Thursday, August 31, 2023

Cabrillo NM

A Voyage of Exploration at Cabrillo National Monument:

Climbing out of his boat and onto shore in 1542, Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo stepped into history as the first European to set foot on what is now the West Coast of the United States. In addition to telling the story of 16th century exploration, the park is home to a wealth of cultural and natural resources. Join us and embark on your own Voyage of Exploration.

31 Aug 2023
We made a return trip here, this time with our grand kids in tow. We made the stop at the Visitors Center to pick up the kids Junior Ranger books. We headed out to the diffident areas to allow the kids a chance to find the answers they needed to finish their books. They finished their books and received another Junior Ranger Badge. We spent 3 hours here this visit. 

1989 or 90 Date is unknown.
Made a visit here but we are not sure of the exact date. We will have to make a return visit.

NPS Website

Our 2nd NPS Unit







Wednesday, August 23, 2023

Cedar Breaks NM

 


Geology, Wildflowers and Night Skies at 10,000 Feet:
Crowning the grand staircase, Cedar Breaks sits at over 10,000 feet and looks down into a half mile deep geologic amphitheater. Come wander among timeless bristlecone pines, stand in lush meadows of wildflower, ponder crystal-clear night skies and experience the richness of our subalpine forest.

23 Aug 2023

We decided to steer away from the crowds of Utah's big five National Parks this trip, we decided that Cedar Breaks NM would be a great unit to take in. This Unit did not disappointed in this decision. We started at the Temporary Visitor Center and Store. A new Visitor Center is being built and will not be open until 2024. We did our shopping for the required new park bling including a Bark Ranger tag for Daisy. This unit does not have a Bark Ranger program, but they do have tags. Be sure to follow the BARK rules and only know that only the Sunset Trails is pet friendly. 


There is nothing more than a small office for the acting Visitor Center right now with no exhibits or movie to see. We then headed out to take in this unit. We stopped at each of the three overlooks taking in the spender that this unit offers. Each overlook offers amazing views of the Amphitheater that is three miles across. We took Daisy for a walk along the Sunset Trail and she had a great time getting all the smells of the Park. We spent around two hours here but with the new Visitors Center coming soon you could add an hour more for taking that in. There are also a few longer trails to take in if you want a hiking adventure. 

Click here for photos of our visit.

NPS Website

Our 168th NPS Unit


Ready for a new park.