I am in love with the deserts of Southern California. There is no greater joy than leaving the ’burbs on a sunny Saturday, stocked up with water and sunscreen, and driving off into the beyond. …
April 10, 2012
National Parks
Last Stop: Pioneertown, CA
Ambling in the Everglades
At 1.5 million acres, Everglades National Park is the third-largest national park in the U.S. It is, nevertheless, half the size it was a century ago. Once you’re away from the visitors and crowds, the …
March 20, 2012
Khao Sok National Park, Thailand: World’s Oldest Evergreen Rainforest
Many travelers to Thailand head from Bangkok to one or more of the beautiful beaches and islands in the southern part of the country. Just a few kilometers inland from these beaches is Khao Sok …
October 3, 2011
Olympic National Park, Washington
Olympic National Park was the most impressive scenic spot during our recent trip to Seattle this June. From downtown Seattle, we took the ferry to Bainbridge Island first and drove all the way west to …
September 20, 2011
Florida Keys: Dry Tortugas National Park
The best months to visit Florida are September and October, when rates are lowest and you avoid the crowds. 70 miles west of Key West, you’ll find Dry Tortugas National Park, North America's most inaccessible …
August 2, 2011
Badwater Salt Flats in Death Valley, California
Death Valley is just that – a low-lying valley cradled between three monstrous mountain ranges. And frankly, there isn’t another way to describe it other than to assure you that it is bloody majestic! The …
July 21, 2011
Shenandoah National Park: Mountains that Whisper
“For me, it’s Yosemite and Shenandoah.” ~ Ken Burns, documentary filmmaker As I sit perched atop Blackrock Summit, the highest point in the Big Meadows area at 3,721 feet, I ponder the panoramic vista of …
July 5, 2011
Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, California
After hiking in Joshua Tree National Park, I camped in Indian Cove beneath batholiths. I had come to see the Wonderland of Rocks, which thanks to Minerva Hoyt is publicly preserved and accessible. Surrounded by …
June 30, 2011
Lava and Bats: Nicaragua's Masaya Volcano at Night
Outside the town of Masaya, Nicaragua, the Parque Nacional Volcán Masaya offers a glimpse into the smoking cone of an active volcano as well as stunning views of the area around Managua at night. The …
June 23, 2011
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Carlsbad Cavern National Park lies within the limestone Guadalupe Mountain range – the world’s best-preserved Permian-age fossil reef – in what was once a shallow inland sea some 240-plus million years ago. I talked my …
June 7, 2011
Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas
The Amistad National Recreational Area on the Mexican border is beautiful waterway, surrounded with blooming prickly pear cactus and wildflowers. And, apparently, monster snakes. I was careful as I made my way down the rocky …
May 21, 2011