Our family is embarking on our first ever national park adventure next month. Will visit Zion, Bryce Canyon, Antelope Canyon and Grand Canyon NP. Very excited for our adventure and thankful for this thread!
Favorite National Park?
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Last: 5 days ago by AgRyan04
Some great photos from me and others as well as itinerary ideas - have a blast!
https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/2950971/1
https://texags.com/forums/54/topics/2950971/1
Not a National Park but it is a National Forest, anyone been to Daniel Boone National Forest?
Got reservations in Lake McDonald Lodge and Many Glacier Hotel for late June 2026 in Glacier NP. Four nights each. I didn't get the rooms I wanted, but I'm in! I may trim my Many Glacier Hotel to 3 nights and stay two nights in Whitefish on the back end.
The Chicken Ranch said:
Got reservations in Lake McDonald Lodge and Many Glacier Hotel for late June 2026 in Glacier NP. Four nights each. I didn't get the rooms I wanted, but I'm in! I may trim my Many Glacier Hotel to 3 nights and stay two nights in Whitefish on the back end.
Keep checking as time goes on. People change plans and cancel all the time. I checked daily last summer and ended up with the rooms I wanted for an August visit.
That is great advice. That's what I had to do at Yosemite last summer and got what I wanted a few days later.
The Chicken Ranch said:
Got reservations in Lake McDonald Lodge and Many Glacier Hotel for late June 2026 in Glacier NP. Four nights each. I didn't get the rooms I wanted, but I'm in! I may trim my Many Glacier Hotel to 3 nights and stay two nights in Whitefish on the back end.
What you got planned? I didn't t have a ton of time my one visit (so far) but the highline trail was great.
I don't know yet. We will hike a lot and whitewater raft one day. But we will just enjoy being there. I know that 7 days will probably not be enough. I could have spent two weeks in Yellowstone and a week in Yosemite. There is never enough time…
When on East side check out Two Sisters cafe, there are not a lot of services on that side and this was a stand out.
Waterton just across boarder is a neat spot too.
Last time I was there I split time between Many G and there and had a blast.
Waterton just across boarder is a neat spot too.
Last time I was there I split time between Many G and there and had a blast.
I put a great itinerary that has many great hikes and restaurants
Waterton is amazing!
Babb Cattle Baron Supper Club for dinner
Waterton is amazing!
Babb Cattle Baron Supper Club for dinner
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/oezgsPJs.jpg[/IMG]
Thanks! We will figure it out. We always plan an active itinerary, and visit with a ranger to plan our hikes. So far we haven't missed yet!
Can't wait.
Can't wait.
The Chicken Ranch said:
I don't know yet. We will hike a lot and whitewater raft one day. But we will just enjoy being there. I know that 7 days will probably not be enough. I could have spent two weeks in Yellowstone and a week in Yosemite. There is never enough time…
Whitewater rafting should be good in June. We went in late July/early August and it was more of a long float with a few rapids every now and then.
Hiking on the Many Glacier side is probably my favorite ever. Just stunning.
https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/hikingmanyglacier.htm
https://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/hikingmanyglacier.htm
We did Rocky Mountain over 4th of July.....I love that park so much.
Then took our lottery trip to Katmai! You may recall, my son and I went in 2021 and tent camped but this time we had a cabin. What a magical place - I still can't believe that we're able to have someplace like that.
Interesting year in Brooks Camp. One of the biggest salmon runs anyone can remember so the bears are all spread out because there are easier meals than the falls. There were fewer bears at the falls but one of the Rangers said that there are more on trail encounters.
Had two too close close for comfort encounters. The first was our first evening there - walking back from the falls to dinner. We rounded the last turn in the road before the bridge and I saw a bear's head about 100 yards ahead and I stopped our group and we paused for a moment before hearing (and feeling) the pounding of paws on Earth - we had time to step about 3' off the road before three bears tore past us.....I had not been able to see the other two from my vantage point.....the last two slowed to a stop and turned to investigate what they had just passed. Thankfully, bear school told us what to do (one stern voice and clapping) and they quickly lost interest and wandered off. It all happened so fast no one pulled a camera out. From then on I wore my GoPro when on the trail between the bridge and the platforms - and was able to record the second encounter (I'll post when we get home this weekend and I get it off my SD card, as well as some of our other photos).
From Katmai we spent a couple days in Seward and I hiked up to the Harding Ice Field in Kenai Fjords - unrelenting uphill, but stunning.
July was a good month!
Then took our lottery trip to Katmai! You may recall, my son and I went in 2021 and tent camped but this time we had a cabin. What a magical place - I still can't believe that we're able to have someplace like that.
Interesting year in Brooks Camp. One of the biggest salmon runs anyone can remember so the bears are all spread out because there are easier meals than the falls. There were fewer bears at the falls but one of the Rangers said that there are more on trail encounters.
Had two too close close for comfort encounters. The first was our first evening there - walking back from the falls to dinner. We rounded the last turn in the road before the bridge and I saw a bear's head about 100 yards ahead and I stopped our group and we paused for a moment before hearing (and feeling) the pounding of paws on Earth - we had time to step about 3' off the road before three bears tore past us.....I had not been able to see the other two from my vantage point.....the last two slowed to a stop and turned to investigate what they had just passed. Thankfully, bear school told us what to do (one stern voice and clapping) and they quickly lost interest and wandered off. It all happened so fast no one pulled a camera out. From then on I wore my GoPro when on the trail between the bridge and the platforms - and was able to record the second encounter (I'll post when we get home this weekend and I get it off my SD card, as well as some of our other photos).
From Katmai we spent a couple days in Seward and I hiked up to the Harding Ice Field in Kenai Fjords - unrelenting uphill, but stunning.
July was a good month!
Hell yeah. I'm glad you got to go back. I've been watching the cams and there is definitely a lack of bears at the falls, but with all the salmon, I hear they are so full and happy that they are playing with each other. The pictures of the massive salmon run are impressive.
That trail is gut wrenching. I was always nervous walking it. We passed trail hogging bears, mammas with cubs, and a bear sleeping at the entrance to the gate of the platform (had to wait for it to move). But those bears just don't care about us. So that's nice…
Glad you did the ice fields hike. Looks beautiful. Last year we got halfway up and my wife suddenly didn't feel well. She wasn't really sick or anything so she told me to keep going. But that's not how we do things. we called it and came in. She felt bad about it but you know me…I'll go back and do it. Besides, safety first. Always.
That trail is gut wrenching. I was always nervous walking it. We passed trail hogging bears, mammas with cubs, and a bear sleeping at the entrance to the gate of the platform (had to wait for it to move). But those bears just don't care about us. So that's nice…
Glad you did the ice fields hike. Looks beautiful. Last year we got halfway up and my wife suddenly didn't feel well. She wasn't really sick or anything so she told me to keep going. But that's not how we do things. we called it and came in. She felt bad about it but you know me…I'll go back and do it. Besides, safety first. Always.
Joshua Tree NP from last Fall. Flew out to Vegas to watch TAMU Men's BB In the Player's Era Tournament and CSU's VB in the Mountain West Tournament and stopped by Joshua Tree NP.
We did a short hike to Heart Rock and had to spend almost as much time waiting for the people to quit posing by the rock as we did hiking to it.
There is a little arch out there too....also very crowded.
The next stop was Barker dam which was used by early ranchers. It is now usually dry.
They had this cool watering trough built below the damn for cattle.
And just some other pictures from around the park.
Panorama Loop is listed as strenuous but 6.6 miles and 1100 feet of gain is really pretty easy. Very nice hike.
Just west of Vegas is Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area and access to White Rock Canyon and the White Rock Mountain Loop Trail. It was a nice early morning hike (6.2 miles and 1151 ft of gain) on Thanksgiving Day.
We did a short hike to Heart Rock and had to spend almost as much time waiting for the people to quit posing by the rock as we did hiking to it.
There is a little arch out there too....also very crowded.
The next stop was Barker dam which was used by early ranchers. It is now usually dry.
They had this cool watering trough built below the damn for cattle.
And just some other pictures from around the park.
Panorama Loop is listed as strenuous but 6.6 miles and 1100 feet of gain is really pretty easy. Very nice hike.
Just west of Vegas is Red Rock Canyon National Conservation area and access to White Rock Canyon and the White Rock Mountain Loop Trail. It was a nice early morning hike (6.2 miles and 1151 ft of gain) on Thanksgiving Day.
Rocky Mountain NP Wild Basin:
Water was high in mid June
Ouzel Falls
Above the falls headed to Ouzel Lake
Only a bit of snow to cross
Ouzel Lake
Water was high in mid June
Ouzel Falls
Above the falls headed to Ouzel Lake
Only a bit of snow to cross
Ouzel Lake
Up the Poudre Canyon - so just outside of RMNP but some good hiking:
Mom and baby moose
Blue Lake still partially frozen in the Rawah Wilderness
Mom and baby moose
Blue Lake still partially frozen in the Rawah Wilderness
We've spent so much more time in Wild Basin over the last year or so and it is fantastic.....lots of great, big day hikes
AgRyan04 said:
We've spent so much more time in Wild Basin over the last year or so and it is fantastic.....lots of great, big day hikes
I like it but it is only my second trip to that area. Since I'm in Fort Collins, I just run up the Poudre and skip the lines/fees/crowds. But Wild Basin is a good midweek spot to hit up.
Spent last week in Glacier National Park. Beautiful as always!
We spent the week of the 4th in the Sawtooths.
So nice they fought NP status. Crowds were easy. No lotteries. And plenty of dispersed camp spots. Red Fish Lake is so sweet. What a set up.
So nice they fought NP status. Crowds were easy. No lotteries. And plenty of dispersed camp spots. Red Fish Lake is so sweet. What a set up.
Spent a couple of weeks in the Canadian Rockies recently, starting with Banff.
I'd be shocked if Banff National Park hadn't been featured over here. Just unbelievable natural beauty. I'd love to see it in Winter. I'll try to limit the photos here. I've got an endless amount.
Obviously, the stunning lakes get the accolades. The blue of the glacial lakes is jaw dropping.
The highlight of our visit to Banff was 5+ hours of hiking around Lake Louise with teahouses and views of the lake.
Lake Louise Hike:
Morraine Lake:
Peyto Lake:
Other highlights included Johnston Canyon and Parker Ridge. The Cave & Basin area was actually very interesting and was a standout for its diversity in landscapes compared to the rest of the area. Here's some of those other highlights:
Parker Ridge:
Johnston Canyon:
The Original Cave & Basin Area:
Panther Falls:
I'd be shocked if Banff National Park hadn't been featured over here. Just unbelievable natural beauty. I'd love to see it in Winter. I'll try to limit the photos here. I've got an endless amount.
Obviously, the stunning lakes get the accolades. The blue of the glacial lakes is jaw dropping.
The highlight of our visit to Banff was 5+ hours of hiking around Lake Louise with teahouses and views of the lake.
Lake Louise Hike:
Morraine Lake:
Peyto Lake:
Other highlights included Johnston Canyon and Parker Ridge. The Cave & Basin area was actually very interesting and was a standout for its diversity in landscapes compared to the rest of the area. Here's some of those other highlights:
Parker Ridge:
Johnston Canyon:
The Original Cave & Basin Area:
Panther Falls:
Nice updates!
To piggyback on my own post a bit. Sunshine Meadows sits right outside of Banff National Park. I guess technically Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. But along with Lake Louise, it was the standout of our trip. We spent half a day hiking around a fairytale land at 7500 feet.
As a side note, I've never seen a ski resort as large as Sunshine Mountain's is. It's incredible. Once again...I need to see this place in winter.
Sunshine Meadows:
As a side note, I've never seen a ski resort as large as Sunshine Mountain's is. It's incredible. Once again...I need to see this place in winter.
Sunshine Meadows:
Just got back from Crater Lake National Park. The park was absolutely beautiful but very short staffed. They said they were slashed from 16 rangers to 6 this year and they were out of park maps, a lot of food items, and everything was very slow. We stayed at the lodge and it was chaotic because they were so short staffed. They checked us into a room that was dirty (like not cleaned from the prior guests). They are closing the only legal access to the lake at the end of this season until 2029 for upgrades and repairs so people were crowding to the park to be able to do that trail. Overall the park was beautiful and had great trails but it was not the best experience for our first time there. We also stayed at the Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood and loved it.
That's interesting.
I know there was A LOT of hubub in the media back in the spring about the worry of parks being understaffed after DOGE reduced funding to the National Park Services.
I've been to Big Bend, Rocky Mountain, Katmai, Kenai Fjords since then and was expecting messes but it didn't feel any different than it has over the last 5-10 years at those NPs. The entrance lines weren't any longer, Visitor Center experiences weren't any different and, frankly, I've seen noticably more Rangers out on trail this year than I can remember in the past.
I'm not saying the fund cuts haven't impacted those parks but I wonder what they're doing to mitigate the feeling of those impacts.
I know there was A LOT of hubub in the media back in the spring about the worry of parks being understaffed after DOGE reduced funding to the National Park Services.
I've been to Big Bend, Rocky Mountain, Katmai, Kenai Fjords since then and was expecting messes but it didn't feel any different than it has over the last 5-10 years at those NPs. The entrance lines weren't any longer, Visitor Center experiences weren't any different and, frankly, I've seen noticably more Rangers out on trail this year than I can remember in the past.
I'm not saying the fund cuts haven't impacted those parks but I wonder what they're doing to mitigate the feeling of those impacts.
ShinerBlonde said:
Just got back from Crater Lake National Park. The park was absolutely beautiful but very short staffed. They said they were slashed from 16 rangers to 6 this year and they were out of park maps, a lot of food items, and everything was very slow. We stayed at the lodge and it was chaotic because they were so short staffed. They checked us into a room that was dirty (like not cleaned from the prior guests). They are closing the only legal access to the lake at the end of this season until 2029 for upgrades and repairs so people were crowding to the park to be able to do that trail. Overall the park was beautiful and had great trails but it was not the best experience for our first time there. We also stayed at the Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood and loved it.
Lol, yes - Interpretive Rangers were in-fact reduced from 16 to 5. These are the folks who greet you at the front and offer maps, advice and do the kid's talks. 1 full-time Ranger was let go from DOGE. ExplorUS runs the lodge, not the NP. They are contracted by the NP service; but staffing is their issue, not NP.
T-Line is great. Hopefully you skied and explored the area (Hood River u-pick is full gazz right now).
Honestly, can't wait for Crater to shutdown for the rehab project. Excellent ski touring area and a fun rim ride. Will be pleasant without all the car traffic.
ShinerBlonde said:
They are closing the only legal access to the lake at the end of this season until 2029 for upgrades and repairs so people were crowding to the park to be able to do that trail.
lol guilty. We booked an impromptu trip when they announced they were closing the Cleetwood Cove trail after this season. We'll be going out and doing a boat tour with the kid at the end of the month. I'm part of the problem.
Have no shame.....it was on my bucket list for years to have a swim in Crater Lake
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