#3weeks7parks

[a-summer-west]

One of my favorite pictures from Rocky Mountain National Park.

[a-summer-west]

Lets play a game: Where's the trail? (in Hidden Canyon @Zion National Park)

[a-summer-west]

It stretches for miles, and one can simply turn around and note that the only man made creation in sight are their very own footprints

[a-summer-west]

Overlooking the crater at Capulin Volcano National Monument

[a-summer-west]

Best Surprise Park goes to...

Great Sand Dunes. Though I only got to explore the Dunes, there is also a healthy Alpine section as well, which allows for backpacking into some of the Rocky Mountains. But what really captured me was night at Great Sand Dunes. 

Like Arches, it’s a great place to stargaze. But, unlike Arches, you truly feel far away from any civilization. Looking up in the night sky, for the first time, even with my less than stellar eyesight, I could see the Milky Way. For those that grew up in more rural settings, that might not be a big deal. But for me, it was a rare moment with some very dark skies. 

[a-summer-west]

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

Home to North America’s Tallest Sand Dunes

[a-summer-west]

What not to do

I've included this picture as a simple request for anyone that visits a national park. Please, follow the park rules. The sign here says "Protect the Tundra. Stay on Paved Trails." The tundra is a fragile ecosystem, able to withstand harsh snowfall and temperatures, but not when it's trampled upon. Yeah, they're having fun in the snow, but there's lots of other places to do that too. Please, follow the rules, they exist for a reason. Pack out all your trash, and don't take anything with you. Take nothing but pictures. Leave nothing but footprints.

[a-summer-west]

Where the Earth Touches the Sky- On Trail Ridge Road

Just an amazing place. If you have a chance to go onto Trail Ridge Road, and conditions are safe, do it. (But please, stay off the tundra).