Tag Archives: waterfalls

Natural Wonders of the USA part 13

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Natural Wonders Part 13

Wow We are headed into the home stretch on the Natural Wonder’s list! We’re at #45!  Only 5 more to go! As the saying goes, so much to see, so little time. We left off at Wisconsin and the Cave of Mounds. Which state is next and what’s the wonder?

#45 – Maryland – Muddy Creek Falls

It’s not as impressive as some of the other falls on the Natural Wonders list at only 53 feet but Maryland’s wonder is Muddy Creek Falls. You’ll find it in Swallow Falls State Park.  I think  what may be the most impressive thing about this pretty little falls is the surrounding tree growth. The Hemlock trees around the falls are as much as 300 years old. I’ve visited Maryland but not this Wonder.

 

Muddy Creek Falls | The Muddy Creek Falls in Swallow Falls S… | Flickr

Photo credit- Flickr

 

#46  Missouri – Cuivre River

Cuivre River State Park | Missouri State Parks

Photo from internet

Looking for the Ozarks in northern Missouri? Cuivre River State Park is one of the state’s largest and most rugged parks!

Cuivre River State Park lends a wilder, Ozarkian flavor to the otherwise predominately agricultural landscape of northern Missouri. Although not far from St. Louis, the park is a nature lover’s paradise. It is an outdoor delight to stroll through the park in the spring when flowering dogwood is in bloom or in the fall when the trees are ablaze with autumn colors. (I stole this description from the Cuivre State park  web page. Since I haven’t been there myself I couldn’t think of any better way to describe it to you.)

 

#47 – Indiana – Indiana Dunes State Park

Now this gets my attention. I missed out on Great Sand Dunes in Colorado so maybe I can see some sand dunes if I get to Indiana. There are 3 miles of dunes along Michigan Lake in Indiana Dunes State Park. And 2000 acres waiting to be explored. Large sand dunes, located beyond the entire shoreline, have taken thousands of years to form, and tower nearly 200 feet above Lake Michigan. FYI, the State Park and the National Park are not the same thing. 

File:Indiana Dunes.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Photo Credit- Wikimedia Commons

Next time In our Natural Wonders series

We’ll wrap up. We still have Texas and California and unless I have counted wrong I’m missing one more state. I’ll need to review the list. Did I miss a state or just lose count? What do you think will be the Natural Wonders for Texas and California?

Natural Wonders of the USA part 10

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More Natural Wonders by State

When we last visited our Natural Wonders list we had just wrapped up Kentucky. We’re ready for  # 35 on our Natural Wonders list. How many have you seen so far? Have you added any to your must-visit list?  Let’s see where we are going next!

 

#35 Ohio – Crystal Cave

Well My, my my- Another cave. Who knew that being underground could be so exciting? I guess its something Spelunkers have always known. This cave is the world’s largest known geode. 

The Crystal Cave was discovered while the land owner was digging a well for his winery. So today you can combine some wine with a cave tour and take a bottle home with you to help relive the memories. 

Photo via Crystal Cave Website

File:Celestite (Crystal Cave, South Bass Island, Lake Erie, Ohio, USA) 18 (8320050647).jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Image Via Pinterest

 

#36 Illinois – Starved Rock State Park

Starved Rock State Park is the biggest attraction in the state of Illinois. It features 13 miles of trails and numerous seasonal waterfalls that are especially active in the spring.

The Park is  known for its steep sandstone canyons formed by glacial meltwater. Several, including the St. Louis, French and Wildcat canyons, have waterfalls. A wooded trail leads to Lover’s Leap Overlook, with views of the river and Starved Rock Dam. Park wildlife includes white-tailed deer, bald eagles and migratory birds. 

St Louis Falls, Starved Rock State Park, Illinois | A glorio… | Flickr

St Louis Falls, Starved Rock State Park- Photo credit Flickr

#37 Pennsylvania – Pennsylvania Grand Canyon

Sometimes called the Pine Creek Gorge,  Pennsylvania’s Grand Canyon is 50 miles long and 1000 feet deep. Loaded with trees and wildlife, the area is a naturalist’s dream. You may even see a Bald Eagle. 

Photo – internet

#38 New York – The Adirondacks

The Adirondacks, my home state! I can’t say my home town because the Adirondacks encompass around 5000 square miles of mountains, lakes and wilderness. The Adirondack Park was created in 1892 and is the largest publicly protected area in the US.  It’s greater in size than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier and The Grand Canyon National Parks combined. The park contains 6 million acres of “Forever wild” forest preserve.  It holds a special place in my heart so I’m happy to share one of my photos of beautiful Lake George to illustrate this wonder.

Lake George 2020 – photo credit Deb Neumann

Adirondacks 2020 – photo credit Deb Neumann

I admit I was surprised that Niagara Falls didn’t make the list but I haven’t been to Niagara in years and there is so much more in the Adirondacks than one big waterfall. 

Adirondack Balloon Festival 2014- Photo Credit Deb Neumann

Natural Wonders of the USA part 9

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More Natural Wonders

Whew! You don’t realize how long a list of 50 places is until you start discussing each one! So far we’ve covered 31 Natural Wonders in 31 states. Those have been amazing. I can’t believe how many I didn’t know about. So lets get back to the list and see what’s still out there. 19 states left. Have we covered your state yet? 

32. Oklahoma- Turner Falls

I haven’t made it to Oklahoma in my travels yet.  I admit that I am afraid I’ll bust out on song when that trip comes- 

OOOOk-lahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain,
And the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet, When the wind comes right behind the rain.
The wonder for Oklahoma is Turner Falls, It’s the tallest waterfall in the state at 77 feet and there are 2 pools where you can swim. Accommodations in the area include camping, RV camping or you can rent a cabin!

Photo credit- Internet

33. Oregon- Crater Lake

I haven’t made it to Oregon yet either. I will admit that Crater Lake fascinates me but the wonder I have always want to photograph is not the lake, but Multnomah Falls. Multnomah Falls is in the Columbia River Gorge and is 620 ft!. My understanding is that it is visible from the road so easy to see. In addition to the falls the Columbia River gorge is an awesome place to see wild bald eagles as they migrate through every year. 

Oregon’s tallest waterfall, Multnomah Falls, cascades down sheer cliffs, through bright green plants, passing under a footbridge ending in a dark blue pool.

Photo credit- Internet

Crater Lake is more challenging if you chose to hike to it.  It’s beautiful with many Native American Legends attached to it. Some even say Bigfoot lives near it. Crater Lake is in the caldera of a collapsed volcano. The lake is known for its deep blue color and clarity. The lake is massive with a surface area of 20.6 square miles and 2,148 feet deep.  You can view the lake by car by driving the 33 mile Rim Drive that circles the lake. 

Photo credit- Internet

34. Kentucky- Mammoth Cave

Here we go with another cave. I’ve already shared my feelings about exploring caves but I have to mention that having survived Wind Cave in South Dakota I’d probably explore Mammoth Cave too. The thing about Mammoth Cave is that it’s the longest cave system in the known world featuring 400 miles of passageways. I wouldn’t want to get lost in there! The national park service provides tours of the cave that range from one hour in length to six hours.

Photo credit- internet

That’s all for today

These are amazing places and I can’t wait to go  but I hope I get to some more that I’ve already visited. I like to compare notes! I’ll be back with more next time.

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.

Massachusetts State Parks

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Massachusetts State Parks

If you are a Facebook user you may have seen advertisements for Nature Adventure books. When they first came out with them I ordered a couple. I ordered National Parks, Massachusetts State Parks and New England Lighthouses. I figure that the Massachusetts State Parks and The New England Lighthouses would give me plenty to do and I’d have the National Parks for when I travel out of state. COVID and personal health reasons made a major dent in my travel the last 2 years but it’s time to think about getting out and about again.

Oh The Possibilities

I pulled out the Massachusetts State Park Adventure Book and there are 305 parks listed. They aren’t just state parks, there are Reservations, Historic Sites, beaches, State Forests, and  Management Areas. So as a first step I decided to go through the list and see how many I’ve been to already. After all, this is the state where I’ve lived pretty much all of my adult life and I’ve always done a lot of exploring. I must have been to some of the places on the list! 

Bash Bish Falls State Park

The first one on the list that I spotted was Bash Bish Falls State Park. Of course I always mess it up and call it Bish Bash Falls. That just sounds better to me! I made the trek to Bash Bish Falls in June of 2017. Bash Bish Falls is located in the western part of Massachusetts on the New York state border. Located in the Town of Mount Washington it is also part of Mount Washington State Forest. 

You can choose to make the hike easy or hard. The trail head in MA is steep and rugged. Probably not too bad going down, if you’re careful, but I sure didn’t want to have to make my way back up at the end of the day so I went into New York and used the New York trail head to get to the falls. It may  be a little longer but it’s a gradual incline and it’s downhill going back. 

Bash Bish Falls is the highest waterfall in Massachusetts. The dramatic final pitch of Bash Bish Brook drops about 80 feet into an emerald plunge pool. It’s an enjoyable hike to experience the wonder and beauty of this deep, verdant gorge. https://youtube.com/shorts/-Vqd_OQmFsc?feature=share

If You Go

  • From Massachusetts Parking Lot: Difficult ability, about 0.6 miles round-trip. Shorter, more rugged, and strenuous.
  • From New York Parking Lot: Moderate ability, about 1.5 miles round-trip. Longer and gradual, but rocky and uneven.
  • Nearby, Taconic State Park in New York state offers more visitor amenities, picnicking, swimming, and camping.