Redberry Lake Biosphere

/ bigdiff / Leave a comment

I saw ducks and geese in the thousands, a flock of whooping cranes, a pair of sharp-tailed grouse, and many other birds, but they kept their distance from me. Saskatchewan has many lakes, and occasionally one will be full of birds. I also saw a young moose walking near the road, and there were bison behind fences. Since I was there during harvest, I could see the giant combines gathering grain. The self-guided driving tour gives several suggestions for exploring the area, which is mostly farms and First Nation communities. I believe there’s a visitor center opening soon.

The lake is at the center of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, but there’s also a popular state park camping and recreation area. So there are RVs, cabins, a beach below with a playground, mini golf, a golf course, a boat launch and even a few JetSkis, which hardly seem compatible with an internationally important bird refuge. Humans have trouble sharing our world with all the other species.

Rocky Mountain Trails

/ bigdiff / Leave a comment

8 trails cross the Rocky Mountain region, including 6 National Historic Trails and a National Geologic Trail that link multiple sites, plus the North Country National Scenic Trail that is an individual park unit. Here’s a quick summary in case you are interested in exploring the trails in the region.

Riding Mountain Biosphere

/ bigdiff / Leave a comment

The view above of Clear Lake from the wishing well is beautiful. The Canadian biosphere includes Riding Mountain National Park and environs, including many ranches, homes and towns that proudly support the local species and clean environment around them.

I enjoyed a few hikes in the park, including a lovely marsh with floating boardwalks and over a dozen bird species, like swamp sparrow, black billed magpie and yellow-rumped warbler. (Love that birdsong app!)

Another hike took me to a lake near Grey Owl’s cabin, before he moved to Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan. He was an Englishman who reimagined himself as part Native American and who spent his life advocating for wilderness conservation, especially the beaver. Interesting stories about him. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any beaver, but I did see the moose below.

Favorites from 400 Park Sites*

/ bigdiff / 14 Comments

In 2022, I visited 200 national park units: see my first 100 favorites and my second 100 favorites.

In 2023, my total reached 300: third 100 favorites.

In 2024, my total reached 400 *including 3 extra types*—affiliates, heritage areas and trails—even though they aren’t official national park units. My official total is 385 (out of 433).

My earlier favorites mostly hold, with several important changes.

Yellowstone takes best national park from Theodore Roosevelt.

And, Yellowstone’s geysers also take best geologic feature from Arches/ Natural Bridges.

Best wildlife experience goes to Isle Royale from Great Smoky Mountains.

Best kayaking goes to Ozark NSR from Big Thicket.

And best trees splits into 3 categories: oldest Great Basin, largest Sequoia and tallest Redwood.

Here more of my fourth 100 favorites.

Best annual festival / fairytale: May Day at Amana Colonies in Silos & Smokestacks NHA.

Best place to follow Zane Grey: Rainbow Bridge below.

Best tea: Campobello.

Best trail: Pacific Crest NST.

Best trail stop: Mahaffie Santa Fe stagecoach ride.

Best waterfalls: Yosemite.

Favorite photo is above from Sangre de Cristo NHA: [strictly non-commercial use].

Mossiest hike: Olympic.

Most iconic park: Statue of Liberty.

International Peace Garden

/ bigdiff / 2 Comments

What a beautiful place! A Canadian horticulturalist, Dr Henry Moore, deserves credit for the idea creating a peace garden—built during the Great Depression—on the Manitoba / North Dakota border. America has far more war memorials than parks devoted to peace. Chamizal on the Mexican border is dedicated to diplomacy, and Perry’s is both a war and peace memorial. As we begin a new year, we should not take peace and diplomacy for granted, given all we sacrificed in wars.

This affiliated park, a favorite of mine, is a neutral zone with the entrance between each country’s border security. You will need proper id either to continue on or to return to your home country after your visit here. The park is not far from the small town of Rugby North Dakota, which is the geographic center of North America. It’s a bit of a trek from the nearest US supercharger in Grand Forks, but there are a couple car dealers on the way that offer CCS charging if you have the adapter. Also, the park itself has a free electric 1772 car charger at the drop off entrance to the Conservatory, which has a massive collection of succulents donated by local enthusiasts.

Technically I missed the peak season, but as you can see above, there were plenty of flowers still in bloom at the end of September. There’s a long winding drive through the woods with lakeside picnic grounds below, a campground and a few cabins and more around the central border gardens. And if you walk the length of the formal garden above, the building at the end is the Peace Chapel, which is the perfect place to find inspiration and hope for peace in the quotes from famous leaders and philosophers carved inside its walls.

Rhode Island in Photos

/ bigdiff / Leave a comment

[Sorry for not following the alternate Saturdays posting schedule this week, but Rhode Island is such a small state that it slipped through my rigorous editing process. Enjoy the bonus state photo summary!]

The three parks above—Blackstone River Valley, Roger Williams and Touro Synagogue—are all in the Ocean State, as is part of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route. The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor extends from Providence to Worcester in Massachusetts, and includes Slater’s Mill (pictured) in Pawtucket.

Resolutions Old & New

/ bigdiff / 1 Comment

Happy New Year! First, let’s check off my New Year’s resolutions for last year. 

* President Biden named a new National Monument in Maine in December, so I will go back in 2025.

For 2025, here are my New Year’s resolutions.

So I plan to cross the country again this year in my electric car, seeing National Parks from California to Florida, World Heritage Sites from Canada to Mexico, and various lesser known but still important small sites. Logistical challenges or new park designations (thanks Joe) may thwart my plans, but I resolve to do my best.

The posting schedule should continue unchanged all year. Mondays are site visits. Thursdays are typically viewpoints and summaries. And every other Saturday I plan to post a state photo summary. Thanks for following along!

Historic District of Old Québec

/ bigdiff / Leave a comment

Québec is my favorite city in North America. I love New Orleans, Philadelphia and San Francisco, but there’s a certain je ne sais quoi. Probably the food. UNESCO may have picked it as a World Heritage Site due to its history, architecture, culture, beauty, fortifications, statues, parks, narrow old streets, churches, magnificent vistas, harbor, citadel, Haute-ville, Basse-ville, museums, galleries, Parliament, battlefield, archaeological discoveries, and all the rest, but it’s really the food.

Although the funicular (above) is fun too, and the old shopping district is colorful, amidst several fine restaurants. There always seem to be festivals in all seasons, concerts, and other excuses to try something new to eat or drink. If you want to get out of the city, you can go to Île d’Orléans, by bridge from the north side of the Seaway. They have farms, berries, cheese, bakeries, jam, chocolatiers, wineries, cideries, sugar shacks with maple syrup treats, and a microbrewery. Basically, much of what you eat in Québec City is from the island. As much as I enjoy going around shops and stands there, I prefer leaving all the work to each restaurant’s wait and cook staff, so I order many different dishes and sample the best of everything. Bon appétit!