Monty's Musings

St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park

A trip to Glacier National Park offers the awe-inspiring beauty you have always dreamed of in a refreshing and unique vacation. Traveling in an RV to this wonderland of peaks and meadows is the perfect getaway for the whole family this summer. Wildlife is abundant, wooded slopes invite you into their depths for a nature hike and the fresh air stimulates and excites as nothing else can.

It is the Going-to-the-Sun Road that is the true adventure in a Glacier National Park trip. You get 50 miles of absolute gorgeous vistas and diverse landscapes. Lakes, glaciers, mountains’ majesty – the sights never stop. Glimpsing the mountain goats and bighorn sheep is a real thrill. You can’t forget your camera on this trip or you’ll end up buying another so you won’t miss a shot.

St. Mary Lake graces St. Mary Valley and you will want to stop and view Virginia Falls while here. The region around this lake has been the home of Native Americans for centuries. Stop at the St. Mary Visitor Center and get more education about the tribes who lived here and those that still exist. Many award-winning and amazingly varied performances happen at the visitor center throughout the summer.

You will find one of the Glacier National Park campgrounds will be just the place for you to make your base of operations while visiting the park. Different campgrounds take different lengths of RV motorhomes, so you can choose depending on the length of yours. The campground that takes the longest RVs is Apgar, accommodating those up to 40 feet long.

Of course, the park is named for the numerous glaciers here, and these glaciers are what formed the park as you see it now. They carved the bowls and created the moraines of today. The very heart of the park is at Many Glacier where you can get up close and see these magnificent wonders of nature.

If you want to get out and hike, Chief Mountain is the place to do it! Some of the trails are pretty strenuous, but you will find some are not so tough. To get to the mountain, you will have to cross Blackfeet land. There are tribal regulations in place, so be sure to find out what they are before you embark.

One breathtaking view after another is available at Logan Pass. This is the highest point in the park and you will most certainly want to make it to the top. The meadows are blooming with lovely wildflowers and you may even glimpse a grizzly bear. Two great trails are in the area that you can hike – the Hidden Lake and the Highline trails.

The largest lake in Glacier National Park is Lake McDonald. You will find plenty of outdoor fun at this lake, particularly hiking. The best trails here are the Trail of the Cedars and the Avalanche Lake Trail. Once you enjoy the spectacular views you can move on along Going-to-the-Sun Road to the end, but your trip will never end because you’ll carry memories of it with you forever.

Picture credits: The picture of St. Mary Lake in Glacier National Park is from the Wikimedia Commons. It is in the public domain.

The Salmon River

An RV trip along the Salmon River provides an excellent vacation, a way to enjoy the Salmon River Scenic Route in a unique manner. You will be creating a vacation to remember. And this is the perfect time of year to travel this gorgeous byway, too. June is a great time to move along this river road and gaze out into the wilderness to enjoy watching the wildlife. You can carefully navigate the two-lane road and find the peace that only the Idaho backcountry can provide.

Begin your adventure in Stanley, Idaho. This is a mecca for outdoor recreation, such as rafting, biking, horseback riding and fishing. The community is filled with friendly folk who will answer your questions and point you to the best eateries. Here you will also find guides if you wish a guided fishing trip or other exciting excursions.

You will take Idaho 75 out of Stanley and head for the Land of the Yankee Fork State Park to visit a special place where history comes alive. Naturally, there are plenty of opportunities to get outside in the forest and find recreational fun. Don’t forget to stop at the Custer Historic Mining Town, a ghost town within the historic area. There are a number of buildings from the mining era. Stop in the gift shop and pick up some mementos.

Another sight to see is the Yankee Fork Interpretive Center. Try your luck at the gold panning station and enjoy the many museum exhibits. You can really get the feel of earlier times when you watch the audiovisual programs offered. Those of all ages enjoy those! Not far away you can also visit the Challis Bison Jump Site which is a fascinating place indeed.

When you reach Challis, Idaho you may want to stay awhile. More outdoor adventures await! Fishing is marvelous and the clear and flowing Snake River gives you the ideal fishing environment. You can take off and hike to the higher mountain lakes if you desire, or you can fish right near town. Hook some cutthroat, brook or rainbow trout. Challis is also a birding paradise and you’ll see sandhill cranes along the river and watch as bald eagles fish the cold waters. The Pioneer RV Park in Challis is the ideal place to stay while you visit. They have lots of space and full hookups.

In Salmon, Idaho, stop at the Lemhi County Historical Museum. Get a new understanding of the American West as you tour the museum and see the numerous artifacts. You will get tastes of the Shoshone culture, the gold mining days and aspects of ranching in this area. There are a number of photos coming from the Chinese people who arrived here when gold was discovered.

The Tower Rock Recreation Site should come next on your itinerary. This is where Lewis and Clark camped and you may feel their spirits in the forest greenery and the blue skies above. Trout fishing is great here and you can catch steelhead and trout. You will even find RV sites, and although there are no hookups, it is an amazing place to camp in an RV.

A must-see is the Tower Creek Pyramids, a site that Lewis and Clark visited in the early 1800s. The geological formations viewed by Clark were spelled “pirimids” in his journal. Sit on the banks of Tower Creek and have a picnic. This is a spot to shed all cares and get back to nature.

William Clark’s Reconnaissance is a three-paneled interpretive sign along the byway. You will find it fascinating to stop and read the history of Clark’s observations and what the Down River Reconnaissance was all about. Even though you are nearing the end of this adventure, sometimes the beauty of the area takes you suddenly by surprise and you think seriously about moving here.

The final stop on this trip is the Lost Trail Pass which is located at the far north end of this wonderful Salmon River Scenic Byway. This is right on the Montana border and soars 6,995 feet above sea level. Spectacular views of rocky cliffs and forested hills make this a place to stay for a little while and enjoy.

This scenic route offers so much in the way of beauty and the presentation of some of the natural wonders of our world. To experience it all again, drive back the way you came for a new viewpoint. And come back soon to do it all over again.

Picture credits: The picture of the Salmon River is by Fredlyfish4 at the English language Wikipedia. It is from the Wikimedia Commons and is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Blue Ridge Parkway in the Fall

North Carolina and Virginia offer some gorgeous sights for the RV vacationer. The best route for enjoying the views is the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is really no better way to experience these Eastern forests, mountains and blooming flowers. Attractions are numerous and just waiting for your visit.

Traveling north on the byway begins in Asheville, North Carolina. Tour the art community and discover some amazing history by seeing the Biltmore Estate, a 250-room French Renaissance chateau. And if you love to wander garden trails go over to the North Carolina Arboretum. You will see a bonsai collection there that will have you yearning to learn that art.

Take your time as you head north on the parkway. The overlooks allow you to gaze out on the diverse landscapes of the Great Smoky Mountains. When you reach Spruce Pine, North Carolina, stop at the Museum of North Carolina Minerals to look over the hundreds of minerals and gems that were found in this area. Kids with you? They will love the interactive displays at this museum, but so will the grownups.

You will most certainly want to explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park while here. The outdoor recreation in this park has no equal anywhere else. The rushing rivers and panoramic views serve to remind us of the fragility of our natural world and urge us to get out and enjoy it anytime we have the chance. You can hike, bike and fish here until your heart’s content.

Take a guided tour of the Linville Caverns when you reach Marion, North Carolina on your journey. This is an attraction you won’t want to pass up as you are getting the unique opportunity to explore the inside of a mountain! Then you will continue on into Virginia to stop at the Natural Bridge. Hike the Cedar Creek Nature Trail. Be sure to begin conversation with the staff at Monacan Indian Village to find out what life was like here more than 300 years ago.

You will find all kinds of options for RV camping as you travel the Blue Ridge Parkway. Plan ahead and scope out where you’ll stay as you move south to north. Each RV park is unique and all have great amenities.

The best time of all awaits you in Shenandoah National Park. Take Skyline Drive for some breathtaking vistas. Don’t miss any one of the incredible overlooks. And don’t forget your camera! Cascading waterfalls in the park are a favorite and many come just to see them.

There is really no end to all the outdoor recreation, marvelous wilderness views and wildlife you can enjoy in Shenandoah National Park. You would think that this is the perfect ending for a perfect vacation. However, one more thrill is ahead. In Front Royal, you can stop to get a guided tour of the Skyline Caverns. This has been a wonderful adventure and you are welcome back again any time for a fun RV vacation.

Picture credits: The picture of the Blue Ridge Parkway is by the National Park Service.

NASA Picture of the Outer Banks

A wonderful adventure for those who love the ocean, history, cultural exhibits, and gardens – the list goes on. An RV vacation to the North Carolina Outer Banks provides it all. Relax to the sound of the Atlantic Ocean pounding the shore, the quiet nights and the calm sunny days. The northern beaches of the coast and the fascinating islands all give a visitor an experience that can be found in no other place. RV Camping is plentiful, too, on the Outer Banks, and you have a wide choice of campgrounds that will accommodate RV motorhomes.

The outdoors enthusiast will love checking out Cape Hatteras National Seashore. You can beachcomb for shells of incredible variety, birding is the best, and paddling the inlets is an opportunity to see all sorts of wildlife. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is a must-see while you are here. You can climb to the top if you are ready for an extremely strenuous climb, much like climbing the stairs in a twelve-story building. Within the boundaries of Cape Hatteras National Seashore you’ll find four campgrounds, all accommodating RV motorhomes.

Learning about wildlife is always a great thing, and you can find out so much about our natural world at the Outer Banks wildlife refuges. At Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge in Nags Head, you can wander the trails and see upland, wading and shore birds. Salt Flats Trail and North Pond Wildlife Trail are ideal to get into the natural environment and watch wildlife in their normal habitat. Would you like to see larger wildlife? At Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge you may spot some black bears, wolves and you will definitely see some alligators.

Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Jockey’s Ridge State Park is a wonderful destination for hiking on some self-guided trails. You can witness some of the tallest sand dunes in the U.S. here. A wonderful place to get away from it all! Try your hand at hang gliding here as well! Now is your chance! Kite fliers, here is the ideal place to practice your hobby!

The Nature Conservancy at Nags Head Woods Preserve is a maritime forest where you can hike on a trail that fits your level of ability. There are hikes that are easy and some that are strenuous. Choose the best one for you. This barrier island contains some unusual animal and plant life. Then be sure to stop at the Wright Brothers National Memorial to discover where Wilber and Orville Wright had their first successful flight. At the visitor center you can see some historic displays and other exhibits and educational movies.

The Fort Raleigh National Historic Site is one spot that visitors make it a point to see when traveling the North Carolina Outer Banks. At the north end of Roanoke Island, this park illuminates the early drama of the Lost Colony, and you will love to see all the many sights available here. The mystery of these lost colonists is still not solved, but perhaps you may get an idea as you tour this park.

Explore Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo if you love the Elizabethan period, or even if you don’t really know what that is. This 16th century garden commemorates the lost colonists. In fact, this is where those colonists lived before they disappeared forever. Enjoy the beautiful camellias, hydrangeas and other native plants.

Now for a unique time at Roanoke Island Festival Park. This is a family attraction which lies on the island and provides a view into what life was like for the early settlers. Be sure to see the Island Adventure Museum and the Elizabeth II sailing vessel which shows how those settlers traveled to this land. The ship is a representation of one of the seven ships that traveled from England to the New World in the late 1500s.

Another fascinating attraction is the George Washington Creek Boat Shop, a working boat shop where you can see for yourself how boat construction is accomplished. You must also stop by the Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and gaze out to sea as the early light keepers did so long ago.

An RV trip along the Outer Banks is certainly something to experience. It is an adventure those of all ages can enjoy. The sparkling Atlantic Ocean, the sandy beaches and crashing waves are only one small part of North Carolina’s coastal wonders. You will want to come back again to enjoy all the Outer Banks has to offer.

Picture credits: The picture of the Outer Banks is from the Wikimedia Commons. It is in the public domain. The picture of Jockey’s Ridge State Park is from the Wikimedia Commons. It is in the public domain.