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Tag: national parks

26 July 2023

No bad views of Grand Canyon

Wotons Throne & Cape Royal Desert View SR GRCA NP AZ

view S Cape Royal NR GRCA NP AZMultiple views of Grand Canyon, Wotan’s Throne from South Rim and North Rim

When I was a Park Ranger visitors frequently asked which side is better, there’s no bad views of Grand Canyon, so visit both sides.  And that’s what I did.

trees canyon CO R clouds Navajo Pt SR GRCA NP AZ

light in canyon Navajo Pt SR GRCA NP AZOn this summer journey, I planned to enjoy views of Grand Canyon from both sides, starting with the South Rim.  So after my wonderful loop drive from Sunset Crater to Wupatki national monuments I continued north on SR89 to Cameron and entered the park from the east side, so much less crowded than the main Village area.

orange Globe Mallow flowers canyon CO R clouds Navajo Pt SR GRCA NP AZ

Desert View Tower Navajo Pt SR GRCA NP AZI stopped at Navajo Point and under cloudy skies enjoyed the views of Grand Canyon including a distant look at the Desert View Watch Tower.

truckcamper Kaibab NF AZThen I continued to my forest camp only one mile of rough and rutted dirt road to boondock for the night with a gentle rain.  Not overcrowded, this Kaibab National Forest location is along the way to the Grandview Fire Tower, where I camped last summer.

west view Moran Pt SR GRCA NP AZ

temple pk Moran Pt SR GRCA NP AZThe next day I met a Ranger friend at Moran Point and we spent the day catching up, reminiscing, and enjoying views of Grand Canyon.  I am always amazed that the average park visitor doesn’t spend more than two minutes at an overlook.

 late light Ponderosa Pine needles FR310 Kaibab NF AZ

Ponderosa Pine flower FR310 Kaibab NF AZ

pine pollen puddle reflection FR310 Kaibaba NF AZPine pollen on puddle

pine pollen on windshield S Kaibab NF AZPollen on truck

It rained intermittently over the next several days so I was glad to have a great signal and worked on the next video about Arivaca Creek and the Cruz Ranch and a blog post about my visit to Bisbee during early June.  Yes, I’m that far behind.  The rain helped clear the air of Pine pollen.

CO R Desert View SR GRCA NP AZ

Desert View Watchtower SR GRCA NP AZAfter five nights in this forest location it was time to hit the road for some new views of Grand Canyon.  First stop at Desert View Watch Tower, the furthest east overlook with some of my favorite South Rim views of Grand Canyon.

blue Larkspur flowers FR310 Kaibab NF AZMoth on orange Globe Mallow flower Desert View SR GRCA NP AZ

                           Larkspur                                                                                Globe Mallow

I parked in the oversized vehicle lot and walked due west to the rim following a social trail towards the tower with lots of flowers along the way.

Desert View Watchtower SR GRCA NP AZ

GRCA stickers & hat pinThe only reason I went inside the tower was to add another sticker and hat pin to my collections.

SR89 N AZ

Echo Cliffs Navajo Rez SR89 N AZOnce back to SR89 I headed north across the amazing Navajo Reservation desert landscape.

Echo & Vermilion Cliffs SR89A W AZ

menu Cliff Dwellers SR89A Hatch AZStopped for lunch at Cliff Dwellers then climbed up onto the Kaibab Plateau and much cooler temperatures at 7,000 feet.

cookies Jacob Lake Inn AZOf course I had to get desert at Jacob Lake Inn.

truckcamper Jacob Lake AZThen opted to camp nearby.

cows person Crane Lk snow Kaibab NF AZIn the morning I drove south across the Kaibab National Forest surprised at how full the lakes were in the meadows.  Guess I should have expected that because of the record breaking snow fall.

light on Aspen Kaibab NF AZStopped at the entrance station and said hello to a known Ranger then continued to the end of the road.

Grand Lodge verandah NR GRCA NP AZParking wasn’t a problem because the Lodge wasn’t open yet for food service or overnight accommodations.  All that snow followed by melt took out a huge section of both the water pipe and North Kaibab trail so they were under water restrictions.

view from lodge NR GRCA NP AZNo Rangers in the visitor center as it’s now all sales space for the history association.

Mt Hayden Pt Imperial NR GRCA NP AZ

Saddle Mt Marble Canyon Vermilion Cliffs clouds Pt Imperial NR GRCA NP AZEnough of that, I wanted more views of Grand Canyon.  So I drove the scenic road with the first stop at Point Imperial.  I actually had the overlook entirely to myself for a measurable amount of time.

Greenland Lake NR GRCA NP AZ


light on Aspen leaves NR GRCA NP AZ

Made another stop at Greenland Lake, the fullest I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen it bone dry.  “Lakes” on the Kaibab are actually sinkholes in the limestone, not huge but good water sources for wildlife.

Wotons Throne Wedding Site NR GRCA NP AZ

yellow Desert Sunflower flowers in rock hole Cape Royal NR GRCA NP AZThen on to the end of the road to Cape Royal for my favorite views of Grand Canyon.

sunset Cape Royal NR GRCA NP AZ

sunset thru pines Cape Royal NR GRCA NP AZ

sunset Cape Royal NR GRCA NP AZ

Wotons Throne sunset clouds Cape Royal NR GRCA NP AZEspecially sunset.

Deer Lake Kaibab NF AZDeer Lake

view E Marble Plateau Vermilion Cliffs Navajo Mt Kaibab NF AZView east Vermilion & Echo Cliffs with Navajo Mt beyond

I could have stayed for days stopping at every overlook for many hours enjoying a variety of views of Grand Canyon.  However, I had other places to go and people to see.  So I headed back north with just a couple stops along the way.  Including Jacob Lake Inn once again for a dozen cookies to take as treats for the friends I’d visit in Kanab, Utah.

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Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park, North Rim, Places I've been, RV life, South Rim, United States national parks, Park Ranger, RV living, summer 2023 20 Comments
11 March 2019

A new park for summer 2019

I applied to a lot of national park sites for summer 2019, then the government shutdown dragged on and hiring officials ended up 35 days behind.

parks applied to collageOnce the government reopened I received several emails to check for my interest and availability (I&A).  Some I wasn’t referred to at all.  No surprise there.  Being a Park Ranger is a desirable job and extremely competitive with hundreds of applications for each position.

canyon sunset lightning Wedding site North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaYou may remember all the BS I went through last year with new interpretations to old rules and me ultimately not getting my job back on the North Rim Grand Canyon after working there 10 summers.

Any of the parks I applied to would be a great place to work.  Some where higher on my personal list than others.  Seasonal employee policy is, say yes to anybody that offers.  Then if multiple offers are received, decide quickly and notify parks you’ve decided to turn down.

ladders Cliff Palace exit Mesa Verde National Park ColoradoParks I said no at ‘I&A’ checks:  Pipe Springs would be too hot.  Sequoia-Kings Canyon didn’t offer RV parking.  Desert View South Rim Grand Canyon is 25 to 45 miles for a signal.  I worked Mesa Verde in 2005 and know the ladders would be bad for my shoulders.

Storm & last light on Angles Gate from Lodge North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaParks I haven’t heard from since the ‘I&A’ checks:  Rocky Mountain, the first national park I ever visited during the 1970s when I thought about living there someday.  I’ve never visited Yosemite.  Petrified Forest would be interesting but overly warm for summer.  Black Canyon of the Gunnison, the second park I ever visited.  Yellowstone’s Old Faithful District where I spent my honeymoon.  Neither the North or South Rim Grand Canyon.

Visitor Center relief map Grand Staircase Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon

Above Wall Street Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahPark I was offered, accepted and want to work:  Bryce Canyon, at the top of the Grand Staircase, Grand Canyon is the bottom.  Bryce is not really a canyon but a series of scallop-like amphitheaters on the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau displaying magically carved hoodoos in warm banded colors.

Switchbacks between fins & hoodoos on Navajo Loop trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

Amphatheater hoodoos full moon clouds Sunset Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahThe summer season begins mid-April with a couple weeks training.  Loads of new learning possibilities in geology, ecology, astronomy, natural and cultural history.

Looking down on Navajo Loop trail Bryce Canyon National Park Utah

light & shadow valley Aquarius Plateau Rainbow Point Bryce Canyon National Park UtahHiking new trails and chasing the light with my camera.  Plus explore lots of Utah landscapes within a reasonable drive.

Still some logistics with moving.  Either drop the camper in Kanab first then back to Yarnell to haul the 5th-wheel to Bryce Canyon where I have a RV space.  Or, balance that against paying someone to haul the 5th-wheel.

So, let me know when you’re coming for a visit and I’ll make recommendations as I learn about reservations, boondocking, and frienddocking.

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Park Ranger job, national parks 76 Comments
16 October 2017

Fall and winter travel plans

clouds sun rays Wotans Throne from Cape Royal North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaMy summer season at Grand Canyon is over and  I’ve been thinking about fall and winter travel plans.  I’ve tried for a fall Pacific Northwest trip for several years.  But with all the fires there this last summer I’m going to pass on that journey once again.

Capitol Reef National Monument UtahCapitol Reef National Monument

Instead, I see southeastern Utah in my future with a long list of national parks, state parks, and whatever else catches my fancy.  Keeping an eye on the weather because as you know I’m not keen on cold and snow.  When that happens it’s time to head further south.

Sipapu Bridge Natural Bridges National Monument UtahNatural Bridges National Monument

I’ve been getting a lot of ideas from some of you RV bloggers yet you know I’m always looking for suggestions, even though I love to research and plan.

RVs #9 Abbey Road North Rim Grand Canyon National Park ArizonaI’m putting the big 5th-wheel into storage in Kanab for the winter, someone else is hauling it tomorrow from the North Rim.  Thank goodness I don’t have to take the truck camper off and then put it back on again.  That’s a real pain.  So I’m moving into the truck camper for about six months.  Of course there is less space and I’m struggling with what can go and what is left behind.

Curvy road Zion National Park UtahZion National Park

After a stop in Kanab and stocking up on groceries I plan to visit a friend in Zion National Park.  Lisa is an artist in residence there and was at Grand Canyon a few years ago when we still had the program.  I’m hoping the Zion won’t be such a zoo in the fall as it’s been reported to be this past summer.

Wooden Shoe The Needles District Canyonlands National Park UtahCanyonlands National Park

Then I plan to cruise to Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, Natural Bridges and whatever else catches my fancy along the way.

Delicate Arch Arches National Park UtahArches National Park

If the weather gets cold or these places are too crowded I’ll head further south.

Heck it was crowded enough at the North Rim this season.  Visitation just never slowed down.  And as much as I love my job, I am happy to be done working for the season and getting on the road again.

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National Parks and Monuments, travel end of season, national parks, Park Ranger, Utah 32 Comments
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Hi, I’m Gaelyn, the Geogypsy

I retired after 29 summer seasons as a Park Ranger, traveling solo for 40+ years. My passions include travel, connecting to nature, photography, and sharing stories.

I started exploring US National Parks in 1977 and 20 years later became a seasonal Park Ranger.  I’ve lived full-time in a RV for 30 years working summers and playing winters.  I’m still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow old, other than grow up.

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