Category Archives: Travel

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

Posted on March 18, 2023 by mvbattelle

What’s so special about Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument? After all, there’s Saguaro National Park easily accessible right outside Tucson. Organ Pipe NM is a good three-hour drive from Tucson and a desert is a desert, right? Turns out that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, cactus, desert, National Monuments, National Park Travels, National Park Units, Nature Photos, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, scenery, Sonoran Desert, Southwestern U.S., Travel, Travels in the U.S., U.S. National Park Unit, UNESCO biosphere reserve | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Katmai National Park – July 2022

Posted on November 8, 2022 by mvbattelle

In early July 2022, we made our third visit to Katmai National Park. Our first time to Katmai in July of 2016, we stayed at Kulik Lodge and we returned there again this time. As before, we thoroughly enjoyed this … Continue reading →

Posted in Alaska, Bears of Katmai, Katmai National Park, National Park, National Park Travels, Nature Photos, Travel, Travels in the U.S., U.S. national parks, wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Fort Larned National Historic Site

Posted on March 10, 2022 by mvbattelle

We visited Fort Larned, Kansas, as part of a three-week trip with our camper and were extremely glad we did. Fort Larned is the best preserved Indian Wars’ Era fort along the Santa Fe Trail. We were there in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil War, Frontier Fort, History, Kansas, National Historic Site, national park unit, National Park Units, Travel, Travels in the U.S., U.S. History, U.S. military history, U.S. National Park Unit, Western History | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Desert Botanical Garden and “Chihuly in the Desert”

Posted on January 25, 2022 by mvbattelle

Currently a visit to the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix includes the exhibit Chihuly in the Desert. The juxtaposition of Chihuly’s glass sculptures and the plants of the desert encourages consideration of both the similarities in forms and inherent contrasts. … Continue reading →

Posted in Arizona, cactus, Chihuly, desert, Desert Botanical Garden, gardens, Phoenix, Travel, Travels in the U.S. | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

New River Gorge National Park

Posted on January 18, 2022 by mvbattelle

The newest National Park in the system, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia is a beautiful place. Our visit in late September 2021 meant that we had visited all 63 of the National Parks. New River … Continue reading →

Posted in National Park, National Park Travels, Nature Photos, New River, New River Gorge National Park, scenery, Travel, Travels in the U.S., U.S. national parks, waterfalls, West Virginia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Wind Cave National Park

Posted on August 26, 2021 by mvbattelle

The seventh oldest national park in the system, Wind Cave National Park was the first to protect a cave. On a trip with two of our grandsons, we recently visited Wind Cave. Since this was 2021 and there were still … Continue reading →

Posted in cave, geology, gypsum, History, National Park, National Park Travels, South Dakota, Travel, Travels in the U.S., U.S. History, U.S. national parks, wildlife, Wind Cave National Park | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Acadia National Park

Posted on July 27, 2021 by mvbattelle

Acadia National Park was our 61st of the 63 National Parks. Whenever we told anyone who had been there that we were going, they always said Acadia was magnificent. They were right. Acadia is beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, carriage roads, hiking, History, Maine, Mount Desert Island, National Park, National Park Travels, Nature Photos, scenery, seacoast, Travel, Travels in the U.S., U.S. national parks, wildflowers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Pea Ridge National Military Park

Posted on May 19, 2021 by mvbattelle

Pea Ridge National Military Park is a 4,300 acre Civil War battlefield that preserves the site of the March 1862 battle and is one of the most intact battlefields in the United States. Even though located in Arkansas, the battle … Continue reading →

Posted in American battlefield, Arkansas, Civil War, Civil War battlefield, History, Missouri, National Military Park, National Park Units, Pea Ridge National Military Park, Trail of Tears, Travel, U.S. History, U.S. military history, U.S. National Park Unit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

Posted on April 15, 2021 by mvbattelle

In the middle of New Mexico are three distinct sites which make up Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. The visitor center for the monument is located in the town of Mountainair. Three large groups of ruins at Gran Quivira, Abó, … Continue reading →

Posted in Abo Ruins, archaeology, Gran Quivira Ruins, hiking, national monument, National Monuments, National Park Units, New Mexico, Quarai Ruins, Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, Southwest History, Southwestern U.S., Travel, Travels in the U.S., U.S. History, U.S. National Park Unit | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Capulin Volcano National Monument

Posted on April 11, 2021 by mvbattelle

Capulin Volcano National Monument in northeastern New Mexico is significant in a variety of ways. This monument has several stories wrapped around it: geological, archaeological, and historical. Our visit was during the pandemic and the Visitor Center was not open … Continue reading →

Posted in archaeology, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Folsom Man, geology, hiking, History, national monument, National Monuments, National Park Units, New Mexico, Southwest History, Travel, Travels in the U.S., U.S. History, U.S. National Park Unit, volcano | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments