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Wikipedia: Moraine Lake is a snow and glacially fed lake in Banff National Park, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) outside the village of Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. It is situated in the Valley of the Ten Peaks, at an elevation of approximately 1,884 metres (6,181 ft). The lake has a surface area of 50 hectares (120 acres).
The lake, being fed almost completely by snow-melt and glacial-melt, does not reach its crest until middle to late June. When it is full, it reflects a distinctive shade of azure blue. The unique colour is due to the refraction of the blue end of the spectrum of sunlight off the rock sediment deposited in the lake on a continual basis in summer by the surrounding glaciers. The lake is completely created by nature and has not been dammed, drained, or otherwise altered by humans in any way, other than the visitor services which are strictly controlled by the National Park.
The road to Moraine Lake is only open during the summer months (June-Sep). Since 2023, Parks Canada has closed it to personal vehicles year-round with only Park shuttles, public transit and commercial operators allowed to access the road. Visitors can also bicycle or walk the road, which is 10 km / 6 miles long one-way.
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Warnings for The Needles, Iron Mountain, and Black Hills weather.
1.The curator in the Hot Springs Museum said that I shouldn’t drive that Needles Road even in daylight and good weather. It could be her opinion, her friends, or trying to help me.
2.RVAmericay’all: Along the route, you'll encounter 2 one-way tunnels: Iron Creek Tunnel measures 8'9" wide and 10'10" tall and Needles Eye Tunnel measures 8' wide and 9'9" tall. Continuing past Sylvan Lake brings you to Hood Tunnel measuring 8'9" wide and 9'8" tall. Leave your large trucks behind and your RV is a definite no go for exploring Needles Highway! (It depends on the rig and the driver.)
3.Several people told me that gps and map apps could be incorrect, because of all the iron in Iron Mountain.
4.Several people told me that will expect to lose phone signals.
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We've left the relatively open spaces of Moab and Arches National Park behind and headed North and West on the next leg of our adventure towards Goblin Valley and Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon. An amazing place to go for a hike where in some places the trail is not even wide enough to put your foot down and you just have to wedge it between the rocks. Just keep your eye on the weather forecast before you set off as it's prone to severe flash floods, the power of which has caused the canyon to form in the first place.
I stopped the car to take pictures; and what a place it is. There was an elk and didn’t run off when I opened the car door. I wondered if I it was possible to walk with the elk. And we walked together for a few minutes. The elk was a tour guide of sorts; I watched her eyes. The next photos were while walking with the elk.
Amtrack 2118 passes over the San Luis Ray River at Oceanside Harbour hauling the 'Pacific Surfliner' down to San Diego on March 26th 2024.
We were just sat on the deck of our cabin at the View Hotel in Monument Valley soaking in the view and the ever changing colours and light as the rain moved through the valley, when a small bit of rainbow appeared in the sky just to the left of where we were sitting. Amy said "wouldn't it be amazing if a complete rainbow appeared right over the mittens" Five minutes later this happened! This is one of my favourite places on this planet and the landscape that just keeps on giving!
There are a lot of Wild West stories. Some of them are true.
Wikipedia: The Saloon was frequented by many American Old West characters including: Wild Bill Hickok, Calamity Jane, Colorado Charlie Utter, Texas Jack, California Joe, Buffalo Bill Cody, Doc Holliday, Poker Alice, Wyatt Earp & Potato Creek Johnny.
On the afternoon of August 2nd, 1876 Wild Bill wandered into Saloon No. 10 for a game of poker. The only chair left at the game was one which would place Wild Bill's back to the door, something he was uneasy with doing. Jack McCall entered the Saloon shortly after, he and Wild Bill exchanged greetings McCall walked around the table stopping to check each players hand. Finally positioning himself behind Wild Bill he pulled out his pistol and shot Wild Bill in the back of the head exclaiming "Take that damn you". Wild Bill fell forward and let his hand fall to the table, black aces and eights and the nine of diamonds which would come to be known as the Deadman’s Hand.
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Nps.gov: The Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway and Tunnel provides direct access for travel between Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Zion National Parks.
On November 19, 1919, President Wilson signed the bill into law establishing Zion National Park as Utah's first national park.
Over a three-year period, this improbable route presented unique logistical, engineering, and design challenges. Extensive effort and planning were required to incorporate natural materials and colors into a highly engineered, sophisticated, yet rustic construction to ensure that the road blended into the surrounding landscape. The galleries, or windows, within the 1.1-mile tunnel were placed to provide views of Zion Canyon's spectacular beauty. Numerous rustic masonry and wooden bridges, long lengths of expertly constructed rock walls with massive stones, beautiful arched-masonry culverts, and other features are visible along the road.
Two years and ten months after the project began, the work was completed, and on July 3, 1930, the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and Tunnel was officially dedicated and opened to the public. Visitors traveled along the new scenic route in the comfort of an automobile and enjoyed views of the high desert landscape along the way. The once imagined "Grand Circle Tour" of Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Canyon National Parks was now a reality.
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Nps.gov: Drive approximately 30 miles across the park on the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20), and experience the old growth forests, cascading waterfalls, and mountain scenery of North Cascades. Allow at least an hour to drive this beautiful, winding road, and add more time for stops along the way. Before arriving, check road conditions for seasonal closures. For road updates and pass history, visit Washington State Department of Transportation.
Nationalparks.org: Leave city life behind during your visit to North Cascades National Park, a vast wilderness of conifer-clad mountains, glaciers, and lakes.
Stateofwatourism.com: With jagged peaks, panoramic views, and alpine lakes, North Cascades National Park is often referred to as the American Alps.
Tucked away in the state’s northwest corner, the park includes more than 300 glaciers and a seemingly endless inventory of waterfalls from which the Cascade Range gets its name.
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Our Corvette ZHZ road trip car stands outside of our Adobe Bungalow in Twentynine Palms, Southern California.
Twentynine Palms is a natural fresh water oasis high in the Mojave Desert and got it's name from the number of Palm Trees there when discovered in the 1800's. It sits close to the nearby Mission Indian Reservation and enjoys temperatures of 100 degree F plus during the summer months.
Fans of Robert Plant will also know his song written about it.
We set off yesterday afternoon on the short but very steep hike up to Delicate Arch for sunset. A 1.5 mile mainly uphill hike with an elevation change of 600ft, 100° heat and a camera pack weighing in at 18kg along with tripod and 3 litres of water. It's always a bit of a tough climb but the view makes it worth it every time. There were hundreds of people up here for sunset as it's Labour Day weekend and Arches National Park's very busy so no chance of getting a shot with no one in it but kinda liked it as it gives the arch some scale. We hung around after everyone had gone back down for the stars but with the moon being almost full it pretty much washed out ant chance of seeing the Milky Way. We did get a bit of light painting done though, more of that to follow!
When I got through the Arctic Wolves area, I saw 2 wolves were going to have a serious fight. Nope. They were acting like wolves; they were playing. They were having such a good time.
Bear Country USA:Welcome to Bear Country USA! Very few people have had a full-grown black bear look in the window of their family car, or if they have, it was not by choice. Even fewer have seen a reindeer or a elk up close. However, many people are getting experiences like these at Bear Country U.S.A. in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Nestled over 200 acres amidst towering pines and along rolling meadows just eight miles south of Rapid City, Bear Country U.S.A. offers visitors intimate views of most North American mammals. Visitors take a leisurely three-mile drive through several enclosures and encounter black bear, elk, reindeer, deer, cougars, bobcats, rocky mountain goats, bighorn sheep, dall sheep, pronghorn and buffalo.
At this “the home of the largest collection of privately owned black bear in the world”, Bear Country U.S.A. guests are guaranteed to see more than they bargained for. From the comfort of their own car, visitors watch as these clowns of nature frolic in a pool, climb trees and amble across the road in front of their vehicle.
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Wanderlustamerica.com: Grand Canyon National Park is the 15th site in the United States to be named as a National Park. It is situated in northwestern Arizona and is often called one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon Park attracts up to 6.2 million visitors every year. Ancient Native Americans used to live in and around the park about 12,000 years ago. Today, people from all around the world come here to experience its helicopter rides, visitor centers, mule rides, and much more.
Unesco.org: Carved out by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon (nearly 1,500 m deep) is the most spectacular gorge in the world. Located in the state of Arizona, it cuts across the Grand Canyon National Park. Its horizontal strata retrace the geological history of the past 2 billion years. There are also prehistoric traces of human adaptation to a particularly harsh environment.
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Jerome overlooks the cities of Clarkdale and Cottonwood, popular visitor destinations today that owe their origins to the mines in Jerome. The historic city also overlooks the red rocks of Sedona in the distance.
Azjerome.com: Located near the top of Cleopatra Hill between Prescott and Flagstaff is the historic copper mining town of Jerome, Arizona. Once known as the wickedest town in the west, Jerome was born a copper mining camp, growing from a settlement of tents into a roaring mining community.
Today the mines may be silent, but Jerome has found new life as the largest ghost town in America. Once a thriving mining camp full of miners, bootleggers, gamblers, and prostitutes, now a bustling tourist destination full of artists, musicians, and gift shop proprietors.
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Visitrainier.com: Some of the prettiest and most easily accessible falls in Mt. Rainier National Park, Christine Falls offers a charming intimate setting for viewing the powerful falls. This signature view of the lower falls is framed by the historic, arching Christine Falls Bridge. The falls drop 69 feet in drops of 32 and 37 feet respectively and are notorious for being nearly impossible to photograph together. Since the lower drop of the waterfall is spanned by a bridge it most often photographed – and photographed often. The upper tier of the fall is not as easily viewed. Find this little gem on the road to Paradise. Limited parking at the falls is available.
Named by P.B. Van Trump after his daughter, Christine.
Wikipedia: Philemon Beecher Van Trump was an American pioneering mountaineer and writer who lived in the state of Washington. He is best known for the first documented ascent of Mount Rainier in 1870.
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Wikipedia: The Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton, Oklahoma, covers the history of Route 66 from Chicago, Illinois to Santa, Monica, California. It is the largest museum dedicated to the history and culture of Route 66, the most famous highway in the World. The museum also offers changing special exhibits, focusing on the Route 66 experience in the Now and Future Gallery. And don't forget to step into the gift shop for some Route 66 Memorabilia.
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Arizona Dept. of Transportation: Atop a bridge in Page, just a couple miles from the Arizona-Utah state line is a picturesque view or, if you’re afraid of heights, an absolutely terrifying one.
We’re talking about the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge, which, when it was built in 1959 was the highest arch bridge in the world. The beginnings of the bridge began in the early 1900s, when the U.S. Reclamation Service, the predecessor to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, began planning a major dam of the Colorado River in the area of Lees Ferry in northern Arizona. In 1957, construction began on the Glen Canyon Dam and it was completed in 1963.
Utah.com: Glen Canyon Dam was completed in 1964, taming the waters of the Colorado River and creating massive Lake Powell, a popular recreation area along the Utah/Arizona border. Lake Powell is about 186 miles long and attracts almost 3 million visitors a year.The Carl Hayden Visitor center is located at the dam, and tours of the dam are available.
The dam is located at Page, Arizona, just a few miles south of the Utah border. It was constructed to allow electrical power generation, store water for the arid southwestern United States, and provide recreation opportunities.It is a concrete arch dam with a crest length of 1,560 feet. It contains 4,901,000 cubic yards of concrete. The dam is 25 feet wide at the crest and 300 feet wide at the maximum base. Construction started in 1956 and was completed in 1964. The dam was dedicated in 1966. Lake Powell took 17 years to fill to full pool. The lake has a storage capacity of 27,000,000 acre-feet, making it the second-largest man-made reservoir in the US.
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The sun was trying to break through.
The same road from East Entrance meets to Yellowstone Lake.
This is what looks like a dozen years after the East Fire.
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Jacksonholechamber:
Q: WHERE AM I? JACKSON OR JACKSON HOLE?
A: Both. Jackson Hole is a valley about 80 miles long and 15 miles wide; Jackson is the major town within the valley. The hole begins six miles south of Yellowstone Park and tapers down to the width of the Snake River at Munger Mountain, south of Jackson. The town was named Jackson Hole in 1894 when the post office was established. Many other holes were named in the intermountain west during the 1800's but few were marked on the maps.
Jacksonwy.gov:Jackson Hole refers to the geographical feature of the valley beside the Teton Mountain Range. The valley is about 60 miles long and Jackson is the Town on its southern end.
Jhecotouradventures .com: The term “hole” in the American West often refers to a broad, flat valley surrounded by mountains. The name “Jackson Hole” likely originated from early trappers or settlers who passed through the region and noted its distinctive topography. William Sublette, a fur trader, is often credited with naming the valley after a fellow trapper, David E. Jackson, in the early 19th century.
The town of Jackson, located within Jackson Hole, serves as the hub of activity and civilization in the valley. Established in the late 19th century as a trading post, Jackson has grown into a vibrant community while still maintaining its Old West charm.
Jackson Hole is renowned for its stunning natural beauty and abundant wildlife. Grand Teton National Park and the nearby Yellowstone National Park attract millions of visitors each year, drawn by the opportunity to witness the breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and numerous outdoor recreational activities.
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Wanderlustamerica.com: Grand Canyon National Park is the 15th site in the United States to be named as a National Park. It is situated in northwestern Arizona and is often called one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The Grand Canyon Park attracts up to 6.2 million visitors every year. Ancient Native Americans used to live in and around the park about 12,000 years ago. Today, people from all around the world come here to experience its helicopter rides, visitor centers, mule rides, and much more.
Unesco.org: Carved out by the Colorado River, the Grand Canyon (nearly 1,500 m deep) is the most spectacular gorge in the world. Located in the state of Arizona, it cuts across the Grand Canyon National Park. Its horizontal strata retrace the geological history of the past 2 billion years. There are also prehistoric traces of human adaptation to a particularly harsh environment.
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I started the year with a trip across the Atlantic to visit a friend who lives in Missouri.
It was a trip full of driving down endless American roads, country music, drive thrus, cute little coffee shops, museums, Airbnbs, university campuses, thrift shopping, trucks and 7am trips to find a chapel in the woods.
Read about my trip on my blog.
© JCH 2018
Our white Corvette 2009 road trip car outside the 'Bay Front Inn Motel' in Santa Cruz California on May 27th 2009.
nps.gov: What's a "red dog"? It's a baby bison. Bison calves tend to be born from late March through May and are orange-red in color, earning them the nickname "red dogs." After a few months, their hair starts to change to dark brown and their characteristic shoulder hump and horns begin to grow.
Custer State Park
Wildlife Loop Road
This drive provides spectacular opportunities to encounter a wide range of wildlife. Be sure to keep a safe distance (recommended at least 25 yards) from bison, elk, mountain goats and other animals. For the safety of the animals the park asks that you keep your speed at around 25mph or lower. Plan for one to two hours to complete this drive.
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Galena, Kansas, is a well-known town on Historic Route 66, featuring a preserved section of the original roadbed and several attractions, including the "Cars on the Route" service station that inspired the character Mater from the Disney/Pixar movie Cars. The town was once a prosperous mining community but transformed into a tourist destination due to its Route 66 history, with ongoing preservation efforts to maintain its landmarks and celebrate the iconic highway.
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Another short but pretty extreme hike today avoiding the Labour Day weekend crowds in Arches National Park. This one is located outside the park in Bootlegger Canyon and a 3 mile hike in 100° heat we found ourselves the only ones here! Its a semi freestanding arch 110ft high by 110ft wide. Small planes have been flown through here and it's where people braver than me used to go bridge swinging which has now been temporarily banned due to conflict of interests. Scrabble Sunday.