I was just curious if the badlands are as nice as everyone claims? The reviews are all 5 stars but it looks on the smaller size and not very impressive compared to someone of the parks we have. I’m about a 6 hour drive away. Just wondering if it’s worth it?

I'm buying a sleeve for my America the Beautiful pass. This one on Etsy is in the running, because I love the North Cascades. I think this is Lake Ann? But I'm not sure.

Does anyone happen to recognize this lake?

Stopped by on the way home from Zion. There is a parking fee, the view is worth the money.

The shade under the bench is probably pretty inviting to rattlers 'n' such.

At Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site...

We visited Congaree National Park in South Carolina this week just a few days after the hurricane remnants blew through. All trails were flooded with the exception of the high & low boardwalk trails so we took advantage of the warm weather and strolled. The boardwalk trail was underwater at one point (crossing the aptly named River Trail) but the boardwalk is a loop, so you could ostensibly go back to your starting point and just finish it from the other side.

Gorgeous area with calm scenery. I know it’s a bit of a sleeper park, due to the geographical make up and location, but it’s really lovely. And free, if that matters. 🌳🪾

Where the mountains meet the sea. The foliage here is absolutely unmatched right now.

Final wildlife tally over 4 days:

Bears: 11 (3 outside the park)

Elk: 2

Salamanders: 4

Deer: 3

Caterpillars: 2

Slugs and Snails: 2

Chipmunks: 10

Brown squirrel: 3

Woodpeckers: 1 but heard them all day camping

Chickens: 5

Crows: an unsettling amount

Turkeys: an infinite amount

Hi,

I am travelling to the Great Smoky Mountains for 5 days next month and would love some suggestions/opinions on the must do hikes and any other attractions or scenery in the area as well. I will be staying in Gatlinburg. I am looking for the most rewarding hikes regardless of difficulty.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

I am planning a national park trip in mid February and one of the options I was eyeing up was hitting up one or two (or three?) of the Utah national parks. I will have 5 full days and want to be able to spend ample time that each park deserves and was wondering what would be the best way to do this. I think I would definitely hit up Zion, but unsure if I should add on another park while I'm out there and if so which one?

Any suggestions are welcome!

The comment period runs until Nov 6th.

This PDF lays out the 3 proposed NPS plans for rebuilding and maybe expanding after the Dragon Bravo fire that destroyed much of hte infrastructure of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/showFile.cfm?sfid=868051&projectID=138278

And a nice video describing the various plans

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2xzYWuugYw