The 7.5 acres of Washington, DC that make up Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens are reborn every summer as lotus and water lily flowers bloom. Lotus Growing three to six feet tall, the Nelumbo Nucifera or Sacred Lotus grow out of muddy, shallow ponds yet have brilliantly white and pink […]
Yosemite National Park
My time at Yosemite National Park was a whirlwind. Four days was not enough time to explore the park, but I imagine that a lifetime would not be enough time. Yosemite is probably one of the most talked about and photographed parks in our national park system, but there is […]
Four Mile Trail is a misleading name. It sounds easy. Four miles isn’t that far. In reality, it’s a 4 mile hike each way with 3,200 feet in elevation gain. Four Mile Trail connects the valley floor to Glacier Point. Along the way you get full views of both the […]
In the northeastĀ cornerĀ of Yosemite Valley lays a natural phenomenon known as Mirror Lake. A grassy, sandy meadow for much of the year becomes a still pool filled with melting snow runoff in the spring and early summer months. Mirror Lake gets its name from the near perfect reflections that can […]
If you’re looking for a flat, easy hike with breathtaking views of Yosemite Falls, walk the Lower Yosemite Falls Loop. This 1 mile paved path is the opposite of it’s Upper Yosemite Falls Trail sister. But still with remarkable views. When the sun and spray work in your favor, you’ll […]
I thought vacations were for sleeping in. When you’re in a crowded National Park with a couple other adventurers, they’re not. Sunrise has become my favorite part of the day in parks. It’s beautiful. Quiet. Deserted. Calm. Chilly. It’s when you’ll see more animals than people. It’s when you’ll find […]
Name a US National Park. If you are like most Americans you probably named Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, or Yosemite – at least those are the Big 3 that have always come to mind for me. I couldn’t complete my #100by100 quest of seeing 100 National Parks before the Park Service […]