Visit Colorado: Rocky Mountain National Park

While in Colorado, we had no real plans of visiting Rocky Mountain National Park since it's quite a drive from Denver.  However, we found ourselves headed towards the direction of this 415-square mile park, so we braved the heavy snowfall to drive there, while crossing our fingers that we'd see wildlife.

And wildlife we saw!

We saw lots and lots of elk as soon as we entered the park grounds.

Cars were lined up on each side of the road to watch and photograph these huge animals.

We made our way to the entry gate, and ended up turning around.  Although no fees were being taken due to the heavy snowfall and limited access to the park, it was already getting late, and we didn't want to drive back to Denver in the dark during the heavy snow.  We also asked another visitor if it was worth driving up any further.  He said no, and that there were more animals outside of the main entrance.

It was truly neat to see all of that wildlife, especially in all of that snow.

Hopefully one day we'll be back to explore more of Rocky Mountain National Park!

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Visit West Virginia: Harpers Ferry National Park

While in West Virginia, we went to Harpers Ferry National Park.

Harpers Ferry National Park is a multi-layered attraction with historical, cultural, and geographical significance.

Historically and culturally, Harpers Ferry National Park "witnessed the first successful application of interchangeable manufacture, the arrival of the first successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War, and the education of former slaves in one of the earliest integrated schools in the United States," according to the website.

Geographically, there is a point in Harpers Ferry National Park where the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet, and you can view three states - Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia!

While at Harpers Ferry National Park, we toured the quaint old buildings, visited The Point, and crossed a foot bridge to experience one of the longest trains we've ever witnessed rumble on by (it was deafening!).

We saw a lot of people at the park hiking and biking, but we had a nice time simply strolling through the park and stepping back in time for a bit.

Harpers Ferry National Park
767 Shenandoah St

Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
(304) 535-6029

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Visit Montana: Glacier National Park

Gorgeous day at Glacier National Park!

The highlight of our family's road trip through the Pacific Northwest was our visit to Glacier National Park.

Beautiful drive through the park

Once home to an estimated 150 glaciers, Glacier National Park is now the site of just 25 remnants.

For many visiting Glacier National Park, the highlight is a drive on the Going-to-the-Sun Road.  The 50-mile road winds through Glacier National Park, showcasing the best of Montana's natural beauty.

Throughout the drive there are many turnouts where you can stop to take pictures, or walk further down along paths to bridges and closer views of the stunning scenery.

Lake McDonald

Lake McDonald was absolutely gorgeous.  The water was astonishingly clear, and it seemed to go on forever!  The kids had some fun skipping stones, and it was just such an amazing spot to soak up the surroundings.

Skipping stones

We continued as far as we could on the Going-to-the-Sun Road, passing snow-capped mountains, turquoise creeks, and cascading waterfalls.

Going-to-the-Sun Road West tunnel

Heavens Peak

Unfortunately, part of the Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed during our visit, and we could go no further than Logan Pass (about half-way through).

Also, because of the time of year we went, a lot of services (restaurants, visitors center, etc.) were closed, so be sure to bring snacks and drinks for the long drive just in case.

And only vault toilets were available for use due to the visitors center being closed at Logan Pass (if you haven't used them before, be prepared for the odor).

Visitors to Glacier National Park can also go hiking, camping, fishing, and boating, but our family was content seeing all of the views by car.

Despite closure of some of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, we still saw so much.

The ever-changing vistas were incredible, and I still can't get out of my head how pure and pristine everything was - the crystal clear creeks, the majestic mountains, the placid lake.

If you find yourself in Northwestern Montana, or anywhere near the area, a visit to Glacier National Park is totally worth the time and drive.

Glacier National Park
West Glacier, MT
(406) 888-7800

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Visit Phoenix: Grand Canyon National Park

We knew a visit to Arizona would not be complete without a visit to the Grand Canyon National Park.

Since we were planning to spend just a day at the Grand Canyon, we left our hotel at 5:15am to make the 4-hour drive to the Grand Canyon from the Phoenix area.

If I had to do it again, I would leave when the sun had already risen.  Driving up the I17 while it was still dark was pretty scary.  The winding highway is not lighted for a very long stretch, and we saw several animal warning signs (and even a couple of dead coyotes).

Fortunately it wasn't too long before the sun came out, and the scenic drive was both long and beautiful.

We decided to enter through the East Entrance, which meant driving on a new bypass through Page.  It was very deserted (luckily we made a restroom stop in Flagstaff), and it started to snow!

We were prepared for it to be very cold in the Grand Canyon, but snow was a nice surprise, and it would be our first white Christmas!

I was a little worried as we drove up to the East Entrance, as we didn't see very many cars - but it turns out most cars were going through the South Entrance.

Shortly after arriving at the East Entrance, we drove to the Desert View Watchtower, which is now a Visitors Center.

Desert View Watchtower

Inside the Mary Colter - Indian Watchtower is a shop where you can buy all sorts of books and souvenirs, as well as a fireplace that came in very handy on this extremely cold day.

We also went to the top of the tower to look at all of the murals by Hopi artist Frank Kabotie, and check out the views from the windows.

Since it was snowing, the view of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River was a bit obstructed, but still so beautiful.

We grabbed a quick bite to eat (Blueberry Pie and Carrot Cake) at the Trading Post & Snack Bar, then headed our way West to the many other view points.

Fortunately, the weather started to clear up as we drove to different scenic points, and the views were just spectacular.

At some viewpoints it was a little scary since there was no railing.  I really had to keep an eye out on the kids to make sure they didn't get too close to the edge.

So close to the edge!  The visitor in the yellow/green jacket is sitting right on the edge of  a cliff.

I've read that winter weather at the Grand Canyon can be extreme, and extreme it was!  At one viewpoint it would be blue skies, and as we drove to another, it would start to snow really hard!

Near white-out road conditions

On the way to the Grand Canyon Visitors Center we made a quick stop to view the Tusayan Ruins.

Tusayan Ruins

It was amazing how once we got to the Grand Canyon Visitors Center near the South Rim entrance, the sky was blue while the snow was still falling.

We went to check out Mather Point, which is a short walk from the Visitors Center.

Mather Point

We caught a free shuttle from the Visitor Centers to a couple of viewpoints that are only accessible by shuttle.  We also caught another shuttle to the Yavapai Lodge Cafeteria to grab some lunch.

From top L clockwise: Bacon Cheeseburger; Hot Dog; Supreme Pizza; Cheese Pizza; Onion Rings, French Fries

We left through the South Entrance and drove through Williams, so the drive back to our hotel was about 30 minutes shorter.

A visit to the Grand Canyon National Park was the highlight of our trip to Arizona, and visiting on a snowy Christmas day made it even more special.

It was freezing cold and the drive was long, but it was totally worth it!

Grand Canyon National Park
(928) 638-7888

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