Hytreks

Oh, For Fun

Month: September 2021

  • Washington D.C.

    Washington D.C.

    Dates we visited: May 27th & 28th, 2021
    Where we stayed: Washington DC / Capitol KOA

    After visiting Shenandoah, we took the opportunity to spend a few days in our nations Capital. While it’s not technically a “National Park”, the Washington, D.C. area is packed with monuments and history, much of it administered by the National Park Service. We were also thrilled to catch up with a few friends in the area.

    The National Mall

    Over the course of a few days we wandered all over the National Mall. We took the opportunity to check out the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the Sculpture Garden, the Capital building, the White House and several other landmarks. It’s truly awe-inspiring to visit these locations and think about all of the history and sacrifice that has brought our country to the present day.

    Unexpectedly, we were in DC to experience the Brood X 17 year cicada emergence. This sounds like it could be a concert or festival, but the once every 17-years awakening of underground bugs, was in in fact much weirder. Once we got over the weirdness we were excited that we got to experience this rare event!

    Our visit here was just few short months after the January 6th 2021 capitol insurrection. The barricades and visibly increased security around the town were very obvious. It was a good reminder that America is a constant work in progress, and there is plenty of work still left to do.

    Washington D.C. Gallery

    Not technically a “National Park”, but our trip through D.C. and the National Mall had no shortage of National Monuments and other historical sites. It also had bugs…

  • Shenandoah National Park – Virginia

    Shenandoah National Park – Virginia

    Date we visited: May 24th, 2021
    Where we stayed: Endless Caverns

    After New River Gorge, the next stop on our National Park tour was Shenandoah. Set in the northern portion of Virginia, not far from the border with West Virginia, Shenandoah is only about 75 miles from the bustling Washington DC area. The rolling hills and serene vistas are a stark contrast to the DC cityscape that we would soon visit. Our campground even had a private cave system that we were able to tour. It was a far different experience, with much tighter spaces, than the National Park caves we have visited. If exploring small underground spaces, sometimes in pitch black, sounds like fun to you, definitely check it out!

    Skyline Drive

    A scenic overlook along Skyline Drive

    Shenandoah is a long and narrow park. Skyline drive is the main thoroughfare and scenic drive. We traversed the park starting at the north Front Royal entrance station and making our way south. The drive itself winds through the mountains, and there are many pull-offs to take in the rolling forested countryside. Skyline drive roughly follows a ridge line, so there are great views to both the east and west. The road connects to the Blue Ridge parkway on the south side.

    Blackrock Summit

    The boulder field on Blackrock Summit Trail

    The Blackrock Summit trail is a 1.1 mile loop that follows the Appalachian trail for most of the hike. It starts off in a secluded area of peaceful forest. Eventually, and rather suddenly, it opens up to wind around large boulder field.

    This trail is also a “TRACK” trail which is a trail identified specifically as being good for kids. We greatly enjoyed this hike and Owen could hardly be contained while exploring the boulder field. The view into the valley from the summit was also spectacular. The various shades of green, which are the hallmark of this forests in this region, were on full display.

    After having visited the likes of Glacier, Grand Teton and Mount Rainier, we have to temper our expectations of “mountainous” terrain for the parks in the east. The mountains here may not be as sharp and spectacular as those to the west, but the rolling green vistas and dense forests offer a more subdued and peaceful beauty. The soft tranquility and expansive vistas we found here are a pleasant reminder that our National Parks come in all kinds of different shapes and sizes, each offering a truly unique experience.

    Shenandoah Gallery

    A long and narrow park, it’s possible to drive the entire length of Shenandoah along Skyline Drive. That drive is certainly scenic, but our favorite part of the park was a hike through a boulder field at Blackrock Summit.

  • New River Gorge National Park – West Virginia

    New River Gorge National Park – West Virginia

    Dates we visited: May 17th, 2021
    Where we stayed: Rifrafters Campground

    New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia is America’s newest National Park (or at least it was when we visited). Upgraded to National Park status in December of 2020, this destination was a late addition to our travel itinerary. With its status change still recent, attendance was light, but accommodations were a little more difficult to come by. Luckily Kristy scored a tip from a fellow traveler about the Rifrafters Campground in Fayetteville, which turned out to be great.

    Canyon Rim

    Despite its name, the New River may be one of the oldest rivers in America. It’s been flowing on its present course for around 65 million years. This has given it ample time to carve out a striking gorge through the Appalachian mountains.

    Spanning the gorge is the park’s most memorable feature, the New River Gorge Bridge. Completed in 1977 this bridge is the longest steel span bridge in the western hemisphere, and the third highest bridge in the US. We enjoyed multiple perspectives of this engineering marvel from on top, beside, and below it.

    The Canyon Rim Overlook Boardwalk Trail is a short trail from the Canyon Rim visitor center. It involves a lot of steps if you go to the overlook, which we did and you should. The overlook offers an expansive vista of the bridge and gorge. We also drove the scenic drive (Fayette Station Road) from the Canyon Rim visitor center. It took us on a winding one way road down into the gorge, across the river and under the massive steel bridge.

    Sandstone Falls

    The National Park surrounds the New River for about 20 miles of its winding north/south route. The bridge is but one of the many scenic areas in the park. After our adventures on the north side, we decided to head south. The route took us through several small towns before arriving at Sandstone Falls.

    A short hike allowed us to take in the falls, first from a boardwalk, and then up close and personal from the riverbank. We slowly made our way down the trail, spotting chattering chipmunks and other small woodland creatures as we went along. We explored the rocky beach, and the lush forrest along the river. Owen relished being the hike leader and choosing our path around the falls. It was both serene and adventurous, and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

    We’re glad we amended our travel plans to visit this new National Park. I have a feeling that the park, and surrounding area, will change in the coming years once the secret gets out. One thing we didn’t do on this trip that we would like to do in the future, is to raft down the river and through the park. The area is well known for white water rafting, and I can imagine seeing the park from that perspective would be a wholly different experience.

    New River Gorge Gallery

    New River Gorge is America’s newest National Park. First we drove across the gorge, then down into it, then we hiked around it. Supposedly the white water rafting here is amazing, but not ideal for a four year old. Alas, that will be an adventure for a future visit.