Klondike Gold Rush NHP

The Seattle unit of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park preserves the story of the stampede to the Yukon gold fields and Seattle's crucial role in this event. The headlines of a Seattle newspaper on July 17, 1897, Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold! ignited dreams of easy riches in the minds of thousands as word of a rich gold strike in northwestern Canada. A dream that would prove all but dream.

NPS Website Seattle Washington unit

Retrace the Steps of the Last Grand Adventure- The Klondike Gold Rush

Headlines screamed "Gold!" The dream of a better life catapulted thousands of people to Alaska and the Yukon Territory. Their journey shaped them, and changed the people they encountered and the north forever. Today, the park remembers the trails, boomtowns, and stories of the Klondike Gold Rush.

NPS Website Skagway Alaska Unit

25 Aug 2009

We took in the Skagway unit on our Alaskan Cruise. This gave us a great understanding what those headed to the Yukon had to face and endure. We got to take a guided tour over White Pass. This was a great way to understand the hardships these prospectors faced. Each hauling a years worth of supplies over the pass.

28 Dec 2016

Karen got to take in the Seattle unit with the kids and grandkids. They had a great time exploring the Museum and taking in the activity's offered there. While nothing more then a Museum it had a lot to offer and it gave a great understanding on what hardships were faced by those brave enough to make the trip North to the Yukon in search of Gold. This Unit can be seen in a few hours.

Our 48th NPS Unit

Badlands NP

                                                                   

Good Times in the Badlands

The rugged beauty of the Badlands draws visitors from around the world. These striking geologic deposits contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Ancient mammals such as the rhino, horse, and saber-toothed cat once roamed here. The park’s 244,000 acres protect an expanse of mixed-grass prairie where bison, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, and black-footed ferrets live today.

8 July 2016:

This was our first visit to the park and with a name of Badlands we were curious and excited to see just what made this park so special and it only took a few moments of driving into the park to see this would be a great park, the views are amazing and stunning. We stopped at each turnout and was amazed how different each vista was. We have plans to go back for a sunrise or sunset ( maybe both ). Lots of wildlife to be seen, even Bighorn sheep. We were lucky to spot 3 sheep as we were leaving the Park. This a park you can do in a few hours or a couple of days depending on how much you want to see. This Park will go on to the must return list.

Click here for photos of our visit

NPS Website

Our 118th NPS Unit and 17th National Park

Devils Tower NM

Devils Tower, An Evocative Setting For Many Types Of Experiences And Forms Of Expression

An astounding geologic feature that protrudes out of the rolling prairie surrounding the Black Hills. This site is considered Sacred to the Lakota and many other tribes that have a connection to the area. Hundreds of parallel cracks make it one of the finest traditional crack climbing areas in North America. Devils Tower entices us to explore and define our place in the natural and cultural world.

7 July 2016

All that we can say about the Devils Tower is WOW. We did the hike around the Tower last visit so this time it was a short visit to just take in the grander and mystic of the Monument. For us this is a must visit NP Service site.

Click here for photos of our visit

NPS Website

Our 45th NPS Unit

Fort Laramie NHS

Crossroads of a Nation Moving West

Originally established as a private fur trading fort in 1834, Fort Laramie evolved into the largest and best known military post on the Northern Plains before its abandonment in 1890. This “grand old post” witnessed the entire sweeping saga of America’s western expansion and Indian resistance to encroachment on their territories.

27 June 2016
Always a great visit. There is so much history with this site. We took in the VC and grounds in a few hours. Be sure to take in the Cavalry Barracks to get a good feel of life in this remote Fort. This site is also a great site too take in the 4 trials that had a huge part in shaping this country. This Site can be seen in 3 or 4 hours.

May 1993 Unknown date
Great site to take in. Lots of history and education on the major trails passing though here and what life was like during those times.

Click here for photos of our visit

NPS Website

Our 7th NPS Unit

Fort Sumter NM

 

                                                 

Guardians of Charleston Harbor

Two forts stand at the entrance of Charleston Harbor. Patriots inside a palmetto log fort, later named Fort Moultrie, defeated the Royal Navy in 1776. As Charleston blazed a path towards secession to preserve slavery, construction on a new fort, Fort Sumter, proceeded. The Confederacy fired on the US garrison of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861 opening the Civil War, which redefined American freedom.

6-7 Sept 2015
It took two visits to see everything. Our first visit was spent at the Visitor's Center in Charleston and a trip over to Fort Moultrie. The Visitor center in Charleston offers a great overview of the History of Fort Sumter and the events that led up to the Civil War. We decided to wait on a trip out to Fort Sumter and instead took in Fort Moultrie. The Fort is a sub unit of the Park and will worth the time to check out. This Fort played an important part in the Fort Sumter story. Took in the Visitor's center and then had a great walk around the grounds with the dogs. Dogs are not allowed in the Fort but somehow we missed that fact so the girls got to take in the Fort also. We planned on being back in Charleston later so we saved the Fort Sumter visit till later.

28 May 2016
We took the ferry out to Fort Sumter from Patriots Point. We did not have good timing as the rains from TS Bonnie showed up on our way out to the Fort. We took in the Fort or should we say what's left of it. There is a Visitors Center to see, then we did a walk around the grounds. They give you an hour between arriving and leaving and we felt that was more then enough time to see everything.

Click here for photos of our visit ( Fort Sumter )

Click here for photos of our visit ( Fort Moultrie )

NPS Website

Our 117th NPS Unit