US & Canada - ilivetotravel's travel log

Two Days Exploring Canyonlands, a Mighty Five National Park Powerhouse!

28 July 2024 by Raul 1 Comment

Canyonlands seems endless: truly a Mighty Five National Park! Along with Arches, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Capital Reef, it is one of the Mighty 5 U.S. National Parks in Utah.

Canyonland National Park is located near Moab, Utah and not far from Arches National Park, it is far from from a major airport but certainly worth the effort. We spent two days exploring Canyonlands which was perfect in the context of our broader trip covering the Mighty Five.

Attacking Canyonlands: Island in the Sky District

The park is made of several districts with Island in the Sky being easily the most accessible and with a lot to offer to hikers and non-hikers alike. It was easy to spend two days and leave territory not-covered, even just in Island in the Sky. This district’s main roads are in the form of a “Y”. One enters on the top right of the Y, the only entrance/exit to this district (with a main paved road).

We had dedicated two days to Canyonlands, the second of the Mighty Five U.S. National Parks we were visiting on this hiking trip. We decided to split the visit as follows:

Day 1: The lower leg of the Y, starting by going all the way to the bottom and making our way back up (and out). On this day, we visited the following:
- Orange Cliffs Overlook facing the Green River
- Buck Canyon Overlook facing the Colorado River
- Grand View Point Overlook walking along the rim
- Murphy Trail.
Day 2: The upper part of the Y, starting at the far end of the left upper arm of the Y. These were all short hikes, easily accessible.
- Upheaval Dome
- Whale Rock
- Aztec Butte
- Mesa Arch
- Shafer Canyon Overlook.

Great VIew Point Overlook, Canyonlands National Park, Green River, Colorado River, Utah hiking, Orange Cliffs — Easily accessible Orange Cliffs Overlook view!

Grand View Point Overlook and a good intro to Canyonlands

After stopping at the Orange Cliffs and Buck Canyon Overlooks, we proceeded to Grand View Point Overlook. As we entered the trail, we happened upon a 10 AM outdoor park ranger talk. Very fortunate as I learned a lot about the major forces that shaped the terrain and created the multiple layers of different colors and compositions we see today.

Great VIew Point Overlook, Canyonlands National Park, Green River, Colorado River, Utah hiking

The trail to the overlook was a short and highly rewarding 1.8 mi walk along the canyon rim with little elevation gain though you are in an altitude of ~6,000 ft. There is a short rock climb to get to the best viewpoint – and great spot for photos!

Wrapping up day 1: Murphy Trail

Murphy Trail was going to be our strenuous hike on this day. Not because of the length, as it was not too long (a 4.5-mile hike), but because we started in the afternoon and it was one very hot day. On and it would be steep with an elevation gain of 1,109 ft. The initial part of the trail was a walk on a field that did not have much to say in its favor. But then we reached the edge and began the best part of this fun hike. The terrain included rock scrambles and the like, and the view was always breathtaking once we left the field.

Murphy Trail, Canyonlands National Park, parks in Utah, hiking in Utah, outdoors, canyon hikes, outdoors, adventure

Once we got to the connector to the loop trail at the bottom, we stopped for lunch (at the “green” rock level) before beginning he hike back up to the rim. Though it was a very hot day, with good hydration and electrolytes, we did it safely and greatly enjoyed the hike: navigating the rocks, the descent/ascent, and the great vistas and rock formations.

Certainly, a few degrees cooler would have been nice. But the ice cold water awaiting for us in the cooler we had in the car felt like heaven as I poured it over my head and feet!

Upheaval Dome

Day 2 was not going to be the strenuous hike day, but a day full of moderate or easy relatively short hikes for us. Upheaval Dome was our first destination of the day.

There were two overlooks, the first of which was about halfway in. The trail, an in-and-out, was only only 1.3 miles but with 226 ft elevation gain. Not strenuous at all but providing a great vantage point to look at Upheaval Dome. It was unlike any sight we saw or were going to see during our time in the park. It was a circular hole, as in a volcano’s caldera or a crater, but inside there were massive, tilted rock formations of a greenish color.

upheaval dome, canyonlands, hiking, rock formations, utah, southwestern parks

Whale Rock

Right by Upheaval Dome was Whale Rock. No explanation needed for its name… It is about a 0.8-mil trail roundtrip though we tooled around a little so maybe it was a mile for us. Elevation gain is 128 ft to the top. Not strenuous but has a steep spot that some may take slow. It offers a good view of Island in the Sky with little effort. Just because a trail is short it does not mean shoes with good traction are not necessary: always good to have them because of the sloped nature of some of the rocks one will walk on on trails like Whale Rock.

Aztec Butte

The walk to Aztec Butte was not that exciting but the climb to the top of the butte offered a nice challenge with a very steep rock face.

Right below the top are small “caves” that I imagine were used by people long ago. I read that they were used to store grains and other food.

The roundtrip is about 1.4 miles with 213 ft elevation gain (all when the butte is reached). Great views from the top.

And, no, no Aztecs lived in the area…

Mesa Arch

The combination of a short hike at 0.83 miles and the amazing structure of Mesa Arch make this a definite must-see. Only 102 ft elevation gain to boot so relatively easy. It does require, though, walking on rough terrain and stones. But, through the arch ones has a great view of the canyons below and the La Sal Mountains afar.

Canyonlands is a phenomenal place for all, hikers and non-hikers alike. The beauty of the canyons is outstanding. The Colorado and Green Rivers add to the scenery as they snake their way down the canyons. But what certainly caught my eye was the variety of colors across the many layers of rock exposed for us to see!

Filed Under: Hiking, Hiking, Norteamérica, Travel Journal, US & Canada, US & Canada, Utah, Utah, Utah Tagged With: canyon view, hiking, mighty five, national parks, outdoors, Utah

A Day in Arches, One of the Mighty Five National Parks

20 July 2024 by Raul 2 Comments

In June 2024 I spent a day in Arches National Park as part of an 8-day hiking trip along the “Mighty Five” U.S. National Parks in Utah. Arches is one of the most iconic and recognizable of the National Parks, a great system of parks and preservation of the beautiful nature available to anyone who lives or visits the U.S. (Throughout my trek across the Mighty 5, I was struck by how many Europeans were out visiting all these gems of nature.)

The park has many viewpoints, short walks, and longer/more difficult hikes such as Devils Garden, Fiery Furnace and Delicate Arch. It offers a scenic drive past many of the viewpoints so one can enjoy the amazing terrain and cool rock formations (the one that I call “Nefertiti” being my favorite!).

Devils Garden Trail

My trip to Utah’s National Parks focused on hiking, first and foremost. So, in reviewing the options, Devils Garden Trail was a clear must-do. This trail is a 7.8 mi loop; it passes many of the arches worth seeing at Arches National Park. However, as I researched the park and this trail in particular, I learned that the eastern side of the loop is a lot rougher and has fewer of the sights while adding considerable distance.

In fact, of the eight arches on this loop trail, seven can be accessed from the Double O Arch Trail (see below), a subset of the loop trail so the decision was very easy to make. To maximize our day and see other sights in the park after the main hike, we opted to skip the eastern part of the loop and just do the Landscape and Double O Arches route. Doing this shortened the hike to 4.25 miles while not short-changing seeing the most beautiful parts of the loop.

Hiking just to Landscape Arch

Landscape is the longest arch in North America; it spans about 306 ft but at its narrowest point, it may be about 6 ft wide. I wish one could get closer but the area around it is off-limits (probably for good reason). This arch feels so fragile when you look at it! Hiking to Landscape Arch takes about 1.9 mi roundtrip (with about 250 ft elevation gain). It is not hard, but still requires a little effort (bring water no matter how short the trail is).

landscape arch, arches national park, day in arches, hiking in utah, visit utah, alltrails

landscape arch, day in arches, arches national park, hiking in utah, alltrails — The photo does NOT do it justice

Landscape Arch has many visitors since it is fairly accessible; so this part of the Double O Arch Trail is more crowded. Thankfully, after Landscape Arch, the trail becomes much less crowded.

Double O Arch Trail (past Landscape Arch)

As I mentioned, this trail is about 4.25 mi roundtrip (with an elevation gain of about 680 ft) including passing Landscape Arch. This trail presents some fun challenges that could be intimidating for anyone with a fear of heights as there are a couple of narrow spots. Also, there are some steep-ish rock climbs uphill past Landscape Arch. I enjoyed walking on a fin as part of this hike. At no point did I feel unsafe on the rocks or terrain.

double o arch trail, arches national park, day in arches, alltrails, visit utah, hiking in utah — Walking up & down rocks was fun and not that hard

The vistas from the trail are phenomenal and the big reward is the imposing Double O Arch. Definitely a cool spot.

We decided to not make any of the small detours to see the other arches on the way in and to leave those for the return back to the trailhead. A good idea to break the monotony of seeing something you already walked past on the “out” part of the in-and-out!

Double O arch, arches national park, day in arches, hiking in utah, visit utah, alltrails — From afar; looks better from up front

It is allowed to climb on to the base of the lower arch for great photo opps but not atop either arch. (Often there is a sign indicating climbing them is not allowed.)

On to the Dark Angel

From the Double O Arch one can continue to the Dark Angel, adding perhaps 0.8 mi roundtrip. We were not sure exactly what it was, and started on the trail. We got close to the halfway point and decided the trail did not look interesting. Plus, we could see the Dark Angel “column” from afar (and realized we had seen it in the distance from the Double O Arch already).

dark angel, arches national park, day in arches, hiking in utah, visit utah, alltrails — That is the Dark Angel “column”

It was very hot and we wanted to spend time elsewhere in the part so we turned around. My recommendation: time is better spent in other parts of this trail or the park itself. It was cool to see the Double O Arch from the other side so not a bad thing!

Black Arch

We saw the Black Arch from afar and high up. While we did not reach it, this viewpoint offered many chances for clowning-around photos that I won’t bore you with!

Navajo Arch

Navajo Arch was pretty cool and a little different than the other arches. You can walk right under it. It is unusual that there is not a view through it. A little more of secluded cave-like spot.

Partition Arch

I liked the views from Partition Arch, the breeze, and the chance for good photos of the view and of climbing (or trying to) around on the base of the arch. I may update later to add a photo!

Pine Tree Arch

Pine Tree Arch felt like a window out to the landscape behind it. A massive rock with a hole, it was the least interesting (structurally speaking) of the arches on the trail. Landscape and Double O were the most interesting in that regard with Navajo and Partition coming right behind them.

Skyline Arch

The Skyline Arch was not on the Double O Trail but was at a stop along the drive. It was far enough away on a trail that, by itself, did not seem to offer much. So we just took a look at the arch, nodded, and returned to the car (remember, we had done already Double O Trail + 1.5 mi towards/back from Dark Angel AND we were planning on a sunset hike).

Sand Dune Trail

Another cool arch along the scenic drive (so not on Double O Trail) is Sand Dune Arch. It is a very easy walk from the parking lot and just different than anything else in Arches National Park.

Cool Rock Formations at Arches

The drive afforded so many great views. Here are just a few, including Balanced Rock (one the most famous spots in the park) and my “Nefertiti”.

cool rock formations, day in arches, arches national park, visit utah, hiking in utah, day in arches

cool rock formations, day in arches, arches national park, visit utah, hiking in utah, day in arches, balanced rock

Ending a Day in Arches: Delicate Arch

Leaving the best for the end (of this post and of this day!) of this day in Arches NP … The plan had been, due to the high heat, to do the main hiking early and then visit the various viewpoints and short walks afterwards. But part of the plan was to see the huge and impressive Delicate Arch at the best time of day to see it: sunset.

Of course, this is well-known and the 3.2 mi roundtrip trail will not be empty nor will the viewpoint at the top. However, it was not annoyingly crowded (it is not an easy hike with an elevation gain of 629 ft so maybe fewer people attempt it). The only time to mind the “crowd” is when everyone is getting their photo under the arch but even that did not require a long wait time.

Delicate Arch at sunset, arches national park, day in arches, visit utah, hiking in utah — Before the peak of sunset

The colors, not only of the arch, but of the sky and terrain around at sunset were out of this world! Sitting up there, wind blowing, looking at the natural beauty all around was one of the best experiences of my trek across Utah!

Getting to Arches National Park

We opted to fly in and out of Las Vegas, though it is 6.5 hrs from Moab, Utah because of the availability of flight options, cheaper flights, and that it would be 2.5 hrs or so from our end point (Springdale, UT).

The town of Moab is the closest to the National Park. Since we were also going to spend time in Canyonlands National Park, Moab made great sense. The town also has a lot to offer in terms of options of places to stay, eat and shop. We rented an AirB&B south of town and enjoyed having easy access to grocery stores so we could cook dinners.

Filed Under: Hiking, Hiking, Travel Journal, US & Canada, US & Canada, Utah, Utah Tagged With: adventure, arches national park, delicate arch, double o arch, hiking, Utah

A Few Great Hikes in Acadia National Park

22 June 2023 by Raul Leave a Comment

When it comes to beautiful places, I don’t mind repeat visits. This month, I was fortunate enough to return to Acadia National Park in Maine. In my first visit, I did some hiking but also explored more of Maine in the vicinity, such as the town of Belfast. This time, I was able to do more great hikes in Acadia than in the first trip as that was the focus of the trip.

St. Sauveur Mountain, hiking in Maine, hiking in Acadia, US national parks, Acadia Mountain, outdoors in Maine

What makes for a great hike

For me, there is no one ideal hike. In this trip over a half dozen or so hikes, what I loved the most was that most trails offered some level of uniqueness. Be it the spectacular views of the ocean and islands, or the challenge of rock-running, or the ravine option on a downhill, or the ladders & ropes on another, the variety that Acadia offers was quite surprising and welcome.

Also, what makes a hike great is reading about the options beforehand to help narrow things down. I use the AllTrails app (this is not a sponsored post!). I find its features super cool: visualizing the trail, elevation views, tracking moving vs total time, etc. It is also very easy to use.

So heading into a hike, I may not know what will be unique and surprising, but I feel it helps me pick hikes I will like, and how to do them. For example, do I want to do a loop clockwise or counter-clockwise.

Finally, a great hike also is made so by following your preference on going solo, hiking with a bud, or hiking a group. I prefer hiking with a friend as it allows for quality time and an alternative to endless selfies! And certainly, someone to goof off with along the way! Fun times.

usain bolt in maine, hiker in maine, acadia hiking, stud in maine — Cuban Usain Bolt – and, for once, nature imitates art!

hiking in acadia, pushups in maine, hiker stud, blue steel pose in maine — My “Blue Steel” look and trying to push the rock away with my pushup! (didn’t work!)

In no particular order, here are some of the great hikes in Acadia that I enjoyed in this trip (in no particular order).

Witch Hole and Pond Carriage

At 7.8 miles or so but little elevation gain, this trail qualifies as moderate. This trail is near Hulls Cove by the Park Headquarters. It passes small ponds along the route and it is a smooth trail good for hikers, regular bikers, and strollers. The choice to do this trail on day 1 was that it was supposed to rain and I thought it would be better to avoid rocky trails. I certainly was not going to let rain keep me from hiking but also wanted to be sensible!

witch hole hike, waterfall in maine, hiking in maine, acadia national park

St. Sauveur and Acadia Mountains

In researching these two mountains, I learned there was an easy way to build a loop hike that hit both and covered 4.5 miles or so. Neither mountain gets beyond 700 ft in elevation but, together, they are considered a moderate hike as the terrain is not smooth.

Acadia Mountain trail, hiking in Acadia, hiking in Maine

St. Sauveur Mountain, hiking in Maine, hiking in Acadia, US national parks

For those who may not want to go up a mountain twice in one loop, the Man O War trail allows a way to return to the trailhead off route 102.

We felt the counterclockwise direction turned out to be better once we had finished the hike. St. Sauveur Mountain was good but the views from Acadia Mountain were better. In addition, the uphill and downhill on Acadia Mountain were a lot of fun, and a great way to finish the loop hike! A lot of stones/rocks to run up (or down) added a neat challenge to the hike.

acadia mountain, hiking in Acadia, adventures in Maine, nature in maine, forest in maine — Come again? Am I running up that??!!

rock running, acadia mountain, hiking in Acadia, adventures in Maine, nature in maine, forest in maine

acadia mountain summit, views from acadia, hikers in maine, two guys hiking

Pemetic Mountain

This 5-mile hike starts at the restaurant on Jordan Pond in very flat terrain at the pond’s edge. A little more trafficked due to the popularity (and ease?) of the pond trail but, quickly, the trail to Pemetic veers off and then it was not as crowded (though we did run into people along the way).

Pemetic Mountain trail, hiking in Acadia, hiking in Maine, hikers in maine, two guys hiking

Pemetic Mountain trail, hiking in Acadia, hiking in Maine

A neat surprise on this one, on the downhill, was to go down the regular path OR to go down a ravine with the aid of two ladders. A no-brainer for this daring hiking duo: ravine!

Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, trails with ladders, ravine

Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, trails with ladders, ravine, Pemetic Mountain trail

A good bit of the downhill was rocky of the more painful kind: not the large rocks to jump your way through but the ones that, even if being careful, is very inviting to a twisted ankle.

Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, rocky trail in Acadia, Pemetic Mountain trail

The hike ends up skirting the Bubbles (North and South) and you could decide to go up one or both of them. We skirted them and ran into a beautiful forested area. This was a very cool hike.

Acadia National Park, hiking in Maine, forest in Maine, palette of green, Pemetic Mountain trail

Bernard Mountain

On the last day of the trip, we had to squeeze one final hike. We wanted to do some other things later in the day before heading to Bangor to be by the airport for the 6AM flight the next day. We had hiked in that part of Mount Desert Island earlier and wanted to drive around that part of the island so Bernard Mountain was the choice.

bernard mountain, hiking in Acadia, adventures in Maine, nature in maine, forest in maine

It was a beautiful and very quiet hike. We saw only one person as we started the climb. It was very green and not much of a view at the top but what made it a gem was all the vegetation. A rolling mist near the summit was a treat!

bernard mountain, hiking in Acadia, adventures in Maine, wood art — Art in nature – love the lines and curves

bernard mountain, hiking in Acadia, adventures in Maine, hikers in maine, two guys hiking

lobster roll, Maine, hiking in Acadia — THIS was reward – it made me VERY happy!

What to know about visiting Acadia National Park

Acadia is one of the top visited national parks in the United States and it earns that through the beauty of the scenery combined with the good food (lobster, anyone?!). One word of caution: at peak season, the place can be a madhouse of traffic and cars. I could see the buildup in early June but, for example, it was still easy to find parking along Ocean Path Trail (the one-way road along the coast). Two years ago, when I went at peak time, it was nearly impossible to find a parking spot along the road. So, if at all possible, avoid peak season to maximize the ease of enjoying the place.

Another key thing to do that I did on my first visit but not on this one is to go see the sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain. As the suggestion alludes to, it is an early start day… You can drive up to the summit (I think it is a 3-mi drive) and just sit up there on the rocks awaiting the earliest sunrise in the eastern seaboard. Be mindful though: you need to have pre-purchased a pass to get to this spot at sunrise. It is a HIGHLY popular thing to do and there is only so much parking up there. You must either buy it months in advance OR check at 10AM two days before the day you want to go. Thankfully, the pass is $6 so it will not break the bank. Now, of course, check the weather the night before lest you wake up to go and the sky is overcast!

I have been blessed to visit twice and hope I can visit again and enjoy Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park some more!

Acadia, hiker, strong hiking legs, hiking, US national parks, outdoors in Maine

Filed Under: Hiking, Hiking, Maine, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: acadia, bernard mountain, Maine, outdoors in Maine, pemetic, sauveur

Checking out Cloudland Canyon State Park

14 November 2022 by Raul 2 Comments

On a very cold fall morning (actually, late morning as it was 11:45AM) I started what would be a super cool hike in Cloudland Canyon State Park in NW Georgia. NW as in the true corner of Georgia where it meets Alabama and Tennessee, in the Cumberland Plateau. A friend selected this state park, two hours’ drive away from Atlanta, for our Sunday hike. Excellent choice!

The state park offers several trails but the most epic one is the one that allows the hiker to properly appreciate the Cloudland Canyon: the West Rim Loop Trail. Oh, and worth noting the park offers fishing, horseback riding trails, picnicking and the like. For those not hard-core hikers, the Overlook Trail offers a way to see some of the beauty.

cloudland canyon state park, hiking, north Georgia, outdoors, nature, fitness — Approaching the trails from the parking lot

The West Rim Loop Trail

The trail actually starts with an in-and-out section that is about 1-mile+ long that crosses Daniel Creek. It is worth noting (and expressing gratitude!) that this state park is so well prepared for us hikers. It has excellent, readable signage (Iowa State University is a sponsor or supporter of these – thank you!) and very reliable trail markers (yellow for the West Rim Loop Trail).

There are some magnificent rock formations of different sorts, which are also seen further south in the trails of north Atlanta. Certainly, one can envision how the natives in the area used those formations for their shelter. — Yellow marks the way!

Also, there are many well-prepared lookouts, many with very good and sturdy railings, and some vantage points just left open as nature set them up!

At the end of it (35 minutes later), it meets up with the loop part of the trail, about a 2-mile hike reaching about 1,900 ft altitude. We completely guesses which way to go once we got to the loop and we opted to go left.

Good choice. Though it starts with a long uphill, the left side offered a great view over a plain-like area and a town that I believe was Trenton, Georgia. At some point, the loop hit a rocky promontory sort halfway through and then the trail turned to face to east rim and rockface of the Cloudland Canyon.

Checking out rock formations

There are some magnificent rock formations of different sorts, which are also seen further south in the trails of north Atlanta.

Certainly, one can envision how the natives in the area used those formations for their shelter.

hiking, rock formations, north Georgia, nature, outdoors, ilivetotravel — Not my home but in a bind…

The walls of a grand canyon

Wow! What a spectacular and long canyon-face! Certainly that was the part to see after passing the mid-point of the loop! One is rewarded with many lookouts (in-and-out very short trails) to enjoy the view.

cloudland canyon, georgia state park, nature, outdoors, hiking

Overall, the West Rim Loop Trail is 5 miles long. It took us 3 hours with the stops we made on the lookouts, random photos and snack/water breaks. There were other hikers but far from “crowded”.

One neat thing is that there are yurts and cabins in this trail. I think it would be awesome to do an overnight or two and see the scenery at different times of day.

Oh, and there’s more! Waterfalls!

Once we finished the trail, we went to see Cherokee Falls which is near the entrance to the trail. It is a spectacular climb down stairs (with the subsequent climb back up!) to get to it. The path that is not a staircase is much easier to handle!

One passes a MASSIVE boulder hanging over the trail (with a bench under it).

The waterfall setting is well worth the trouble as were those at Panther Creek, another rewarding hike to a waterfall in north Georgia. My knees were a little sore when we finished the loop trail but, boy, did I make the right choice going down to see the waterfalls! The roundtrip to see the waterfall was a mile. Another mile roundtrip would have taken us to a downstream waterfall, Hemlock Falls. But, at 6 miles and my knees, I was glad to leave that for a future visit!

If I were to return, besides trying to stay overnight at a yurt or cabin, I would certainly do it a little earlier in the fall because the color change of the trees would only add another level of spectacular to what is already a spectacular setting!

Filed Under: Georgia, Georgia, Georgia, Georgia, Hiking, Hiking, North Georgia, Travel Journal

Around Belfast. Maine, That Is.

21 August 2021 by Raul 1 Comment

A little over 30 miles from Bangor, lies the coastal town of Belfast, Maine on Penobscot Bay. It sits about midway on the Maine coast right on US route 1. With about 7,000 inhabitants, it is a small town but it is the seat of Waldo County.

At the start of my trip to Maine a week ago, we decided to check out Belfast before heading to the main reason for our trip (exploring Acadia National Park). It was a great decision.

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture, city hall — City Hall

Maine Architecture at Belfast

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture

The town’s homes and buildings have beautiful architecture. Walking around the main street and nearby side streets is a real treat. Plenty of businesses around to look through.

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture, post office

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture, New England church

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Belfast Main Street, architecture, Opera House

Checking out Harbor Walk

A neat thing to do is to walk the trail along Front St. by the water: Harbor Walk. Once you reach the Belfast Boathouse, if you are there around low tide, you can walk along the “beach” and behind beautiful houses sitting on prime real estate.

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Front Street Shipyard

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, beach

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Maine beach house, architecture

Walking in the opposite direction, you pass Heritage Park with its cool lobster bench. It has places to sit and eat and I understand the town holds events there.

If you keep going, you pass eateries and a brewery. Unfortunately, we were there in the morning so could not enjoy what likely is a great scene later in the day.

Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine, Penobscot Bay, Passagassawakeag River, Front Street

Along the Front Street Shipyard

Continuing the walk, you get to walk through the Front Street Shipyard where you can see the work taking place as you walk through it (stay on the path!) and its marina to get to the bridge where you can cross the Passagassawakeag River (that was hard to type!).

A phenomenal lobster roll

The best part of the visit to Belfast was the Must Be Nice Lobster food truck on Harbor Walk selling lobster rolls. Both the setting and the roll were a phenomenal way to cap the visit to Belfast!

losbter, lobster roll, foodporn, foodie, Belfast, Harbor Walk, Maine — View from the food truck sitting area

An unexpected find: Bayside, Maine

P.S. – Upon leaving Belfast, we decided to explore the area a little more and discovered Bayside in Northport. Interestingly, this village used to be the site of a religious community’s summer camp – must have been a great one to spend a week or two back when! Cottages were built in the camp between 1870-1920 (roughly) and those cottages remain today though the camp closed in the 1930s. They have been beautifully kept up / restored, and a drive or walk around the narrow streets is well worth the detour from route 1 and Belfast!

cottage, Bayside, Maine, architecture, seaside, restoration, preservation, Northport, Penobscot Bay

Filed Under: Maine, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: Belfast, east coast travel, Maine

Cross-Country Drive Day 3 – From the Grand Canyon to Amarillo, Texas

12 July 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

A brief summary of day 3 of my cross-country drive: Grand Canyon to Amarillo, Texas, begins with the stats!

Stats of the drive

Third day: Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) in Arizona to Amarillo, Texas

Routes taken: Route 64 (south) to I-40 east, crossing New Mexico

Departure time: 6:20AM (Pacific time in Arizona)

Arrival time: 7:20PM (Central time in Amarillo)

License plates spotted: 43 (two days in a row! oddly for the proximity, we did not see Arkansas)

A Grand Canyon sunrise with deer

One key benefit of staying right there was the ease of getting to see the Grand Canyon at sunrise. Not that getting up for a 5:15AM daybreak was easy but, certainly, a ton easier than if I had been outside of the GCNP. In fact, I am pretty sure I would NOT have done the sunrise thing if it required an hour drive before 5:15AM!

sunrise, Grand Canyon, rim view, Arizona

Needless to say, I was not the only one out admiring the sun’s rise. A few deer accompanied us right between the lodge and the edge of the path though they seemed more interested in the grass than the colors of the canyon walls!

Thunderbird Lodge, Grand Canyon, rim view, Arizona, deer — A tourist at the Grand Canyon

Driving through New Mexico to get to Amarillo, Texas

Grand Canyon to Amarillo, steakhouse, famous steak, great drives, road trip southwest — Non-descript terrain for a good part

Grand Canyon to Amarillo, steakhouse, famous steak, great drives, road trip southwest, new mexico roadside diner — Diner at Grants, NM, right before the duststorm part of the drive

Grand Canyon to Amarillo, steakhouse, famous steak, great drives, road trip southwest, new mexico

Grand Canyon to Amarillo, steakhouse, famous steak, great drives, road trip southwest, welcome to texas

Grand Canyon to Amarillo, steakhouse, famous steak, great drives, road trip southwest, wind farm, windmill

The windmills above are not properly given justice by this photo. The line of windmills we encountered sometime after crossing into Texas lasted miles and there were multiple rows well beyond the right side of the photo. It was an amazing amount of windmills. As big as everything is in Texas!

Steak night at the Big Texan

And speaking about big in Texas, the Big Texan enters the picture. We stayed next door and ventured to this place famous for its challenge to anyone who dares…

It says ranch but I saw no cows, alive that is!

The challenge is to eat a 72-ounce piece of steak, cooked to order, along with all the sides pictured below in one hour. If you eat it all, besides the stomach ache I imagine ensues, you get the meal for free. Otherwise, you pay $72. We saw two guys get up on the stage to try it but we did not stay to see the drama finish…

I opted for a more modest 8-ounce steak with broccoli!

And with that delicious steak ended day 3 covering the width of New Mexico and parts of Arizona and Texas!

Filed Under: Arizona, Great Drives, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: amarillo, gcnp, grand canyon

Cross-Country Drive Day 2 – Kingman to the Grand Canyon

5 July 2021 by Raul 1 Comment

Stats of the drive

Second day: Kingman, Arizona to the Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP)

Routes taken: I-40 east to Route 89 north (around Flagstaff) to Route 64 west (at Cameron) to hit the eastern entrance to the GCNP

Departure time: 9AM

Arrival time: 3PM

License plates spotted: 43 states (somehow I suspect the gravity pull of the Grand Canyon had something to do with this success!)

sunrise, Grand Canyon, rim view, Arizona, route 66, route 89 — Along Route 89

A simple plan

The trip’s plan included spending an overnight at the Grand Canyon National Park and enjoying the beautiful views. The drive from Kingman to the GCNP was going to be only about 3 hours so we planned for a late start this day. This would give us a break from early starts that would characterize the entire roadtrip.

sunrise, Grand Canyon, rim view, Arizona, route 66

Maximizing the Grand Canyon experience

Since we only had an afternoon and an evening (we would leave early the next morning), we splurged by staying right at the rim of the Grand Canyon. For those who have not been there, if you stay at hotels outside of the GCNP, you have about an hour’s drive (or more) for most of them. So that would be a 2-hr roundtrip in and out lost in driving.

We stayed at the Thunderbird Lodge on the edge of the canyon and got a partial view of the Grand Canyon. It was a spectacular setting despite the view being partial.

Thunderbird Lodge, Grand Canyon, rim view, Arizona — The view from the ground floor of Thunderbird Lodge

Sunset light at the Grand Canyon

sunset, grand canyon, el tovar, arizona, national park

But let’s not forget about Kingman

So I just spent telling you about day 3’s sunrise but did not tell you about day 2’s sunrise…

Being that my body was still on Eastern time, I woke up sometime in the 4AM range. First thinking my options were TV or reading, I promptly concluded that it would be good to get some exercise in even if mild. Also, I figured I should try to see some of the town but driving was the last thing I wanted to do. So, I just went for a 45-min walk which also overlapped sunrise.

Our hotel (a very nice Best Western) was right on historic Route 66 so I got to walk some of it seeing the police and fire stations and a few business. I also walked the streets of a middle class neighborhood right behind Route 66 but dogs would bark and being still the wee hours, I felt it a little rude of me to disturb the peace so I went back to Route 66 – to get some of the kicks the famous song promises!

Now, let’s go on to day 3!

Missed the start of the cross-country drive? Check out the San Jose to Kingman drive!

Filed Under: Arizona, Great Drives, Great Drives, Travel Journal, US & Canada, US & Canada Tagged With: cross-country drive, southwest

Cross-Country Drive Day 1 – San Jose, CA to Kingman, AZ

27 June 2021 by Raul Leave a Comment

Last week I got to do the longest drive I have ever done: 5 days going from San Jose, California to Atlanta, Georgia. Why? I volunteered to help friends drive back to Atlanta as they leave California. It was not only a great opportunity to spend time together but also to see my country in a very different way of traveling: on the road!

Stats of the drive

First day: San Jose, California to Kingman, Arizona

Routes taken: California 101 to California 152 to I-5 to California 58 to I-40.

Departure time: 7AM

Arrival time: 4PM

License plates spotted: 30 states + 4 Canadian provinces (incl. Nova Scotia!)

Intra-California leg: San Jose to Bakersfield

Day 1 saw us departing San Jose, as you saw above, at 7AM. As I had arrive the night before from the East coast, that was not too early for me at all.

San Jose, window seat, California, great drive

Car loaded, we took some back roads (routes 101 and 152) to get onto I-5 at Los Banos. On the way there, we passed the town of Gilroy, which I am told is the world capital of garlic. Garlic IS in the air, even when the windows in the car are closed. Wikipedia says it is “the southernmost city in the San Francisco Bay area” but that seems a REAL geographical stretch to me (maybe it is a geological thing). Don’t believe everything you read! (The irony of that statement is not lost on me…) In any case, there were a large variety of crops like walnuts, almonds, and others confirming that this Central Valley indeed is a key source of produce.

I-5, I must say, is one tedious interstate to drive with the trucks and high volume of vehicles. I was glad when we got off it to head towards Bakersfield where we would take route 58 on the way to connecting with I-40 which would carry us, not only to the state border, but eventually all the way to Amarillo, Texas.

California Central Valley, produce, onion, trucks, cross-country drive

Southeastern California, Barstow and Route 66

After passing well-known Edwards Air Force Base, soon enough we hit our lunch stop at the crossroads of I-15 and one of the endpoints of I-40: the town of Barstow, California, right on Route 66. It was our first stop on Route 66. We were not trying to stick to Route 66 as we had days of driving to do but it was cool, at a couple of places, to see this famous route that carried so many out west in the 20th century.

Route 66, California, great drive, cross-country drive

Route 66, cross-country drive, California, Barstow — Barstow

To get to the border with Arizona, we first had to pass the Mojave area with the eponymous desert, Edwards AFB, and other facilities for military training and logistics. We also saw the lot where many airplanes are parked to not clutter airport space – it was odd to see so many planes in the middle of nowhere!

Hot Needles packing heat

It was a peculiar area and, of course, very hot. Temperatures hit 108F (42C). We thought that was outlandish but we were about to learn how reasonable 108F was.

As we took a southward turn on I-40 to go below Goose Lake…

map, Goose Lake, Parker Junction, Needles — I-40 goes around the lake making a “U” that, on the right, will hit Kingman, AZ

… we passed the town of Needles and reached 120F (49C).

Yea, that was hot; the car windows were very hot to the touch – from the inside of the air conditioned car… “Needles” to say (LOL), we did not get out of the car… But we enjoyed the views as usual.

Colorado River, route 66, cross-country drive, Arizona, California — Crossing the Colorado River between Needles and Kingman

The road traveled

We made it to Kingman where we stayed in the central (and older) part of town; more on that in the next post). We stayed at a Best Western that re-defined that brand for me – I was impressed with the cleanliness and freshness of the room and other facilities (I got nothing from saying that – that is just sharing my experience with you!).

To wrap up day 1, I will share a couple of pictures from the road and the vistas of southeastern California.

Southeastern California, route 66, cross-country drive

Finally in Arizona and a short drive left to Kingman!

Let’s see what happened and what was the destination on day 2 of this cross-country drive!

Filed Under: California, Great Drives, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: California, cross-country drive, needles

How to Explore Crater Lake National Park

9 September 2020 by Raul Leave a Comment

Oregon is known for many great landscapes from its magnificent coast to the Cascade Mountains, to the Willamette Valley, to the Columbia River Gorge, etc. But one of its most spectacular sights has to be Crater Lake.

Crater Lake, since 1902 part of Crater Lake National Park, serves as witness to the incredible story of earth’s forces at work. Mount Mazama, the original volcano on that site, blew up about 7,700 years ago. The top of the volcano collapsed inward after all the contents spewed out (non-technical terms!) and created a caldera that has filled up with water since then from rain and snow melt.

Crater Lake, Mount Scott, hiking Crater Lake, Oregon, outdoors, nature. exploring Oregon — View towards the west from Mt. Scott

The lake is between 4.5-6 miles across and about 1,943 ft deep. It is considered the deepest lake in North America. And another bit of trivia: it holds almost 5 TRILLION gallons of water. Lots of H2O.

Though no streams flow out of this lake, the water level remains fairly constant because water does seep out or gets absorbed. The water has very little in terms of sediment flowing in (again, no streams feeding it) which helps give it its unique color. It is an intense, beautiful, entrancing blue.

Do the Crater Lake rim drive!

Today, one can drive all around the rim of the lake, a 33-mile drive, dotted with stopping points offerings great views all around the volcano’s caldera. Well, one can as long as it is between mid-October and June as the road closes the rest of the year due to snow… There are two entrances to the park, one approaching the park from the south via route 62, and another from the north.

Crater Lake National Park map, Oregon, national park service, hiking in Crater Lake, overlooks in Crater Lake — In red ovals, some of the places mentioned

We came in through the southern entrance which is where Park Headquarters and the Visitor Center are located. This southern shore of the lake hosts the Rim Village with an overlook, café, and Crater Lake Lodge (which was closed during my visit thanks to Covid).

Let me share with you the places I explored in my visit along this great drive and let you decide which offered the best views of this incredible lake. Hopefully these suggestions will help you plan your own visit!

Phantom Ship Overlook

We did the rim drive counterclockwise. Starting from the southern entrance in this direction, the first part of the drive is a long of windy road with no views of the lake for the most part but still a beautiful ride. Sometimes the curves do not have guardrails so mind your driving!

But soon, than changes and the rest of the rim drive is mostly just going around the edge of the crater. That means lots of great places to stop to admire the beauty of the lake and see it from another angle.

The first stop we made was at the Phantom Ship Overlook. There are a couple of stops you can make before this one (Sun Notch which offers a nice direct view down to Phantom Ship, and Dutton Cliff) but we decided to make Phantom Ship Overlook our first stop. Phantom Ship is a tiny island on the southern side of the lake – quite photogenic, especially with the trees on the edge of the lookout framing the view nicely.

Phantom Ship, island in Crater Lake, hiking in Oregon, Crater Lake National Park

After the Phantom Ship Overlook come a couple of small stops: Pumice Castle and Cloudcap Overlook (which looks straight due west onto Wizard Island in the opposite side of the lake). Nice, brief stops and – as usual – with views that do not disappoint.

Mt. Scott: The highest point at Crater Lake

There are a few mountains or peaks rising out of the area around the rim at Crater Lake. Mount Scott offers the tallest point around Crater Lake, and is a great hike taking you to 8,929 ft. The hike is about 4.5 miles round-trip.

Crater Lake hikes, hiking Mount Scott, Crater Lake park in Oregon, trails in Crater Lake

Mount Scott, tallest point in Crater Lake, hiking in Crater Lake

Cleetwood Cove, Mt. Scott hike, Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim — Nice zig-zags!

Though steep (the elevation gain is 1,200 ft), it is a beautiful path and doable without gear (though I always carry my hiking pole to ensure my knee is not pounded too much!).

It is a neat hike and one gets rewarded with a nice short walk at the top with many spots for photo opps while making one’s way to the peak itself.

Crater Lake hikes, hiking Mount Scott, Crater Lake park in Oregon — I think the lake is that way. Or the other… No Columbus here!

And the peak area is not a bad place to eat your lunch while soaking in the views!

Skell Head Overlook

After getting off Mt. Scott, a good stop to follow is the Skell Head Overlook.

Plenty of parking and space to – once again – soak the views of the lake and have some photos snapped (always better than a selfie!).

Cleetwood Cove Trail – swim in the lake!

For those wanting to jump in the water, there is only one spot where it is legal to jump into the lake. And it requires a steep 1.1-mile down hike (with the corresponding 1.1-mile steep hike back up…) so it may not be for everyone. If it is up for you, know that the elevation difference is 700 ft. This is what the hike looks like:

Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim, hike map — The vertical line at the top is walking across the parking lot!

It is worth noting this is one of the best parking areas on this northern and eastern parts of the rim. Two structures at either end of the large parking lot offer restroom facilities though be ready for the basic type of restrooms… Plenty of parking for a busy August day so that certainly was well-thought out for this most popular stop on Crater Lake’s rim road.

Cleetwood Cove, swimming in Crater Lake, Oregon, hiking in Crater Lake, outdoors, cold water swim — The trail is mostly shaded but not always

Once down there, there is no sand beach. Just lots of rocks to climb over and then to walk on to get into the full water. There is one spot down there from where it is allowed to jump into the water and save the rock walking (well, you have to do those to get out of the water). I suggest wearing water shoes as the rocks under water can be slippery but you may feel safer with your naked feet.

In mid-August the water just completely freezing so not sure how it feels at the beginning or the end of the season, though I imagine it likely does not change much… I waited for my buddy to try the water before I went in. I sloooowly made my way in…

I went in but there was a strong current right by the rocks so I stayed in the water on the rocks. “Stayed” is a generous term equivalent to no more than 10 seconds. But I got my hair wet! Then, I laid back on those warm rocks to cool and dry off. Very nice!

Of course, the hike up was work but I didn’t carry much with me save water and a couple of other things in the small backpack.

Merriam Point

Merriam Point is a small stop as the rim drive continues. It is also the point at which the northern entrance to Crater Lake National Park hits the rim road. It is a good point to look southward toward Wizard Island, which will be much closer on the next stop on the route…

Crater Lake, National Park, Wizard Island, panoramic view, hiking, Oregon hiking, great outdoors — Awesome panorama view of the lake and Wizard Is.

Watchman Overlook and Watchman Peak

A short drive south of Merriam Point is Watchman Overlook. Watchman Overlook is almost at the westernmost point of the lake and was our final stop that day on the Crater Lake rim drive.

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, Watchman Peak, Watchman Overlook, rock formation at Crater Lake — View looking left from Watchman Overlook

Watchman Overlook offers a great vantage point to see the lake and Wizard Island. And, for those inclined to tackle a good incline, it also offers a hiking trail up to Watchman Peak.

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, Watchman Peak — Watchman Peak and the trail as seen from Watchman Overlook

It is a 0.8-mile walk up a steep path but the view is a very nice reward.

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, Watchman Peak trail — The trail

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, Watchman Peak, hiking Crater Lake — Excellent view of Wizard Island from the peak

After Watchman Overlook, had we had more time that day, we would have gone towards the lodge where a trail goes to the top of Garfield Peak which, at 8,054 ft, is just slightly taller than Watchman Peak. Garfield Peak is on the south edge of the lake so it would have offered a totally different vantage point so you may want to check it out. Of course, you don’t have to climb the peak to see the views north as the Rim Village would offer a similar view but just from rim level.

If you have not gathered yet, I thoroughly enjoyed Crater Lake National Park and all the views and activities that if offers. I have not visited many of our national parks but they are certainly a great treasure and I hope to be planning visits more often than I have before!

Crater Lake, Oregon, National Park Service, deepwater lake, deepest lake, cobalt blue water — Goodbye, Crater Lake

Filed Under: Hiking, Oregon, Travel Journal Tagged With: Cleetwood Cove, crater lake, hiking in Oregon, Phantom Ship, swimming in Crater Lake

11 Places to See on the Oregon Coast

2 September 2020 by Raul Leave a Comment

The Oregon coast stretches for over 360 miles (580 km) facing the mighty Pacific Ocean. To drive along the coast non-stop would take approximately seven hours on U.S. Route 101. Of course, stops are likely and recommended to plan well! We did the top third on one day, and the remaining on a second day.

Oregon coast, Pacific coast, beaches, Cape Sebastian, rock formations, great drive

Background on Oregon’s coast

The Oregon coast, as much of the Pacific coast of the United States, was first explored by the Spanish. Soon, thereafter the British (like Cook or Vancouver) also explored the Pacific Northwest coast. Most notably, the Lewis and Clark expedition got to the northwest corner of Oregon near Astoria.

The entire coast of Oregon is public land. Some technical terms define exactly how far from the water but the point is that all waterfront is public land and available for public use (while allowing for easements for coast-facing property owners).

This means that one can uninterruptedly explore the coast with its many features: beaches, rocky terrain, lighthouses, capes, historical sites, etc. There is a great variety of features dotting the coast allowing for a good number of activities for every taste (beach, hiking, small-town exploring, kite flying, water sports, fishing, and on and on).

There are different characteristics of the coast.

The northern segment is more likely to have longer, uninterrupted beaches. Cannon Beach and Tillamook would fall under this northern segment.
As you move further south, more small cliffs and terraces appear. Small neat towns like Yachats are part of this central coast adding more charm.
The southern part is more hilly so the cliffs and capes are taller. There are also beaches but they did not seem as vast as the northern ones. And sand dunes make their appearance in this section. Bandon and Coos Bay are some of the towns in this area.

Rocky outcrops dote the entire coastline, making it reminiscent of the Great Ocean Road in Australia near Melbourne. Sunset along the coast, needless to say, offers spectacular scenes and great photo opportunities.

What to see along Oregon’s coast

Here are some key spots to not miss among the many available. The list is presented in a north-to-south order, not in an order of preference!

#1 Cannon Beach

As expanded upon in a separate post in this blog, Cannon Beach is a must-see. It is expansive and easy to access from the town (steps away, literally!). Check out the blog post for a suggestion of what to do intown other than the beach that everyone checks out!

#2 Tillamook

Tillamook is a town near the coast. While it is on the water, it is actually a bay. It is a town of about 5,000 sporting an air museum and the Tillamook Creamery which can be visited. We did not make these stops as we had landed on the west coast around noon and had spent time in Cannon Beach and still had a long drive to get to the Willamette Valley for the evening.

#3 Munson Creek Falls

Right after passing Tillamook, for those wanting a little non-beach activity and beautiful nature, the Munson Creek Falls are easily accessible from U.S. Route 101 and a quarter mile short walk to get to them. The dense greenery makes a lot of sense given the high level of moisture of a coastal region. The trail to the waterfall starts at a small parking lot but the final bit of the trail happened to be close so we were not able to get up close-and-personal with the waterfall. Still, a nice break with lots of fresh air for our first travel day.

Oregon, Oregon coast, Pacific coast, beaches, great drive, hiking in Oregon, rock formations

#4 Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint

There are many places to pull off the road or official viewpoints. The Boiler Bay stop, just north of Devil’s Punch Bowl, is one of the nicest in terms of the views it offers up the coast, but also because it is expansive, has tons of parking, and has restroom facilities. A nice place to stop and have lunch, stretch the legs, or shoot some good photos.

Oregon, Oregon coast, Pacific coast, beaches, great drive, cliffs, rock formations

#5 Devil’s Punch Bowl at Otter Rock

This amazing rock feature is easily reached but on a busy weekend day, good luck finding parking! The parking not only serves visitors who want to see the bowl but also those wanting to visit the local shops or head down to the amazing beach. Still it is worth the trouble. You can admire the bowl and follow a short trail that sort of is an overlook onto the beach right south of it. At the right time of the year (March/April, I understand), whale-watching may also be possible from there.

Oregon, Oregon coast, Pacific coast, beaches, great drive, cliffs, rock formations, Devil Punch Bowl

#6 Yaquina Head Lighthouse

Continuing on south, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse (the tallest on the coast) is a great spot to stop and explore. When we went, we were not able to drive up to the parking area by the lighthouse itself but had to park up the road and undertake a walk that was not unpleasant.

Oregon, Oregon coast, Pacific coast, lighthouse, great drive, cliffs, rock formations

By the lighthouse you can walk to decks along the cliff to get closer to the water. Access to the ‘beach’ was closed, not sure why (Covid gives a great cover to change a few things…). But we were close enough at the lowest deck while also getting a better look at the birds nesting on the rocks. I also recommend reading the signs explaining a few topics, especially how looking at the cliff-side and the rocks shows you how much time a particular level spends underwater as the tide comes and goes.

Oregon coast, Pacific coast, beaches, great drive, cliffs, rock formations, Oregon lighthouse

The lighthouse was off limits but I don’t think that was Covid but, rather, repairs that were underway. Again, signs explain how the area and life there were in its very early days. Really interesting life those folks led! As with many lighthouses, they are now automated and the full-time lighthouse operator is no longer the human who tended to live a very isolated life in those locales.

#7 Yachats

The small town of Yachats is one of the more picturesque of the towns I got to see along the coast. It is a great stop to have lunch near the water (even if not facing it) and perhaps shop around at the local market (can’t quite call it a supermarket though it has just about everything one needs) or the stores around the heart of the town. Yachats is the entry point (at least in this direction) to the next area worth exploring….

Oregon, Oregon coast, Pacific coast, beaches, great drive, Yachats

#8 Cape Perpetua

Cape Perpetua (visited and named by James Cook in 1778) is not just a cape point but a broader area. The day use area offers great views. The beaches around are expansive. Thor’s Well is one of the many interesting features to explore. Campgrounds and walking/hiking trails offer more than just views. In other words, plenty of things to see and places to soak the beauty of the Oregon coast in. Before my trip I read somewhere that is the quintessential coast of Oregon everyone thinks of when they talk about how beautiful the Pacific coast is. Agreed!

Cape Perpetua, Oregon coast, Pacific coast, beaches, great drive, cliffs, rock formations

#9 Oregon Sand Dunes

I never fully figured out the best spot(s) to view and enjoy the sand dunes of Oregon but everything I had read spoke about the amazing dunes of Oregon. Clearly, I needed to have done more research – or have better luck on the road! I had supposed it was one park with a nice brown sign along the road pointing to where to go. Well, it seems the area is so expansive that it is not just “one” spot. In any case, do your homework on these if you are interested. Know that you will see some sand dunes along the way all the way into California though perhaps not the most impressive part.

Oregon, Oregon coast, Pacific coast, beaches, great drive, Oregon sand dunes

#10 Cape Sebastian

Cape Sebastian has multiple places to explore but the south parking offered, in my opinion, one of the best vantage points to see up and down the coast. I read it was just about 50 miles up and down of views from about 200 feet high! Truly stunning.

hiking in Oregon, Oregon coast, Cape Sebastian, nature, adventure in Oregon — View from the north parking lot viewpoint

hiking in Oregon, Oregon coast, Cape Sebastian, adventure in Oregon, Hunter's Cove, Myers Creek Beach — View from the trail off the south parking looking south towards Myers Creek beach

We were running behind schedule so we limited our walk on the trail off the parking lot but it was a fun, vegetation-covered trail on the segment we did.

#11 Myers Creek Beach

Right after getting down from Cape Sebastian and hopping on the 101, there are a couple of viewpoint stops to admire the beach and rock formations and, in our visit, the setting sun and its great light for photos. We stopped at the second one, the Myers Creek Beach viewpoint, closer down to the beach level though not quite there. The sand looked like small sand dunes with the shadows they cast. I figure whichever stop along the coast you make while the sun is setting may be your favorite stop. I think Cape Sebastian and this stop, therefore, may be my favorite of the entire coast!

Myers Creek Beach, Oregon sunset, sand dunes, Oregon beach, Pacific coast, route 101, Cape Sebastian

Hope you get to explore the Oregon coast someday and certainly do not limit yourself to this list – there is more than I could cover and more for every taste / preference!

Oregon coast, sunset over the Pacific, Pacific coast, Cape Sebastian, hiking, great drive, route 101

Filed Under: Great Drives, Oregon Tagged With: beach, great drives, hiking, hiking in Oregon, Oregon, Pacific coast highway, Pacific Northwest

Great Drive Series – St. Ignatius to St. Regis, Montana

11 November 2019 by Raul 3 Comments

While exploring northwest Montana with a friend this past September, we tried to chart different routes as we covered a loop over a 4-day visit to the area. We started in and finished in Spokane but wanted to minimize taking the same route twice. We succeeded in that effort save for the stretch on the interstate between Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and Spokane, Washington. After leaving Bigfork by Flathead Lake, we drove south via Polson to the town of St. Ignatius on Route 93. We had some options to get back towards Coeur d’Alene and we choose a back route to minimize time on I-90. This route would take us from St. Ignatius to St. Regis first on Route 200 and then on Route 135. It was a great choice!

The approach to the town of St. Ignatius was impressive!

St. Ignatius, Montana

St. Ignatius was a mission initially established around the mid-19th century in the Flathead Indian Reservation in this part of Montana (the original log cabin still stands). The current Catholic church dates from the 1890s and is quite impressive in this town of less than a 1,000 residents or so.

House in St. Ignatius

The church was undergoing renovations when I went and we got to meet the pastor who was assigned a few years ago to oversee the restoration efforts. He greeted visitors on the day I went and explained the efforts right up until a family arrived for a baptism when he put on the right gear and proceeded to welcome a little one into the faith.

The Road to St. Regis

After leaving St. Ignatius with its beautiful reminder of times past, of faith, and of those who served selflessly the latter in the former, we got on the road to St. Regis. It was a beautiful road with many amazing landscapes and photo opportunities that I share here so you can have a glimpse of the beauty of this not-often-visited part of our country. I leave you with those images and wish to return!

Along the Flathead River

Montana. driving across Montana, road trips in the U.S.

Along the Clark Fork River

Scenic drive in Montana from St. Ignatius to St. Regis

Filed Under: Great Drives, Montana, Travel Journal, US & Canada Tagged With: great drive series, mission in St. Ignatius, Montana. Flathead Reservation, road trips in Montana, St. Ignatius Catholic Church

3 Places to See in the Remote Corners of Idaho and Montana

22 October 2019 by Raul 4 Comments

Up in the panhandle of Idaho and the northwest corner of Montana, there is some spectacular, largely unspoiled scenery. I imagine not many get to see these lands as people focus on Coeur d’Alene, Big Sky or Glacier Mountain National Park. Well, it may make sense that they focus on those places but, if you have the chance, venture off-the-beaten-path. I did just that simply on intuition, assuming/hoping that the remote corners of Idaho and Montana would deliver. I was not disappointed. Lake Pend Oreille, Ross Creek Cedar Trail and Kootenai Falls delivered!

#1 Before Montana: Idaho and Lake Pend Oreille

On my way to NW Montana, we drove north from Coeur d’Alene on route 95 through the town of Sandpoint to take Route 200 around Lake Pend Oreille. Originally we had planned to go north past Sandpoint to Bonners Ferry and then take U.S. Highway 2. However, the visitor center in Sandpoint recommended not continuing north on Route 95 but taking Route 200 instead to enjoy the scenic drive along the lake’s shore. The exact quote was “I don’t why young punks insist of going north to Bonners Ferry”; I was flattered by the “young”…

In any event… Lake Pend Oreille is the 5th deepest lake in the U.S. and the 38th/39th largest lake in the country. Interestingly, it became the second largest naval training ground in the world during World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor – who knew!

Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho's panhandle, map, great drive

Lake Pend Oreille looks like an ear – or a shrimp

The name of the lake means ear pendant in French which makes sense as it looks like an ear on the map. However, it was named back when the shape was not as evident. But, a likely explanation I read was that the Kalispeli residents of the area, whom the Canadian traders ran into, did wear ear pendants.

I don’t know what our original planned route would have been like but Route 200 around the lake was right on point. Lake Pend Oreille’s coastline is nice and curvy and there are plenty of pull-offs to stop and soak it all in.

We were also advised to try The Pantry bakery in Clark Fork where locals make delicious and fresh pastries (and one could pick up something for lunch too). We did stop and enjoyed apple and cherry pies and bought this phenomenal chocolate pound cake that I enjoyed the rest of the trip!

#2 Ross Creek Cedar Trail in Route 56

Once we left Clark Fork, the visitor center advisor had also suggested we take Route 56 on our way to get to U.S. Highway 2 as the Ross Creek Cedar Trail park was worth a stop and Route 56 was quite scenic. Our plan all along had been to get to Hwy 2 (but by Bonners Ferry, if you recall…) to enter Montana so the recommendation would still allow us to do that, so we took it. Some time after crossing into Montana from Idaho on Route 200, we found Route 56.

Ross Creek Cedar Trail was a short (1 mile or so) walk through a grove of cedar trees. The tree trunks were massively wide at their bases. Some of the trees are 1,000 years old (I found it mindboggling but the forest service website says so!). It was a nice way to stretch the legs on an easy trail and breathe clean, fresh air! (Well, as long as you are not close to the vault toilets… what a situation!)

The drive out of the park along route 56 going north towards Troy was fun as it was not highly trafficked and the scenery quite enjoyable. Driving north seeing the mountains ahead made for a memorable drive!

Ross Creek Cedar Trail, hiking in Montana, exploring western Montana, massive cedar tree

Heading out of the Ross Creek Cedar Trail park towards route 56

Views off route 56

Kootenai River, route 56 in Montana, Kootenai Falls, US Highway 2 in Montana

Entering Kootenai River Country in route 56

#3 Kootenai Falls in Montana

Soon, we reached Hwy 2 and and headed east to get to Kootenai Falls, about 4 miles away or so. Easy to pull off the road into a parking area next to the trail-head. It did not take long to see why this spot is so highly recommended as a must-see. The hike itself is not too strenuous but it is not a flat, smooth path. But before you get there, you will have to go down a few flights of stairs in a large metal staircase that helps cross over the railroad line that goes through the area.

I will let the photos speak for themselves, just know that there are two paths: one to the main part of the falls and the other to a swinging bridge that serves a a good vantage point to look at the falls. Do cross the bridge as there is a good vantage point from there too.