We’re heading out of Texas now towards Houston, with its sky scrapers made of shiny steel and sheets of glass, shimmering in the afternoon sun, full of promise and success, built...

  It is a land of huge expanses. Of dusty, arid deserts bordered by dry mountain ranges. Of tans and browns and greens and blues. Of skies that make you feel...

TANQUE VERDE RIDGE TRAIL HIKE It was a beautiful day in the desert here in Saguaro National Park outside Tucson Arizona. We were heading into the park to go hiking which...

David asked me the other day if I was the “glass half empty” or “glass half full” kind of gal. I was surprised by his question and maybe a little more...

CLICK ON claeysroaddiaries.com link for all the photos. The Desert Museum, located just outside Saguaro National Park (west), is more than the name implies. Ranked as one of the top 10...

(The pictures up above include a number of other cacti besides the easy to identify Saguaro cactus) There’s no way to ignore the ecology of each of the National Parks, and...

Petrified Forest National Park is one of our last stops before the “Holiday Break” in Las Vegas, as if we actually needed a break from our travels. It will be a...

Go to claeysroaddiaries.com for all pictures and full description DEATH VALLEY We skipped Death Valley National Park during the summer because of the intense heat and crowds, and figured that the...

With the exception of some of the parks in Alaska, Great Basin National Park is probably one of the most remote in the lower 48. Whether you choose to head to...

Our one-year journey on the road has been filled with nothing short of the amazing. Mostly the amazing encounters we have had with Mother Nature in our national parks. We have...