Tag: National Parks.

Sunset photography at the Grand Canyon. First post back after a long hiatus from the blog.

Tour of the Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, California, including Marine One helicopter, birthplace, and Watergate exhibits.

Thirteen years of annual summer camping in Yosemite. Glacier Point, Half Dome views, and dry waterfalls in July 2012.

A 26-year-old died falling 600 feet from Half Dome's cables in July 2011. The climb's inherent dangers persist despite permits and warnings.

Tour the Franklin D. Roosevelt Family Home and Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kil cottage in Hyde Park, New York. Learn the history of two presidential estates on the Hudson River.

Tour Frederick Vanderbilt's 1899 Hyde Park mansion overlooking the Hudson Valley. 54-room Gilded Age estate on 211 acres, now a National Park Service historic site.

Climbing Half Dome in Yosemite: a 16.4-mile hike with 5,000 feet elevation gain, cable ascent, and permit system. Photos from July 2011.

A Memorial Day weekend in Philadelphia: Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, Benjamin Franklin's sites, and tours of neighborhoods like Rittenhouse Park led by a friend at Urban Outfitters.

Recap of the 11th annual Yosemite trip with 28 friends. Half Dome views, valley hikes, and lakeside picnics from July 2010.

Recap of Yosemite X, a 10-year reunion trip with 31 guests. Photos from Glacier Point, Half Dome, and group shots from May 2009.

Gondola ride up Sulphur Mountain, failed chicken nugget hunt, and a sleigh ride through Banff National Park in winter.

Lake Louise freezes solid in January. See Johnston Canyon, the Fairmont's ice sculptures, and an ice throne at the hotel entrance.

Winter visit to Banff National Park in Alberta. Cold temperatures, quiet trails, and mountain photography from January.

Twenty-five visits to Yosemite. Half Dome cables, seasonal waterfalls, and why this park matters. Photos from spring and fall trips.

Three-stop tour of Olympic National Park: Hurricane Ridge views, Hoh Rain Forest hikes, and Rialto Beach sunset on Washington's Olympic Peninsula.

Tour of Banff National Park near Calgary, Alberta. Lake Louise, glaciers, Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel, and Canadian Rockies scenery from September 2007.

Glacier National Park in Montana straddles the Canadian border with alpine lakes, glacier-carved valleys, and diverse wildlife including grizzlies and mountain goats.

A 4-day backpacking trip across Grand Teton's wilderness, from Jackson Lake peaks to high-elevation camp routes. Permits, bear canisters, and trail details.

Yellowstone holds half the world's geysers and the largest intact ecosystem in the West. A 2007 visit captures Old Faithful, wildlife, and geothermal features across 3,400 square miles.

Remote lava field in Idaho with lunar-like terrain, lava tubes, and volcanic history. NASA trained here. Remote but worth the detour.

Painted Desert Unit of John Day Fossil Beds features colorful clay dunes formed from ancient volcanic deposits. Short hikes reveal rare, multi-hued geological formations.

Oregon's Crater Lake sits 1,943 feet deep in a volcanic crater. The water's remarkable blue color comes from exceptional clarity and depth.

Hike Lassen Peak and explore geothermal features at Bumpass Hell. A quieter California national park just 3.5 hours from the Bay Area with volcanic landscapes and alpine views.