Arches NP, Sunday/Monday, 14-15 May 2023 I have to admit, my first view of the swollen, cocoa-colored Colorado River, filled with debris...

Tuesday, 2 May 2023, Channel Islands NP Amazing how much easier sleep comes when the air is cool, rather than kicking off the blankets as...

Sunday, 30 April 2023, Oxnard CA What a difference a day makes. Well, a day and 130 miles. After five days in the cauldron of the desert,...

Saturday, 29 April 2023, Joshua Tree NP I had another delayed start, one I couldn't blame on 'enjoying camaraderie'. I'd made an early...

Friday, 28 April 2023 The park's name is Joshua Tree NP. You could replace that name with 'Jumbled Rocks', and people would still know...

Thursday, 27 April 2023 "One of the most important areas on the North American continent." That's how the Nature Conservancy describes...

Wednesday, 26 April 2023 A call to Canon tech support started my day on a high note. As the agent explained, "The camera tries to...

Tuesday, 25 Apr 2023, Death Valley NP Time to get back on the road, to knock off my last two desert parks. For this, I invited my friend...

Earth Day 2023, Philadelphia Ready for something totally different? Friends know me well for my penchant to seek out novel activities, to...

Sunday, 2 April 2023, Miami FL Time for the last National Park on this trip: Dry Tortugas. Perhaps the most remote park in the lower-48...

Saturday, 1 April 2023, Key West, FL Good morning, class, time for today's lesson. You have likely heard about the Florida Keys, those...

The national parks belong to everyone. To the people. To all of us. The government keeps saying so and maybe, in this one case at least,...

Wed-Thur, 29-30 March 2023, Bradenton-Port Orange-Homestead FL If you do nothing unexpected, nothing unexpected happens. - Fay Weldon...

Tuesday, 28 March 2023, Everglades NP Another day to experience the Everglades, to discover the subtle majesties of this humble park, to...

Monday, 27 March 2023, Everglades NP "Like I said before, your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride." — Anthony...

Sunday, 26 March 2023, Miami FL The spell of Island Time grew on me as I enjoyed my final breakfast at the Inn. Even though I faced a...

Saturday, 25 March 2023, Cruz Bay, St. John The rule is spelled out in large print, right at the top of the National Park pamphlet: "Time...

Friday, 24 March 2023, Cruz Bay, St. John I awoke refreshed, ready to challenge myself on this trip. For over thirty years, I've loved...

Thursday, 23 March 2023, Cruz Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands Okay, class, how many of you knew that (some of) the Virgin Islands belong...

Monday, 20 February 2023, Kona airport Time for a change of pace. We'd seen the best of nature - waterfalls, gardens, craters, lava,...