"National parks are the best idea we ever had.
Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst." - Wallace Stegner
Hiking along mountain trails. Camping under the stars. Gazing at wildflowers and waterfalls. Enjoying the silence and smells of the forest. Breathing fresh air. Spying an elusive bear, bison, moose, or elk. Dipping my toes in a cold, clear mountain lake. Craning my neck to see the top of a Giant Redwood. ALL of these are reasons I love to visit both state and national parks.
I grew up camping and backpacking, and I have great memories of many of the state and national parks, as well as campgrounds, we visited. In sixth grade, I kept a travel journal about a road trip we made back to Illinois to see my mom’s family, and I recorded my thoughts upon seeing the giant redwoods in Northern California, Old Faithful in Yellowstone, catching trout and riding a horse in Montana, visiting the Cheyenne Reservation, and driving through the Wisconsin Dells. All of that gave me a taste for travel … and I’m always happier when I have at least one trip to look forward (and sometimes quite a few more!).
Many of those travel plans have involved going to state and national parks, as well as national historic sites - and here I will share some of my favorite photos I have taken during those adventures. In the future, I may try to create some cards or artwork with some of my photos to sell. For now, just enjoy them! This page is still a work in progress.
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park
Trout Lake, Yellowstone National Park
Bison Grazing in Lavendar, Yellowstone National Park
Mother and Baby Bison, Yellowstone National Park
Excelsior Geyser Crater, Yellowstone National Park
Wizard Island in Crater Lake, Crater Lake National Park
Phantom Ship Rock Formation, Crater Lake National Park
Mt. Shasta, Mt. Shasta State Park
Wizard Island, Crater Lake National Park
Fallen Redwood Amidst Wildflowers, Sequoia National Park
Excelsior Geyser Crater, Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
View atop Wizard Island in Crater Lake
Joshua Tree National Park
Lake Reflection, Grand Teton National Park
Wildflowers, Grand Teton National Park
Colorful Scene, Pinnacles National Park
Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Point Reyes Shipwreck, Tomales Bay State Park
Beautiful Coastline, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
McWay Falls, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Coastline View, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Cholla Cactus, Joshua Tree National Park
Cholla Cactus Blooms, Joshua Tree National Park
Giant Red, Sequoia National Park
Manzanar Cemetery Monument, Manzanar National Historic Site
Rock Cairns
General Sherman Tree, Sequoia National Park
Giant Redwood (Sequoia or King's Canyon National Park)
General Grant Tree (I think), King's Canyon National Park
Scenic View, Rocky Mountain National Park
Lake View, Rocky Mountain National Park
Prickly Pear Cactus Bloom, Petroglyph National Monument
Petroglyph National Monument, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Petroglyphs, Petroglyph National Monument
Prickly Pear Cactus Bloom, Petroglyph National Monument
Water Lily, ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden
Saguaro Cacti, Saguaro National Park
Saguaro Cactus, Saguaro National Park
Saguaro Cactus, Saguaro National Park
Desert Scene, Saguaro National Park
Desert Scene, Saguaro National Park
Cholla and Saguaro Cacti, Saguaro National Park
Meadow View, Grand Teton National Park
Morning Ride, Grand Teton National Park
Lake View, Grand Teton National Park
Rocky Terrain, Pinnacles National Park
Desert Landscape, Joshua Tree National Park
One of the Old Ones, Joshua Tree National Park
Valley View, Joshua Tree National Park
Rosa May Headstone, Bodie State Park
Elk Trio, Rocky Mountain National Park
View from Tioga Pass, Yellowstone National Park
View from Clingmans Dome, Great Smoky Mountains
Hiking to the Top of Clingmans Dome, Great Smoky Mountains
Great Smoky Mountains
One of the Gaps in the Great Smoky Mountains
View from Newfound Gap Road, Great Smoky Mountains
Tree View, Great Smoky Mountains
Elk in Cherokee, North Carolina, near eastern entrance to Great Smoky Mountains
Three Elk in a Row, Great Smoky Mountains
Sunset View, Great Smoky Mountains
Cable Mill Historic Area along Cades Cove Loop, Great Smoky Mountains
Barn in Cable Mill Historic Area along Cades Cove Loop, Great Smoky Mountains
John P. Cable Grist Mill along Cades Cove Loop, Great Smoky Mountains