Ranger-led Programs

We are assuming that by West Rim, you mean the Havasupai Reservation?  The only way between the two points are to drive.  There are tour buses that go between, but no helicopters or other flight options.  For more info on directions between the two click here.

It's always a great time to go tour the national parks on motorcycle, the important questions to address are which parks and what is your starting point. On my first trip from New York City to Yosemite and back, I left in June and was greeted by rainstorms and a wide swing of temperature extremes. On the day I planned to ride into Yellowstone, I had to stop because there was snow on the pass and the road was closed.  I searched almost a dozen stores before finding one that could sell me an extra layer to wear under my protective shell, as they all said it was summer and they no longer sold fleece or other jackets. (I ended up with a compressible, lightweight down jacket, which I had multiple occasions to break out.) As you well know, it gets cold awfully quickly when you consider the wind chill factor, one of the realities of cold weather riding. If you start in a warm climate and take a southern route, you should be just fine. No matter when you ride, be aware of the need to carry extra layers, as it's always best to be prepared. I've made snowballs in the afternoon on the top of a mountain pass after having ridden through the hot desert all morning long, in July! I recommend a good pair of water-proof gloves (or covers) for any extended trip, along with weather-proof, padded riding gear.  If you let everyone in the OhRanger.com community know what parks you're considering and where you'll be starting, perhaps we can make some specific recommendations for places to see. For example, if you were consider to focus on Utah, you could create a great tour by riding the "Grand Circle." The desert parks of Southern California and Nevada are also fantastic in May. 

I look forward to hearing about your adventures and hope that OhRanger.com will help you with your plans. Check out our new feature that allows you to find the activities you like near to any place you choose in America. Safe travels!

The Grand Canyon in winter is a special, special place.   Color contrasts are profound, the skies are deep, numbers of people are well down, and if you catch a snowfall, it's as if the snows are falling forever... 

Temperatures on the rim will be cold (45° Highs and 21° Lows on average) and typically very dry.  You should be prepared for snow, icy roads and trails, and possible road closures.  Also, fog occasionally forms (due to cooling from snow cover on the ground) and makes driving difficult.  Typically though, the fog will break up quickly by morning.

Some park lodges are open, though not all.  Trails will depend on the conditions.  But generally, in contrast to some other high-elevation national parks, most of the activities and services remain open at the South Rim.  And, the Grand Canyon Railway, runs all year!  http://www.thetrain.com/

The average high temperature at Mount Rushmore in October is in the 60's and 70's and lows can drop into the 40's. You can get the most up-to-date weather forecast here.

A list of suggested tours in the park is available here.

For information about tours by local organizations, contact local chambers of commerce. You can find links to all of them here.

The "General Sherman" is a magnificent tree in Sequoia National Park.  Here are it's dimensions:

Height: 274.9 (feet)
Circumference: 102.6 (feet)
Volume: 52,508 (cubic feet)

For more on giant trees of the National Parks check out this link:

http://www.nps.gov/archive/seki/bigtrees.htm

You're getting in just under the wire to have your own campfire in the park (at designated locations) as the last day permitted is October 15th.  In terms of hosted NPS campfires and Ranger campfire talks, you'll have to check with the park itself for an updated schedule.  The best number to call is: (209) 372-0200; press 3 then 5.

Have a great trip!

Yes, the Tuolumne Meadows visitor center will be closed for the season by the time you visit. Check out a full list of seasonal closures here and review these recommended Yosemite fall activities.

For additional timely information, you can download the most recent copy of the Yosemite newspaper online. The shuttle schedule and map is also available for download.

It's true! Temperatures at Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks vary by elevation. Because these parks range from 1,500 feet to 14,494 feet in elevation, conditions change drastically depending on where you are!

Average lows can range from 52 degrees in the foothills to 45 degrees at higher elevations. Average highs range from 91 in the foothills to 71 at higher elevations.

A great temperature chart, broken down by month, is available from the NPS.

Some of our favorite things to do in Acadia are exploring the historic Carriage Roads and enjoying tasty popovers at Jordan Pond House.

Also check out the recommendations on our Sights to See and Things to Do pages. Our Only ad Day and Just for Kids sections will also have some good tips!

Lastly, check out this list of 22 fun things to do with kids!

We hope you have a great trip! Be sure to come back and let us know how it goes!