Travel Puma

While in Idaho and on our way to Yellowstone National Park, we took a pit stop at Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve in central Idaho.

This monument, located in the Snake River Plain, is a testament to lava formations left over from an ancient volcano which experienced activity between 17,000 and 2,000 years ago. 

While the monument is 83 square miles, the lava field is actually much larger with the park including an astounding 53,545 acres.  You can take the easily driveable seven-mile loop around the park and venture out at several nature walks, but be sure to stay on the path.

The main natural features here are the volcanic formations themselves, but be sure to appreciate the fragrant sagebrush, pikas and beware of the occasionally-spotted bears.

Be sure to dress cool as temperatures on Craters of the Moon can reach 150 degrees F in the summer due to the black lava absorbing the sun.  Oh, and try not to be disappointed that there’s no actual hot lava, you’ll just have to vacay to Hawaii to see that natural wonder.

Well, we didn’t do the best job blogging about the Boise, Idaho trip due to some Web troubles and a 20-mile Ice Lake Yellowstone Park hike, but we’re back now and going to make it up to you.

First off, if you’re planning a Yellowstone trip in July, stop there and reconsider.  While we were in the backcountry and not so much in the more populated areas of the park, we can only speak for the hordes of mosquitoes where we were, and boy can our bites tell a tale.

Apparently, July and early August is the high season for these pests who, in our opinion, do not have nearly enough spiders to eat them.  The best time to enjoy Yellowstone is going to be in mid to late August and even further on into the cooler season.

Take a tip from us, and rethink that July Yellowstone trip.

Now that we’ve discussed how to stay safe while travelling the nation’s national parks, let’s explore one!

Established as a national park and treasure on March 1, 1972, Yellowstone National Park is located primarily in Wyoming but also extends into the states of Montana and Idaho.  Yellowstone was the first park of its kind, making a name for itself with a complex variety of wildlife and geothermal features, particularly Old Faithful Geyser.

The national park covers an expansive 3,468 square miles which includes lakes, canyons, mountain ranges and rivers.  Yellowstone features one of the largest higher-altitide lakes in North America and the Yellowstone Caldera is the largest supervolcano on the continent.  So, you know, you might not be bored at this national park, like ever.

With hundreds of species of birds, fish, reptiles and mammals this vast park lends itself to the magic of nature, untouched, but yet still available to be viewed by 3 to 4 million visitors per year.  Yellowstone offers visitors many recreational activities such as hiking, boating, camping, fishing and our favorite, sightseeing.

Paved roads provide Yellowstone visitors access to the major park areas such as lakes and waterfalls.  Pets are required to be leashed at all times and are restricted to certain camping zones and hiking trails.

Whether you’re visiting Yellowstone National Park for the first time or the fiftieth, you will always see something new and again experience the shear awe of nature at work, and play.

With the current state of the economy, the rising costs of fuel and unemployment, it’s high time we turn to our local national parks for a reasonably-priced vacation.

While doing some research on such parks, we came acrossKurt Repanshek’s recent post on how to stay safe while visiting U.S. national parks, and it was so informative, we thought we’d start there.

In order to avoid accidents and getting lost in the country’s amazing national parks, here is a good list of tips to bear in mind:

• Always, always make sure you have a map of the area you are in, and a step above this would be to carry a compass and know where you’re headed and where you’ve been, and it would also be prudent to actually know how to work the compass, so practice before you head out on your adventures.
• Dress accordingly.  This means if you’re in Yellowstone, you might need both shorts and pants, so do yourself a favor and buy some multi-function apparel to save on packing, and pack-ridden backaches.
• Don’t make the mistake of assuming water found at high altitudes is safe to drink, always treat your water no matter where you find it.
• When you’re climbing high, remember that you’re headed deeper into the effects of UV, so wear appropriate sunscreen and headwear.
• Take your time and enjoy yourself.  There’s no reason to hurry and risk a fall, take time to look around and enjoy the scenery, after all, that’s why you’re there.

We hope this list has been helpful to hikers and national park enthusiasts alike.  Next up, we’re headed to Yellowstone!