garthmonroe

In late May, I visited Great Smokey Mountains National Park in Tennessee; my second visit to the park. Before mid-day, the park became quite crowded; it was difficult to find parking in places, and the hiking trails were congested. I often enjoy visiting the national parks after Labor Day, when many people return to work and school; and this is what I will be doing this fall. I anticipate visiting forty national monuments in the coming weeks; along the Great Lakes, and also northern Arizona and northern New Mexico; places that are difficult to access in winter weather.

I will update this post as the trip unfolds; I enjoy visiting the national parks and memorials. An annual park pass costs $80; I can’t visit Disney for a day, or buy a skiing lift ticket for this amount. Some of the parks and monuments are remote; it takes a great deal of commitment to reach. Some of the parks and monuments are sublime, and some are underwhelming. If nothing else, I enjoy the quiet solitude, and the smell of the air. I remember visiting Big Bend National Park, along the Rio Grande in Texas. I woke up early, and was amazed by the stars in the sky – completely brilliant – without any light pollution.

Parks visited so far on this trip:

1. Fort Stanwix National Monument (NY)
2. Cuyahoga Valley National Park (OH)
3. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (IN)
4. Pullman National Monument (IL)
5. Effigy Mounds National Monument (IA)
6. Grand Portage National Monument (MN)
7. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (WI)
8. Voyageurs National Park (MN)
9. Pipestone National Monument (MN)
10. Homestead National Historic Park (NE)
11. Nicodemus National Historic Site (KS)
12. Monument Rocks Natural Landmark (KS)
13. Fort Larned National Historic Site (KS)
14. Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site (CO)
15. Bent’s Old Fort National Historic Site (CO)
16. Canyonlands (Needles) National Park (UT)
17. Capitol Reef National Park (UT)
18. Bryce Canyon National Park (UT)
19. Cedar Breaks National Monument (UT)
20. Zion National Park (UT)
21. Pipe Spring National Monument (AZ)
22. Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
23. Wupatki National Monument (AZ)
24. Sunset Crater National Monument (AZ)
25. Walnut Canyon National Monument (AZ)
26. Tuzigoot National Monument (AZ)
27. Montezuma Castle National Monument (AZ)
28. Tonto National Monument (AZ)
29. Chiricahua National Monument (AZ)
30. Fort Bowie National Historic Park (AZ)
31. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument (NM)
32. El Malpais National Monument (NM)
33. El Morro National Monument (NM)
34. Aztec Ruins National Monument (NM)
35. Fort Union National Monument (NM)
36. Pecos National Historic Park (NM)
37. Valles Caldera National Preserve (NM)
38. Salinas Missions National Monument (NM)
39. Chamizal National Memorial (TX)
40. Big Bend National Park (TX)
41. Waco-Mammoth National Monument (TX)
42. De Soto National Memorial (FL)
43. Canaveral National Seashore (FL)
44. Fort Matanzas National Monument (FL)
45. Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (FL)
46. Fort Caroline National Memorial (FL)
47. Timucuan Ecological and Historical Preserve (FL)
48. Fort Frederica National Monument (GA)
49. Fort Pulaski National Monument (GA)
50. Reconstruction Era National Historic Park (SC)
51. Congaree National Park (SC)
52. Charles Pinckney National Historic Site (SC)
53. Fort Sumter National Historical Park (SC)
54. Fort Moultrie National Historical Park (SC)
55. Moores Creek National Battlefield (NC)

Other sites visited: Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox (Bemidji MN) | largest ball of twine (Cawker City KS) | Valley of the Gods (UT) | Moki Dugway (UT) | Red Canyon (UT) | Marble Canyon (AZ) | Hanging Garden (Page AZ) | Oak Creek Canyon (Sedona AZ) | Indian Bread Rocks (AZ) | Hueco Tanks State Park (TX) | Franklin Mountains State Park (TX) | Zilker Metropolitan Park (TX) | French Quarter (LA)