it probably does something funny to the brain and alter the sensory experience. For us, we felt our lips tingle and saw them turning blue during a serene but short hike in El Cajas National Park.
I don’t have a life goal of visiting all of the national parks or anything like that, but I would never pass on a visit to one. Joshua Tree National Park in southern California may be a little out of the way to get to, but I loved seeing these alien-looking trees. They are native to this part of southwestern United States, which covers parts of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, roughly covering the region of the Mojave Desert. I may love mountains and greens, but there is something that gives me an out-of-this-world feeling whenever I go to the desert.
Crater Lake is located in Central Oregon and it is the most beautiful blue lake in the world. It was formed about 7,700 years ago when Mount Mazama erupted and collapsed upon itself to form the caldera. Over the years, rain and snow have filled this lake, which is now the deepest lake in the United States at 1,943 feet. Two islands exist inside Crater Lake: Wizard Island and Phantom Ship.
About two-and-a-half hours away from my home is the Mt. Rainier National Park. It’s close enough for a day trip, but far enough to not have been able to explore as much as I would have liked and not be there for early morning or late afternoon. I went during the middle of the week in the summer, and even though I knew that summer was busy there, I wasn’t prepared by all the tourists that I came upon at Paradise.
I entered the park at the Ohanapecosh Entrance, at the southeast corner of the park. I then drove west through the winding roads to come closer and closer to Mt. Rainier. At Paradise, I parked my car and hiked for a short time on the Nisqually Vista Trail, which brought me to the southern face (quite literally if you check out some of the photos below!) of the mountain. I also came within about 10 feet with a young bear, who thankfully was too busy scratching on a tree to notice me. I was hoping to see some of the famous wildflowers, but I think I came too early in the summer; they were few and far in between. I read all about them over the latter part of August through the internet. I guess that just gives me an excuse to go back next summer. I then kept going west and left via the Nisqually Entrance, at the southwestern part of the park.
I didn’t plan on this, but I have another post brought to you (unofficially, of course) by the state of Utah. Although I have never want to live in Utah, it’s one of my favorite states to visit.
A few years ago, I traveled through parts of southern Utah, including Bryce Canyon and Monument Valley. The red earth at this part of the country is amazing. There are multitudes of different rock formations that protrude out of the otherwise flat landscape. All of it is so surreal and makes you feel so small when you are standing in the middle of it.
On my next trips to Utah, I would love to visit Zion National Park and the Moab area.
Wendy Ng Photography 