National Parks & Monuments

National Parks & Monuments are at the top of our list for places to visit.
Below are links to those we have been fortunate enough to experience thus far.

National Parks:

Badlands National Park - South Dakota
Gateway Arch National Park - Missouri
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Tennessee
Rocky Mountains National Park - Colorado
Saguaro National Park - Arizona
White Sands National Monument/Park - New Mexico

National Monuments:

Bandelier National Monument - New Mexico
Mount Rushmore National Monument - South Dakota

All National Parks & Monuments (ordered by post date)

Featured

Mar 7, 2020

Saguaro National Park

Mar 7, 2020

We were amazed at how much we enjoyed Saguaro National Park! Getting out among the cacti was an incredible experience, as it allowed us to truly recognize the diversity of life that exists in the desert.

Mar 7, 2020

Nov 16, 2019

White Sands National Park

Nov 16, 2019

Although White Sands wasn’t quite yet a National Park on our visit, we’ll still count it! We had a great time meandering through the white sand dunes and soaking up the 360 degree sunset views.

Nov 16, 2019

Nov 10, 2019

Unique Santa Fe, NM

Nov 10, 2019

Although we had a number of great experiences in Santa Fe, one stood out against the rest: Meow Wolf! It is an amazing artistic experience we are thrilled we were able to experience (#2 in our Top Experiences thus far).

Bandelier National Monument and Canyon Road are other highlights included in this post.

Nov 10, 2019

Sep 29, 2019

Rocky Mountain National Park

Sep 29, 2019

The majestic Rocky Mountains! Our time in the Rockies was filled with fun, family time, and soaking in the glory of the Elk Rutt (our second favorite experience on the road…thus far!).

Sep 29, 2019

Sep 15, 2019

South Dakota

Sep 15, 2019

South Dakota was more beautiful than either of us expected. We enjoyed our visit so much, we stayed an extra week!

Sep 15, 2019

Jun 16, 2019

Smoky Dump: Rolling On!

Jun 16, 2019

As you can see in the picture, this little Scotty is ready to fly! In this post we cover a couple of previously unmentioned, but noteworthy experiences…the very charming Great Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Community and Bryson City, NC. This is the final chapter of our Smoky Mountains National Park Adventure before we roll on!

Jun 16, 2019

Jun 14, 2019

Smoky Mountains: Top Experience

Jun 14, 2019

Here it is! Our #1 Top Experience in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! Get ready for a bit of excitement, in combination with considerable amount of disappointment if you are hoping to see pictures and/or video of our top event. The truth is, that this event cannot be captured in video or photography; at least to the best of our knowledge! So if you like reading and are interested in what exactly this fascinating event is and was to us, come along on this text-heavy adventure as we try to flesh out this event the old-timey way… using words!

Jun 14, 2019

Jun 12, 2019

Smoky Mountains: Noteworthy Nature Excursions

Jun 12, 2019

This will be our last post about exploration in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park for this leg of the journey! Here we recount a couple of great experiences on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and our last nature hike in the park!

Jun 12, 2019

Jun 4, 2019

Smoky Mountains: Newfound Gap Treasures

Jun 4, 2019

A road trip on Newfound Gap Road through the Smoky Mountains provides a wealth of opportunity for exploration. We’re sharing some of our highlights here!

Jun 4, 2019

Jun 1, 2019

Smoky Bear Sightings!

Jun 1, 2019

GRRRRR! (in a good way!) In this post, we provide a glimpse into all of the wonderful bear encounters that we had while living in in the Smokies!

Jun 1, 2019

May 28, 2019

Smoky Mountains: Cades Cove Safari

May 28, 2019

Wildlife, outstanding views, and a little history. Learn a bit about this iconic valley and the diverse creatures that lurk within (including yours truly)!

May 28, 2019