Category Archives: Travel

Natural Wonders of the USA Part 6

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More Natural Wonders

I drifted away from the series we were working on for the Natural Wonders of the USA so lets get back at it. 

The List so far

  • Wyoming – Devil’s Tower
  • Vermont – Quechee Gorge
  • Alaska – Glacier Bay
  • North Dakota- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
  • South Dakota- Custer State Park
  • Delaware – Brandywine Creek
  • Rhode Island – Mohegan Bluffs
  • Montana – Glacier National Park
  • Maine – Cadillac Mountain
  • New Hampshire – Flume Gorge
  • Hawaii- Diamond Head
  • West Virginia – New River Gorge
  • Idaho – Craters of the Moon
  • Nebraska- Chimney Rock
  • New Mexico – White Sands National Park
  • Kansas – Monument Rocks

So lets see what’s next

21. Mississippi – Deer Island

Endangered species, Ghosts and seclusion. What’s not to love. No I haven’t been there but I looked it up. If you like nature and beach going then you will probably enjoy Deer Island.  If you love ghost hunting, many claim that Deer Island is haunted by metaphysical beings: the Headless Skeleton and the Firewater Ghost.

 

Deer Island Coastal Preserve, Biloxi, Mississippi Historic… | Flickr

The Ghost of Deer Island is said to be responsible for mysterious lights and strange sounds observed on the island to this day.

The other old Biloxi legend tells of the “Firewater Ghost,” a supernatural blue light seen moving over the waters of Biloxi Bay long before the invention of electric light.

According to that legend, the mysterious light often moves across the bay between Biloxi and Ocean Springs.

22. Arkansas Hot Springs

Another location on my bucket list.  Hot Springs National Park are an ancient thermal springs.  Be careful of the water as temps can reach 143 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

Image Via Pinterest

 

Today you can bathe in the hot springs, go hiking on over 26 miles of trails and find plenty of excellent camping spots.

23. Nevada – Fly Geyser

I’ve spent several vacations and work conventions in Las Vegas. I’ve taken the tour of Hoover Dam. Have you  heard of Valley of Fire State Park? Once if did I added a visit to my bucket list  but fly geyser sounds interesting too. 

 

File:Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada 01.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Wikimedia

I saw loads of geysers while I was in Yellowstone but none of them had the colors shown in the pictures of Fly Geyser. Of course Yellowstone’s geysers are all natural. Fly Geyser is, at least in part, man made. Residents in 1916, seeking irrigation water, drilled a well at the spot. When they discovered was too hot for drinking, they abandoned the well. Another geyser was created when a geothermal power company drilled a test well in 1964. Because the wells were not properly capped, water started erupting from the holes and calcium carbonate deposits began forming, thus creating Fly Geyser.

Fly Geyser- Internet photo

More Wonders to come.

Natural Wonders of the USA Part 3

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Natural Wonders

Lets continue down the list of the wonders in each state. I hope you are finding this as interesting as I am. Maybe you’ll be inspired to check some of these out.

9. Tennessee – Ruby Falls

I’ve been to Tennessee. Best Bar B Que I’ve ever tasted. It ruined me for our local stuff!  Plus I saw so much wildlife on that trip. But I didn’t see the Natural wonder for Tennessee. That is Ruby Falls. 

Ruby Falls, Copied from Internet

Ruby Falls is different. You won’t find it off a trail or roadside. No, Ruby Falls is an underground cascade that follows a series of falls down 145 ft. The underground cavern is located in Lookout Mountain. Lookout Mountain is located minutes from downtown Chattanooga and would certainly be an extraordinary experience.

10. Massachusetts – Chesterfield Gorge

Massachusetts, my home state. I’m ashamed to say that I have never heard of our Natural Wonder. It’s called Chesterfield Gorge and if our weather ever clears up I’ll definitely take a trip to see it. 

File:Chesterfield Gorge, West Chesterfield MA.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

The gorge features deep walls that rise up to 30 feet high. The cliff edges do not feature any trails that go to the bottom but you can travel along the cliff top, which offers a terrific view of the gorge as well as the river and surrounding forest.

11. Arizona – Antelope Canyon

Every photographer has heard of Antelope Canyon, Arizona. I’ve dreamed of photographing it for years. I’ve been to Arizona several times. I usually stay in Sedona,  the beautiful Red Rock country.  It’s hard to believe that the Grand Canyon wasn’t Arizona’s number one Natural wonder but I can truly see Antelope Canyon too

Grand Canyon AZ- 2011 Photo credit Deb Neumann

Antelope Canyon- From internet

Antelope Canyon is  spectacular especially when you have the right light. The best time to view the canyon is in the summer.  Prone to flash flooding, you’ll want to avoid it during the monsoon season.

12. Washington State- Ho Rainforest

Washington is another state that I’ve checked off as visited. I went to Seattle where I rode to the top of the Space Needle and visited the Chihuly Glass Museum. Not Natural Wonders but certainly beautiful.

Seattle Harbor – 2013 Photo credit Deb Neumann

Washington State is located in the Northeastern part of the USA that is considered rainforest. Located in Olympic National Park is an old growth forest that can get as much as 14 feet of precipitation a year! That certainly qualifies the area as rainforest!

 

Hoh Rainforest, the most famous rainforest in the lower 48 states, has recently gained attention as perhaps “the quietest place in the U.S.”—the perfect remedy to noisy modern life.

I’ve not been to the Ho (Hoh) rainforest but I did experience the rainforest on my trip to Alaska. I believe that was the Tongass National Forest. Amazing places. wet and lush. And yes, quiet. All that moss and soft earth seems to absorb sound.

Next Time on Natural Wonders

We’ll explore 3-4 more natural wonders in my next post in this series. I hope you join in. Have you been to or heard of any of the places we’ve mentioned? Please share your experience in the comments! I’d love to hear from you.

Natural Wonders of the USA- Part 2

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Natural Wonders

Lets continue with our Natural Wonders List.  Next up

4. North Dakota

And guess what is the Natural Wonder for North Dakota- Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Nice to know I’m on the right track. 

The Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the western part of North Dakota is comprised of three separate badlands which altogether stretches out over 110 square miles. Its  a popular wildlife viewing area which is my interest. So No I haven’t been to North Dakota yet and Theodore Roosevelt National Park is on my list for when I do go. 

Moving on to

5. South Dakota

The Natural Wonder in South Dakota is Custer State Park and yes, I have been there. It’s a really great state park. Not only did we see bison, lots and lots of Bison, we saw mule deer and pronghorn antelope but the most fun were the “Beggin’ Burros”. The burros are wild donkeys that live in a small section of Custer State Park along the road. They are called “begging burros” because they’ve become famous for approaching vehicles and expecting food.

 

Beggin Burro 2011 – Photo credit Deb Neumann

6. Delaware

Number 6 on the list is Delaware and that state’s natural wonder is Brandywine Creek. You may have heard of it because it was a battlefield in the revolutionary war.  We lost that battle but of course we all know that we went on to win the war. Now it’s part of Brandywine Creek State Park. It looks really pretty. 

7. Rhode Island

Rhode Island is another neighboring state, one that I go to often. The Natural Wonder on the list threw me at first. Then I realized it was located on Block Island.. I have been Block Island for a weekend. I was out there to photograph lighthouses. But the Natural Wonder is Mohegan Bluffs. 

Mohegan Bluff- Photo credit Deb Neumann

8. Montana

Another State I’ve yet to visit. The big thing on my list is Going to the Sun Road. Good to know that Going to the Sun Road is part of Glacier National Park so I don’t have to skip one to do the other. Although Glacier is in the name, over the last 12,000 years, the glaciers of Glacier National Park have largely disappeared. While 150 glaciers existed in the mid-19th century, only about 25 exist now. That’s sad but I saw lots of glaciers on my trip to Alaska.

I think that’s enough for this post. 3 states that I need to visit. One done and the Wonder seen. The list will be continued. 

Natural Wonders of the USA- Part 1

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Natural Wonders to See

I love lists. I love to make them and then check them off. It helps me get things done so I like seeing these lists of places to see and things to experience. Like this list of Natural Wonders in each state that I found.  I decided to go through the list and see what I’ve done and what still need to be checked off. It kind of goes with my 50 State Challenge.

Best Natural Wonders to see in each state!

1. Wyoming

Lets kick it off with Wyoming. Devil’s Tower. Located in Crook County, the Devils Tower is the first national monument in the US, established by Theodore Roosevelt in 1906.  I’ve been to Wyoming. It was a great trip but I was in Jackson Hole and Devil’s Tower is to the east so I didn’t see it that trip. It’s on my bucket list.

 

2. Vermont

Next on the list is one of my neighboring states, Vermont. I’ve been hanging out in Vermont since I was a kid. It was a family tradition to take Sunday drives to Vermont and count the deer that came out to graze in the fields at dusk. My favorite weekend is the Maple Sugar Weekend when the sugar shacks open up for tours and fresh maple syrup and maple sugar abound.  You have to watch for it because it depends on the weather when it gets scheduled. But I digress- the number one Natural Wonder in Vermont is… Quechee Gorge. 

Quechee Gorge 2014- Photo Credit Deb Neumann

Yes I’ve been there. Many times. This time I took the trail to the bottom of the gorge. Most folks take their pics from U.S. Route 4 bridge. You can see the bridge in this picture. It’s pretty spectacular from the bridge too.  It is among the deepest gorges in the country and the deepest in Vermont at 165 feet.

3. Alaska

I went to Alaska in 2013. Our cruise took us into Glacier Bay. Gorgeous and number 3 on our Natural Wonders List. We went in May and it was COLD! Brrr- 

College Fjord Glaciers

Glacier Bay, Alaska – 2013

The first 3

So of the first 3 on the list I’ve been to all 3 states but only 2 of the Natural Wonders.  Can’t wait to see what the next 3 Wonders are on the list. 

 

 

What’s in North Dakota?

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What about a trip to North Dakota?

In 2011 my sister and I spent an amazing week in South Dakota. When I was planning that vacation everyone asked me What’s in South Dakota? Truthfully, I had no idea except Mt. Rushmore but it turned out to be one of the best vacations we’ve taken. It had all my favorite things like wild animals, draw dropping scenery and even a dinosaur dig. So when I ask myself what’s in North Dakota, I hope I have a similar surprise! 

The Number 1 Attraction

The number 1 attraction in North Dakota is Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The park lies in Western North Dakota where the Great Plains meet the Badlands. A scenic loop drive will take you through the south section’s colorful Painted Canyon. The badlands in South Dakota are breathtaking and I’ve been to the Painted Desert in Arizona so I will have to explore the Painted Canyon!

File:Painted Canyon overlook Theodore Roosevelt NP ND1.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Painted Canyon Overlook; Photo credit Wikmedia Commons

Wildlife

One of the best places to view wildlife is on the South Unit’s Scenic Drive. Bison, mule deer, prairie dogs, and horses are readily visible. Also be on the lookout for coyotes, pronghorn, bald and golden eagles, white-tailed deer, turkeys, and elk.

What's in North Dakota?

Prairie Dog with Flower – Photo Credit Deb Neumann 2011

Leaving the South Unit behind I’d like to head north for the North Unit’s scenic drive. A 14 mile Scenic Drive (28 miles round trip) is an out and back drive. The first half of the road traces the bottom of the badlands. Midway through, it crawls up out of the canyon to the North Unit’s most iconic view, River Bend Overlook.

20+ EPIC Things to Do Theodore Roosevelt National Park (+ Photos)

River Bend Overlook- Photo from Internet

 

From there, it’s an easy drive along the rim of the badlands to Oxbow Overlook at the road’s end. The road is almost entirely paved with only one stretch of gravel and is open to motor vehicles (including RVs) and cyclists.

Bison are common but careful observers may spot bighorn sheep on or near steep cliff edges. Since I missed the Big Horn Sheep in Colorado I’m still anxious to get a look at some. 

Aurora Borealis

Around here the Northern Lights ( Aurora Borealis) are a rare sight and often lost in the ambient light from the cities and towns but North Dakota is said to be prefect for viewing the lights that dance across the sky in vivid green, purple and blue. The aurora is most active in March and September. Still likely to have snow at that time of year!

Northern Lights Free Stock Photo - Public Domain Pictures

Northern Lights Free Stock Photo – Public Domain Pictures

If I get to go…

I’m sure there are many more things to see and do in North Dakota. I must remember to have my passport in case I cross to Canada or get to the International Peace Garden that sits on the border of the US & Canada.