re: Favorite National Park?

White Sands, NM!!!

at the salty dog down voting everyone.

I stumbled across this woman's instagram today while checking out some people hiking the Arizona Trail.

It isn't National Park related, not yet at least, but I figured people who like parks might appreciate what she is doing.

She is planning for a 4000 mile ride with wild horses from California to the Sacred Headwaters in British Columbia, and filming it along the way. She just started an 800 mile training run up the Arizona Trail (Mexico to Utah) and did a 500 mile training run across the Colorado Trail last fall.

Some beautiful pictures and words on her instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/riding.wild/

for those who need a picture before reading text or clicking links:


kind of reminds me of that movie Unbranded.

quote:

---

We will be car camping, the kids are 7 and 8. We plan to do day hikes and probably canoe one day. Will try to get some biking in but with the kids being young that will be abbreviated.

The plan is to drive from Denver and spend the night in a hotel the first night then get up silly early and into the park to find a camping spot. Spend 5-6 nights camping and exploring the park before driving down to the Sawtooth Range for a couple days.

---

Sounds like a good time! If you plan on spending one night in a hotel and don’t want to get to the park immediately I suggest staying in Whitefish for one night... it’s a great little ski town about 45 minutes from the West Glacier park entrance. Lots of great restaurants and shops downtown and a ton of outdoor activities including the farmers market. You could also take the Amtrak to glacier from downtown....

If you want to kayak or canoe in the park, set up camp at Apgar. The campground is within walking distance to Glacier Outfitters (G/O), plus Lake McDonald is RIGHT THERE. I am friends with the owners of G/O .... tell them josh sent you. They are great people and offer boat and bike rentals, as well as bear spray and fishing gear.


Then as suggested earlier, camp at avalanche for one night and check out the Lake McDonald lodge. The most popular thing to do in this area is hike to Avalanche Lake. It’s a great easy 5 mile round trip hike for kids. During peak season the trail can be a bit crowded.


After staying at Avalanche for one night, head up the Going to the Sun road and spend the rest of your nights camping on the east side. It’s oftentimes easier (esp with kids) to just stay at one site for multiple nights than packing everything up and looking for another site elsewhere... so look into Rising Sun

or St Mary

campgrounds. They are centrally located on the east side of the park. You can drive to Many Glacier and Two Medicine from here.

As for other hiking suggestions, I have those too... just let me know what you’re interested in.

Glacier Bay is my top choice, but the Badlands are really underrated.

Heading to Arches and Canyonlands in late April to hike and camp. Any recommendations or must see places for a 1st timer?

Camp in Moab for arches and seeing the north side of canyonlands. You can camp out on hwy 145 or up on the hill behind slickrock trail.

For arches you have to do landscape arch, it’s the one in Utah’s license plate. Sand dune arch is less traveled and really good. The windows are great also. Don’t miss landscape on the longer hike, it’s the best of the park.

Dead Horse State Park has horseshoe bend that is as pretty as anything you’ll see in any of the National parks. It’s near the northern canyonlands entrance.

In northern canyonlands Mesa Arch is the jewel. Go see all the canyons and pull in everywhere. Canyonlands is yuge and has to be split up into 4 sections.

I have only been to the north side of canyonlands.

Thanks for the recommendations!

North Cascades also highly underrated

quote:

---

North Cascades also highly underrated

---

Very. The reason why is because it's not set up for mass tourism and you don't get many likey points for selfies in North Cascades.

Lake Clark is like that too and it's absolutely incredible

quote:

---

license plate had delicate arch

---

It does and that’s the hike you should do.

And thanks for the GNP info. Thinking of coming up 4th of July weekend, think the snow will be melted away by then?