Dog Mushing
I'm coming to the Grand Tetons April 5-8 and am interested in sleigh rides as well as observing the wildlife. I also plan on going to Yellowstone Park. I'm from northern Indiana, so the cold weather and snow won't bother me. How are the main roads as well as the snow amounts? Are the temps in the low to mid 30s?
Grand Tetons National Park generally only offers guided snowshoeing tours through the end of March. If there is enough snow it is possible the park may extend their tours. Please call (307) 739-3399 or for more information. You can also visit the following website for more information on cross country skiing and snowshoeing in Grand Tetons.
Sleigh rides are offered in the surrounding communities like Jackson Hole. The following sites are links to several concessioners who provide these services. You will have to check with them to determine whether or not they will still be offering these tours.
http://www.jacksonholewy.net/winter_recreation/sleigh_rides.php
- In Grand Teton check www.nps.gov/grte/planyourvisit/roads.htm or call (307) 739-3614
Denali National Park is deep in the heart of Alaska's bear country. It is almost impossible to drive through the park without seeing a bear. One of your best bets to see a bear is take one of the many bus tours offered by the park. These tours afford visitors the chance to become familiar with the park and surrounding areas. Denali is a largely pristine, undeveloped park. A few years ago a conscious decision was made to not develop its hiking trails.
Bears are most often found near where they feed. They are most often seen in many of the berry patches in the park.
During the summer it is very important to follow proper safety precautions. Park Rangers can alert you to proper procedures to avoid injuries in bear country. Bears can be particularly hostile during this time of year while they are raising their young. Always remember, bears are wild and if startled can be deadly.
Capitol Reef, Waterpocket Fold, Land of the Sleeping Rainbow—all are colorful names to describe a park with many striking characteristics.
Waterpocket Fold, the main feature of the park, is the name of a 100-mile-long fold in the earth's surface. This uplift contains innumerable eroded basins or pockets that hold thousands of gallons of rainwater. These pockets of water have affected the history of humanity within the park and the flora and fauna of the region.
Entering the park from the west gives the most impressive view of the 1,000-foot-high stone barrier into which erosive forces have sculpted fascinating canyons, mesas, buttes and mazes. Once in the park, other astonishing panoramas await you.
Within a short distance of the visitor center, you will see Capitol Dome, Chimney Rock, the Goosenecks and the Egyptian Temple. Hickman Bridge, the Golden Throne and Capitol Gorge reward you after easy to moderate hikes. Prehistoric petroglyphs, the Fruita Schoolhouse, the Gifford Farmhouse and the Behunin Cabin speak of bygone eras and can be reached by car. The 20-mile round-trip Scenic Drive will take you past the Ripple Rock Nature Center and many of the park's features.
If you are seeking a remote wilderness experience, Capitol Reef has it. To the north of Route 24, dirt roads, which generally require high-clearance or 4-wheel-drive vehicles, lead into the park's north end through the heart of Cathedral Valley, an area of monolithic formations of Entrada and Curtis sandstones, some of which are 500 feet high. South of Route 24, graded roads, usually suitable for high-clearance vehicles, lead into some very fine hiking country. Besides good hiking opportunities, the southern part of the park also offers spectacular views of the folded strata of Capitol Reef and the Henry Mountains. Muley Twist Canyon is in the southern end of the park, as is Brimhall Bridge. Check with a park ranger before setting out for any of these more remote locations. Weather conditions may make the roads slick and impassable.
While Crater Lake National Park is open year-round, the Lodge itself is only open from the end of May typically (it is scheduled to open 5/26 in 2010) through mid-October. The lodge is closed for this season
Crater Lake receives A LOT of snow up into the spring season and starting again in early fall. So, if your vehicle is prepared for it, snowy months can be beautiful times to explore the park. Just make sure to check ahead that the roads have been plowed. The "Rim Road" is usually in pretty good shape for most of the year.
There is no van or shuttle directly to the lodge. For reservations or more information call Xanterra at (888) 774-2728.
Have a great trip!
Capture the spirit of a winter park perched atop a sled, led by an energetic team of huskies. Dog mushing is a unique and exciting way for dog-lovers to explore large tracts of Ameirica's snow-covered parks without an engine. Dog mushing ranges in use from utilitarian to recreational to competitive and is practiced not only in national parks but all over the world. Yell "Hike!" and click here to plan your own dog sledding adventure.
READ MORESand dunes, the Kobuk River, Onion Portage, and the Baird Mountains are just some of the facets of Kobuk Valley National Park. Half a million caribou migrate through, their tracks crisscrossing the sand-sculpted dunes. The Kobuk River is an ancient and current path for people and wildlife. For 9,000 years, people came to Onion Portage to harvest caribou as they swam the river. Even today, that rich tradition continues.
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