national park

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Hoh Rainforest Trees

How the Hoh Rainforest is an Olympic Peninsula Dream

The Pacific Northwest is wet, so it shouldn’t have surprised me that it contains the Hoh Rainforest, but it’s just not something I expected in the USA. The Hoh Rain Forest is one of four rain forests on the Olympic Peninsula. But it is the only World Heritage Site and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. It’s also one of the most incredible places you can visit in the Pacific Northwest – a place where there are many unique places. I drove there...

Forks, Washington

A Twilight Fan Visits Forks, Washington

I’m a total book nerd and “Twilight” fan, so when I was traveling within a few hours drive of Forks, Washington, I made a detour to visit. I love going to places my favorite authors have lived or written about and this was a spot I’d been thinking of since I first read Twilight many, many years ago. When I first read Twilight in 2007, I knew nothing about Washington, but by the end of the series, I was eager...

Mount Rainier with pink flowers

Visiting a Live Volcano in Mount Rainier National Park

Mount Rainier National Park is the only park in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest with a large active stratovolcano. That it’s on the “Decade Volcano List” because of the high probability of an eruption soon makes it an especially exciting park to visit. One of my favorite things about national parks is the area around them. The drive to Mount Rainier took me mainly through small towns and two-lane highways. I passed through industrial seaport areas and many...

Rene on Yellowstone Safari

10 Yellowstone Animals Spotted on a Safari

If you want to see Yellowstone animals, you should book a safari. That’s my best advice. Seeing animals in Yellowstone National Park either happens by accident or intention or otherwise not at all. Since I didn’t see any by accident, I took matters into my own hands and booked a safari. Most of us assume that you will see animals in Yellowstone, but the truth is the park is big, probably much bigger than you think. Many people stay on...

Yellowstone Hot springs
Utah national park Bryce Canyon

Which Utah National Park is Best? It Depends on What You Value

“Mighty Five” Utah National Parks Ranked I spent five weeks and visited every Utah national park. They call them the “Mighty Five.” What surprised me was that I expected to like the most popular parks most, but I liked them least. Other parks I’d never heard of turned out to be the best. This is my impression of the parks as someone who likes to hike and enjoy the solitude of the wilderness. If you want those things too, you’ll...

Jackson Hole

Visiting Capitol Reef National Park

I’d decided to skip Capitol Reef National Park during my five-week visit to Utah. But it was all the things I didn’t like about the other parks that made me go. I’m so glad I did. It ended up being my 2nd favorite Utah National Park. Why? The number one reason Capitol Reef National Park is worth visiting is the crowds. This park doesn’t have any. My other reason is history. Oh, and the pie. Who am I kidding? It’s...

Utah national park Bryce Canyon

Why Bryce Canyon Was My Least Favorite of the 5 Utah National Parks

I have the most unpopular opinion about Bryce Canyon National Park. It’s beautiful, and the hoodoos are spectacular, but it only ranks third on my list of the big five Utah National Parks. It’s ranked only third, not for lack of beauty or amenities – it has those in spades, but because I found it nearly impossible to get away from the crowds. To me, a national park should be a place to immerse yourself in nature, not dodge hordes...