Once again it was spring break, and time to explore our national parks. This time, we were headed to Utah. Most of our time would be spent in Arches National Park, with a couple days in Canyonlands. Based on flight cost and arrival time, we decided to fly into Grand Junction, Colorado and drive almost two hours to Moab, Utah. We planned to spend our first two nights at Devils Garden Campground, the only developed campground in Arches National Park….
Our drive from Redwood National & State Parks to Crater Lake National Park was uneventful, other than a few stops to see some carnivorous plants and wildflowers. We spent seven days in the park, which was enough time to see *almost* everything. Our plan was to spend three nights at Mazama Campground on the southern side of the park. Mazama is the largest and most centrally-located campground in the park. When we visited, it was managed by Xanterra, a concessioner…
After a great backpacking trip along Redwood Creek and Tall Trees Grove we drove to our home for the next two nights: Jedediah Smith Campground. The campground is located in Jedediah Smith State Park, at the northern end of Redwood National and State Parks. It’s also just outside Crescent City, which gave us the flexibility to check out some local restaurants during our stay. Glamping, anyone? We reserved our campsite the day it became available so we wouldn’t miss out….
The desert was kind of a new experience for us. It had been a long time since either of us had hiked in it. Kristin went in with a bit of trepidation, and she ended up loving the park. So you never know what you’ll find. And Saguaro National Park definitely surprised us as we explored. Not really knowing what to expect, and going in with no expectations. Here were our favorite spots in the park, as well as some tips for visiting. We hope they help you plan your trip…