From the Mackinac Bridge we headed south through the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Staying close to the Lake Michigan shore we eventually reached Empire, Michigan, near the entrance to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. One of only three National Lakeshores,…
Bryce Canyon National Park is located in southwestern Utah. If you need a nature fix, Bryce is pretty nice. Spoiler Alert: Despite its name, Bryce Canyon is not a canyon, but a collection of giant natural amphitheaters along the eastern…
When I finally extricated myself from the tangled web of traffic that is Las Vegas, I headed north on US Highway 93. Traffic there was light. I occasionally saw a car through the windshield. I occasionally saw a car in…
Death Valley is a big park. In fact, outside of Alaska it's our largest national park, checking in at 5,219 square miles. By comparison, Yellowstone is only 3,471 square miles. Unlike some parks that provide shuttle buses, you're on your…
The lowest spot in North America is located in Death Valley National Park. Badwater Basin, as this location is known, sits 282 feet below sea level. If you're unable to estimate 282 feet, the Park Service was kind enough to…
Heading out of Beatty, Nevada, State Highway 374 runs southwest towards Death Valley National Park. It runs straight as an arrow for about 9 miles where it begins to wind its way up towards Daylight Pass between the Funeral Mountains…
When you go to Death Valley National Park, you have several choices for accommodations: camp in the park, rent very expensive ($200 - $300/night if available) rooms in the park, or stay at much less expensive motels outside the park.…
The continental divide -- we all learned about it in grade school. Precipitation falling to the east strives to reach the Atlantic Ocean; to the west, it wends its way to the Pacific. Yellowstone and Rocky Mountain National Parks also…
(This post continues the story that began with Riding the rails and Little train on the prairie.) Despite it's reputation for tardiness, Amtrak's Empire Builder rolled into West Glacier station almost exactly on time. After an enjoyable 27 hours on…