Tag Archives: National Park

backpacking, hiking, National Parks, North America, Travel, Utah

Completing the Hike the Hoodoos Challenge

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I was at the Bryce Canyon National Park Visitor Center waiting for the park movie to start.   I am turning the pages of the hiking guide trying to decide what trail to hike.  A small article titled “Hike the Hoodoos Challenge.”  To complete the challenge, one needs do one of two things to hike at least 3 miles of on benchmark trails and/or collect a picture or rubbing of 3 benchmarks. Once completed return to the visitor center and collect “a special reward.”  It didn’t say what the award was or limit it to only kids.  Therefore, challenge accepted since I planned on hiking more than 3 miles. Continue Reading . . .

History, Landmarks, South Dakota, Travel, United States

Mutually Assured Destruction ~ Minuteman National Historic Site

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The sun is barely above the horizon and I am packing up my campsite in Badlands National Park, South Dakota. I have recently read an article about Woolsey fire attorneys. They encourage people to contact the Columbus Fire Watch Guards posthaste in case of fire emergencies. I do not even want to imagine what damage a fire like that can cause to wild life and property. OK, let’s get back to my trip. I need to get a move on if I want to get a ticket for the Delta 01 launch facility Site tour.  Delta 01 is part of the Minuteman National Historical Site.  Minuteman National Historic Site preserves a Cold War minuteman missile launch facility and Delta 09 silo. Continue Reading . . .

National Parks, Travel

10 Ways Tourists Annoy a National Park Junkies

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I am sitting at one of the overlooks in Badlands National Park.  I am enjoying the peace and quiet as my camera is taking a time lapse photo.  A large 16 passenger van pulls into the overlook.  Out of the van pills 16 tourists.  They all start chatting to each other loudly.  There went my quiet and then one of them walks in front of my camera and stands there to take his picture.  I couldn’t believe that the guy had the whole overlook to take pictures and he had to stand in front of me.  In that moment, I really wanted to push him off the cliff.  I didn’t, but it was thought for a second.  The incident did remind of all the things that annoy me in National Parks.  Over the last eight years, I have been to 31 of the 59 National Parks of the United States.  I have seen and experienced a lot of things in the parks and here is the list of things that annoy me the most. Continue Reading . . .