Camping! One of my favorite family activities! The mountains, the lakes, the rivers, the wildlife, the great outdoors; who wouldn’t want to spend a few weeks in that, right? Now, I understand that some people may not like the thought of sleeping out in the middle of nowhere, with all the bugs, wild animals, trailer problems, popped tires, and wet sleeping bags because somebody touched the top of the tent while it was raining. But trust me, the scenery and the sights all make up for it! So, here are two of my favorite camping locations:
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park was founded in 1872 as the first national park in the world. Though it is not the biggest national park in the U.S.– that honor goes to Wrangell-St. Elias National Park with a whopping total of thirteen million acres– Yellowstone National Park is still a very large piece of land of about 2.2 million acres! One of the coolest attractions to see is the Old Faithful Geyser. Out of the 500 geysers in Yellowstone, only six can be predicted for when they are about to erupt and Old Faithful is one of them, with approximately twenty eruptions daily! The height of Old Faithful’s eruption is about an average of 130-140 feet, but it can also reach 180 feet high! The eruptions can last from about one in a half, to five minutes long.
Want a place to explore for a few hours while waiting for the next eruption? Check out the Old Faithful Inn! With just a three-minute walk to the geyser, it is an absolute must see! It is big and beautiful, with so many natural elements, as well as being known for being the biggest log structure in the world, featuring a 76-foot-tall lobby!
Before we go onto the next location, I want to mention a few more locations in this national park that are well worth seeing. Yellowstone is known for being one of the best places to spot wildlife. Specifically, Hayden Valley and Lamar Valley. Bison are the most common wildlife you will see in Yellowstone. They travel in herds, so it is not uncommon to see lots of them in one spot.
Mount Rushmore National Memorial
The Mount Rushmore memorial carving began on August 10th, 1927. After fourteen years of hard work and dedication, the carvings of the four most famous presidents were complete. Imagine being over five thousand feet from the ground, carving the faces of these four presidents, dynamite exploding here and there, the loud sounds of drills. I mean, there’s not really any room for mistakes. It sounds rather stressful in my opinion, but if they never had courage to do it, we wouldn’t have this amazing historical memorial! Each face is over sixty feet tall, and though you cannot get right next to the faces, the Grand View Terrace is the best place to view them.
Visiting during May 22nd and September 30th? Consider staying during the evening to see the lighting ceremony. It is an absolute must see! During the beginning of the ceremony, a park ranger will come out and give a ten-minute talk. After the talk, there will be a twenty-minute video showing the beautiful history of this monument. After the short film, the ranger will ask for those who retired from or are still in the military to come to the stage. As they lower the flag, a tear or two may be shed as you look upon those who risked their lives for our country. It is a truly beautiful ceremony, and I highly recommend planning your visit to Mount Rushmore around this time.
Camping can bring joy to many people. Nothing beats lying in your sleeping bag listening to the birds chirping in the early morning light; driving up mountains and looking over beautiful, green valleys; spotting a wild animal; and of course, cooking your own meal over the campfire! Living out in the wilderness for a few days is a wonderful way to learn to appreciate God’s beautiful world!
