I headed back to one of my favorite places for some hiking and photography. The day started out overcast, but halfway through the hike, it decided to turn into a monsoon. Even though wet and muddy it was still a fine trip.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park – The second largest canyon in the country lies in the heart of the Texas Panhandle. Palo Duro is a canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment. As one of the largest canyons in the United States, it is roughly 25–40 mi long and has an average width of 6 mi, but reaches a width of 20 mi at places. It was formed by millions of years of water erosion by the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River and the West Texas wind. With a descent of some 800 feet to the canyon floor and more than 16 miles of paved road, Palo Duro Canyon State Park offers fantastic scenic views, historic sites and markers, miles and miles of hiking and biking trails.
Cloudland Canyon State Park – Located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain, this is one of the most scenic parks in Georgia, offering rugged geology and beautiful vistas. The park straddles a deep gorge cut into the mountain by Sitton Gulch Creek, and elevation differs from 800 to 1,980 feet. The most spectacular view into the canyon is found along the West Rim Loop Trail a 5-mile hike which we took.
High Falls Waterfall – Just north of Cashiers, on the northern banks of Lake Glenville, the West Fork of the Tuckasegee River pours over a 100+ foot cliff, tumbling in a dramatic multi-tiered waterfall and plunging into a boulder-filled pool below. It’s one of North Carolina’s most beautiful falls.
We are now back in Florida and hope you enjoyed traveling with us. We visited 26 states and traversed over 11,000 miles visiting many new sights that we had missed on our 40 earlier trips across country. We still enjoy traveling the red and blue roads rather than Interstate highways. Stealing words from another traveler – keep on traveling – until next time be well.
City of Rocks gets its name from the volcanic rock formations found here. The park encompasses a one-square-mile area in the scenic Chihuahuan desert region of southwestern New Mexico at 5,200 feet. The “city” is a geologic formation of large, sculptured rock columns, or pinnacles, rising as high as 40 feet and separated by paths or lanes resembling city streets. These rocks were formed about 34.9 million years ago when a very large volcano erupted. Then, erosion over millions of years slowly formed the sculptured columns seen today, creating an otherworldly landscape. The rock formations at the park are so unique that they are only known to exist in six other places in the world.
Gila Cliff Dwelling National Monument – For thousands of years, nomads used the caves above Cliff Dweller Creek as temporary shelter. In the late 1200s, people of the agricultural Mogollon (Southern Ancestral Pueblo) culture made it a home. They built rooms, crafted pottery, and raised children in the cliff dwellings for one or two generations. By approximately 1300, the Mogollon had moved on, leaving the walls behind. Five naturally eroded alcoves contain the homes of the Tularosa Mogollon. About 42 rooms were constructed from local stone. All wooden beams seen in the dwellings are the originals. Tree-ring dates range from the 1260’s through the 1280’s.
Heading east we spent two days traveling Arizona starting at Saguaro National Park. Tucson, Arizona is home to the nation’s largest cacti. The saguaro (suh-waa-row), the giant cactus, has been an iconic symbol of the American Southwest for ages. These majestic beings are easily recognized by their size and structure, sometimes reaching 50 feet tall.
Bisbee was once the largest city in Arizona, bolstered by a thriving mining economy. During almost a century of mining, 8 billion pounds of copper, 102 million ounces of silver, and 2.8 million ounces of gold along with millions of pounds of zinc, lead, and manganese were produced. By 1974 ore reserves had been depleted and December brought the announcement of the impending closure of mining operations in Bisbee. Phelps Dodge curtailed open pit operations that year and ceased underground operations in 1975.
Mosquitoes, flies and more can make a comfortable summer day very uncomfortable. Back in 1912, the community of Bisbee decided to gamify their bug response by offering rewards for the most avid flyswatters. After multiple outbreaks of typhoid, Bisbee, Arizona decided it was tired of these bugs showing up in significant numbers and making people sick. For the entire month of August 1912, the town encouraged residents to catch as many “advance agents of pestilence” end quote as they could. Whoever had smacked and/or caught the most flies at the end won a prize. That winner was Richard Phillips, who brought in around half a million former insects and won… ten bucks.
And if you are up for it the most unique physical fitness challenge (or friendly fitness walk) in the USA! Bisbee 1000 The Great Stair Climb is arguably one of the most unusual and challenging events in the world. The 4.5-mile course features nine staircases (over 1000 total steps) connected by winding roads.
Patagonia (the jewel of the Sonoita valley so says National Geographic Guide to Small Town Escapes —NOT) is a hamlet that rests between the Santa Rita Mountains and the Patagonia Mountains. Set among rich foothills, valleys, and towering trees, Patagonia has been called the “Jewel” because of its natural beauty. Since early days, Patagonia’s oak grasslands, at over 4,000 feet have provided excellent climate and terrain for cattle ranching, and the Patagonia Mountains, filled with rich ore bodies, have attracted miners. Too bad today it was a wasted 200-mile trip for us.
Tombstone AZ – otherwise known as the “Town too Tough to Die” is the home of the infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral, Boot Hill Graveyard, and the World’s Largest Rose Bush. Tombstone, AZ boasts of many shops, gunfight shows, re-enactments, and museums. Just a bad tourist attraction today.
Chiricahua National Monument is recognized for its rock gardens with pinnacles that reach hundreds of feet skyward. This is the homeland of the Chiricahua Apache, who relied on the natural resources in the area as far back as the 1400s. The stories of chiefs Mangas Coloradas and Cochise as well as medicine-man-turned-warrior Geronimo reverberate throughout the canyons here. Deer, bears, and mountain lions inhabit the area, and the annual sandhill crane migration is also impressive. The 8-mile Bonita Canyon Drive begins on the valley floor and rises into mountains where balanced rocks seem to defy gravity. The drive ends at Massai Point, the pinnacle of this amazing sky island with 360-degree views of the rock valleys below.
We hiked the Echo Canyon Loop starting at the Point –3.3-miles of connecting trails. The route winds through rock formations including the Grottoes and Wallstreet to the densely wooded Echo Park. Hailstone Trail is fairly level, and due to its southern exposure, hotter and dryer. You can see desert plants: yuccas, agave’s, prickly pear, and hedgehog cactus. Ed Riggs Trail takes you back to the trailhead among large pine trees.
We spent a week in California visiting with family and friends, but we still got some hiking and sightseeing.
Watson Lake – off the Tahoe Loop trail
Bodie Ghost Town – Bodie State Historic Park is a genuine California gold-mining ghost town. You can walk down the deserted streets of a city that once had around 2,000 structures and a population of roughly 8,000 people.
The town is named for W.S. Body (or Bodey), who had discovered small amounts of gold in the hills north of Mono Lake. In 1875, a mine cave-in revealed a rich vein of ore, which led to the buying of the mine by the Standard Company in 1877. People flocked to Bodie and transformed it from a town of a few dozen to a boomtown. In 1881, Bodie’s “bust” began and the town’s population declined drastically. The town’s population continued to decline until only a few remained. Mining officially ceased in Bodie in 1942, the final nail in the coffin for Bodie’s township. Two large fires in 1892 and 1932 reduced the town’s remaining structures down to less than 10% of the 2,000 structures that once stood.
Only a small part of the town survives. Interiors stayed as they were left and stocked with goods. Designated as a National Historic Site and a State Historic Park in 1962, the remains of Bodie are being preserved in a state of “arrested decay.”
Yosemite National Park – Yosemite National Park has the distinction of being the first scenic natural area to be set aside by the United States for public gain and appreciation of landscape beauty. Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were the 1864 birthplace of the national park idea.
Shaver Lake – Shaver is hugged by pine forest in the granite-studded Sierra Nevada Mountains. Shaver is located up in the Western Sierra Mountains at about 5600 elevations outside Fresno California and is part of the Southern California Edison power project that feeds into the Big Creek power station.
Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon
The final leg of our western swing started with a drive along Big Horn Scenic Highway, in Wyoming. A 58-mile paved highway over the crest of the Big Horn Mountains, the byway winds past thick forest, lush meadows, waterfalls, and deep canyons. Stretching from the Powder River Basin to the Big Horn Basin, the Big Horn Byway follows US 14 from the west outside Greybull.
Beartooth Scenic Byway – This stretch of U.S. Highway 212 between Red Lodge in Montana and Cooke City, zigzags across the Montana-Wyoming border through a series of steep switchbacks, rising from about 5,000 feet to 10,947 feet at the Beartooth Pass. It’s so high that it’s closed in winter due to snow, fortunately for us we completed our crossing before September 24th when the byway was closed for a few days do to 5 inches of snow and 4-foot drifts.
Craters of the Moon Idaho – Craters of the Moon is a vast ocean of lava flows with scattered islands of cinder cones and sagebrush. We explored this unique landscape by driving the historic Loop Road, stopping in at the visitor center, hiking up a volcano, and exploring a lava tube cave. The scenic Loop Road is nine miles round-trip. Volcanic activity has occurred on the Snake River Plain for many millions of years. The much younger lava flows at Craters of the Moon were formed by eruptions that started only 15,000 years ago and represent the last period of active volcanism in the area. The most recent activity occurred approximately 2,100 years ago. Craters of the Moon is considered dormant, not extinct.
Sawtooth Highway – In the mere length of 115 miles, the Sawtooth Scenic Byway takes the traveler from volcanic sagebrush lands on north into awe-inspiring high snow-covered mountain peaks. Unfortunately, because of smoke from wildfires we did not get to see much. We were hoping to get to the top of Sawtooth and head south on the western slope but we were stopped by park rangers since the fire had jumped our planned route. We had to back track on our original approach and head back to Boise. The good news we could spend more time with our kids and grandkids.
Continuing west we spent two days in South Dakota travelling through the Badlands, Custer State Park, and Spearfish Canyon.
Badlands National Park spans over 240,000 acres of rugged terrain and dramatic landscapes. Known for its sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, and spires, the park offers an awe-inspiring vista at every turn. Surrounded by sprawling grasslands, this destination feels both otherworldly and profoundly connected to nature. Badlands National Park is not just a haven for breathtaking landscapes; it’s also a paleontological goldmine. The park’s eroded cliffs uncover a rich array of fossils, including ancient mammals like rhinoceroses and sabretooth cats.
Badlands Loop Road: Driving this road is the park’s most popular activity going through the north unit – it provides stops to get out and explore the major highlights and trails.
We explored a few standout sites:
- Panorama Point: Offers sweeping views of the vast landscape.
- Yellow Mounds Overlook: Features colorful geological formations that are a photographer’s dream. (YES)
- Fossil Show Trail: Provides a glimpse into the past with fossil displays.
- Door, Window and Notch Trails: These three short hikes, give you an overall sense of the terrain.
- Pinnacles Overlook: Is a scenic overlook on the west side of the park offers one of the best views of that area.
Custer State Park:
One of the few remaining wild places in the country. An area of tall pines, rolling hills, grasslands, and massive granite spires. You can see bison from the Wildlife Loop Road. We experienced pigtail bridges, views of Mount Rushmore, tunnels and giant granite formations from The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway, a 70 mile loop via the Iron Mountain Road and Needles Highway.
Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway
The 20-mile byway follows the pine and spruce-covered banks of Spearfish Creek. Highlighted by Bridal Veil Falls.
It’s been a while since my last post – we were to Lake Tahoe, Shaver Lake, Dublin (ca), LA, Pasadena and Palm Springs visiting friends and family. Well back to writing and some thoughts on our trip through Minnesota. Our first stop was at a striking, wilderness waterfall in an urban setting. Overlooking the Mississippi River, Minnehaha Park is one of Minneapolis’ oldest and most popular parks. The 193-acre park features a 53-foot waterfall, limestone bluffs and river overlooks. The park includes Minnehaha Falls – Minnehaha is a Native American woman documented in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s 1855 epic poem The Song of Hiawatha.
Next stop was Lyndale Park Rose Garden. This is a rose garden in a large park on the north side of Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. It is one half a regular rose garden, with many blooming examples even in September. The other half is more botanical, an annual-perennial garden, with floral displays. Across the road is the Peace Garden, a sort of rock garden that invites quiet contemplation.
Moving on we visited the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden – the 11 landscaped acres of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is home to more than 40 iconic sculptures, including Spoonbridge & Cherry and Hahn/Cock.
Sibley County Historical Museum – in Henderson, Minnesota – The August F. Poehler Home – It was built in 1884 for shop owners August and Emilie Poehler and their six children. Since 1949 the house has served as the Sibley County Historical Society Museum.
The is a Carpenter Gothic-style house in St. Peter, Minnesota. The house was the home of one of the earliest settlers of St. Peter. Eugene Cox was an attorney, St. Peter’s first Mayor, and a representative to the State House and Senate. The home, built in 1871, is one of the few fully restored Italianate homes in Minnesota and was the center of social activity for the prospering riverside town.
Once off-limits, Minnemishinona Falls is a scenic, off-the-beaten-path sight near Mankato – Minnemishinona Falls, which drops 42 feet over a cliff into the gorge below. Too bad the water wasn’t flowing strongly when we arrived.
World’s largest -Glockenspiel, (maybe) in New Ulm, – located downtown, the 45-foot tall Glockenspiel’s bells can be heard chiming throughout the day and playing programmed pieces at scheduled times through the day. The Glockenspiel houses 37 bells with a total weight of more than two tons. Twelve figurines depicting characters from the city’s history, rotate on a circulating stage during performances. Not really impressive.
Continuing along the River Road we entered Wisconsin with our first stop at the The Dickeyville Grotto & Shrines that are located on the grounds of the Holy Ghost Parish. They are the works of Father Matthias Wernerus, a German-American priest who served the parish from 1918 until his death in 1931. The main Grotto is an artificial cave created out of stone, mortar, and brightly colored materials and found objects collected from all over the world. Besides the main Grotto, Father Wernerus constructed several other religious and patriotic shrines throughout the garden area surrounding the Holy Ghost Church. Later additions to the site include the Stations of the Cross (1964) and Our Lady of Fatima Shrine (1998).
Heading further north we stopped at what is often called Wisconsin’s second-oldest city, Prairie du Chien was established as a European settlement by French voyageurs in the late 17th century. St. Feriole Island – The island is the site of the city’s earliest activities: the center of the fur trade, home of the first Fort Crawford, site of the Battle of Prairie du Chien in 1814, and three important Indian treaties. From the middle 1860s until early 1900, it held the depot for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. Villa Louis – This Victorian estate was home to three generations of the Dousmans. The current residence was built in 1870 by Dousman’s son, H. Louis Dousman. The family closed the estate in 1913 but returned 20 years later to set up the home as one of the first historic house museums in the Midwest. The Dousman House Hotel – The Railroad House was touted as the premier hotel on the Upper Mississippi when it was built by the railroad in 1864. Since Hercules Dousman owned so much of the railroad stock, the hotel was renamed after him in 1867. In the 1940s it was converted to a meat packing plant and later served as a warehouse.
Grandad Bluff has become a destination point for thousands, but also a famous symbol of the great Driftless Region. The term “driftless” indicates a lack of glacial drift, the deposits of silt, gravel, and rock that retreating glaciers leave behind. This meant that glaciers went entirely around the driftless area but didn’t cover it. The 600-ft high bluff overlooks the city of La Crosse, the Mississippi River Valley, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. Voted as “the most scenic view in the state”, this is the signature sight when visiting the La Crosse Region.
Historic Hixon House was built in 1858 by pioneer Gideon Hixon, who went on to become a wealthy lumber baron in La Crosse. In 1965, their descendants gifted the house to LCHS including its original Victorian and Arts and Crafts furnishings.
In 1969 the G. Heileman Brewery built six 54-foot-tall storage tanks at its plant in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Whether by design or a bolt of beer-fueled inspiration, the tanks were painted a year later to resemble cans of Heileman’s Old Style Lager, and the sextet was proclaimed the “World’s Largest Six Pack.”
At the confluence of the Mississippi, Black and La Crosse Rivers, Riverside Park in La Cross is designed for active lifestyles and for those who want to just watch the river slowly pass by. The Park is the home of the authentic paddle-wheeler, the La Crosse Queen, the Riverside International Friendship Gardens with various sculptures.
Prairie Moon Sculpture Garden and Museum – built by Herman Rusch who built his first concrete and stone planter in1958. That effort led to two new interests: the creation of huge sculptures and related flower beds. In just one year, Rusch built a 260-foot arched fence that spans the north perimeter of the site. It’s precisely aligned conical posts were constructed with alternating bands of chiseled white rocks and pie-shaped red bricks, while the arches were molded with concrete over the iron wheels.
Willow Falls is a highlight within Willow River State Park, just northeast of Hudson WI. This waterfall cascades over three ledges, creating a 45-foot drop through a deep, rugged gorge.
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