As Jon and I headed south towards New Mexico from Denver, we found ourselves close to Great Sand Dunes National Park. Great Sand Dunes is a sand dune field created by erosion of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The park encompasses both the dune field and the foothills of the mountains as a nature preserve.…
Even though both of us have been to Denver many times, it was still great to catch up with some friends and see some places we haven’t been to yet, especially before a huge cold front was to arrive! Days 96 – 99 November 6 – November 9, 2014 Miles 11160 – 11454 In Denver we…
On our way to Denver we stopped to visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. The black canyon is a narrow steep canyon carved out by the Gunnison River. In at least one place the canyon is deeper than it is wide and almost twice the height of the empire state building. Day 95 –…
Our first destination in Colorado was Ouray, which was recommended to us by a friend in Denver who we would be seeing later in the week. Ouray bills itself as ‘The Switzerland of America‘. What we found in Ouray is a quaint mountain town. The buildings on main street retain a lot of historic charm…
Canyonlands National Park is where the Colorado and Green rivers merge together. Of the parks we’ve been to, Canyonlands is one of the least accessible unless you plan to explore it by ATV, mountain bike, or long backcountry trips. The park is divided into three distinct areas; Island in the Sky, The Needles, and The…
Arches National Park was so spectacular that it quickly became a competition to see who could find the most arches. Days 89 – 91 October 30 – November 1, 2014 Miles 10258 – 10539 We arrived in Moab, Utah on a Thursday evening. A quick drive through Moab was all we needed to decide that it…
We didn’t know much about Capitol Reef National Park when we arrived there on Tuesday. Capitol Reef is best known for its Waterpocket Fold, step-like cliffs which run the length of the park. A reef refers to a barrier which inhibits travelers, hence the park’s name. Days 87 – 89 October 28 – October 30,…
Zion is a special place for Jon and I. It is where we got engaged and is also the site of our first serious hiking escapades. Our first time in Zion we hiked Angels Landing, The Narrows, and joined a guided canyoning trip, all of which you can read about in our early blog post here.…
I’ve always heard good things about Bryce, but still didn’t know what to expect. Bryce ended up being one of my favorite national parks. Hiking among the breathtaking hoodoos was one of the most amazing hikes of our trip. Days 84 – 85 October 25 – October 26, 2014 Miles 9436 – 9772 …
Not having seen something as awe inspiring as the Grand Canyon in our own home country is what inspired a large part of our trip around the United States. We finally made it there, and to make things even better, my parents were able to join us for this amazing National Park. Days 82-84…
Herr We Go 