Category: National Parks

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Great Basin, Great Vacation

This year for Fall Break, we decided to head back to Nevada (our third time this year) to explore one of the country’s lesser visited National Parks, Great Basin. The park is over four hours from Vegas and three hours from Salt Lake. Flights being what they were, we flew into LAS, rented a car and headed north.

Aside from the travel arrangements, another reason we flew into Las Vegas was that Cathedral Gorge State Park is on the drive up. In the west, one must keep in mind that there are a plethora of state parks, some as impressive as their National Park neighbors.

What We Did

Cathedral Gorge State Park: we drove up Friday night and hit the park the next morning. We only spent about four hours there, which was enough, and it was a great four hours.

The Juniper Draw Loop is just over 3 miles and is one of the most popular trails in the park. If you plan to do the whole thing, I recommend going clockwise, as this saves all the best parts for the end.

If you are not wanting to do the whole hike, you can go clockwise and just go up to Miller Point, which is a steep climb offering great views of the park. You can also drive straight to the overlook, if you are not interested in the walk.

I also recommend, on this end of the loop, Cathedral Caves. While the ‘caves’ in Cathedral Gorge are actually slot canyons, they are really cool, and our kids loved climbing through them.

If you liked the Cathedral Caves, I strongly recommend the Moon Caves. This is a slightly different area with equally impressive slot canyons. There were a few areas that only my kids could fit into, which they found really exciting (and Alyson and I found really nerve wracking). Both Eileen and JR said this was their favorite part of our entire trip.

Great Basin National Park

Visitors Center: Great Basin has two VCs, Lehman and GB, and I recommend visiting both. The Lehman VC has an attached cafe with a much better gift shop attached.

Astronomy Program: Great Basin is a certified dark sky park, so people flock from all around to check out the star. We went to a ranger led program that was great. The skies were amazing, and one of the telescopes showed Saturn clear to the point that the rings were actually visible through the lens. It is a later night, and it was hard for our four year-old to sit through, but it was worth it.

Wheeler Scenic Drive: This drive up the mountain takes you past several great overlooks, including one of Nevada’s only glacier, and goes by most of the trails you will want to hike. It is also a good way to see all the changing leaves if you are there at the right time.

Alpine Lakes Loop: This 3-ish mile loop is at the termination of Wheel Drive and is one of the park’s most popular. We went counterclockwise, but I didn’t really see a lot of advantages to one way or the other. Frankly, I wasn’t as impressed with this hike as I had hoped. It goes by two alpine lakes, but at this time of year, my daughter suggested they were more like alpine ponds. It was a good trek but not particularly mind blowing.

If you don’t have young kids and/or are feeling like you need more, the Bristlecone Pine and Glacier Trails branch of the loop, but they add a lot of extra mileage.

Lehman Caves: This was my favorite part of our trip. We took a guided, 60 minute tour that revealed all sorts of great features in this living cave. I love a good cave, and this might be my favorite that we’ve toured in a National Park.

Strawberry Creek Road: To access this, you have to leave the park and drive north, then follow a dirt road back in. We were the only people for miles, which was pretty fantastic. At the end of the road, we did a 1-mile loop that goes along Strawberry Creek. This was a nice trail, but again, not all that amazing, except that we saw a family of deer, including a 10-point buck, which made it all worthwhile.

Where We Stayed

Swallow Cove B&B: There aren’t a lot of options to stay near Cathedral Gorge, which is why this place was such a pleasant surprise. We had a great room with plenty of space for five, and homemade breakfast in the morning. One of the best amenities was the key-less entry. We arrive late, so the host simply texted us the instructions. We had a completely contact-free check-in and check-out.

Hidden Canyon Retreat: This place is fantastic. There are also few lodging options for Great Basin, and this one is actually the further of the two. That said, it appeared to be the far better choice. The approach is a 6-mile dirt road, but once you’ve done it once, it is far less daunting. The room was great with a fully functioning kitchen. We bought supplies and cooked dinner both nights in our room. There’s a heated pool, a hot tub, several grills, a convenience store and several friendly animals (including a 5-point buck). Recently, our best experiences have been the ones where we really liked our lodging, and Hidden Canyon did not disappoint.

Where We Ate

Historic Silver Cafe: On the way out of Cathedral Gorge, we stopped at the Silver Cafe, the older cafe in Nevada. The food was decent, and they were showing college football, so it was a good experience. If there were other options, and it wasn’t historic, I am not sure we would’ve stopped, but there was nothing significant about which to complain.

Sugar, Salt & Malt: We ate here for lunch on Saturday, and it was solid. We all got sandwiches that hit the spot, and everyone was very friendly. The dinner menu looked interesting, but due to staffing issues, they were only open for lunch during our stay. There was also a note about the owners selling the establishment, but it was not clear whether that is a recent development or has already happened. Whether or not it is there when you go, I can’t say for sure. There are not a lot of options for food in Great Basin, so do your research and plan ahead.

Able Baker Brewing: This brewery is actually in Vegas, and is where we stopped for lunch on Monday before boarding a plane. I thought it was great, one of my favorite recent breweries. There were several food options that the whole family loved, and a plethora of beers. Whether or not you’re going to Great Basin, if you want a break from the Strip part of Vegas, this is cool spot.

Overall, Great Basin was a great trip, and Cathedral Gorge was a great addition. That said, I do not think I would put it in my top 10 National Parks. If you are looking for stunning scenery, breathtaking waterfalls and great trails with hidden wonders, this probably isn’t the park for you. That said, I do think that of Mammoth Cave, Wind Cave and Carlsbad Caverns, GBNP has my favorite cave system. If you are looking for seclusion, wide open spaces and a crystal clear night sky, then look no further.

Next up for the Traveling Igoes, we’re headed to Dallas for Thanksgiving to see Alyson’s family. We were able to get tickets to the Cowboys game, and I couldn’t be more excited. Whether you’re a Dallas fan or not, if you’re a football fa, Cowboys on Thanksgiving should be on your bucket list.

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Welcome to the Dakotas (both North and South)

This year, the bug struck again, and the Igoes set off in an RV across the great, wide North. If you’ve been following along, I broke our trip into a few different posts for the sake of readability but wanted to recap here and speak more to the trip itself than to the finer details.

We picked up our rig, a 24-foot Winnebago, in Rapid City, SD. If you are flying here, keep in mind that Uber XLs can be hard to get, so it was actually faster to get two separate Ubers. The owner the RV was not present when we arrived but left a key and texted several instructions. This actually does make things a bit more difficult. If you don’t RV all the time, you don’t know the basics of things like black valve then grey valve, how to prime the generator, etc. Our owner was quite helpful via phone call and text but getting a walk through is usually better.

The RV had one small slide out for the table bed, a nice bed in the back and the typical loft. We basically wedged Clara in her car seat next to the table, and she spent most nights with JR in the loft, the largest of the sleeping areas. I strongly recommend walking around the outside of the RV and walking through with your camera on so that you can document anything that existed prior to your trip, damage-wise. It was not an issue this time around, but our last trip involved a dispute that was resolved in our favor due to our foresight.

In terms of lodging, we try to stay at KOAs when possible; we have never had a bad experience. That said, there isn’t always one close by, so you have to do some digging. Be sure to read what exactly each site offers. For us, we need full hook-ups and a comfort center (which just means bathrooms and showers). We use the restroom in the RV when necessary but try to minimize it when possible.

This year, thankfully, I hit neither a gas station nor a Dairy Queen, so that’s a plus. The thing one must take into account with every turn of an RV is that the radius is far different than a regular car. You’ve got to give yourself a wide berth and have to be quite careful whilst changing lanes.

All told, if you are willing to take the plunge, I think you’ll love it. Driving an RV is great, and if your kids are the right ages (and constitutions), it makes memories that will last forever.

Our Itinerary

Day 1: We left the Rapid City airport, picked up the RV, drove through Wal-Mart and stayed the night at the Fall River Ranch RV resort, just south of Wind Cave NP.

Day 2: We got up early and spent a few hours at Wind Cave. The cave itself was closed, but I have been before, and it shouldn’t be missed. Above ground, there’s a nice hike called Rankin Ridge, which was definitely worth our time. From there, we went to Jewel Cave and took a short but fascinating tour. We drove back around to the other side of Custer State Park and went to the Cosmos Mystery Area. It’s cool, it’s kitschy, and it’s a good way to kill an hour. We finished the day with a Buffalo Jeep Safari out of the south end of Custer, which was pretty spectacular.

Day 3: We stayed that night at the Mount Rushmore KOA, got up early and went to Mount Rushmore. This is a place that should be visited by every American. Following that, we took a short drive to Crazy Horse Memorial, which while currently unfinished, is still really impressive. We hiked the Cathedral Spires trail that afternoon and spent the rest of the day at Rushmore Tramway Adventures. A note, if you’re driving an RV, you cannot make it through the Needles or Iron Mountain highways.

Day 4: We woke again at the Rushmore KOA and took the kids rock climbing with Sylvan Rock. This took a solid 4 hours, and afterwards, we tried to hike Hippie Hole, but it was inaccessible. Instead, we drove to Deadwood, watched a wild west show and had a nice dinner. We spent that evening at the Spearfish KOA.

Day 5: This was one of my favorite days. We drove into the Spearfish Canyon area and visited Bridal Veil Falls, Roughlock Falls and Spearfish Falls. All three are great and shouldn’t be missed. We hiked Devil’s Bathtub that afternoon. It’s a cool trail but was very crowded. From there, we drove to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. It’s pretty amazing, but there’s not much to do other than take a nice, long look. Following DT, we took our first long drive into North Dakota, to Theodore Roosevelt NP and stayed at the Boots Campground.

Day 6: We spent this whole day exploring TRNP. We started out with a 1 hour horse back ride from Medora Stables, which was a lovely introduction. We spent the majority of the rest of our time in the North Unit, in particular the Caprock Coulee trail. This park is incredible; it was definitely a high point for me. We changed campgrounds that night, due to a mistake on my end, and moved to the Red Trail Campground.

Day 7: This day included our second long drive, from TRNP down to the Badlands. It’s about a five hour drive, and while it’s scenic, there’s nowhere to stop in between. Our first stop was at Minuteman Missile NHS. It’s pretty cool, especially if you’re game for a Cold War history lesson. We spent the rest of this day in and out of the Badlands, including a hike along the Notch Trail and a sunset at Bigfoot Pass. We stayed that night at the Badlands KOA, which was more than adequate.

Day 8: Our last full day on the road, and we spent it all in the Badlands. We hiked the Saddle Pass, Medicine Root and Castle Trails, all very impressive and can be put together to make a nice loop. We also visited the White River Visitors Center at the far end of the park. Unless you’ve got literally nothing else to do, you can skip this stop. We at that night in Interior, SD, a town of 91, at a great little dive call the Wagon Wheel.

Day 9: We stayed that last night in the same KOA and headed back to Rapid City. On our way out, we stopped at Wall Drugs for breakfast, and the experience. If you’re in the area, you shouldn’t miss it.

This was a great trip, and while it might be a bit before we rent another rig, I cannot wait to do it again.

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Into the Badlands (RV Days 7 & 8)

After leaving North Dakota, we made the long trek south towards Badlands National Park. This was the longest drive of our journey, about five hours, and we legitimately tried to find something to do along the way. It turns out that between Theodore Roosevelt NP and Badlands NP, there isn’t anything to do. It is a very scenic drive, but we found nowhere to stop.

We spend about a day and a half in the Badlands area, which was definitely enough to see what we wanted to see. The park is expansive and has multiple units, and much of it is under the care of a Native American nation. The area is very visitor friendly, but it can take quite some time to get from one end to the other.

What We Did

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site: If you are in the area for more than half a day, it is worth it to stop at this NPS site. It memorializes the nuclear arms race that occurred during the Cold War. There is a lot of interesting history here, and you can actually visit a decommissioned nuclear launch silo. Especially if you are an NPS passport book holder, this site is worth your time.

Notch Trail: This is one of the most popular trails in the park, and when you get there, you’ll know why. It is at the same parking lot as the Door and Window trails, and it can get crowded. Take the path to the right for the Notch Trail, and about 10 minutes in, you’ll find a rope ladder ascending the topography. It can get backed up, which is a good reason to go early. The trail itself is about 1.5 miles out-and-back, and terminates with an expansive panorama. If you have time for only one trail in the Badlands, this should be it.

Castle, Medicine Root and Saddle Pass Trails: In terms of additional hiking, there are several trails that crisscross the Badlands, and you’ve got the option to choose your adventure. The Castle Trail moves east-west across the park but is a long way in one direction. Instead of hiking the entire route, we started at the Saddle Pass Trail Head.

This is less than half a mile, but you go straight up into the heart of the Badlands. It is more of a climb than a hike, but it is a lot of fun. At the top, you come to one of the intersections of the Castle Trail and Medicine Root Trail. If you combine these, you get a really nice loop.

We went counterclockwise along Medicine Root, which offered beautiful, expansive views. The way back along the Castle Trail takes you by the classic stony architecture of the Badlands. Combined, these three tails create about a 4.5-mile lollipop. It was a great way to see the park.

Sunset: One of the top things to do in the Badlands is to watch the sunset. In this park, it is not so much watching the sun drop below the hills that draws the crowds but watching the way the shadows envelop the stony outcroppings. The Pinnacles is one of the most popular spots, but evidently, gets quite crowded. At the suggestion of another blogger, we stopped at the Bigfoot Pass Overlook. We had it almost completely to ourselves, and the views were spectacular.

White River Visitors Center: This is the VC located in the southwest unit of the park. The drive to get there is scenic but time consuming. When we arrived, we found a trailer with two rangers who seemed annoyed to see us. Unless you are looking for a way to kill a few hours, this is probably not worth your time.

Where We Stayed

Badlands/White River KOA: While KOAs are not always the right choice, for us, on this trip, they were. This KOA is only a few miles from the south entrance to the main part of the park. It was nothing special, but the kids played on the playground and swam both nights, and the proprietors were quite friendly.

Where We Ate

Wagon Wheel: Aside from the RV itself, we had a great meal in a local bar in Interior, SD. This city has a population of only 91 but still has a fun bar and grill. When you go, get the beer and get the pizza. Everything else is frozen, but they make the pizza on-site. It might not be the best you have ever eaten, but it certainly hits the spot.

Wall Drugs: This was originally a drug store in the 1800s but has developed almost into a Buc-ee’s style venue. We got breakfast here, and a pair of socks, but could have gotten almost anything we wanted. There’s ice cream, shopping, a fudgery and multiple restaurants, all under the Wall umbrella. The food was good but the experience was superb.

This was the last stop on our 8 day RV trip. We made our way back the Rapid City and jumped on a flight back home. This was my second visit to the Badlands, and I am still quite awed. If all you have is one day, that’s probably enough. Unless you’re doing back country camping, three days is probably too much.

There is so much to do in South Dakota that it can be overwhelming, but if you are there, be sure to prioritize the Badlands; you won’t be disappointed.

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Teddy Roosevelt National Park (RV – Day 6)

We left Wyoming, cruised up through Montana and made our way to Theodore Roosevelt NP. This is amongst the country’s least visited parks, and this is really a shame. TRNP is nothing short of spectacular and should be on the list for any outdoor enthusiast.

The park consists of three separate units, North, South and Elkhorn Ranch. We visited both the North and South, but skipped the ranch. The ranch is where Teddy Roosevelt sought solitude after his mother and his wife both died on the same Valentine’s Day. From what I have been led to understand, this is really only worth visiting if you are a huge TR buff, so we skipped it.

What We Did

Horseback Riding: We got up early and headed for the Medora Stables. This is a nice outfit just outside of the South. We did a one hour tour up and down the hills and into the wilderness. It was a nice trip with good guides and good horses and was a nice intro to the park.

Caprock Coulee Trail: From here, we set off for the North unit, about an hour away, which is the more impressive of the two sections. The Caprock Coulee trail is a 4.4 mile loop, and I recommend going clockwise. The sights are spectacular. The terrain is very similar to the Badlands except with a lot more greenery. There is not much to do other than hike, but it is a great place to find wide open spaces.

South Unit Scenic Loop Drive: This is a fun excursion with lots of good places to stop and take pictures, but much of it was closed due to construction. The Visitors Center is worth stopping and getting your book stamped, but frankly, the place to be is the North Unit.

Little Missouri Saloon: This restaurant in Medora was fantastic. I got a bison burger, and Alyson and the kids got a bison pepperoni pizza. Every time I eat bison, I wonder why I tried it again, as it is extremely gamy, but when in Rome…The beer was good, the atmosphere is great and the balcony offers great views.

Where We Stayed

Boots Campground: This RV park is about 3 miles from the south entrance to the park. It has full hook-ups but does not have shower/bathroom facilities. I did not realize this when we booked (which was my fault) so we only stayed the one night and moved elsewhere the next night.

Red Trial Campgrounds: This park didn’t have extensive amenities but offered all the basics, including a comfort center. The wifi was good, and it was a lot better fit for our family.

We stayed at TRNP for two nights and one full day. This is probably all the time you’ll need unless you really want to see Roosevelt’s house. There is not a ton to do here, and it is not very built out, but I loved it.

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Spearfish, Deadwood and Devil’s Tower (RV Days 4 and 5)

After we left the Custer State Park region of the Black Hills, we headed Northwest towards Spearfish Canyon. This area is still part of the Black Hills but distinct from Custer. It is also the close to Deadwood and only about an hour from Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. If you’ve got the time, all three of these areas need to be visited.

What We Did

Bridal Veil Falls: This water fall is pretty, and is right off the road one takes to reach the other two falls in the Spearfish area. I recommend checking this one out first. There’s a nice overlook, but that’s about all that it is.

Roughlock Falls: We did this second of the three falls. You’ll need to park behind the lodge in the area, and then there is a pretty easy 2-mile out-and-back that leads to a beautiful green, rolling set of waterfalls. If you don’t feel like hiking, you can actually drive up to a parking lot at the top of the falls, but the hike is definitely worth it.

Spearfish Falls: This was my favorite of the three falls, and I think my favorite thing we did. You leave from the same parking lot and access the trail from behind a restaurant (where you are forbidden to park). The hike is less than a mile round trip and leads to a spectacular waterfall where we stayed and relaxed for at least half an hour.

Devil’s Bathtub: This is a very unique trail in the Spearfish area. There’s little total elevation gain, but it is a lot of ups and downs. You end up crossing the creek probably a dozen times, so you’ll definitely get wet. If you’ve got sturdy water shoes, that’s the way to go. Several times, we thought we’d reached the end but just keep going; you’ll know when you get there. Aside from a few dozen other people, there’s an obvious natural water slide, that whilst bumpy, was fun. Personally, this trail was a little too…popular for me, but Eileen claims it was her favorite part of the trip.

Deadwood: This historic western town has been commercialized with shows and casinos but shouldn’t be missed. We made it in time to see an old west shootout take place on Main St. and got to visit Charlie Utter’s. Especially if you enjoyed the HBO show, you’ll love the visit. We ate at the Buffalo Bodega, which is also a casino, but it had a lovely courtyard. The food was as expected, but we had a nice time. If you’ve ever been to Tombstone, Deadwood feels very similar, and if you’re in the area, don’t miss out.

Devil’s Tower National Monument: This unique formation is incredible inspiring. The views are you approach are amazing, and the opportunities for great pictures abound. That said, there’s not actually a lot to do there. If you plan ahead, you can actually climb portions of the monument, but I do not believe it is for novices. We took the trail that circumnavigates the tower, and it is pretty cool, but if all you have is time to get a look, that’s about all you need. We arrived at around 2 pm, and the line to get in took about 30 minutes. On our way out, at around 4, there was almost no line, so plan accordingly.

Where We Stayed

Spearfish KOA: This is a solid KOA. It’s nothing over-the-top like the Mount Rushmore KOA, but it was a fun place to stay. It had a nice store, a nice pool and solid wifi.

The Spearfish area was probably my favorite part of the trip. If you are in the Black Hills, there’s no doubt that you need to spend time in Custer but don’t hesitate to take a day and head towards Wyoming. There’s a lot to see here, and you won’t be disappointed.

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Death Valley (of Fire)

Those of you paying super close attention will note that this is actually two separate blog entries, one for Death Valley and one for Valley of Fire. We actually visited these over the same trip, as well as see Hoover Dam, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and a Golden Knights games, but for the purposes of this blog, I think it is easier to separate the two Valleys into their own posts.

Over the Mardi Gras break this year, we decided to take the kids out west, again, to see one of the country’s lesser visited National Parks. Death Valley is a below-sea-level basin in constant drought that records summer heat extremes higher than anywhere else in North America.

It takes about two hours to get there from Vegas and is legitimately in the middle of nowhere. Our arrival time was well into the dark of night, which was actually pretty spectacular, as the star-scape is pretty unreal.

We did a lot of planning to figure out exactly how much time we needed, and we settled on basically two full days. I believe one full day could have been enough, and I believe we could have filled more time on a third day, but for us, 36-48 hours seemed like the sweet spot.

Where to Stay:

We stay at The Ranch is Death Valley, which is also associated with the Oasis. This is a great resort. We had a two room cabin that easily slept five and access to all sorts of amenities. The Ranch has a golf course, spring-fed pool that is warm year round, two restaurants, horseback riding, a general store, a museum, a playground, oh, and wifi.

The resort alone makes it worth it to stay a few days. That said, the restaurants are pretty expensive, and the food is more than pretty mediocre. I’d give the resort itself 5-stars with an addendum, giving the restaurants 2. That said, there aren’t a lot of alternatives in the area, so options are limited.

The Ranch is in the Furnace Creek area, which is more or less centrally located. There is another area, which is even more central, that one can stay, called Stovepipe Wells, but it is not nearly as quaint.

What to Do:

Horseback Ride: The Ranch offers several rides into the park, including sunrise and sunset. We did a sunrise tour and frankly, it was kind of a disappointment. The ride was fine, and the views were great, but I can’t say that it was really worth the effort.

Zabriski Point: This is a great introductory overlook into the vastness of Death Valley. It is an easy walk up from a parking lot and the views of the colored hills are pretty impressive.

Badwater Basin: This is the lowest point in North America and is why most people come. The drive takes about half an hour and is definitely worth it. You reach a basin that occasionally has an inch of water in it that you can walk out on; it gives the appearance of walking on water. At this stage in 2024, there was actually far more water than normal, due to Hurricane Sandy, so it actually wasn’t as impressive as we’d hoped. There were several areas though where we could walk out onto the salt flats, which is why we came.

Devils Golf Course: This is a really interested formation of rock and salt that would be an awful place to try to play golf. There is a road down that leads to a parking lot, but during our trip, the road was closed (it’s not clear why), so it was a 2 mile out-and-back to see anything of interest. I am not actually sure this is worth the walk, but the ‘golf course’ itself is pretty interested.

Gold Canyon Hike: The way we did this hike was from the Golden Canyon parking lot, and was about 4.5 miles. There are several intersecting trails that can make it far shorter or far longer, depending on what you want to do a see. The walk through the canyons and up the mountains is amazing, but strenuous. I recommend going clockwise, as you get the toughest section done in the first two miles and get to enjoy or more leisurely pace as you see the golden hills contrasted against the red and green rocks.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes: There is an unusual, almost out-of-place, set of sand dunes near the Stovepipe Wells area, which is about half an hour from furnace creek. It is a popular place to watch the sunset, but there are so many dunes that it is easy to find your own personal dune to watch the god-flame set.

Ubehebe Crater: The crater is a solid hour-plus drive from the main areas of the park, but it is worth it. One of the interesting things about this NP is the varying topography, and the fact that a giant volcanic crater is part of the mix is pretty cool. You can drive up to it and hike all the way around for some cool views. I am not sure the hike is necessary, but it is a lovely area.

Mosaic Canyon: This is another worthwhile hike, about 3 miles out and back. It is uphill on the way in, but the grade is not too severe. I recommend it, but if you are pressed for time, the best parts of the hike are in the first half to full mile, so if you don’t make it all the way until the end, you won’t be missing out on much.

What We Didn’t Do:

Dante’s View: Unfortunately, this part of the park was closed due to recent flooding, but I understanding the view to be pretty impressive. That said, it sounds very similar to Zabriski Point, so I am not too devastated at having missed it.

20 Mule Team Canyon: This is supposed to be a very scenic drive in an historic area, but again was closed, due to recent flooding.

Artist’s Drive/Palette: This being closed was a real disappointment. It is supposed to be the best place to view the varying colors of the rock formations, ideally about an hour prior to sunset. It was a good learning experience for the kids, that sometimes things happen that you can’t change, and there are plenty of other places to see rocks a shockingly unusual color, but not getting to see it did suck.

Racetrack Playa: This was actually open, but we made the conscious decision not to go. The turn-off for the Racetrack is at the Ubehebe Crater parking lot, but says that it requires a high-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle. I have heard that most SUVs can handle it, and I think ours could have, but you are an awfully long way from nothing, with no cell service, if something goes wrong. This is the area where you can see the rocks apparently move on their own. If we ever go back, I think we’ll try to get a better car, but for this time around, oh well.

What We Learned

It depends on what you want to do, but Death Valley can be done pretty well in just a day. That said, if we really dived into what the The Ranch has to offer, I think we could have stayed there for three or four. I would definitely recommend getting a car that can handle the Racetrack Playa drive, which can be rented in the Furnace Creek area if needed.

I do not think I will be putting DV in my top 10 National Parks, and frankly, it might actually be towards the bottom, but the family and I had a great time. It is definitely something every Parks fan should see and given the opportunity, I would definitely go again.

The second part of our trip took place in another valley (of Fire). Take a look at our next post for more information about this incredible State Park.

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Almost Heaven – Shenandoah

This year, for Fall Break, in addition to a short trip to Harpers Ferry and college tour for Eileen, they family and I spent basically 48 hours in Shenandoah National Park. If you’re asking whether or not this is adequate time, I think the answer is probably no. There were definitely things that we would’ve like to have done but couldn’t squeeze in

If you are wondering whether two days is enough time to get a good feel for the park and really enjoy it, then the answer is definitely yes.

Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With over 200,000 acres of protected lands that are haven to deer, songbirds, and black bear, there’s so much to explore. We started at the North end of the park, at the Dickey Ridge Visitors Center and made our way south along the Skyline Drive.

The park is basically bisected by this drive, with plenty of things to do along the way. It is also surrounded by multiple small towns that offer various other activities.

Hikes

Bearfence Loop Trail: This 1.4 mile loop is one of the most popular trails in the park, not without reason. The way up involves several strenuous rock scrambles. It was quite difficult with a 3 year old strapped in, but we made it. We did it later in the day, which gave us a great view of the sunset, but it can be, and was at the time, extremely windy. Most of the other people on the trail turned back and scrambled back down, but it is actually easier if you keep going. The decent along a portion of the Appalachian Trail is quite mild. Alltrails was very helpful in this respect, as I am not sure it was clear to all that this trail is actually a loop.

Dark Hollow Falls: This is another great trail, and 1.5 miles out-and-back. Again, very popular, the way down to the falls is quite steep, so be prepared for a tough trek back up. When you reach the end, the payoff is solid, but honestly, not great. If you are hoping for a massive cascade, I think you’ll be disappointed. In terms of falls, I would put this at a 5 or 6/10, but the trail is definitely worth taking.

Excursions

Luray Caverns: We actually stayed in Luray, which is about halfway down Skyline Drive. In Luray, there is really cool set of caves that you can tour at your leisure. I love a good cave, and this one does not disappoint. That said, I recommend getting to the caves right when they open. They are very popular, which can lead to traffic jams inside the caves themselves. This area is well-developed, with several other things to do, including a ropes course that all three of our kids enjoyed.

Rafting: We took a trip with the Shenandoah River Outfitters. It was self-guided but very well marked. It was a little cold to be on the water in the fall, but our portion of the river was mild to the point that we didn’t really get wet. This company offers multiple options with vary degrees of difficulty, and we chose what we did as it allowed our 3 year old to participate.

Ziplining: Our kids love a good zip, and we made a reservation with Bear Mountain Ziplines. The tour included 7 zips, and for those of you experienced, it is the type that involves hand-breaking. Of the zips we’ve done, I wouldn’t put this in the top 5, but everyone had a lot of fun.

Horseback Riding: We actually didn’t get to ride this trip, due to my daughter’s college tour, but there are a few outfitters that will take you into the park itself. One, Mountaintop Ranch, will even let you go tandem with a little one.

Lodging/Food

Luray: We stayed in a VRBO in Luray, which was about 20 minutes from one of the park entrances. I recommend this only if you are unable to get lodging in the park. The lodging within is quite limited, so this is a good back-up option, but if you are planning well in advance, you are much better off within the friendly confines.

Elkwallow Wayside: This shop does not offer any lodging options, but is a must-stop. It is along the Skyline Drive and a regular stop for those hiking the Appalachian Trail. We ate lunch here, smash burgers from the grill, and stocked up on a few supplies for the house. The food is good, and the ambiance is unbeatable.

Skyland: This is one of the two main lodges in the park, and it has a restaurant and tap room. Of the two, we preferred this lodge less. The tap room is really just an offshoot of the restaurant with the same menu, and our wait was about an hour. That said, it was a nice place to sit and watch the sunset, and the food was fine. If it had availability, I would have been happy to stay in the Skyland Lodge, but if both had availability, I would definitely prefer Big Meadows.

Big Meadows Wayside: Big Meadows is the further south lodge, and I believe a little smaller. It feels a lot more quint, and their tap room is completely separate. This is where we ate, and the food and atmosphere were terrific. This was one of my favorite nights in the park.

If you’re heading to Shenandoah NP, there is a enough to do to fill a week. If possible, plan ahead and try to stay inside the park. I think you’ll be much happier that you did.

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Harpers Ferry in Four Hours

The Igoes have finally answered one of the world’s great questions: can Harpers Ferry be fully appreciate in just half a day? The answer is unequivocally no.

For fall break this year, including a college visit in DC, and a NP visit in Virginia, we decided to check WV off the list for all the Igoes who aren’t writing this blog. I have been several times, primarily driving to and from UVA with my dad and brother, but none of the rest of us had.

You may or may not be aware that a new NP exists in West Virginia, New River Gorge, but our youngest isn’t old enough for most of the river excursions, so we took the next best option, which, for me, is Harpers Ferry.

This beautiful historic site is tucked into the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers, and has extensive historical significance, from John Brown’s abolitionist movement to a munitions hub during the Civil War. The area is beautifully maintained and a lovely place to spend a few hours.

That said, we probably could have put together two or three days here, especially without the kids. There are a lot of places to eat, a lot of mini-museums and a whole lot to see.

Things to Do:

Jefferson Rock: Getting to this feature of Harpers Ferry is a fun trek. You go up a set of old stone steps, past a Catholic Church that’s been there for year but is still in operation, to a beautiful look out that Thomas Jefferson noted as one of the most wonderful places he’d seen. You get a great view of the valley and both rivers. It is not a strenuous journey, and for me, is the best reason to go.

The Point: This feature is also a view of the confluence of the two rivers. It’s definitely worth seeing, and is only a few minutes off the main thoroughfares as you wander around town.

Appalachian Trail: America’s great hiking trail passes directly through Harpers Ferry, and you’ll have the opportunity to walk over the river alongside a train track that is very nostalgic and very unique. This was my favorite view of the area and shouldn’t be missed.

What We Didn’t Do:

There are several satellite areas of the National Historic Site that we didn’t have time to visit, and just about every restaurant looks great and has a John Denver-based name. I felt like we could have easily spent a long weekend in the park, and loved it. There might not have been a ton more for the kids to do, but as a couple, I think we would make a really nice getaway spot.

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Mainlining it to Maine

After our exhausting trip with Alyson’s family to four fabulous Hawai’ian islands, which we thankfully left prior to the wildfires, you might think that we’d be ready to relax, and you would be right. It was not to be, for less than a month later, we set off with the extended side of my family for a trip to another of the country’s least visited states, Maine.

Getting to and from Maine is no easy task, especially the part to which we were headed, Acadia. We actually ended up flying in and out of Providence late on a Saturday, where we spent the night. We woke early the next morning, and added about an hours drive to our trips by driving into Putnam, CT, where we got breakfast The Painted Baker.

You might ask yourself, was this detour really worth it, considering one could just fly into Portland, ME? Well, much like Obi-wan’s explanation for the existence of Luke’s father, it depends on your point of view. Certainly this took us longer, although it was cheaper, but it also allowed us to visit Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. While I had already been through all of the Northeast, not everyone else in my family was in the same boat, and checking off New England is no easy task. Not for nothing, the breakfast at the Painted Baker was pretty fantastic.

The rest of the day found us in the car making our way to Acadia National Park, and our VRBO in Northeast Harbor. The house we got was perfectly acceptable, aside from the live mouse we found in a mousetrap, but I should warn that recently, almost every house we’ve gotten hasn’t quite lived up to the pictures on the internet. Be sure to read the comments thoroughly and temper your expectations.

My entire immediate family was presents, so our plans had to be catered to many different age and ability levels. We have come to the conclusion that on these types of vacations, the thing to do is make your own plans for the day, and then all get together for dinner at night. Everything we did, we invited whomever was interested, and sometimes we have company, sometimes we didn’t. This way, we didn’t miss out on anything we wanted to do, and weren’t always on our own, but had plenty of time to hit all of our highlights.

For the purposes of this blog and readability, I am going to try a different format, listing the things we did, the places we went, and how we felt about them, instead of going in a more narrate format. Let’s see how it goes:

Hikes:

Great Head Trail: This 1.4 mile loop, I believe, was my favorite of the trip. There are two different trail heads, one with a parking lot and another at the Sand Beach. Frankly, it was not all that easy to find, but once we found it, it was worthwhile. I recommend going clockwise from the beach, and about halfway through, making your way down to a large stone outcropping at the beach. We were completely alone for about half an hour watch the waves crash in. You have to figure this part out for yourself, as it is slightly off trail, but it is very much worth it.

Duck Harbor Trail: This trail is on Isle au Haut, a much less visited portion of the park. I suggest you make time to get over there. We took the ferry and exited at the Town Landing, where there is a ranger station and shop. The whole family made this trek, about 4 miles in all, down to Duck Harbor, where the ferry picked us back up. Be sure you come prepared with water and food, as there is little development here. And be sure to plan it for a whole day, as getting back and forth is reliant upon the boat schedule. This hike is not super strenuous in terms of elevation, but it is a solid trek, so be prepared with older or younger participants.

Beehive Trail: Certainly, when researching Acadia, you will come across this trail, as well as the Precipice Trail (which was closed during our visit due to falcon nesting). This is a can’t miss, but definitely requires some level of physical fitness. It includes a lot of climbing and rock scrambling. We left the younger kids with the grandparents, none of whom would have done too well. We went early, as this trail gets crowded, and their was still a back-up a the top, primarily due to an overweight, older human overestimating his abilities. This is an incredible hike, a ton of fun, and must do. Our 11 year old had no difficulty.

Ship Harbor Trail: This trail, on the west side of the park, in Southwest Harbor, was a lot of fun. It was a little rocky, but flat throughout. My 70 year old parents joined us on this hike, and while they were a bit slower, they managed without difficulty. This is less than 2 miles round trip, offers great rocky ocean expanses and plenty of opportunities to explore multiple, colorful tide pools. The kids also discovered several inland areas perfect for skipping rocks, something that has evidently become one of their favorite past times.

The Bubble: The North and South Bubbles trails overlook Acadia and Jordan Pond, and are definitely worth your time. Both Bubbles can be approached from the same trailhead, and if you go left to being with, you will summit the South Bubble and end at Bubble Rock, which is pretty impressive. Do not fear, an entire football team tried to push this rock over, but it won’t budge. If you don’t mind back tracking, you can then find the approach up the North Bubble, which leads to a beautiful view of the park. We stopped at the peak, which made the trail about 1.5 miles, but it goes on for quite some time.

Raven’s Nest: This is one of the hidden gems in Acadia, and hard to even find information about online. It’s a great stop along the road around the Schoodic Peninsula. In order to find it, you have to park in the third pull off on the left, once you’ve started the drive. To be clear, it is not the third pull off overall, but the third one on the left side of this one way road. Once you park, take the unmarked trail across the road down to the coast, where you’ll find incredible views and amazing sites. It’s hard to find, but don’t skip this.

Restaurants:

Side Street Cafe: This adorable, quintessential Maine cafe is, as you would expect, off the beaten path in Bar Harbor. We sat outside, with a nice view of the area, and had a terrific meal. There was something for everyone, including a lobster roll, a lobster mac and a lobster melt. Prepare yourself that everything in Maine is expensive, but this was a great option and very kid friendly. The waiter was also very helpful in providing us with several viable hiking options.

Bar Harbor Beer Works: This was actually a harbor of last resort for us. We were wandering around Bar Harbor on a Friday, and the city was packed. Every place we checked out had an hour+ wait, but the Beer Works didn’t open until noon, and as we were the first ones in, there was no wait. The fare was classic beer/bar food, with a pretzel for JR, fish and chips for me, etc. We ate there with my parents, and while it wasn’t the best meal I had on vacation, it was a great stop for what we were doing.

Colonel’s Restaurant and Bakery: Some member of my family ate at this establishment at least once/day. It was within walking distance to our VRBO and serves all four meals, plus a bar. The breakfast is great; bagel sandwiches, donuts, etc. They have wonderful pizzas, salads and sandwiches, and the full bar was a lot of fun on Friday night.

Bunker’s Seafood and Spirits: Bunker’s (who doesn’t have a website) is a nice little waterfront restaurant at the end of the Schoodic Island road. This little visited part of the park is beautiful and remote, and this restaurant with standard (expensive) fare, is a perfect way to cap off your trip.

Fish Net: This adorable little lobster pound really hit the spot on our way back from Isle Haut. For those not familiar, the term ‘pound’ simply means shack or shop or house; basically, a place to get lobsters. There was plenty of outdoor seating, and plenty of good food. I recommend hitting as many pounds, and adding as many pounds, as you can.

Excursions:

Bar Harbor: No trip to Acadia would be complete without a visit to Bar Harbor. On the Northeast side of the main island, this area is touristy, but offers a lot. There are many interesting looking restausrants, shops and tour groups. It is definitely worth your time, but for me, not that much of it.

Sea Prince Boat Tour: There are multiple different boat tour options around Acadia that offer varying experiences. You should definitely do some research beforehand to find the one that best serves your group. We found one that left near our house, and that was less than two hours, which was perfect for the kids. It took us out on the water where got to see porpoises and seals, and learn a lot about the history, and the present, of the area.

Carriages of Acadia: There is a stable within the park that offers carriage rides along the carriage roads. This honestly wasn’t the most exciting part of our trip, but it is a fun way to see the interior of the park and learn a lot about its history.

Cadillac Mountain: You can hike this mountain, if you like, or drive to the summit. Driving requires reservations during peak season, which can only be obtained at certain times in advance on reservations.gov. We got a pass for a sunrise drive, which required getting up at about 4 am. Eileen loves a sunrise though, so we couldn’t miss it. Cadillac Mountain’s claim to fame is that it’s the first sunrise in the continental US, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, it was super overcast during our visit, so the sunrise wasn’t all that spectacular, but I am still glad that we went.

Thunder Hole: This is an interesting and always crowded part of Acadia NP. It’s basically a narrow inlet into which the tide crashes in, creating a thunderous sound. The best time to visit is 2 hours prior to high tide, but it is always pretty cool. When we were there, we never heard anything that I would equate to thunder, but the spray from the surf was pretty epic at times. It is very crowded, and along a path that leads to other interesting areas, but it’s also basically just a sidewalk. I recommend trying for a spot in the parking lot, as the rest of it might not be super worth it.

Jordan Pool House: It was hard to decide whether this is a trail, a restaurant or an excursion, but it is worth your time. I suggest calling ahead and making a reservation for early afternoon. We arrived at around 2 pm and walked the loop around Jordan Pond, about 3 miles. While there are few elevation changes, this trail is still strenuous, but very rewarding. Afterwards, we grabbed our table at the Pool House for popovers (the kids’ were covered with ice cream) and a few beers. It was a great way to spend an afternoon.

Our trip, which last most of a week, was a lot of fun. We could have filled two or three more days without repeating anything. The few must do’s are the Beehive and a boat tour. If at all possible, I strongly recommend getting to both Isle au Haut and Schoodic, which are far less crowded as the main island a quite beautiful. Next up for us, as far as I know, is our yearly Labor Day trip to Gulf Shores.

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Hawai’i and The Pride of America

Our last day was spent in Honolulu, a place that I hope to never visit again. Our hotel, the Hilton Hawai’ian Garden was great, but it could have been anywhere. We did drive to the Northshore, which was pretty, but this was mostly throw away time.

I just want to leave our four loyal readers with a few afterthoughts based upon our trip in general. Given the opportunity, I would take this cruise again, and given the opportunity, I would visit Hawai’i again. That said, I do not think either are trips that I would plan myself. We all had great experiences, but it wasn’t amazing to the point that I am jonesing to go back.

If you are taking this boat specifically, I would recommend not spending the extra money on the upgraded dining experiences. The food was good, but not that much better than the free options. I would recommend upgrading to include the alcohol package. You have to drink a lot each day to make it worthwhile, but it was so much easier to not have to worry about how much we were spending. And, the package included gratuity.

If possible, I would recommend not staying on the 8th floor. There was nothing wrong with our rooms, but the view is obscured a bit by the emergency rafts. I would also recommend bringing magnetic hooks. The bathrooms have very few, but these hooks will stick to the door and make it a lot easier to dry your towels and swimming suits.

I think my single biggest take away would be to recommend skipping any of the included excursions, if at all possible. The much better option for us was renting a car at each port and creating the experiences for yourself. Every rental car pick-up spot was less than a 20 dollar cab ride from the port, and if there are several of you, this is a far more affordable option. We had much more fun driving around ourselves than we did on any of the planned trips.

If you’re on the fence about to see Hawai’i, this cruise is a great option. It certainly isn’t perfect, but there aren’t many better ways to get to all four islands. Everyone was very friendly, everything was very clean and everyone in our group had a great time.

Next up, we have a very brief break before heading up to Maine and Acadia.