Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit

Visiting the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park from the North Unit also involves a bit of time travel. The Units are an hour apart. The North Unit operates on Mountain Time. The South Unit operates on Central Time. I arrived the same time I left. Whoa. Mind blown!

Behind the Visitor’s Center is Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cabin, a small structure he called home in his early days in North Dakota.

His original writing desk and trunk (complete with his initials) remain.

After the tour of the cabin, it was time to check out the 36 mile scenic drive. The landscape is more diverse in the South Unit, but it’s also much more crowded as it’s not as far off the beaten path as the North Unit.

The Scenic Drive starts by passing through a prairie dog town.

These industrious little creatures are so rapidly expanding, that they’re even burrowing up through the road. But aside from the prairie dogs, I found it harder to see wildlife in the larger expanse of the South Unit when I first arrived.

However, I was up with the sun the next day. I saw a coyote and heard another one while I was hiking.

I drove to Buck Hill, the highest point in the park. I hiked to the top of the hill and thought, “It’s really quiet here.” Then an elk bugled. Sadly, I never saw any elk. But they’re fun to hear. I saw a few deer on Buck Hill, but no bucks, oddly.

I saw lots of bison throughout the day. 

A small heard created a large traffic jam at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center that afternoon.

My favorite place in the South Unit is Wind Canyon. The effects of erosion and wind are obvious in this small canyon. A short trail leads out to the Missouri River. Even though I was camping along the Missouri River in Cottonwood Campground, the view from here was much more majestic.

View from my campsite

Horseshoe Bend at the edge of Wind Canyon

On my final night in the south unit I drove the Scenic Drive again right before sunset. I pulled over when I saw this buck.

A van pulled off along with me. This van and I leapfrogged our way around the Scenic Drive. I was headed to Wind Canyon to watch and photograph the sunset. I pulled in the Wind Canyon parking lot, but stayed in my seat as I switched lenses and gathered my stuff (GoPro, headlamp, baseball cap, etc). I noticed that the van pulled up beside be, but I was focused on prepping for my hike. When I looked up, the driver asked me about what all I saw when I took the above photo. Much to everyone’s surprise, I knew the people in the van!

I met Vern and Judy Essenberg when I was touring with Silver Ring Thing eight years ago. Vern and Judy live in Michigan, were traveling to Montana in August, and stopped by Theodore Roosevelt National Park for the night. Had Vern not stopped to ask a question, we would have completely missed each other! It was great to have a quick roadside catch up on life. Unfortunately for them, I’d been camping in campgrounds without showers for a few days…

The conversation was great and the sunset that night did not disappoint. I was up early the next morning and was out exploring again. Unfortunately, there was too much fog to get a good sunrise. I drove back to the top of Buck Hill hoping to see or hear some elk, but it was so socked in I didn’t even attempt to hike.

However, as I was completing my last trip around the Scenic Drive I saw a heard of wild horses and five pronghorn.

I’d been scouring fields for the past several days and couldn’t be happier to finally find some pronghorn. I think I spent nearly an hour watching these beautiful creatures.

Time to head further south…on to SouthDakota!

Go. Live.

National Battlefields

I was hiking in Monocacy National Battlefield earlier this year when I thought to myself, “I don’t like battlefields as much as other National Park sites.” When I think National Parks, I think Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Denali. When I think National Park Service, I think the monuments in Washington, DC. Grand, majestic, breathtaking.  When I think battlefield, I think…field.

About the time I was considering all this, I rounded a corner of a trail along the Monocacy River and read about the men that fled here. Here. Right here. Men fighting for the preservation of the country I now call home had been on this exact spot where I was standing. I wasn’t in a museum reading about an event that happened in a far off land. I was standing on the piece of ground where it all went down.

The more iconic National Parks such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, and Denali are humbling because of their magnitude. They are natural parks. It’s a piece of land where God made something awesome and we, thankfully, decided to protect it so it could be enjoyed by future generations.  National Battlefields are earned parks. Men and women did something amazing there and now it too is being preserved. None one did anything to deserve our natural parks, but people fought and died on our National Battlefields. Both are equally worthy of our respect and time.

In fact, I would argue that I’ve actually learned more while touring the battlefields. I’ve found this whole National Park quest to be a huge learning experience. If you’re considering taking a class, try visiting a different National Park each month first. But, more specifically, I’ve learned a lot about the history of our nation by visiting the parks.

For example, the Union lost the battle at Monocacy. I read that sign twice. I was surprised there was a park for a battle the Union lost. It’s true, the Union lost there, but their efforts may have won them the war. As they continued to fight they slowed the Confederate Army’s advance to Washington, DC. This allowed more Union troops to get into position and defend the city when the time came. What a great lesson in perseverance. Keep fighting even when you’re down. Who knows what is about to happen?

Similarly, last weekend in the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Battlefield, I learned that Stonewall Jackson was shot by his own men at the battle of Chancellorsville. His troops were making great progress so he had them keep fighting even as it was getting dark. Unfortunately, that meant they couldn’t see and identify individuals very well and he was mistaken for the enemy and shot 3 times. He died just over a week later. I don’t remember that from history class.

Jackson was traveling this path (roughly). He was shot about where the sign is today.

Nearby, this monument stands where he was pulled from his horse.

Don’t write off any of the National Park Sites. It’s been preserved for a reason. Go, explore, and learn. You many not think every park is as sexy as Yosemite, but you might find a new favorite spot.

Go. Live.

One More Step

I went hiking in Mt Rainier National Park a couple weeks ago. I wasn't in a good place. Physically, I was in a good place, a great one even. Mentally and emotionally I was in a dark place. I was dealing with a lot of uncertainties and inner turmoil. To be honest, I just wanted to crawl back into my hotel bed and curl up with Netflix all day long. But, I'm on a mission. So I went to the park and started hiking.

Due to severe winter weather being forecast in the most popular areas of the park, I decided to check out the northwest corner known as Carbon River. I stopped for a quick chat with the rangers and decided to hike to Ranger Falls and maybe even on to Green Lake. The trip out to ranger falls was four miles. Over 3 miles were on an abandoned road that is now only open to hikers and bikers. The last mile is on the Green River spur trail and that's when the climb begins.

Not far onto the spur trail I realized that I wasn't loving this. It was hard. I was tired. I was sad. I just wanted to be lazy and this was work. No matter what, I had more work ahead of me. Even if I gave up at the first thought of hardship I was still over three miles from my car. As I continued climbing I decided to stop thinking about the whole trip. How much further? How long will it take? How deep into the park am I? Instead, I decided to just think about the next step. My inner dialogue was, "Look at how far you've come. I bet you can take one more step." STEP. "You're already here. Take one more step." STEP. "Somewhere ahead of you is a waterfall. Another step will get you closer." STEP.

I took one more step, the forest opened, and I was greeted by a site that took my breath away. Ranger Falls was grander than I had imagined and the view was worth every step it took to get there.

I hiked on to Green Lake and for a total of 13 miles that day. I've decided to make "One More Step" not just my hiking mantra, but also my life mantra. I don't always know where I'm going or how far away the goal is, but I can take one more step. Other times I know exactly how far away the goal is and it seems like an impossible distance. But I can take one more step. I don't need to have every answer to all of life's problems, I just need to take another step. Then another. And another. And another. But each one is just one step. At some point, when I least expect it, the forest will open and the reward will be worth all the steps.

#100by100 Update

It’s been a year since my National Parks project began. For those of you new to the blog, I’m attempting to see 100 sites managed by the National Park Service before the Park Service turns 100 on August 25, 2016.  I devised this challenge when I planned a birthday trip for myself to Antietam National Battlefield. Including that trip, I’ve seen 30 National Park Sites in the last year.

One of the main reasons for the National Park Project was to give me a reason to go. Most of us lead lives of good intentions, “I really want to go there. But I can’t today.” “I really want to see that. I’ll go someday.” But days and time pass and our good intentions never materialize into actions. I had good intentions. What I needed was a goal to work towards.

And since setting that goal, I’ve been working! It’s been fun work, but work nonetheless. This certainly hasn’t been a year of sitting on the couch. It’s been a year of hiking, biking, driving, flying, exploration, and education. Our National Parks have made me far richer than I ever could have imagined. I am overwhelmed by how much there is to see and learn and how accessible it all is. I’m also deeply saddened by the fact that so few people experience it and that it has taken me this long to really jump in and make seeing the parks a priority.

There are 407 areas managed by the National Park Service. So, my seemingly insurmountable goal will leave me with over 75% yet to see! This country is rich with history and beauty and opportunities to discover it are everywhere. You can see a list of all the sites and their designations HERE.

Visiting a National Park Site doesn't need to be an epic weeklong trip to Yellowstone. Of course that would be fantastic, but with a little research I suspect you will find a site nearby you haven't yet explored. I took on this project because I realized I was surrounded by National Parks, but it was easier for me to pass them than stop. In fact, there are 15 sites in my home state of Pennsylvania. A year ago I had only visited 3. I saw 5 more this year and learned about everything from Edgar Allen Poe, to railroads, to 9/11.

I’m headed to Great Smoky Mountain National Park for my birthday this weekend. It will be my 70^th park and that means I’ll have 30 parks left to see on the day I turn 30! I’m excited to explore the Smoky Mountains so stay tuned for photos and updates.

But I also wanted to let you know that I’m giving one of you a gift for my birthday. My National Parks Project was mentioned in the current issue (April 2015) of National Geographic Traveler by my friend and mentor Norie Quintos. Purchase a copy of the issue, post a photo of yourself with it to Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, use my #100by100 hashtag, and tag me in it if possible (@valeriedperry). I’ll randomly select one of the entrants and you’ll win a yearlong subscription to Traveler. But hurry, you only have until March 20^th to enter.

If you'd like to get me a gift this year, go spend a day in a park. This world will be a better place when we can all slow down enough to go for a hike and take a deep breath of mountain air.

Go. Live.

Denali | Alaska Part 5

This is Part 5 in a 6 Part Series on Alaska. It is a continuation of The Trip to Talkeetna | Alaska Part 4
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On the road out of Talkeetna early Saturday morning I hit some ice that sent my pickup truck fishtailing down the road. Now that I was wide awake from that excitement, it was time to see some wildlife and hopefully Mt. McKinley before I had to head back to get on the flightsee trip.

I decided that I would go into Denali State Park to look for wildlife and maybe do some hiking. I wasn't on the road very long when I saw a bald eagle on a branch out over the highway. I noticed it as I was passing it, so I was pretty far down the road before I got the truck stopped. There was no one around so I threw it into reverse and backed up to the bird. He just sat there the whole time looking confused at the crazy person driving back and forth.

I pulled into the first viewing area I found in Denali State Park. I was greeted by a great view of the Alaska Range, but according to the sign there was a mountain missing. McKinley/Denali was so socked in it appeared to not even be there.

I was optimistic that this day would turn around, so I kept driving north. It was nearing the time that I would need to turn around soon to make it back to Talkeetna in time for my flightsee trip. I found another turnoff and stopped to call K2 Aviation to make sure my flight was still going up. No service. I drove a bit further. No service. I knew I had service at the first viewing area where I stopped so I turned around and drove 20-30 minutes back there. I called K2 and they said it didn't look good. They eventually said they would take me up, but it would be a short flight and they weren't sure I would see anything. I would like to say I hung up the phone and maintained my optimism. But I didn't. I hung up the phone and cried. I'd come all this way. Denali was going to be my 60th National Park. I'd heard that the best way to see it was by air and now it was all falling apart. I was heartbroken. I was alone in the middle of a parking lot in Alaska, things weren't working out, and I didn't know what to do. I was scared. I was lonely. And I was disappointed. But after allowing myself a few minutes to sulk, my determination won out. I called K2 back and rescheduled the flight for the next day and decided to drive all the way to Denali National Park. In one phone call I had created about 8 hours of driving for myself. I now had a 2.5 hour drive to Denali National Park. Then a 3.5 hour drive to my next lodging. Followed by a 2 hour drive back north to Talkeetna for the flightsee trip the next day.

So I started driving. The drive to Denali was uneventful. There is some beautiful scenery, and it is sparsely populated. I drove for miles and miles without ever passing another vehicle.

I said I didn't do any hunting in Alaska, but it looks like I got a few kills.

As I was approaching Denali I drove through a tiny town with a post office, a gas station, and not much else. It had been hours since I had seen a gas station, so I decided to stop and fill up. Gas was over $4 a gallon. I guess when you have the monopoly in the middle of nowhere you can charge whatever you want. I happily paid a small fortune and went on my way.

The roads were clear the entire drive, but as soon as I entered Denali National Park they were snow covered. It was as though I passed through some portal and was instantly transported to a winter wonderland. There was snow everywhere.

I had read online that only the first 3 miles of the park road was open as it was now considered winter. I thought that couldn't possibly be true. It was. Those miles were open, but still snow covered. The last 2 miles are on a mountain and made for a terrifying drive.

The Visitor Center was also closed for winter. Thank goodness there is a Science and Learning Center that remained open and staffed by a ranger. She was able to recommend some trails for me and soon I was off hiking through the snow and across beautiful bridges.

It was a short hike. Less than an hour, I think. I could have stayed in Denali all day. Probably all week. Everything was so beautiful. The long drive was worth it for the short hike. I was hiking in Denali National Park in snow! Does it get more authentically Alaskan than that? The worst day of my trip quickly became the best. I'm so glad my determination conquered my disappointment.

I climbed back in my truck and drove all the way to Hatcher Pass Bed and Breakfast in Palmer. I've stayed in B&Bs before and they're not my scene. I don't dig the frilly rooms and the meals with strangers. This place is WAY different. It's actually a complex of several small log cabins. Each cabin has a mini-kitchen area stocked with breakfast supplies and you make whatever you want in the morning. The place is decorated with Alaskan artwork and decorations. I wish I had stayed here the entire trip! It was the nicest place I stayed, and one of the cheapest too! Unfortunately, I wasn't there very long.

I was up early the next morning and I started driving up to Independence Mine State Park. The road is a narrow, switchback filled journey up the side of the mountain. Yesterday's ice/fishtail incident still had me nervous and remember my motto for the trip was "I don't want to spend the holidays dead."

I soon pulled over and gave my friends at K2 a call. I talked to a guy named Chris and he said McKinley was out when he drove in to work and it was a beautiful sunny day so he expected the flight to go up. Time for more driving.

Back to Talkeetna I went. As I was driving into town, Denali is unmistakeable. It's no wonder she's called The Great One.

When I got to K2 I discovered that Chris was my pilot and it was just the two of us and one couple for our flight. The bad news was we wouldn't be able to do the glacier landing we had hoped for because off all the fresh snow. The good news was I got to sit in the co-pilot seat.

Words cannot describe the beauty I saw from above Denali National Park. Pictures won't do it justice, but hopefully these will hold you over until you get a chance to go see it for yourself.

Ruth's Glacier leading to Denali

The Great One: Denali 

Mt Foraker, Mt Hunter, Mt McKinley

Denali's Wickersham Wall

Denali was worth the wait. I've never seen anything so magnificent.