Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota was made in honor of the outdoors-loving President. Roosevelt’s love for the outdoors began when he visited the Dakota Territory to hunt bison in 1883. During his presidency, he focused a lot of his energy on conservation. Roosevelt dedicated 230 million acres of Public Land during his time in office. He was well known for his conservation efforts and was very focused on preserving the beauty of America.

There is lots to do in this amazing park, starting with the Painted Canyon Visitors Center. At the visitors center, you can see your first real view of the Badlands from a scenic overlook! The canyon is known for its unique colors and stretches as far as the eye can see. There is also a 2 mile long hiking trail that ventures down into the canyon. It is a little bit steep, but I’m sure it is well worth the effort for some great views!

Another cool thing about Theodore Roosevelt National park is that there is a lot of wildlife that we do not usually see. From bison to prairie dogs, the park has a wide range of interesting creatures. One thing that visitors love to see is the wild horses. There are many herds throughout the park, and you can find many places to view them. There are also many bison and elk in the park, and you will likely get to see some while on your trip. Another fun fact is that North America’s fastest animal, the pronghorn, which is similar to a deer lives here. Above all, in my opinion, the prairie dog towns are something that you don’t want to miss. People gather near the towns to watch the cute creatures pop in and out of their burrows and move around their tunnels, using barks and yelps to communicate. I would love to see this and watch how the community of animals works together to keep their town running. I would love to see all of the diverse wildlife of the park and learn about a different ecosystem than I am used to.

Another attraction in the park is the scenic loop drive. This 36 mile loop has many pull-off spots around the park which give you some of the best views of the park. These stops also have signs that tell you all about the history and natural features of the park. This is also one of the best ways to see all of the wildlife mentioned above! The Maltese Cross Ranch Cabin is also located in the park and was a temporary home for Roosevelt. You can visit this house during your trip to the park!

I hope you enjoyed learning a little bit about what there is to do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I hope to be able to visit this amazing, diverse area in the future. I would love to see all of the different animals around the park as well as go on some hikes with unique, amazing views! I would also love to learn more about the history of the land and Roosevelts connection to the area.

Citations:

“8 Things to See and Do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.” Official North Dakota Travel & Tourism Guide, North Dakota Be Legendary, https://www.ndtourism.com/best-places/8-things-see-and-do-theodore-roosevelt-national-park.

“Theodore Roosevelt National Park (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1 Oct. 2021, https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm.

Hi all, welcome to my passion blog for semester 2 of RCL! I will be continuing my topic from last semester of exploring America’s National Parks. For those who are new to my blog, I grew up in a family that loved outdoor adventure, and I have been on a variety of trips out West and locally. My family loves any activity that we can do outside as a family. I have been to Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Maine, and Michigan, visiting national parks and hiking destinations in each of these states. I have been to Rocky Mountain National Park; Sedona, Arizona; Zion National Park; Bryce Canyon National Park; Grand Canyon National Park; Acadia National Park; and Pictured Lakes National Lakeshore. At these locations my family has gone hiking, camping, repelling, rock climbing, and white water rafting. Above all, my family loves to go hiking and enjoy the beauty of nature. The purpose of this blog is to explore all of the amazing places there are to visit without even leaving the United States. I hope you all can get some ideas of places to visit in the future, I hope I can visit many of these places one day!

Here are links to my first and second blog posts for a little more context/background on me and my family if you are interested. 🙂

Today I am looking into Gates of The Arctic National Park which is located in Alaska. This is one of the less-visited National parks because of its remote wilderness location. Despite this, it provides amazing views and opportunities to see the wildlife of the region. It includes the Endicott Mountains and the Schwatka Mountains as well as six rivers that provide stunning views.

This is definitely somewhere to visit if you want to witness nature that is untouched by humans for the most part. It is described as one of the last truly wild places on earth. There are no roads or manmade trails in the park. This means you are truly submerged in nature. To get to the park you either have to fly by air taxi or hike in as there is no way to drive in. There are many options for backpacking, but it is recommended that only experienced hikers take on the park in this way. The National Park Service warns “Visitors to the park should be PROFICIENT in outdoor survival skills, and be prepared to care for their own life and their partner(s) if an emergency arises” (NPS). This is because of the remote location and difficult terrain including cold rivers, mountain peaks, and valleys as well as dangerous wildlife like grizzly bears and wolverines.

Don’t worry though, there are many options for those of us who don’t have quite the equipment or experience that this option requires! There are many guided trips such as flight-seeing trips, river trips, day trips, or overnight camp-outs at remote locations. You can also “spend the day fishing at an alpine lake, watching the caribou pass through northern valleys, or picnicking by a wild river while listening to the wind in the boreal forest” (NPS). Whatever you chose, no matter where you go in the park, there are sure to be unbelievable views. On top of this, you will most likely have the whole area to yourself, so you can get away from the hustle and stress of everyday life.

I hope you enjoyed reading about Gates of The Arctic National Park! I hope I have the opportunity to take a trip to a remote area like this one day. I think it would be so cool to be submerged in nature and be able to hike through beautiful surroundings that are mostly untouched by society.

Citation:

“Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service).” National Parks Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, 8 Dec. 2021, https://www.nps.gov/gaar/index.htm.

This national park in Colorado is centered around the massive Black Canyon, known for its dark-colored high cliffs. This canyon was carved by the Gunnison River over millions of years. Not only is the canyon named for its dark color, but also for the fact that some of the deepest, narrowest parts of the canyon only get around 30 minutes of sunlight a day. Another striking feature of the canyon is the light streaks that run through the dark canyon walls. While this canyon isn’t quite as massive as the Grand Canyon, it is the combination of the depth, sheer cliffs, and darkness that make the Black canyon so unique.

This National park is actually one of the less visited parks in the West, making it much less crowded than places like the Grand Canyon would be. Despite the lack of attention the park receives, it is still a fantastic destination for hikers as well as those looking for a fantastic view and a unique landscape. This lack of crowds can allow you to really feel like you are in nature as there won’t be people around every corner as there definitely were in Zion National Park.

The canyon offers impressive views, including the “Painted Wall,” pictured below. This is the tallest cliff in Colorado, and is 2,250 feet high. That is just about tall enough to stack 2 empire state buildings on top of each other! This is a must-see if you come to the park, and can be best viewed from the Painted Wall View Trail, which is a .2 mile easy hike that people of all hiking abilities can enjoy. You may want to avoid if you are scared of heights though!

There are many steep, difficult trails that venture down into the deep canyon. The “Wilderness Route” to the bottom of the canyon drops about 2,000 feet over the span of the one mile hike. This may not be too bad going into the canyon, but coming back up would be very exhausting! There are also many hiking trails available around the rim of the canyon, on different stretches that give different views of the canyon. The South Rim is the more popular side of the canyon, and is home to the visitor center as well as many overlooks. You can drive to each overlook along the 7 mile rim and park and hike a short distance to the overlook. This is great for people who are not interested in a hardcore hike with steep ledges.

Another option that seems fascinating to me is hiking up Green Mountain for a view of the canyon from above. The trail is about 8 miles long, so you have to be ready for a day of hiking, but it offers a very unique perspective of the canyon that I think would be very cool to see. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park seems like a very interesting place to visit. With stunning views and fewer crowds than you would see at the grand canyon, it is definitely worth a trip. I hope I get to visit one day so that I can compare it to my experience at the Grand Canyon!

The destination of White Sands National Park located in New Mexico is much different than the mountainous landscapes I have explored in previous posts. As the name suggests, this park is known for its extremely white sand dunes.

The park is an amazing place to see because in any direction you look, all you see is white. The sand dunes span about 275 square miles and the park is located in southern New Mexico. On a sunny day, the reflection of the sun off of the bright white surface can be blinding so be sure to bring your sunglasses! The unique bright white color of the sand comes from a mineral called gypsum which is often present after bodies of water evaporate.

Although miles and miles of sand may sound pretty boring, there are actually many things to do in White Sands National Park. The park offers unique hiking experiences for hikers of all abilities. The sand can make hiking extremely difficult, so for those who so not want to spend time hiking through the tough terrain, there is a half-mile boardwalk available with informational signs and a nice flat, solid walking surface. There are also many flat hikes that are about a mile long that allow families to be immersed in the dunes without having to take a long or steep hike. This is a great option if you want to experience a hike through the white sand without getting too intense.

For those who truly want to experience the dunes, there is a 5 mile hike called the Alkali Flat Trail that is anything but flat in reality. This trail is for dedicated, experienced hikers who are willing to traverse through the sand including many trips up and down the steep dunes with no access to water or bathroom facilities. It is recommended that this hike is completed by only those who are prepared for the heat and demanding conditions, as well as in cooler months if possible. In the summer, the temperatures are often in the 90s and the dessert environment offers little to no escape from the sun.

Another fun activity to do in the park is sand sledding. The sand looks just like winter snow with its white color, and you can even sled down the slopes just as if it really was snow. It is noted that sand is not as slippery as snow, but with the right equipment, this can be a fun family activity. The park recommends waxed plastic saucer sleds for maximum speed sliding down the dunes. Families or friends can come set up for the day and enjoy the warm weather and sun while they go summer sled riding in the white sand.

One drawback of this park is that it is a bit far from the rest of society and is a bit hard to get to. The nearest city of El Paso, Texas is about an hour and a half away. Although it is hard to get to, it also has a historical aspect to it. Billy the Kid (a famous wild west outlaw) is said to have grown up near the park and traveled in or around it on his journeys. Another legend is that a young woman’s heart was broken when her lover, Spanish conquistador Hernando de Luna, “vanished somewhere in the ever-shifting gypsum of White Sands” (Barks). It is said that the ghost of the young woman still haunts the dunes, forever searching for her lost love.

White Sands National Park is a great place to go if you are looking to experience the true dessert, or just something a little different. The expansive area of white sand seems like it would be amazing to see! Sand Sledding sounds like a blast as well!

Citation:

Barks, Cindy. “7 Things To Know About White Sands National Park.” Travel Awaits, 4 Dec. 2019,  https://www.travelawaits.com/2485969/white-sands-national-park-things-to-know/

As the name suggests, Glacier National Park does have glaciers. Glaciers helped to form and shape the huge rock formations, and the glaciers in the park today are the remnants of the very glaciers that formed the park. If you think glaciers and the history of the park are interesting, there are many places in the park to get information on the formation of the glaciers and how they cut through the rock. If this isn’t particularly interesting to you, don’t worry, there are many great things to do and see in the park that don’t actually involve glaciers.

For those who would enjoy a scenic drive, Going To The Sun Road is for you. This 50 mile road was finished in 1932 and extends all the way across the park. “It passes through almost every type of terrain in the park, from large glacial lakes and cedar forests in the lower valleys to windswept alpine tundra atop the pass” (Glacier National Park). There are many places to pull over for scenic overlooks, and it is recommended to drive the road from either direction as you get a different experience going each way. Another fun fact about the road is that it was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1985. I will definitely take a long drive on this road if I ever get the chance! But beware if you are afraid of heights, this road does come pretty close to some steep cliffs!

There are endless hiking opportunities in Glacier National park, and you can see many unique features such as glacial lakes, waterfalls, snowcapped mountains, and valleys carved out by glaciers. Jake Bramante hiked all 734 miles of trails in the park in one summer in 2011, becoming the first person to do so (Glacier National Park). He has posted a lot of information online about his experiences and his posts are a great way to get firsthand comparisons of trails and information on the best day hikes to complete.

On top of all the scenery and hiking opportunities, the nearby town of Whitefish was named one of the “Top 25 Ski Towns in the World” by National Geographic (Glacier National Park). It is clear from the picture below that this is a huge skiing destination with many trails at the base of a huge mountain. You can see why those with a love of skiing (like me) would want to come to Whitefish for a great time on the slopes. Even if you don’t enjoy skiing though, you can come to Whitefish just to shop, go to the theater, eat great food and just enjoy the cheerful atmosphere of the town.

Glacier National Park is a great place to go hiking, go for a scenic drive, see glaciers, see waterfalls and lakes, and is even nearby one of the best skiing destinations in the world. There are so many things to do here, and I really hope I get to come to Glacier National Park one day, and maybe even go to Whitefish to go skiing while I’m at it.

Citation:

Glacier National Park, Montana, 9 Aug. 2021, https://www.visitmt.com/places-to-go/glacier-national-park