Inner US Loop - Fall 2014
This is the beginning of our Fall trip I am calling "Inner US Loop - Fall 2014". One of the goals of this trip is for me to complete visiting all of the National Park sites in the Lower 48. My husband accomplished this over the summer. I am shy twelve sites, mainly scattered within a loop covering the upper South and Central US. We expect the trip to last from 4-6 weeks, mostly dependent on weather. The furthest eastern point will be West Virginia. For the next week we will be making our way to Santa Fe where we will be attending a letterbox gathering. From there we will continue East with Arkansas as our first goal.
Stay tuned. . .
Canyon de Chelly National Monument
Tuesday, September 16
Start: Winslow, AZ
Finish: Cottonwood Campground (Navajo Nation), Canyon de Chelly NM, Chinle, AZ
Lightning in the distance as we went to bee coast night, strong winds during the night, then breezy in the AM. Cool enough to sleep comfortably. After showers and breakfast continued east on I-40 to US191 north. In Ganado we stopped at the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site, always a favorite place to visit. The back rooms of the Trading Post hold exquisite jewelry and rugs by local Native American artists. A great place to shop for authentic crafts. This past summer my sister was fortunate to be selected for a week long Artist-in Residence here. They stayed in the stone hogan pictured below.
Hubbell Trading Post NHS - Stone Hogan
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Our primary goal today was to get to the Nazlini Post Office before their closing time at 2 PM. This is one of the few current Arizona postal cancellations my husband needs for his collection. Once leaving I-40 this AM we were an hour ahead, the Navajo Reservation in Arizona honors daylight savings time. The rest of Arizona does not change its clocks twice a year. This always causes confusion for tourists. We made it to Nazlini, with an hour to spare. This was definitely new road for us, Indian Route 27 through Nazlini all the way north into Chinle. Shortly after passing Nazlini it becomes dirt, an OK road in dry weather. It parallels US 191, and goes straight up a valley.
Along IR 27 to Chinle
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Once in Chinle we stopped at the Canyon de Chelly National Monument visitor center. They have the standard passport stamps and 2 beautiful bonus stamps. I picked up the Junior Ranger program.
Passport and Bonus stamps
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After getting a campsite at Cottonwood Campground we drove the South Rim road to the a Spider Rock Overlook. Besides the main feature of Spider Rock you can see ruins in the cliffs across the canyon.
Spider Rock
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Ruins from Spider Rock Overlook
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Another view from Spider Rock Overlook
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We returned to the campground for a quiet, comfortable evening, upper 70s with nice shade. For years this campground was free, in recent years the Navajo Regional Parks have started to charge. Currently the price is $14. Restrooms are modern with sinks and flush toilets, the sites are paved with picnic tables and grills. Water faucets are scattered throughout the campground. It was about 1/4 full tonight.
Passport Stamps
Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site- Ganado, AZ
Canyon de Chelly NM- Chinle, AZ
Bonus
Pictorials at Canyon de Chelly - 2
Wildlife Sightings
Side-blotched Lizard
Common Raven
Turkey Vulture
Cliff Swallow
House Sparrow
Say's Phoebe
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Wednesday September 17, 2014
Start: Chinle, AZ
Finish: Chaco Culture NHP, NM
Woke up to a very light rain in camp, looks like we will be missing most of the heavy rain to the south. We enjoyed a tasty breakfast of Blue Corn pancakes at the Thunderbird Lodge cafeteria. We drove the North Rim Drive to Tsalie, then headed north on IR 12 to IR 13, through Lukachukai. This was new road for us and a beautiful drive on paved roads. It was steep and curvy at times, but the red rock and mountain habitat was beautiful. Any car or small RV could make the drive. This is a great way to link Canyon de Chelly NM or Window Rock to Shiprock, Farmington or our goal of Chaco Culture NHP.
View along IR 13
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This road brings you to the community of Red Rock or Red Valley. My husband had conflicting information about whether there was an active post office. There was no USPS sign at the trading post, however when he went in there was a post office window. The clerk happily cancelled a stamped envelope with the Red Valley, AZ cancellation. From there we immediately crossed into New Mexico and came up behind the Shiprock formation.
Shiprock along IR 13
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We drove up to Aztec Ruins National Monument for passport stamps and our picnic lunch. There was a most unusual pot in their visitor center, all white with white spikes. After getting fuel and food we continued south on US 550 past Nageezi to the turn off to Chaco Culture National Historical Park. This is the north road, and it appears it has been 'upgraded' quite a bit from previous visits. There is still 13 miles of dirt road, but no deep ruts, just a few slick areas from recent rains and several significant washboard sections. Any car can make the drive, however I realize rental agencies would not be happy to get a call if your vehicle broke down while there. I was surprised that there was enough cell service for text messaging.
Aztec Ruins NM
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We had reservations for 2 nights at the park campground, Gallo campground. This night the campground was about 1/2 full. Very overcast when we arrived, you could see rain in the distance, however it never made it to camp.
Thursday, September 18
Start & Finish: Chaco Culture NHP
Incredible night sky - clouds all gone and stars, stars and more stars! Woke up to cool air and a cloudless sky! The rest of the lower Southwest is getting intense rain from the Pacific hurricane. We seem to have been traveling on the northern edge of the storm, so far.
All morning was spent in camp. Besides working on my Night Explorer program ( started last Fall while in the Rocky Mountain region) and the Chaco Junior Ranger booklet there were several ruins and petroglyph panels in the campground to explore.
Ruins in campground
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After lunch we went back to the visitor center to have my booklets reviewed and to receive my Night Explorer patch and Chaco Junior Ranger Badge. From there we drove out to Pueblo Bonito for the ranger led walk. Excellent information was given during this walk through the pueblo.
Pueblo Bonito
Fine masonry walls - estimated 50 million stones cut & dressed at Chaco
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Spider web at 3rd story
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View through window
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Plaza view
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Returned to camp for initially a quiet afternoon. Around 6 PM a high school group of at 50 plus invaded the campground. Lots of energy expended as they set up camp.
Passport Stamps
Aztec Ruins NM - Aztec, NM
Old Spanish NHT - Aztec Ruins National Monument, NM
Chaco Culture NHP - Nageezi, NM
Bonus
Chaco Culture NHP pictorial
Wildlife Sightings
Cottontail Rabbit
Elk
Bat
Plateau Striped Whiptail Lizard
Common Raven
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Mourning Dove
Canyon Towhee
Meadowlark
Sagebrush Sparrow
Turkey Vulture
Heading East - I-40 through New Mexico, Texas and into Oklahoma
Monday, September 23
Start: Santa Fe, NM
Finish: Tucumcari, NM
A few stops in Santa Fe before leaving. Found gas for $2.99! A section of the original Santa Fe Trail runs by Museum Hill which has the massive bronze statue celebrating Journey's End. Besides describing the event, one of the panels tells how this statute was cast and assembled. Unfortunately I deleted pictures I took here before I transferred them to My Photos. The website imbedded above has good photos and background information.
Our next stop was at Pecos National Historical Park. Today was the first inclement weather - light rain off and on, at times a soaking rain. I had planned to spend more time here and work on the Junior Ranger program, but the weather was not conducive to exploring. We did drive up to the picnic area and did a quick walk around the ruins from the last church built in the early 1700s. This park has a stamp celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Part of this park includes sections dedicated to Glorieta Pass, site of Civil War actions in March 1862. In the visitor center their display of pottery is impressive, many dating to the 1400s.
Pecos National Historical Park - Mission Church
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While in Pecos we had lunch at Frankie's Casanova - Southwestern Grill. Green Chile Stew was perfect on this rainy day! From the outside it looked like a basic building, not so on the inside.
Frankie's Casanova - Pecos, NM
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Not what I expected from the outside
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Eventually we needed to head SE, so at Las Vegas we exited I-25 on NM 104, new road for us. Outside of town we took a short detour to the Las Vegas National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. Unfortunately the building was closed while staff were out on the refuge. We did see some of the birds listed below while out there.
Back to NM 104 which at first drove through grasslands. At the town Trujillo the terrain changed dramatically. We found ourselves winding down along a canyon edge. To make things more interesting, besides rain and a curvy, narrow road, there was a boulder the size of a SmartCar in the northbound lane. Luckily no one was in that lane as we passed by. No cell service to call it in to the highway department. It was along a fairly straight section, marked at 25 mph, so it should be easy to avoid. A few miles down the highway we passed a highway yard, the gates were locked and it appeared no one was around.
As we got close to Conchas Lake State Park we were pleasantly surprised, and pleased to see an Osprey perched on the side of the road. We arrived in Tucumcari, NM on I-40 and opted for a motel. Good choice, more rain into the evening.
Tuesday, September 23
Start: Tucumcari, NM
Finish: El Reno, OK
Here it comes - I-40! As you can tell from most of my posts we prefer to drive the Blue Highways - the 2 lane roads that show up blue on road maps, paper ones. But, sometimes you need to cover some ground. We are on our way to Arkansas for a couple of new National Park sites for me.
One way to break up the trip is letterboxing. A short description is hunting for Tupperware. Actually, this is a world-wide hobby, or addiction, that began in SW England over 100 years ago at what is now Dartmoor National Park. Another description is the Luddite form of geocaching. With clues from the websites, listed below, you look for a container which includes a hand-carved stamp (sometimes commercial stamps) and a logbook. You carry your own personal stamp and logbook. At the box you stamp their logbook with your stamp and place their stamp in your logbook. Both websites are set up for you to 'log' your find, if you want. Kids love this activity. This hobby can be done on your own or with a group, like the gathering we attended this past weekend in a Santa Fe.
The 2 websites that will further explain and lead you down a very fun way to travel;
LBNA
AQ
Typical contents of a Letterbox
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Of course while traveling along I-40 in New Mexico and Texas you are following alongside sections of Route 66. While looking for some letterboxes I took some photos of Route 66. For anyone interested my husband has a website with extensive links related to Route 66.
New Mexico Route 66 - looking west towards Tucumcari
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Texas Route 66 - looking west at NM/TX border
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Slug Bug Ranch, along Route 66 in Conway, Tx
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Route 66 - Phillips 66, McLean, TX
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We ended the day at El Reno, OK, just west of Oklahoma City. We camped at El Reno Lake, near I-40. Saw about four new bird species around the lake. Tent sites are $5 per night and RV sites are either $15 or $20. The bathrooms in the West RV area include non-coin showers. The evening was breezy, but clear and lower 70s. Thoroughly enjoyable to sit outside until bedtime.
Passport Stamps
Santa Fe National Historic Tral - Santa Fe, NM
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentre NHT - Santa Fe, NM
Old Spanish NHT - public Lands Information Center, NM
Old Spanish National Historic Trail - Santa Fe, NM
Pecos NHP - Pecos, NM
Pecos NHP - Route 66 pre-1937
Pecos National Historical Park - 150th Anniversary of the Civil War
Bonus
New Mexico BLM
Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area
Letterboxes
Monday - 5
Tuesday - 8
Wildlife Sightings
Red-tailed Hawk
American Crow
Common Raven
Rufous Hummingbird
Northern Flicker
American Kestrel
Mourning Dove
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
American Coot
Northern Shoveler
Dark-headed Junco
Osprey
Northern Harrier
Greater Roadrunner
Great-tailed Grackle
Swainson's Hawk
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Canada Goose
Killdeer
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Blackbird
Central & Eastern Arkansas
Friday, September 26
Start & Finish: Tyler Bend Campground, Buffalo National River (NPS)
Woke to an overcast sky, but a clear forecast. By the end of the day it was reaching 90 degrees. After a yummy breakfast at Ferguson's (and smashed pennies) just a couple of miles from the campground on US 65 in Saint Joe we drove into the quaint town of Gilbert. The Penny Collector app showed there were 3 places there. The first stop was at the Gilbert RV campground. My husband was inside a looong time - the man there owned the machines in the area and had his own machine. Besides the set he bought from the machine the man gave him several more from his private collection. Next stop was the General Store. Today the rent canoes for the River and cabins. In 1903 they were the Post a Office as well as the local store.
Gilbert General Store
Back into the park to pick up the Junior Ranger booklet, another program with no age range given. It appears more and more parks are encouraging the over 12 crowd to participate. As I have said before I have always learned something new when completing a program. Don't be afraid to ask- go for it!
We drove south into Marshall and spent a couple of hours doing laundry and grocery shopping. This put us in place to drive over to another part of the park, Buffalo Point. Pretty drive on curvy back roads. At Buffalo Point there are a number of River views, high from a bluff and down along the river. For campers - this NPS campground had electric and water hookup sites and it takes reservations. There are also showers for all campers. While there I finished my Junior Ranger activities and received my badge.
We continued a loop back to camp by continuing north on AR 14 to Yellville. Then cut back to US 65 north of the campground on AR 235, another good road will plenty of views and curves. We are a couple of weeks ahead of the Fall colors, a few spots starting to show, I can only imagine how spectacular this area will be then.
Passed the Big Spring Restaurant in Saint Joe where we got smoked pork loin last night for dinner, and beef brisket for tonight's dinner - excellent. They also have sit down service, but so nice to enjoy the meal at camp with a beer of our choice! Once in the shade the temperature was comfortable.
Saturday, September 27
Start: Tyler Bend campground, Buffalo National River
Finish: Pendleton Bend campground (AC), N of Dumas, AR
Woke up to fog, but by the time we finished breakfast in camp the sky had cleared. Heading south on US 65 towards Conway & Little Rock. Nice highway, looks like a major thoroughfare through the Ozarks. Cell service has been excellent throughout Arkansas, even on the back roads.
We spent a couple of hours in downtown Little Rock which had lots to see and do. We wanted to see Peter Toth's Whispering Giant for Arkansas. It is part of their Riverfront Park. While meandering around we found several places with smashed penny machines. The Old State House Museum is free and had exhibits related to bicycles and landscaping. The MacArthur Military Museum is about a mile from downtown, next to the Arkansas Arts Center, which is also free.
Little Rock - Old State House
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Fountain at Old State House
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Southern Welcome
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Whispering Giant #13 - Little Rock
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Our last stop in town was a visit to Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site. Their exhibit area is small, but tells a powerful story. It reminded me of several facts; it was 3 years after the Supreme Court had ordered schools to be integrated before the nine African-American students entered Central High. And what I had forgotten was that the state of Arkansas passed a state law allowing a governor to close a school, which the governor did after that first year of integration. It took 2 more years before the schools were reopened as integrated. To me it is amazing that so much negative energy and action was expended for something that I believe should never have occurred. The exhibits also tell the story of individuals from other minority groups that worked to correct injustices in our country. This site is well worth a visit.
Back on the road, heading SE on US 65 through Pine Bluff to Dumas, AR. Here we headed north on US 165 to the Arkansas River to camp at an Army Corp of Engineers campground, Pendleton Bend. Warm and muggy! Hard to identify many birds, they fly into the trees never to be seen again.
Passport Stamps
Buffalo National River - First National River
Little Rock Central High School NHS - Little Rock, AR
Bonus
Buffalo National River (pictorial)
Central High School NHS - Little Rock, AR (pictorial)
Smashed Pennies
Ferguson's Country Store & Restaurant, St. Joe -4
Gilbert RV Campground, Gilbert - 8
Buffalo Camping & Canoeing, Gilbert - 4
Pickle Gap Village, Pickle Gap - 1
Old State House Museum, Little Rock - 3
MacArthur Military Museum, Little Rock - 4
Clinton Museum Store, Little Rock -3
Wildlife Sightings
White-tailed Deer
Turkey Vulture
American Crow
Common Raven
Pileated Woodpecker
Barred Owl (heard)
Northern Cardinal
Mourning a Dove
Northern Mockingbird
Blackbird
Great Egret
Canada Goose
Pileated Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Leaving AR, across MS & into Alabama
Sunday, September 28
Start: N of Dumas, AR
Finish: Tishomingo State Park, Tishomingo, MS
Cooled off nicely for sleeping, lower 60s. Pleasant morning in camp and at Arkansas Post National Memorial. This is another new NPS site for me. A lot of history happened here, but no structures remain, hence a Memorial and not a Site. Many flags have flown in this area; French (2), Spanish, Confederate and American, as well as the original settlers, the Quapaw Indians in the 1400s. Today it is mainly a natural area, a beautiful place to walk around. Alligators are found here, but one today.
Back to US165 N, then AR 1, both part of the Great American River Road that follows the Mississippi River. At US 49 we turned east to Helena, AR. We were looking for a Southern Buffet for our Sunday lunch, but most restaurants were closed on Sunday. The only place that was open turned out to be a Mexican place down along the levee and a section of town celebrating the Delta Blues. Rio Linda was busy and the food was excellent, as authentic as anything in Tucson.
Helena, AR
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Crossing the Mississippi at US 49
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After several enjoyable days in Arkansas we entered Mississippi. We picked up US 278 and headed east. This is a 4-lane divided highway with on-off ramps. We stopped in Oxford and toured the Town Square and the author, James Faulkner's home, Rowan Oak. I had spent a bit of time here in the 90s as part of a USDA grant and enjoyed Oxford. On the way into town you pass John Grisham's house, or it was when I was there in the 90s.
Fauklner's Home -Rowan Oak
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Further east on US 298 we picked up the Natchez Trace, just west of Tupelo. I can't say enough about what delightful 'roadie' experience this is. Not as scenic as the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive, both further east, but an enjoyable drive. After stopping at the Parkway Visitor Center, near Tupelo, we continued north on the parkway to Tishomingo State Park for the night. The past couple of nights we have started seeing fireflies at night, a childhood memory growing up in the upper MidWest.
Monday, September 29
Start: Tishomingo, MS
Finish: Florence, AL
The morning was spent revisiting some NPS sites we had spent time at the Summer of 2013 when the National Park Travelers Club had their annual convention in Corinth, MS at Shiloh National Military Park. The main battlefield of Shiloh is just across the Tennessee border and has a great auto tour that takes you past numerous memorials ( not as many as Gettysburg) with a detailed explanation of the battle. Back in Mississippi in the town of Corinth there is a very nice interpretive center that has excellent displays. I spent a lot of time there last summer completing their Junior Ranger program. As you walk up to the center, imbedded in the walkway are bronzed artifacts from the battlefield. Of all the Civil War sites I have visited I think this does the best of telling the whole story.
Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center
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Explanation of imbedded items
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As we were on our was to Florence, AL on US 72 we took a detour south to the Coon Dog Cemetery. We had clues for a letterbox and the title was too intriguing to pass up. It turned out to be a bit longer drive than we had intended, but we persevered and were rewarded with a unique experience. It turned out it is a well-known site in these parts.
Coon Dog Cemetery
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Our final stop of the day was at the University of North Alabama at the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area. This is an area in the NW corner of Alabama that celebrates their unique culture. We'll be visiting numerous sites over the next several days. The director walked us over to their new office and spent considerable time with us. We finished the day along the Tennessee River at McFarland Park, a public RV park near downtown Florence. Another warm day, mid-80s, hoping for a cool evening.
Passport Stamps
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail - Arkansas Post
Arkansas Post National Memorial - Gillette, AR
Trail of Tears NHT - Natchez Trace Parkway
Natchez Trace Patkway - Tupelo, MS
Natchez Trace Nat'l Scenic Trail - AL, MS, TN
Shiloh NMP - 150th Anniversary of the Civil War
Shiloh National Cemetery - Pittsburgh Landing, TN
Trail of Tears National Historic Trails - Pittsburgh Landing, TN
Shiloh National Military Park - Shiloh Battlefield, TN
Shiloh National Military Park - Corinth Contraband Camp
Siege & Battle of Corinth NHL - Corinth, MS
Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center - Corinth, MS 38834
Corinth - 150th Anniversary of the Civil War
Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area - Florence, AL
Bonus
Arkansas Post National Memorial (pictorial)
Shiloh National Military Park (iconic, presented by NPTC July 2013)
Letterboxes
Monday - 2
Wildlife Sightings
Turtle
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Red Squirrel
Spiders - too many to count or identify
Fireflies!
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Cattle Egret
Red-tailed hawk
Red-headed Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Prothonotary Warbler
Wild Turkey
Mourning Dove
Fish Crow
Cedar waxwing
Northern Mockingbird
Eastern Bluebird
Hummingbird
Northern Cardinal
Muscle Shoals NHA, Alabama - Day 1
Tuesday, September 30
Start & Finish: Florence, AL
Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area - our plan today was to visit as many of the sites we could today. It was a navigator's nightmare, I ended up re-routing us a couple of times. We definitely saw lots of back roads and new sites. At each site the staff were delightful, thrilled we had stopped by and helpful when needed. I think today was as much about the people of NE Alabama, as their rich heritage.
Stop #1 - Old State Bank, Decatur, AL
The town Decatur was a significant site during the Civil War, held by Union forces throughout the war. It is on the banks of the Tennessee River and two major railroad lines. The gentleman who greeted us had a wealth of information about the area and the building. The fireplace mantle pictured below is called a War and Peace mantle - look closely and you will see the uprights are cannons held up on each end by bibles. Also the upstairs was the home of the banker. It is beautifully furnished with period pieces.
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Stop #2 - Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge, Decatur, AL
Nice stop with lots of natural scenery. The big season of migrating cranes, geese and ducks are a month or so off. Inside the visitor center there were good displays of the birds that use the refuge. As we keep trying to get better at identifying birds these displays are helpful.
Stop #3 - Mooresville, AL at JaVa Coffee
A beautiful, small intact town settled in 1818, a small Williamsburg without any commercialization. The passport stamp for the heritage area is at a coffee place in the village. What a surprise, Jack the owner was raised in Tucson. We enjoyed a hot beverage, slice of Apple pie and sharing stories. Along with selling drinks he has an eclectic selection of art and collectibles, including beautiful photos of western landscape. What a pleasant surprise!
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Stop #4 - Belle Chèvre Artisan Cheese, Elkmont, AL
Fun stop at the factory and store. A tour was being conducted when we stopped. We were able to get the stamp and look around on our own. The building had been a cotton warehouse, we found the front of the building very interesting, lots of architectural history.
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Stop #5 Red Bay Museum, Red Bay, AL
This was a very well done small town museum. A number of years ago the town asked someone to write their history, in the process they realized they had a lot of the artifacts that told their story. They were collected and became this museum. They did a great job of creating displays with a common theme. Upstairs they have an extensive collection relating to Tammy Wynette, a country singer, she was born nearby. Her glittery gowns, with the lighting and my camera did not do justice to the 'flash' of her dresses.
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Tammy Wynette's gowns
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Stop #6 Rock Bridge Canyon, Hodges, AL
Not much to do here, but would love to come back and camp and hike. The mid 80s with humidity higher than we like kept us in the front office. From the pictures this natural areas looks spectacular. It is marketed as an Equestrian Park, but trails also open to hikers.
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Stop #7 Alabama Music Hall of Fame, Tuscumbia, AL
This was an end of day, quick stop. The stars embedded in the front hall included many greats; EmmyLou Harris, Percy Sledge, The Temptations, Alabama (of course) and Nat King Cole, to name a few.
Stop # 8 Alabama Chanin, Florence, AL
Another end of the day stop, which was probably a good thing. They make beautiful hand-sewn women's clothing. Lots to admire, but not in my budget. The display area was beautifully arranged. Sorry I didn't get pictures. They serve lunch from 11-3.
Back into town for fresh, local beer while enjoying a tasty Calzone at The Pie Factory in downtown Florence. After eating we walked the several blocks of the thriving downtown, always nice to see.
A few more Muscle Shoal NHA sites tomorrow and then continuing east to new NPS sites for me.
Passport Stamps
Muscle Shoals NHA
Old State Bank
Wheeler Wildlife Refuge
Belle Chèvre
Red Bay Museum
Rock Bridge Canyon
Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Alabama Chanin
Wildlife Sightings
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Feral Dove
American Robin
American Crow
Swallow
Eastern Bluebird
Great Smoky Mountain National Park
Friday - Saturday, October 3-4
Start & Finish: Kingston, TN
On Saturday we drove to Fall Creek Falls State Park, near Pikeville, Tn. This another beautiful state park with well-developed facilities. The park is large and spread out. We did a hike from the Nature Center which required crossing a suspension bridge. A sign gave notice that only 6 people were to be on the bridge at a time. As this was the first cool day of Fall we had to wait a bit before we were able to cross, once on the bridge the swinging motion was substantial.
Suspension bridge crossing
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Further in the park there was an overlook to the tallest of the falls, Fall Creek. Lighting wasn't the best for a great picture. Before leaving the park we enjoyed a Southern-style buffet at their restaurant overlooking the lake.
Fall Creek Falls
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Sunday, October 5
Start: Kingston, TN
Finish: Elkmont campground, Great Smoky Mountains NP, near Townsend, TN
After stopping in. Maryville, TN for groceries we stopped in Townsend, TN at the visitor center for passport stamps, tokens and park information, and a couple of letterboxes before entering Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Even though the leaves have not turned colors and it was mid-Sunday afternoon the park was very busy. The out-of-state license plates were abundant. We set up camp at Elkmont, a first time camping here. The campground is very well organized, even providing large areas that are generator-free, a treat for us.
We drove to the Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg. After getting several passport stamps and spending time in their museum we drove into. Gatlinburg to another visitor center on the western edge of town. What a throng of people along the streets of Gatlinburg, glad we weren't looking for a parking spot. It looks like Fall Break for schools must be starting as we are seeing more families than we have on our trip. Back at camp we enjoyed dinner and a campfire.
Monday, October 6
Start & Finish: Elkmont Campground
I have decided a quiet morning in camp means waking up at 8:30, which we did this morning. We eventually made our way out of camp and drove south to Tremont and then to Cade's Cove. Traffic was less than on Sunday, but still busy. Once on the eleven mile scenic loop around historic Cade's Cove it was very slow going, maybe 10 mph. Clouds were moving in, as predicted, and soon opened up with rain, lightning and thunder. We made our way back to camp to enjoy a quiet afternoon of reading and napping. The rain had let up, but more was predicted.
Flowers along the trail
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We drove into Gatlinburg for dinner at Great Smoky Brewhouse, excellent beer and a tasty dinner. Town was busy, but not as crowded as it was on Sunday afternoon.
Passport Stamps
Great Smoky Mountains NP
-Townsend, TN
-Sugarlands
-Tremont, TN
Cade's Cove, TN
Elkmont, TN
Clingmans Dome
Oconaluftee, NC
Appalachian National Scenic Trail - Maine to Georgia
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail
Tennessee
North Carolina
Blue Ridge Parkway - NC-VA
Tokens
Great Smoky Mountains NP - 6
Letterboxes
Saturday - 3
Sunday - 8
Monday - 2
Wildlife sightings
Eastern gray squirrel
Eastern Chipmunk
Wild Turkey
American Crow
Turkey Vulture
Mourning Dove
Black-capped Chickadee
Northern Mockingbird
Blue Ridge Parkway - Part 2
Thursday, October 9
Start: Carolina Hemlock campground (USFS), near Micaville, NC
Finish: Rocky Knob campground (NPS), mp 170 in VA on Blue Ridge Parkway
Great morning in camp, including a very nice non- fee shower! Back up to the BRP, continuing south. Today would be a full day on the parkway. We stopped at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals which has excellent displays. As we got closer to Linville Falls the Fall colors were in full color and the crowds were out and about. Along the way I picked up the Junior Ranger booklet for the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP). I like the way they have it organized, it is actually a pocket folder with activities to complete. Ten of the visitor centers along the parkway have separate activity sheets. By completing the folder and one sheet you get the standard badge. If you complete four sheets you get a patch, and all ten will earn you an attractive metal badge.
Just past the Moses H. Cone home, Flat Top Manor, we drove off the parkway into Blowing Rock, NC for gas and lunch. This is a very upscale and crowded town. One restaurant even had parking spaces with a white board at each space which had names and reserved times for that day. We enjoyed a very tasty lunch at Blowing Rock Ale House and Brewery.
Back on the parkway we stopped for a nice hike to some cascades. It was a signed Nature Trail which helped us to identify some of the trees we've been seeing out East. The weather today was 'Fall Perfect'.
E.B. Jeffries Cascade Trail Sign
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A favorite stop along the parkway is the Blue Ridge Music Center at mp 213. As we walked up two gentlemen were playing bluegrass on the porch. The exhibits in this center interpret the roots of American music. While there I had completed enough of the Junior Ranger program to earn the standard badge. The ranger was very excited to have an adult participating.
Blue Ridge Music Center
Music on the porch
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Which music delivery system did you first use?
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Junior (Senior) Ranger pledge
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We ended the day at Rocky Knob campground. A bare-bones NPS campground along the parkway. On a previous trip this is where we first heard the Barred Owl. To be honest it scared us out of a deep sleep. Hopefully we will hear again tonight, we are better prepared, knowing what it is.
Friday, October 10
Start: Rocky Knob campground, VA
Finish: Bluestone State Park, near Hinton, WV
No Barred Owls heard. It only rained when we arrived and cleared up during the night, even saw the full moon. We drove back south on the parkway to a very favorite place, Mabry Mill. Besides having a nicely restored and working pioneer village there is also an excellent restaurant. Their cornmeal pancakes are the best. Everything is good there, and so on the weekends be prepared for a wait. Once done eating we walked out through the village, the fall colors only added to the beauty.
Mabry Mill
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No rain, however, for a lot of the drive to the end of the parkway we were looking down on the clouds in the valleys below. And we were driving through the clouds from time to time. At times it was erie, but pretty as well. Along the way we stopped at the various visitor centers to see the exhibits and get the passport stamps. We finished the parkway at its northern terminus, just where Skyline Drive begins through Shenandoah National Park. We have done that drive as well, but not this time. We picked up I-64 west towards West Virginia. It is always a shock to leave the Blue Ridge Parkway and get back on highways.
After crossing the state line we stopped in Sulphur White Springs for a tasty dinner at the Mason Jar restaurant. We continued towards Beckley, but turned off before getting there to reach Bluestone State Park. By this time is was getting dark and the road to and into the state park was narrow and poorly marked in places, plus the rain was starting to get serious. Luckily we got a camping spot without trees over us!
Finances: at the end of 4 weeks of travel our weekly cost has averaged to be $527.
Passport Stamps
Blue Ridge Parkway
Museum of NN Minerals
Overmountain Victory Trail
Linville Falls
Linn Cove Viaduct
Cone Memorial Park
Blue Ridge Music Center
- Mabry Mill
Peaks of Otter
James River
Humpback Rocks
Virginia's Explore Park - Blue Ridge Parkway
Appalachian National Scenic Trail - Maine to Georgia
Smashed Pennies
Mabry Mill
Wildlife Sightings
Chipmunk
Tree Frog (heard)
Cottontail Rabbit
Glow worm
White-tailed Deer
Turkey Vulture
American Crow
American Robin
House Sparrow
Northern Mockingbird
Mourning Dove
Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas
Saturday, October 18
Start: Greenfield, MO
Finish: Damsite campground (AC), near Fall River, KS
Our first stop of the day was at George Washington Carver National Monument, near Joplin, MO. He was born into slavery in 1864 and eventually earned a Bachelor and Masters degree before becoming a professor at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, and so much more. This was a new site for me and one I was looking forward to visit. I have visited the Tuskegee Institute site several times and have admired his work. This is one of the very best visitor centers I have seen. Besides the 3/4 mile trail through the countryside and the exhibits about his life, the upstairs area is superbly designed for kids. A re-created pioneer school room and working scientific lab is used for group presentations. Additionally there a number of hands-on science-based activities for kids of all ages. While here I completed my Junior Ranger - The Scientist program. Anyone traveling with kids on I-44, just southeast of Joplin, should visit this site!
George Washington Carver's boyhood home
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Science lab in visitor center
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While researching National Wildlife Refuges in the area we discovered a National Fish Hatchery nearby, Neosho National Fish Hatchery. The new visitor center building is striking, modeled after a mansion that stood there for years, but burned down in the 70s. This center is open 7 days a week, with limited hours on weekends. Besides good displays and a gift shop inside there are pools outside with the fish they are raising. One pool had full-size rainbow trout and the hatchery provided free food. The edges of the pond were lined with visitors feeding the trout, lots of splashing and beautiful colors.
Neosho National Fish Hatchery
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Feeding Rainbow Trout
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From there we headed north on I-49 to Nevada - Missouri, then west into Kansas. Another new park site, Fort Scott National Historic Site, for me. This was a fort established in 1844 and then sold to the City of Fort Scott in 1855. During the Civil War Union forces leased the buildings from the city to establish a presence in this area. A number of buildings are original and some are reconstructed. Most of the buildings have exhibits inside. Another beautiful Fall day to walk the grounds. The site is adjacent to downtown Fort Scott with many early buildings still in business.
Fort Scott NHS
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We continued west to Fall River Lake on US 400, to another Army Corp of Engineers campground for the night and another pleasant evening in camp.
Passport Stamps
George Washington Carver NM- Diamond, MO
Fort Scott NHS - Fort Scott, KS
Bonus
Neosho National Fish Hatchery Sta.
125 years of Fish Culture, Neosho, MO - Neosho NFH - July 12th 1888-2013
Wildlife Sightings
White-tailed Deer
Gull
Turkey Vulture
Blue Jay
Great Blue Heron
Red-tailed Hawk
American Crow
Brewer's Blackbird
Canada Goose
Western Meadowlark
That happens to us several times each year!
George, you ought to try living in Las Vegas.... We've had family and friends visit Las Vegas dozens of times over the last 10+ years and they never contact us. I usually discover that they have visited by reading other people's posts or even their own posts on social media.
Just part of living in a place that attracts visitors....
Mark
You missed stopping at the Kansas Cosmosphere?
One of our most memorable days on the road was spent in Hutchinson, Kansas at the Rainbo Bakery. You missed a really great Americana experience!
And did you know, you passed right by the "...Yep. Second biggest collection of US space artifacts outside of the Smithsonian, and second biggest collection of Russian artifacts outside of Moscow...."
Great story about your "tour dog" -- I've met other such creatures -- just showing you around his neighborhood.
Mark
Goal achieved - all of Lower 48 NPS sites!
Monday, October 20
Start: Hasty, CO
Finish: Lathrop Park State Park, near Walsenburg, CO
Mornings are getting cooler, 38 degrees this morning, even though days are in the upper 70s. With a little bit of backtracking we arrived at Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site. This type of site is always difficult for me to process, the massacre of innocent humans. I am appreciative that our country preserves and interprets sites that may not be pleasant to visit, but are important to share an honest history. A new, but enthusiastic ranger met us as we drove into the parking lot. We talked with her quite a while before we walked out to the overlook of the Cheyenne and Arapaho village along Sand Creek, the site of a massacre by a volunteer Cavalry from Fort Lyons on November 29-30, 1864. Local Native Americans placed a memorial stone in the 1950s at the overlook, each year a memorial service is held on November 29.
Overlook at Sand Creek Massacre NHS
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Driving west on CO 96 we saw this sign several times
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Today was the day to achieve the goal I had set for this trip - visit all of the NPS sites in the Lower 48. I accomplished that by arriving at Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site (yes, there is also a new fort on private land close to where we camped last night). This was a major trading location along the Santa Fe Trail. It burnt down in the 1800s, but was rebuilt in the 1980s, from plans detailed during the time the fort was active. From the parking lot you walk a distance (or call for a shuttle) to enter the fort and are met by a ranger in period costume. You can wander all over the fort, even up along the 2nd story. Back in a corner is an excellent bookstore with more items than typically seen at NPS sites, a lot of 1800s reproduction items. While there I completed and received the Santa Fe Trail Junior Ranger badge.
View of Old Bent's Fort from the upper area
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Trading room, with modern-day cat
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Arch erected by DAR in 1930
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We continued west to Walsenburg, CO on CO 10 and stopped at Lathrop Park State Park, just west of town. Finally seeing mountains, or what we call 'geographic relief'. Good to be back West - even saw snow on the surrounding mountains.
Passport Stamps
Sand Creek Massacre NHS- Eads, CO
Sand Creek Massacre - 150th Anniversary 1864-2014
Bent's Old Fort NHS - LaJunta, CO
Santa Fe NHT
- Commanche National Grassland,CO
- La Junta, CO
Bonus
Dinosaur - Commanche National Grassland - Colordo
Elk @ Commanche NG office in LaJunta, CO
Wildlife Sightings
Prairie Dog
Cottontail Rabbit
Ferruginous Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Mourning Dove
Northern Flicker
Canada Goose
American Crow
Black-billed Magpie
Fireworks are in order! How many is that?
Wow.... So how many total NPS sites are there in the lower 48 states?
Great Achievement.
Mark
National Monuments in that list?
Does this include National Monuments or are these National Historic Sites?
Because there are two brand new National Monuments -- one in California and another in Arizona....
Mark
EDIT: I think that 401 number is no longer valid -- time to get back on the road....
Did you obtain that number from Wikipedia? If so, it lists 79 National Monuments and in reality there are now 110 National Monuments. I think you may still have a few more you can reach in the lower 48.... Happy Hunting. Or do you have a list that you can post?
Visiting 372 NPS sites is pretty impressive -- but.... just saying....
