It is common for families that takeextended summer vacations to hit the largeparks in the west. Those parks are Yosemite,Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and RedwoodNational Forest. But, there are a number of smaller, less-glitzy parks which provide thesame expansive beauty with less crowdingand traf
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c. Lets take a look at a few of these,and design a trip through the beauty of thewest with much less hassle.First, the
Columbia River Gorge
in Washington State and Oregon is a wondrous place tobegin.A majestic drive along the canyon walls will provide you with lush surroundings and extraordinary waterfalls.There are multiple places to stop and view the beauty, and very affordable lodging. The Camas Hotel, forexample, is a historic lodge on the north side of the river. It is both cozy and warm, with very good food androoms. For the entire Gorge, give yourself a day, and a night to experience it. And, be sure to take plenty of pictures of the wondrous snow-capped peaks which surround you.Next, be sure to travel south and visit Redwood’s equally-glorious sister,
Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon.
It is common to get lost here in the glory of the trees. Sequoia trees are known for their height, but mostlytheir width. Be sure to take a photo of you wrapping your arms around the General Sherman Tree, an extraor-dinary feat of nature. But, for campers, the real secret lies in Kings Canyon to the north. The majesty here isindescribable. Grand Canyon deservedly receives a great deal of attention, but Kings Canyon is also majesticand beautiful. Also, it is not overwhelmed with visitors and campers, insuring a much less hectic stay.From here, travel into Utah to visit it’s two crown jewels,
Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park
.Upon arriving at Bryce, you are instantly presented with tall pines and an uncertainty as to what lays beyond.But, when you pass the trees, what unfolds before you is an indescribable landscape of geological chaos andbeauty. Red and sandy spires stand side-by-side creating an amphitheatre of mystery. One could sit and starefor hours attempting to conceive of the forces which shaped this majestic scene.In nearby Zion National Park, one is presented with a heaven of monoliths and narrow passages.For hikers, this is your destination. High cliffs and paths beckon, while mysterious canyons remind of howsmall we humans actually are. “The Narrows” are easily the most visited area of the park. Follow the VirginRiver as your path, as you inevitably squeeze through its trademark passages, becoming tantalizingly close tonature.This sequence of parks will provide the essence of a vacation, without the grotesque traf
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c and chaos of the larger parks. Those are best visited off -season. With the kids in tow, why not take the less conventionalroute?
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