Read more about the article Kings Canyon National Park – California
Kings Canyon NP

Kings Canyon National Park – California

Kings Canyon and Sequoia are separate national parks, but share park administration. Basically, once you enter one park, you travel seamlessly in both parks without having to go through another entrance station. Although contiguous to each other, they are quite different. Because we entered at the Big Stump entrance, we explored Kings Canyon NP first.

At the Kings Canyon visitor center, we watched a film featuring both parks and learned surprising bits of both parks history. Established in 1890, Sequoia NP is the second national park in the US. Shortly after, the nearby Grant Grove area became General Grant National Park. In 1940, FDR established Kings Canyon NP and transferred General Grant NP (which was only 150 acres) to the much larger Kings Canyon NP. For this reason, Kings Canyon features two separate sections – Grant Grove and Cedar Grove. (more…)

Read more about the article Yosemite NP – Hiking the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls
Vernal Falls

Yosemite NP – Hiking the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls

I was ready to go on a hike in Yosemite and I chose the Mist Trail. But when Thing 2 found out the strenuous trail climbs 1,000 feet, she complained. The ranger at the visitor center recommended we take the moderate trail to the Vernal Falls footbridge. With an elevation of 400 feet, the 1.4-mile hike was a better option.

Last chance for drinking water

 

We took the shuttle to the Happy Isles stop. This is the same trail that hikers take to Nevada Falls and to hike Half Dome. The area was bustling with activity and people. Since it’s the last stop for restrooms and drinking water, we stood in a long line to fill up our water bottles.

Afterwards, we walked up to the Happy Isles Nature Center. Although small, families seemed to enjoy looking at exhibits while kids sat at tables doing art work. (more…)

Read more about the article Yosemite NP – Tuolumne Meadows & Tioga Pass
Tuholomne Meadows

Yosemite NP – Tuolumne Meadows & Tioga Pass

We finally made it to Yosemite and entered on the eastern side of the park near Tuolumne (pronounced “to-all-lum-ee”) Meadows. Most visitors never tour this side of the park as the Tioga Pass is only open during the summer and early fall.

Tuolumne Meadows

Located in the High Sierra at 8,600 feet, Tuolumne Meadows feels quite different from the rest of the park. It is exactly what it says – a lush, green sub-alpine meadow with the Tuolumne River running through it.

Tuolumne Meadows with Lembert Dome in the background

Several hikes start from the Tuolumne Meadows Visitor Center. We chose the easier 2-mile Soda Springs hike instead of the Lembert Dome hike.

Tuolumne River

After crossing the river, a miniature log cabin stood alone in the distance. Homesteader Jean Baptiste Lembert enclosed the Soda Springs in 1889 to protect them from grazing sheep and livestock. (more…)

Read more about the article Joshua Tree NP – California

Joshua Tree NP – California

We met my husband’s family at Big Bear Lake, CA last summer. Those who’ve read my posts know that I don’t like to stay in one place for a long time – especially somewhere I’d been before. Since four days hanging out at a lake didn’t excite me, I decided to take one of my daughters (Thing 2) with me to Joshua Tree National Park for a day trip.

Looking at the Joshua Tree inside the park

It was a huge undertaking but worth it in the end. We left just before sunrise. Although only a little over 70 miles from Big Bear, the drive to the western entrance takes almost two hours mainly because the two-lane road full of hair-pin curves winds its way down the San Bernardino mountains for about 25 miles. Fortunately once we reached the Lucerne Valley area, miles of desert (and flat, straight roads) stretched ahead. (more…)