Gateway Arch National Park, St. Louis, Missouri

 

 My recent trip to Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, was followed by a lot of driving through Kansas and then into Missouri. It was late afternoon when I reached St. Louis and made my way down to Gateway Arch National Park. It made me nervous as I really didn't know where I was and found my Google Maps taking me through a ghetto. Graffiti covered the walls and broken down buildings. I said to myself, I've been through worse and kept going.  Once I arrived at the river, everything was fine and I found a covered parking lot with an attendant where I left my Subee. First thing I encountered was this gorgeous bridge spanning the Mississippi River!

 To my surprise, on February 22, 2018, President Trump signed the papers making Gateway Arch National Park our 60th National Park!  Visit the link Gateway Arch National Park for more information about the park. Of course I had to visit Gateway, and planned my whole 3-week trip around this particular park. In my quest to see all of the National Parks, this is Park #59 for me!!!!! Only one left to go, American Samoa.

 The whole place was overwhelming to say the least. I felt so vulnerable and unsure of my self during my visit there. New things always intimidate me, but I had set my mind to go to Gateway Arch, so sure enough I was going! This was my first glimpse of the famous arch.

A beautiful walkway along the river is very lively with boats chugging down the river and people of all ages walking, running and driving those crazy motorized scooters down the walkway.

As I walked along the river, I found this giant staircase leading up to the arch. 

It is difficult to imagine how large Gateway Arch really is until you try to take a picture of it! I tried every angle, even looking straight up at it, but eventually had to move a great distance up the hill to get the whole image.

Gateway Arch was originally known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial,  and was built as  a memorial to Thomas Jefferson's role in opening the west as well as a tribute to the pioneers who shaped its history. A beautiful new museum below the arch tells the story in great detail. The arch itself is 630 feet tall and is the world's tallest arch. It was built on the original founding site of the city of St. Louis, Missouri and was completed in 1965.

Clouds always comfort me, even rain clouds. These gorgeous clouds helped accentuate the beauty in the tall buildings.

 The city surrounding the arch is a blend of the very old and the ultra modern, the well groomed park and the broken down, graffiti covered ghetto. The building with the dome was built in 1864 and served as the St. Louis County Courthouse, the very place where Dred Scott sued for his personal freedom. The building now belongs to the National Park Service and is open for touring. If you look carefully in the lower left hand side of the picture, I captured a bride to be, getting her professional wedding pictures photographed!

I always love reflections, and I found this reflection of the city on one of the buildings in the city. It was all very beautiful!

Eero Saarinen was the Finish-American architect who designed the arch. There is a tram system built into the arch that goes to the top of the arch where there are viewing windows to look out over the city. I actually had tickets for the tram and the river cruise, but I woke up the next morning with a migraine and knew I would never make it to the top. I think it was all too claustrophobic, too new, and way too scary. I needed someone with me, but there was no one. Sometimes I just need to say I can't do it, and back down.  Even if I don't accomplish all of my goal, I always learn something.

 The Mississippi River flows right by the Arch and is as pretty as it is long.

The newly renovated, bronze, 9000 pound  statue known as "The Captain Returns" commemorates the 200th anniversary of the return of Lewis and Clark. It is breathtaking.

 After leaving Gateway Arch National Park, I drove through the city, over to my campsite in Eureka, Missouri.

 A final good night from my campsite. As the sun set, the trees were covered in shadow, and my heart  was finally at rest. God bless you, one and all.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

The majestic Colorado River is a sight to behold. On my way to Rocky Mountain National Park, I drove along the Colorado River for quite some time. In this picture it looks very still, but there are places in the river with rapids and rushing water that entices rafters of all ages to ride the river. I stopped several different times along the way, and at one point a whole group of excited kids and several adults were putting in their raft. I was glad I was not with them! Been there, done that.

 It took me several days to get to Idaho Springs in Colorado where I encountered a street fair, with music, food, booths and fun! From there I drover up the State Road 72 past Nederland and stayed at a free Forest Service Campground. In order to get to it, me and the Subee had to off-road down some terribly, bumpy dirt roads until I found a  campsite. It was late in the afternoon when I heard some branches breaking and looked up to see a moose in the distance. 

It was quite shocking to see the moose, as my campground wasn't  even in the National Park. By the time I found my camera the moose was gone. I went about my business and was flossing my teeth when in walked the moose, just like he owned the place. Even though he was young, he was as big as a horse. With my camera in hand, I snapped a couple pictures of my afternoon visitor.

After one night of peaceful quiet, I continued driving up State Road 72 to CO-7 and took that all the way into Estes Park. On the way in, I spotted this house-castle-church building, and jumped out to take some pictures. The place was quiet, not a soul in sight. Feeling like Nancy Drew, I scouted around and walked back towards the mountains to see what it was like. All very strange.

Finally I made my way into Rocky Mountain National Park! Of course there was a festival of some sort down in Estes Park, so before I went to my campsite, I walked around town and ate steamed Edamame topped with soy sauce and sesame seeds, and looked at all the booths. Very fun. 

At the Moraine Park Campground, I had a great campsite that overlooked the Moraine Valley.  This park is very popular, so if you plan on going, get a reservation or you won't get in! Click this link: Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado to go directly to the National Park Service page for Rocky Mountain National Park and you will find all the camping information you need. 

The National Parks are so busy now, that it is always wise to go to the National Park Service sites on the web before you go to any park, and get all the info. The fall is especially beautiful at Rocky Mountain National Park, and is also the time of year the elk gather to mate. Another reason to go!

 Fall color ranged from dark and light green, yellow, gold, orange, red and brown! I felt like I was feasting on color every day I was there.

 At times the skies were filled with great big cumulus clouds that only made the blue sky look bluer. That would be me sitting on a rock, while on my hike up to Emerald Lake. I always meet the nicest people while hiking and feel so accepted by our warm conversations.

 One of my favorite places in Rocky Mountain National Park is anywhere along the Big Thompson River. It is one of the most beautiful places that I have encountered. very peaceful, yet full of life.

 My friend, the Magpie, a very social bird, very inquisitive. Magies are close relatives of both jays and crows, and have very similar characteristics. This one kept an eye out for any speck of food that was dropped near my table.

 On one of my hikes I spotted this group of golden aspen shining against the dark gray cliffs. 

 A male elk with his harem of females strolled through or near my campsite every day. He was very vocal and was always bossing the girls around, calling and huffing and bugling to get their attention. 

 A male elk on his way to the valley, where the real battles for the females took place. The males would call out to the females, it is called bugling, and try to get them to join his group. Other males would either challenge the big elk with the girls, or just strut around looking good. Several times a new male would come in and the girls would flock to him and leave their old love behind. Mostly it was just a lot of huffing and puffing and demonstrating their bravado that won the females.

 Right below my campsite, was the meadow and the Big Thompson River. So pretty in both the morning and the evening.

 It rained nearly every day I was there, which also resulted in rainbows! This one turned into a double rainbow as I was taking pictures. So pretty!

This bull elk looks like he's giving me the business for taking his picture. Actually he is bugling, If you have never heard an elk bugle you can click on this link Elk Bugle to hear them belch, bugle,. huff and puff.  There are different reasons for different sounds. Whatever noise they make, stay away from them! They can be dangerous,  especially during the rut. All these pictures were taken with my long lens, from very far away.

 At times it seems like the males feel safe in the campground, which may be why they bring their females up there to graze. It was breathtaking.

 A beautiful pink sky after a light snowfall. So incredible.

 On another hike up to Alberta Falls, I could see the storm clouds coming in. I encountered rain and then a hard hail that felt like sand blowing into my face.

 At Alberta Falls, I met a nice young lady who took my picture, while sitting on the rocks. 

 Alberta Falls, a scenic 30ft waterfall that thunders down a small gorge on Glacier Creek. One of the places I recommend visiting if you ever get to Rocky Mountain National Park! 

 Snow on the mountains, snow in the forecast, a 29 degree nighttime low predicted for my last day in the park. I decided to leave a day early and miss the crowds trying to escape the inevitable snowstorm. 

 On my last day in the park, I drove the Trail Ridge Road up to an elevation over 12,000 feet. The fog rolled in making it difficult to drive. I stopped at Rock Cut and hiked out on the Tundra Communities Trail, reminiscing about my time there in 2005, when I cried my guts out over my divorce. It was and still is a good place to be cleansed.  The harsh elements seem to scour one clean. However on my last day in the park I had no need to cry, but only rejoice over all the healing and restoration in my life.

Along the Tundra Communities Trail, this section is called Mushroom Rocks. The fog lifted just enough for me to get a picture, but just at that point it started hailing. If it had been clear, I could have looked over to the other side and seen Longs Peak. I was freezing and being pelted by hail, so I turned around and headed back to my car.

Good night to one and all! May God be with you and yours. Susan Little

Gates of the Arctic and Kobuk Valley National Parks, Alaska

Gates of the Arctic National Park is not easy to get to. After hopping on a very sketchy plane from Lake Clark to Anchorage, one of the guys, Danny, offered to give me a ride to the Anchorage airport. When his mom came to pick us up, me and another guy that was going with us, jumped in her truck, but there was no room for Danny. He  called a taxi and his mom drove me and Jim to the airport! She wouldn't take any gas money from us and said, "Its the Alaska way!" I arrived at the airport about 7pm, then rented a little car and started driving to Fairbanks. It was still daylight at midnight and people were riding their bikes on the frontage road next to the freeway! After a few rest stops, I finally arrived in Fairbanks at 6am, grabbed some coffee and immediately jumped on another plane that took me to Bettles, where the Gates of the Arctic National Park Visitor Center is!

Bettles is extremely small. A population of 10 year round residents, a lodge, some, houses and airplanes. Around back of the buildings, I saw a bunch of dogs that were tethered to their kennels, barking their heads off. This beautiful dog, was free and easy, roaming about and creating all the fuss for the dogs on their tethers.

 Brooks Range Aviation was the company I booked to take me on a flight to both Gates of the Arctic National Park and Kobuk Valley National Park. I was so excited to meet three other fellow travelers doing the same thing I was doing, and who also joined me on the flight! The whole experience was wonderful, and enabled me to see from the air and touch down in those wilderness parks. Thank you Brooks Range Aviation!

I stayed in the very rustic bunkhouse on Skid Row, or so they call it.  Another new experience!

My fellow travelers, Laura, Adam and Steve, and our faithful pilot Jim!

 Within an hour of arriving at Bettles, we were up in the air with Brooks Aviation and off on a new adventure. The scenery was spectacular and the people were fun and friendly.

 We flew over the Arrigetch Peaks, which in the Inupiat language means "Fingers of the Outstretched Hand." The peaks are a cluster of rugged granite spires in the Endicott Mountains of the central Brooks Range. 

 A mist and clouds played games with the peaks but in the long run, it only accentuated their ethereal beauty. Some people actually go down there and hike the peaks. Not me. I just wanted to see them!

Our  pilot, Jim, said that this was the closest he had ever been able to get to the peaks. Apparently the clouds frequently cover the peaks and forbid any airplane from getting too close.  It was as if on that day, the Lord opened the clouds for us to see those amazing peaks!

 I really enjoyed the pattern the braided rivers made. All so very beautiful.

 We flew over the Kobuk Valley Sand Dunes, left behind by glaciers retreating in the valley. The sand dunes lie on the southern banks of the Kobuk River. At one time, there were over 200,000 acres of sand dunes but over the years the vegetation has reclaimed all but 16,000 acres of sand dunes.
 

The local residents are the only ones allowed to hunt in Kobuk Valley which is on the migration path of 1/2 million caribou!

Grass, sedges, wild rye and the Kobuk locoweed  grow in the sand dunes. They stabilize the sand and from there moss, algae, lichen and shrubs grow, preparing the way for aspen, birch and spruce to take root. Such an amazing process.

The green looked so green after looking at the barren sand dunes.

After circling the dunes, our pilot, Jim, took our plane down and landed on the Kobuk River. That would be me on the left, then Steve, Laura and Adam. What a great group of people! We were all talking about the places we had been and where we were going. All of them are on the National Park Quest like myself. Adam has already booked to American Samoa National Park and has promised to tell us all about it. 

 The Kobuk River runs through Kobuk Valley National Park. Kobuk means Big River, and as you can see it is a very big river......280 miles long! Our pilot, Jim, pointed out the wolf tracks running alongside the river. That gave me the shivers!

 After the Kobuk River we headed over to Walker Lake in Gates of the Arctic National Park. That would be me standing in front of our plane at Walker Lake.

 The lake was very peaceful and serene, with no one there but our group and the fish, birds and animals.

Our pilot took full advantage of the moment and went fishing, quickly coming up with one big fish he didn't want to keep. 

As I explored the lake, this beautiful Old World Swallotail butterfly  came to rest right next to me. They are also known as Yellow Swallowtails. So pretty!

 After we left Walker Lake, it all went south for me. I got so queasy and put my head down and couldn't see anything. A very bumpy ride to say the least. After we got back, we still had two nights in Bettles. There was plenty of time to rest, have coffee, eat and get to know my fellow travelers.

 A couple of the folks stayed at the very expensive Bettles Lodge, a log structure built in 1951 on the Koyukuk River in the foothills of the Brooks Range. They didn't know what they were missing over there in Skid Row where I stayed! Tuna and peanut butter for dinner, my sleeping bag at night, and a roof over my head!

 One of the oldest structures in Bettles. Laura told me all about this house, but I forgot what she said. Something about an old lady living here forever.

Beautiful rainbow over Bettles. Good night Bettles. Good night fellow travelers. Good night Brooks Aviation! It was fun! 

On my way back to Anchorage, I stopped in Denali National Park for two days. Took a hike along the Savage River, also took a much needed shower and washed my hair!

That would be me, the final picture of the grand adventure to Katmai, Lake Clark, Kobuk Valley, Gates of the Arctic and Denali National Parks! I have now seen 58 National Parks and loved every minute of my exploring. Sometimes it wasn't so good, but all in all it was great fun. Only two left: American Samoa National Park, in American Samoa, and Gateway Arch National Park in Missouri. Gateway Arch was just dedicated a National Park in February of this year! Good night all!