National Parks

OREGON PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT

We have visited Organ Pipe National Monument 3 times over the years. It still surprises us with new gems, as the Sonoran Desert can change in an instant due to weather and the time of year. If there is a recent rain fall, like this year for instance, you could find yourself in the middle of a desert flower bloom, which is an incredible experience! A lot of the wildlife stay underground in the cooler winter months, so you might just miss the dangerous rattlesnakes.

We usually start our day checking in at the Kriss Eggle Visitor Center to see what talks will be going on or which ranger led tours we may want to join. They will take you in a van on the Ajo Mountain Drive and the ranger will fill you in on their desert knowledge, local history, and amazing geology of the area. The tour is one of our absolute favorite things to do.

The night talks at the Amphitheater can be about the moon, night sky, or history of settlement in the area. At one time cattle ranching and mining were active in the area and there are several mines you can still hike to.

We were lucky on our last visit to run into YouTube personalities Debbie and John from the YouTube Channel From She To Me. They are the nicest couple and Debbie is quite fascinated by geology and anything to do with rocks. Make sure and watch their episodes on Organ Pipe, NM.

Camping at Twin Peaks Campground is all reservation now so book a day before for your stay. There are generator and no generator sites; check the length if you’re over 25 feet. The restrooms are clean and there are even a few lukewarm solar heated showers at some. This is a dry camping CG with water available at spigots and a sewer dump station.

Our next destination is Gibert Ray a Pima County Campground. Check Pima county for info. Cheers Jeff and Liz.

ZION NATIONAL PARK

We opted to drive over from our camping spot in Bryce Canyon N.P. to Zion N. P. as the rangers told us its one of the most visited National parks in the area. They also advised us to wake up at 5 am and head to the park as you won’t get a parking spot at the Visitors Center after 8am. Otherwise you have to drive to Springdale and pay $40.00 to park. I will say of all of the National Parks we have visited this one is a ZOO> Even at 7am in the morning the visitors center parking lot was half full, hikers everywhere. The hikers are headed to The Narrows! All dressed in $60.00 rented orange shoes and waders. Most take the shuttle and a lot rented electric bikes, it was a site to behold. We opted to use our electric bikes and bike the 10 mile round trip to the Narrows and hike the Pa Rus Trail. A wonderful scenic and so much fun bike ride. If you can ride a bike I would highly recommend this choice of travel, you can stop at all the trail heads on your route and stop and just take in the panorama. No vehicles are allowed so you either take the shuttle bus, rent a electric or road bike or bring your own bike. So much fun, we had a spectacular day. The Pa Rus Trail is at the very end of the roadway (trail) and meanders along the The Virgin River for 2.2 miles. At the end is where all of these hikers and bikers wearing waders and orange boots enter the Virgin River and hike 9.4 miles out and back through The Narrows. At this particular time of the year the water is 39 degrees and very swift. There was a lot of people entering the water, taking a picture and leaving, as it was dangerous due to the cold water and swiftness. Tomorrow we are suppose to get snow here so its very chilly.

We definitely woke up to snow including a wind advisory and snow for the next three days. After speaking with the Rangers we opted to head to St George Utah for warmer weather. Plus St George has amazing bike trails, so off we go for another adventure.

CHEERS JEFF AND LIZ

Arches National Park- Canyon Lands and The Needles

Leaving the Swell we headed for Horse Thief BLM Campground, a beautiful drive 20 miles from Moab heading towards Canyonlands National park on Hwy 313, eight miles off of Hwy 191. The campground is very beautiful, campsites are nestled in amongst pinon pines and Utah juniper with panoramic views of the upper high dessert.

Sites are large and very private and just $10.00 a night. Amenities are again very clean pit toilets’, fire ring and a camp table. Just 8 miles up the road was Dead Horse S.P. and Canyon Lands N.P. and the Island In The Sky Section. Mountain Biking is abundant and the bike trails are everywhere and amazing. Jeep and side by sides are everywhere, but all trail riding and back road jeeping requires a permit.

We decided to bike from Moab to the Arches visitors center on our Blix Electric Bikes, the bike trail is paved and so much fun. Speed limit was 20 miles per hour, to funny because you could go a lot faster down some of those hills and we might have. It was so much fun we continued down the bike trail all the way to Hwy 313, In all we biked 21 miles and found about 8 geo caches ALONG THE WAY.

Arches N.P. requires you to make reservations to visit during the day time. BUT, if you enter the park at 5pm, you dont need reservations. So that’s what we did and worked well for us, less people and parking was great. Arches is so far in our travels a mind blowing experience of amazing wonders. This is our second time to visit, never gets old.

We spent a day in Canyon Land – The Needles and hiked to Indian ruins and lots of petroglyph’s. Very unique landscape and much different from Arches.

We tried out the Plant Based food in Moab and what a treat. It happened to be our 27th anniversary so we went a little crazy finding the best food ever. We first tried Quesadilla Mobilla and ordered the Vegetarian Quesadilla, no words can describe how good these were and I will be making these at home from now on -YUM. Oh no we aren’t finished, we were advised to try the Rainbowls Food Truck and order The Gold Knob Nachos made with plant based walnut taco meat with cashew cheese sauce, incredible. We were so happy we found such excellent Plant Based food. The finale was The Garage, a hip ice cream store we had visited on our last visit. The owner offered to make us both affogatos with their signature coffee, no words again so darn good. What a great Day! After all of that indulging we headed out to hike some trails and find some geo caches.

NEXT: Due to a weather anomaly (THATS WHAT THE RANGER TOLD US) we headed from the dessert to Blanding, Utah and luckily got a RV site at Blue Mountain RV and Trading Post. The wind advisory was 29 to 60 miles an hour and 20 degrees at night. We tucked in and stayed pretty warm, but our RV was litterly rocking all night long with 40 to 50 miles an hour wind gusts, it was scary.

CHEERS JEFF AND LIZ

NEXT HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT

CHANNEL ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK – CALIFORNIA

Our life goal is to visit as many National Parks as we can. National Parks draw you in with splendid beauty, history and protected wildlife. We chose Santa Cruz Island as the park rangers advised it had lots of hiking, animal life and spectacular cliff edge views.

Channel Islands National Park comprises 5 ecologically rich islands off the Southern California coast. Anacapa Island has trails to a 1932 lighthouse and clifftop Inspiration Point. Santa Cruz Island’s many sea caves include the vast Painted Cave. Santa Rosa Island features rare Torrey pines. Thousands of seals gather at San Miguel Island’s Point Bennett. Southernmost Santa Barbara Island draws nesting seabirds.

We began by pre purchasing our tickets the day before through Island Packers Cruises – 805-642-1393 – info@islandpackers.com. You are required to call for reservations and they fill up fast. Super friendly and very helpful people, from making reservations to boarding the boat. At $52.00 a person for round trip tickets it was a bargain, Highly recommend.

So the very early morning began our trip. Up at 5 am packed a lunch, snacks and water bottles for a full day. Water is available at several camping sites but no food, snacks or vending machines available. This is a very remote and protected island twelve miles from the mainland. The catamaran ride from Island Packers dock to the island was spectacular. Smooth sailing, lots of dolphins diving out of the water following our boat on either side. As we approached the island I felt like I was in a Jurassic Park movie. The dock was safe but rustic and no building in site just beautiful hills blooming wildflowers and the deepest green terrain I have ever witnessed. Just approaching the dock was breathtaking, wow what would the rest of the island be like.

We opted to join a 2 hour ranger walk to get a real feel of the island. Highly recommend as he directed us to trails and viewing of wild island foxes, explained the abundance of wild flowers and the protected island scrub jay, also where to view the world largest sea caves. After the tour we set out on our own following the trail map the ranger provided us. The trails were well marked and led to pristine beaches, views of rugged mountains, pure paradise. We decided to stop and have lunch on a cliff overlooking a sea lion rookery and sea caves. Hard to eat when the Ravens wouldn’t stop begging us for food, but rules are do not feed the animals, the birds just dont know the rules. As we continued our hike we periodically came upon small gray foxes as large as house cats and were not frightened by us all which gave us great photo opportunities. The island fox is only found on 6 of the 8 Channel Islands and found nowhere else on earth. They would walk up to you within feet without any fear and they are adorable.

No cell coverage allows for shear peacefulness of this island with only the sound of the rhythmic waves, salty breezes and over 2000 species of plants and animals made us want to stay for longer. We had a full day of hiking over 6 miles and it was now time to head back to the dock. What a wonderful day and we would definitely do this again, possibly a different island next time.

CHEERS FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND

LAKE MEAD AND BOULDER CITY ARIZONA AND NEVADA

Boulder City was not what we expected. I thought dry, hot desert, nothing to explore, BORING, well that was not the case. I didn’t realize that a mire 4 miles from Boulder City was Hoover Dam and the expansion bridge which went across The Colorado river was incredible. After the Highway bypass was finished the cities staff went to work revitalizing the town and they did a great job. New bike paths, parks, and a nostalgic downtown with original neon signs. Boulder is one of the few Nevada cities that gambling and prostitution is illegal. This puts a relaxed persona on the town. There was a art and wine tour with live music downtown when we were visiting in February. The park on the way down to Lake Mead has resident Mountain Sheep hanging out in the park for great photo opportunities. We stayed 2 nights at the Elks Lodge RV park with Full hookups for members only. We moved over to Boulder Campground which is part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area ran by the National Park Service.The very scenic sites were 10 dollars a night for senior pass holders and 20 dollars for young folks. There is 2 more campgrounds on the Nevada side and more on the Arizona side of the Lake. There is also some dispersed sites on the lake for free BLM camping. A plus to the campground is a 38 mile paved bike loop which goes along the lake, up towards Henderson and loops back to Boulder City. We had fun in the city and the Hoover dam was fascinating. We were reminded of the Selma Hayek movie Fools Rush In. Boulder won our hearts with great people and a fun nostalgic town. We will be back.

Until our next Adventure CHEERS FROM JEFF AND lIZ AT JUSTAROUNDTHEBEND.BLOG

You are probably wondering where are these Nomads headed to next – Well its to DEAD HORSE RANCH STATE PARK SEE YOU THERE!!!!

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is img_6367.jpg — ARCTIC FOX LOGO

DEATH VALLEY CALIFORNIA

DEATH VALLEY 2019 TRAVELS

We sadly departed Alabama Hills BLM Land and headed over Highway 190 through the Panamint pass, with a 8% grade entering Death Valley. At the very top of the pass a turnout called Father Crowley Vista Point is worth a stop. Just about the time we got out of our truck to enjoy the view fighter jets decided to put on a show of a lifetime for us and before our eyes the jets flew deep in the canyon yet so close to us you could almost see the pilots eyes. The canyon wasn’t straight and to witness the skill of the pilots was spectacular, this went on for over 30 minutes.. From this point on make sure your brakes are good and use your gears, as it is 8 miles at a 8 percent grade yet very scenic.

We have now arrived at the floor of Death Valley, today it is 82 degrees, I can tell you we are not use to heat and it feels so warming and nice. We arrive at Sunrise Camp ground with no one to check you in at the kiosk, it’s kind of cool you go to a self-check in stations ( which are scattered everywhere) enter your information, slide your credit card and presto you go find a site anywhere you want as it is first come first serve. The fees are $7.00 a night golden age and $14.00 regular. Totally dry camping, you do get very clean restrooms, water and free sewer dump. Generators allowed with regulated operating hours. The camp hosts are amazing so friendly and helpful. In addition while we visited it was quiet, well except for the howling of the coyote’s, we chose camp site L1 with a vista view of the Funeral Mountains.

After settling in, we immediately head to the visitor’s center for maps, weather info and info on ranger talks. There is a lot to see and do from trail hiking, biking, arches to view and miles and miles of salt beds Ninety-one percent of Death Valley is designated wilderness, you must use common sense exploring this vast land. Before setting off on trails or roadways the park recommends one gallon of water, a day per person is required and you must stay on all trails and roadways. There are overly friendly coyote’s you must not feed, sidewinder rattlesnakes that burrow under the rocks and sand waiting for kangaroo rats and the cutest burrows that bite and love to block traffic.

PS: Texas Spring is another campground with the same amities. Across the roadway is Furnace Creek Camp Ground with full amities if you desire.

Join us on our next adventure to Lake Mead, maybe the weather will let us launch our kayak and do some water exploring.

CHEERS FROM JUST AROUND THE BEND – JEFF AND LIZ

Redwood National Park CALIFORNIA

From Brookings, Oregon and a mere 30 mile drive the Redwoods begin. Large and empowering giants standing guard on the edges of the Redwood Highway with vista views of the Pacific Ocean. What a beginning to our next ADVENTURE.

You are in Redwood National Park. If you travel north of Elk Country RV park past Berry Glen and turn west on Newton B Drury scenic parkway and stop at the combined California state park and national park visitors center. You can then proceed for 10 miles of amazing redwood trails and vistas.

NOTE: We hadn’t expected that all of the National Parks throughout our journey would be closed due to Political issues, so our adventure was condensed. The National and State Park volunteers and Rangers are so accommodating and helpful they want you to have a wonderful experience in spite of political issues. The main trails to lots of huge Redwoods were closed, Visitor Centers and some restrooms depending on if they fell under State or Federal.

Despite the closers we did get to see a lot of The Redwoods and many large trees and definitely felt the Redwood experience.

Until Our Next Adventure – Cheers from JUST AROUND THE BEND

NEXT STOP NAPA VALLEY CALIFORNIA

ELK COUNTRY RV RESORT AND CAMPGROUND

The beginning of our 2019 snowbird travels we took a recommendation from Ray at Love your RV and checked out Elk Country RV Resort just a few miles south of Orick California .
This place is not only a bargain at 35 dollars a night for full hook up and wi fi the location and wildlife viewing was exceptional. We have watched Ray for years showing the Roosevelt Elk herd so very near his trailer and we were not disappointed .

One evening I was taking photos at the red schoolhouse and the herd migrated toward our trailer. I had to hustle back so I could get in the trailer before they were to close and safety wise I couldn’t get back in for the night. When they bed down for the night they stay put. You definitely don’t want to get to close to an elk for they will protect their territory and their adorable babies. We stayed 5 days and never tired of watching the herd. If it wasn’t for an extreme storm headed our way we would have stayed longer for further exploration of the area. The management was extremely nice and filled us in on the history of the area and things to see and do.

NOTE: When you get to Elk Country RV Park remember to take the south entrance road as there are posted closed signs on the old bridge because of so many tourists coming to gawk at the elk. It is private property but the tourist enter anyway. There is a red schoolhouse which was stone lagoon school from 1893/1958. They moved it from the west side of 101 to its present location . They will let you look inside if you ask.
You can see a lot of our shots are taken from our trailer from the Windows as the elk are just feet from the trailer. Where else can you be in the middle of an elk herd from the comfort of your own trailer. Try out Elk Country RV Resort you won’t be disappointed.

Our first day of exploration took us to Fern Canyon. You walk down a groomed trail for about a 1/2 mile then you turn right and walk straight up another canyon but this time you walk in the middle of a creek. Wear your rubber boots for this one or you will get very wet. This is the canyon they filmed Jurassic Park #3 and Star Wars in, the farther you walk the more it seems you are in the middle of either movie. So green and lush with 5 finger ferns growing down the steep walls . Keep your eye out as this is a favorite place for another herd of Roosevelt ELK.

FERN CANYON

Another little side trip was Patrick’s Point State Park which is a fee area with Great cliff top views and trails.
Patrick’s point road into Trinidad is very scenic. We had some great clam chowder at Trinidad bay eatery and gallery. The public beach is great in Trinidad and a cool wharf to walk out on to see the bay.

Cheers From Just Around The Bend Jeff and Liz

Next Adventure is THE REDWOODS

Grand Teton National Park

Words haven’t been designed to explain the beauty of the Tetons. We have traveled to a lot of amazing National Parks, for this one Jeff and Liz are finally out of words to describe.

We left Phillips Lake campground where if you remember we met up with are goods friends and camped. Jeff with his traveling brilliance came up with a great idea of since we were already halfway to The Grand Tetons, why not just head that way. Long story short we did just that and now here we are camping at Gros Ventre Campground – site B99, just spectacular. At $15.00 a night (golden age pass) we stayed for a glorious 13 days. Now this is dry camping, so our solar really came in handy as the nights got down into the high thirties. But the views from every angle were priceless. Gros Ventre is just yards from the Snake River and sometimes inches from Bull Moose. Gros Ventre Campground has over 300 first come, first serve sites with one loop of full hookup ,one for employees only, one tent only no generators and one group Loop. Always Remember National Parks have strict rules on pets so check regulations before you come. BE BEAR AWARE. Bring bear spray and carry it at all times. It is much cheaper to buy at home than in the Tetons.

So much to do, the pristine bike trails are a must and kayaking the many lakes as well as the Snake River will leave you with endless memories. A word to the wise..hit the lakes and trailheads early which means by 8 am.Those happy campers can clog a parking lot like a bird getting the early worm. You can find yourself parking on the road side where allowed and hiking an extra mile or more to the trailhead parking lot. Also the best photo opportunities of nature and wildlife are early. Moose and Bears are not much for luncheons. Our Bull Moose showed up at 5:30 am by our campground and left by 7:00 am for the river wilds.

If you get burnt out of nature things to do there is always the town of Jackson to explore.You can shop, eat and drink to your heats content. Jackson is very popular, traffic and parking are a challenge. We did find some great Bakeries, Ice cream and really enjoyed Snake River Brewery which had a lot of healthy choices of pub food which we found to be much better than our local Bend Oregon Breweries. The town also has numerous Art Galleries and Museums.

Until our next adventure – CHEERS from JUST AROUND THE BEND _ Jeff and Liz

Snake River

Yosemite National Park California USA

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It’s the end of February 2018 in Yosemite National Park, usually the weather is freezing cold, windy and lots of snow on the ground. For some unseasonably reason this particular day is zero wind, 72 degrees and literally has a hand full of tourists exploring this extraordinary valley.. This was an especially great day (aside from the weather being perfect) because our granddaughter Kiley and our daughter Sarah joined us. We packed a yummy lunch and lots of iced tea and spent the day hiking the beautifully groomed trails to scenic waterways and waterfalls.

Yosemite National Park offers an abundance of activities and sightseeing destinations. The Valley is a 7 mile wide canyon with incredible rock formations, including El Capitan, the world’s tallest granite monolith and one of the world’s top rock climbing destinations. Yosemite Falls is the largest waterfall in North America with breathtaking views. Peak visitation at the falls is in the spring as it is comprised entirely of melting snow. The park is also known for its Giant Sequoia trees, which are estimated to be over 3,000 years old. Its a must see, if you want to camp make reservations super early as the demand is high. People have enjoyed the tradition of camping in Yosemite for generations. However, getting a campsite in Yosemite is not always easy.

Campground Reservations. Recreation.gov . RV Camping. Pines Campgrounds. Camp 4. Wawona. Bridalveil Creek. Hodgdon Meadow. Crane Flat. Tamarack Flat. White Wolf. Yosemite Creek. Porcupine Flat. Tuolumne Meadows. There are also first come first serve sites available, but you must get there early.

There is such an abundance of things to do in Yosemite one day just isn’t enough.

Fishing, Biking, Hiking, Gold Panning, Arts and Culture, Spas, Breweries and extraordinary guided tours. Oh don’t forget rock climbing, golf, Rafting, Horseback Riding, Zip Lining, fine dining to Pizza and good old burgers are also abundant.

Hope to see you on the trail and hope you visit Yosemite National Park Soon.

Cheers from Just Around the Bend♥♥♥♥♥

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