Hytreks

Oh, For Fun

Category: State Park

  • Niagara Falls State Park – New York

    Niagara Falls State Park – New York

    Dates we visited: June 23rd, 2021
    Where we stayed: Niagara Falls North / Lewiston KOA

    After visiting Acadia in Maine, we made our way back south and west to New York State. After spending some time with some of Kristy’s family near Elmira NY, we made our way up to Niagara Falls. Technically, Niagara is a New York State Park, not a National Park, but since we were so close, we decided we couldn’t skip it. I’m glad we made the time to see it, as it was an incredible experience!

    The Falls

    Upon arriving at the falls we were surprised by how touristy it was. It was definitely a different experience than the National Parks that we frequent. There was no shortage of souvenirs shops or restaurants.

    Unfortunately, the Canadian border was still closed due to Covid at the time of our visit, so checking out the falls from that vantage point was off the table.

    After taking in the view of the falls from prospect point we debated whether or not to do the iconic Maid of the Mist boat tour. We opted in, and I’m really glad we did. If you plan to visit Niagara it is absolutely worth it to experience the falls from the water. An interesting factoid, the Maid of the Mist boats are now all electric, so there is no engine noise or exhaust.

    The boats were operating at half capacity and with mask requirements due to covid. The fact that they were running at half capacity was kind of awesome, there was much more room on the boat than usual. After a short trip, we reached the base of the waterfall. The tumultuous roar of the falls combined with the spray of the mist enveloping us was memorable. Watching the immense flow of water cascade over the falls, it was hard to comprehend the raw power in front of us. This five senses experience had Owen thinking that the boat actually went through the waterfall.

    Even though it was a bit more touristy than we prefer, we thoroughly enjoyed our Niagara Falls experience. We even had time to stop and get some Tim Hortons donuts while we were in the area, which were quite delicious. Niagara Falls is a true marvel to behold, and we’re glad we had the opportunity to experience it.

    Niagara Falls Gallery

    A massive and iconic waterfall, some electric boats, and delicious donuts. Our Niagara Falls visit was a success.

  • Goblin Valley State Park – Utah

    Goblin Valley State Park – Utah

    Dates we visited: October 10th 2020
    Where we stayed: Duke’s Slickrock Campground

    After visiting the first three of Utah’s “Mighty 5” National parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon & Capitol Reef) we took a slight detour so that we could check out Goblin Valley State Park. Goblin Valley was recommended to us by multiple people, so we figured we better see what it was all about. We want to extend our thanks to those that made that recommendation, because we loved this state park, and returned to it several times over the course of a few days!

    So many hoodoos

    We caught our first glimpse of the geologic phenomenon known as a hoodoo at Bryce Canyon. The hoodoos there were grand in scale, and interesting to experience from a multitude of overlooks…but Goblin Valley was an entirely different experience. Imagine a valley filled with hoodoo rock formations of every possible shape and size. Now imagine that there are no trails, and you just go out, explore, and climb around on those rocks…that’s basically Goblin Valley.

    Owen has spent a lot of time in national parks and he is well acquainted with the conservationist mantra “stay on the trail.” So when we arrived here and told him there was no trail and he could simply go explore the area, it took him a few minutes to actually wrap his mind around that. Once he figured it out though, he was thrilled! He took great pride in being the leader of our little party and picking our route through the valley. The area is very family friendly, and while it would be hard to get dangerously lost here, it is very easy to get seperated, so we still kept a close eye on him.

    We have been to a lot of places that felt like they belonged to either to a different time (Yellowstone), or a different planet (Craters of the Moon), and Goblin Valley definitely gets added to that list. Due to the red sandstone that is common in the area, there was a strong Mars vibe here. So much so that we decided to do a rough stop-motion video of Owen’s “mobile science lab” toy. Side-note: If you have ever tried to produce your own stop-motion video, you know how time consuming this can be. I ran up and down that rock somewhere between 75 and 100 times, moving the vehicle a fraction of an inch each time while Kristy painstakingly held the camera steady and clicked the photo button. I don’t know about you, but I think the results are down right cinematic 🙂

    Goblin Valley State Park at night

    Goblin Valley State Park at night

    Before leaving the area, we visited Goblin Valley three times, twice during the day, and once in the evening. In addition to being a fun place to explore in the daytime, the park is an “International Dark Sky Place”, meaning there is exceptionally little ambient light or light pollution in the area. We didn’t stay out too late, but we were still able to get some excellent views of the night sky and milky way.

    If you happen to be visiting any of the Utah “Mighty 5” parks, it’s worth planning a little extra time to stop by Goblin Valley, especially if you have kids along with you. It was one of Owen’s favorite destinations, and ranks up near the top for Kristy and I as well. Forgive me this one final pun, but whatever you do, don’t miss out on these hoodoos 😉

    Gallery

    This state park was recommended to us by several people, and we sure are glad we decided to check it out. With hoodoos as far as the eye could see, and the ability to simply explore the valley without the confines of a trail, this ranked among our favorite destinations so far.