1. what national parks features did you find most unique? if i can only choose a few based on variance, which would they be and which featuers from among them?

2. adjust quesiton number 1 but to make it so that most are accessible within 2 hour of a hike up and down. average pace (6mph on flat land)?

For me it would be the Gates of the Arctic NP backpacking trip with my friends. The flights are a lot to get there! Curious to hear others thoughts.

So we are looking to go to these parks late April/early May. It will be me plus a 3 year old toddler and my 6 months pregnant wife.

My plan is to fly into Monterrey and out of Fresno to minimize drive time.

Preliminary itinerary looks like: Day 1- arrive in Monterrey and drive around in the afternoon Day 2-explore big sur and then drive to get to lodging near Pinnacles that night Day 3- Pinnacles Day 4- Pinnacles in the AM then drive to Kings Canyon and stay there that night (Grant Grove seems like a good central location) Day 5- kings canyon Day 6- Sequoia Day 7- any remaining Sequoia/Kings Canyon things we didn't get to, drive to Fresno to stay near airport Day 8- fly back home at noon

I got a couple free Hyatt nights which I want to use- hence why planning to stay in Fresno the last night. Seems we could shift some things around too and get an extra day in Big Sur for example and lose the third full day in Sequoia/KC.

Any tips appreciated! This is really just for me to get lodging at this point by figuring out generally how much time we should budget at each place- I got some time before I plan specific activities at each

From my trip last year.

Mesa Verde Hallway

While Artist-In-Residence in Mesa Verde National Park, I explored inside the "ruins" and observed carefully, the nature of the dwellings, noticing, as I mentioned before, the continuity of curves throughout: in the remaining walls, windows, and doorways. I wanted visitors to see them as they may have been during the 700 years of their existance, rather than interpreting from the state of ruins. So I began painting what I believed would have been the beautiful curves and stucco walls within which they lived. This painting was from a hallway as I interpreted it to have been originally. I did so to share a sense of life in Mesa Verde, such an integral historical hub of commerce and community. I will be posting more in the days ahead. Thanks for your comments.

I am planning some kind of national park trip for around Memorial Day next year (for something around a week, depending where I go), and I'm trying to decide between a couple of options:

1. Yosemite (from my home in the Bay Area). I am not willing to spend the money for a hotel in the park, or the time driving in and out, so I'd only do this if I got a camping permit. AIUI that means I may be trying for several years.

2. Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and Death Valley, maybe stopping at Pinnacles on the way back home.

3. Western Utah. Fly in to Vegas, see Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, maybe Grand Canyon or Great Basin as well.

4. Eastern Utah. Fly in to Salt Lake, see Arches, Canyonlands, Mesa Verde, maybe Great Sand Dunes.

My preference would be for a place where it's shorts weather (i.e. mid 60s and up for me), and I do not want to go hiking in snow. Which of these is likely to work best for me? If some of them are no-gos for what I'm looking for in May, what moths work best?

from the east coast (near boston) and planning our first trip to out west! my boyfriend and I would love to go see the animals in yellowstone but i've been considering glacier park as well but wanted to see what people would recommend or something else all together.

• we're 24/25
• not huge hikers would like to drive to see more
• would like to see animals
• would be going march 2025
• possibly maybe proposal on trip ??

plz lmk what you think! tysm :) sorry if this a repetitive post

Mesa Verde \"Live\"

While I was Artist-In-Residence in Mesa Verde National Park, I was able to walk onto and into the ruins. And it made me wonder what they were like when being lived in. I'd noticed that there was a repeating feature in the buildings which was that almost every aspect involved incorporating curves. There were no straight walls, windows or doors. And, I realized that all of the surfaces would have been stuccoed and finished. So although many of the walls were no longer standing, I decided to reconstruct them through my art, using the principles of curves and stucco, to get a sense of what living within them may have been like. This is one of a series of paintings of "reconstructions" that I created while the Artist-In-Residence. I will be posting more, so do come back. Thanks for your comments.

For anyone whose been to the Grand Canyon, would you recommend visiting during the end of december/beginning of January? I don't mind cold weather unless snow/rain starts to impede on really enjoying the trip. Don't plan to do any extreme hikes but would like to do shorter, easier hikes. Is there much wildlife around during this time? Are restaurants and activities open? Where's the best place to stay during this time? Thanks for any advice, I've only ever gone in the spring.

The endless curves

I've visited Chaco Canyon many times while living in Santa Fe, and always was mystified by the reality of their culture. The capacity to build such amazing communities out of hewn stone, as with so many such civilizations around the world, is, to me, almost incomprehensible.

That said, I spent many hours amongst the Chaco remnants and loved to draw and paint them. I was the Artist-In-Residence in 7 National Parks including Mesa Verde where I discovered a unique architectural continuity through exploring them from inside and out. The curves defined almost every aspect of their dwellings, from walls to windows and doorways. And that same feature became evident in the Chaco doorways. I will be posting a series of my pastel paintings of such which, I feel, are one of the secrets of the mystique and beauty of Chaco, and Mesa Verde . No straight lines in nature, no straight lines in Chaco.

We're finalizing our road trip from our home in Arizona and I'd love some feedback on if you'd recommend more time in any location & especially if you think Big Bend is worth the long drive down to get there or there's anywhere else you'd skip if you have been to the park:

Day 1: Saguaro NP, arrive by noon & spend the day hiking

Day 2: Drive to Pine Springs, TX (5hr drive), afternoon hike in Guadalupe Mtns NP

Day 3: Carlsbad Caverns NP

Day 4: Drive to Big Bend NP (5 hr drive), afternoon hiking

Day 5: Big Bend NP hiking

Day 6: Big Bend NP hiking

Day 7: Drive to Las Cruces, evening visit to White Sands NP or AM hike in BBNP (6.5hr drive)

Day 8: Drive to Chiricahua NM (5hrs), explore the park

Day 9: Morning hikes in Chiricahau NM, then head home

Thank you!