Visited: Wednesday, August 5th, 2009
I've never seen Close Encounters of the Third Kind. As a result, I'm not sure Devil's Tower had the draw for me of other sites. It's interesting - but I definitely think I'll appreciate it more if the crowd is smaller. And, at that, I think the display at Pompey's Pillar is much more interesting; Devil's Tower is a fascinating structure, but not a park for a long visit unless you're going to climb it.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
14) Little Bighorn Battlefield
Visited: Tuesday, August 4, 2009
When I think of NPS sites from my youth, I'm mostly remembering battlefields. So Little Bighorn felt very familiar - and very sobering. Battlefields have always struck me differently from other historic sites - never moreso than seeing Bloody Pond at Shiloh - in spite of being so far removed from the battles in question. One thing I like about Little Bighorn is the attempt they've made to present both sides of the story.
Any of the national sites are better with a small crowd; unfortunately, visiting Little Bighorn around the time of Sturgis made for a _very_ large crowd. Didn't make the site less interesting, but I would like to visit on a quieter day sometime.
When I think of NPS sites from my youth, I'm mostly remembering battlefields. So Little Bighorn felt very familiar - and very sobering. Battlefields have always struck me differently from other historic sites - never moreso than seeing Bloody Pond at Shiloh - in spite of being so far removed from the battles in question. One thing I like about Little Bighorn is the attempt they've made to present both sides of the story.
Any of the national sites are better with a small crowd; unfortunately, visiting Little Bighorn around the time of Sturgis made for a _very_ large crowd. Didn't make the site less interesting, but I would like to visit on a quieter day sometime.
13) Yellowstone
Visited: Sunday, August 2, 2009 -> Monday, August 3, 2009
Yellowstone is very deserving of its reputation; the variety of wildlife, the variety of natural phenomenon, and the divergent beauty of the park really stand out. I missed out on Old Faithful while our tire was repaired, but there are other geysers in the park which are in their own ways every bit as fascinating.
About the only disappointment for me was the hotel, which wasn't air conditioned and our room was situated right above the bus drop-off, making for an unpleasant evening during an otherwise very enjoyable stay.
Yellowstone is very deserving of its reputation; the variety of wildlife, the variety of natural phenomenon, and the divergent beauty of the park really stand out. I missed out on Old Faithful while our tire was repaired, but there are other geysers in the park which are in their own ways every bit as fascinating.
About the only disappointment for me was the hotel, which wasn't air conditioned and our room was situated right above the bus drop-off, making for an unpleasant evening during an otherwise very enjoyable stay.
12) Grand Teton
Visited: Saturday, August 1, 2009 -> Sunday, August 2, 2009
Impressive as all get-out, but this is definitely Yellowstone's little sister. Beautiful - Megan took some wonderful pictures - and some interesting wildlife, but somehow there's just not as much there there. Absolutely worthwhile as a side trip when visiting Yellowstone, but not really a primary destination.
Impressive as all get-out, but this is definitely Yellowstone's little sister. Beautiful - Megan took some wonderful pictures - and some interesting wildlife, but somehow there's just not as much there there. Absolutely worthwhile as a side trip when visiting Yellowstone, but not really a primary destination.
11) Golden Spike
Visited: Thursday, July 30, 2009
Now _this_ is my type of NPS site. Nothing against the sites offering natural beauty - I enjoy them very much - but I love the history one can learn at sites such as Golden Spike. For some reason, history is a lot more interesting when one has been there. The transcontinental railroad never really captured my imagination, until visiting the site of the golden spike.
The site is out in the middle of nowhere - there's really nothing there save for the national park site. The museum is well done, if small; what really makes the site is the trains, which provide a strong visual representation.
Not as strong, however, as the trench that was dug out for the railroad, viewed on a car tour around the site, but never used; both companies were trying to dig as far as they could as fast as they could, and dug well beyond Promontory Point before actually backtracking and lining things up. The unused trench - dug over 140 years ago - remains, an amazing way to see just how much work there was to connect the country even when they weren't trying to deal with the Sierras.
Now _this_ is my type of NPS site. Nothing against the sites offering natural beauty - I enjoy them very much - but I love the history one can learn at sites such as Golden Spike. For some reason, history is a lot more interesting when one has been there. The transcontinental railroad never really captured my imagination, until visiting the site of the golden spike.
The site is out in the middle of nowhere - there's really nothing there save for the national park site. The museum is well done, if small; what really makes the site is the trains, which provide a strong visual representation.
Not as strong, however, as the trench that was dug out for the railroad, viewed on a car tour around the site, but never used; both companies were trying to dig as far as they could as fast as they could, and dug well beyond Promontory Point before actually backtracking and lining things up. The unused trench - dug over 140 years ago - remains, an amazing way to see just how much work there was to connect the country even when they weren't trying to deal with the Sierras.
10) Yosemite
Vistied: Monday, July 27th, 2009
Yosemite is a park which really requires multiple days to get the most out of. Unfortunately, we spent only a day there.
The sequoias are fascinating - not the easiest part of the park to get to, but well worth the bus trip. But just as breathtaking is Yosemite Valley - and Tioga Pass has some incredible views as well. And that's just the portion of the park we saw something of; there's a lot more we didn't even begin to investigate.
I had no real exposure to Yosemite before - about all I knew of it was some photos Mark Jackson has posted - and I definitely want to get back.
Yosemite is a park which really requires multiple days to get the most out of. Unfortunately, we spent only a day there.
The sequoias are fascinating - not the easiest part of the park to get to, but well worth the bus trip. But just as breathtaking is Yosemite Valley - and Tioga Pass has some incredible views as well. And that's just the portion of the park we saw something of; there's a lot more we didn't even begin to investigate.
I had no real exposure to Yosemite before - about all I knew of it was some photos Mark Jackson has posted - and I definitely want to get back.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
8) Zion
Visited: Sunday, July 19, 2009
Zion is a gorgeous park - that is entirely too hot in July. Of all the parks we have visited, I think we got the least out of Zion. I'd really like to go again in Autumn.
However, we stayed at the Cliffrose Lodge, just outside Zion - which feels like it's inside the park; spending the evening in the garden, looking up at the cliffs as the sun set was a wonderful experience.
Zion is a gorgeous park - that is entirely too hot in July. Of all the parks we have visited, I think we got the least out of Zion. I'd really like to go again in Autumn.
However, we stayed at the Cliffrose Lodge, just outside Zion - which feels like it's inside the park; spending the evening in the garden, looking up at the cliffs as the sun set was a wonderful experience.
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