Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (Empire, Michigan)

Even though we've stayed in Northern Michigan many times now, this is the first year we visited the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, a US National Park encompassing a 35 miles stretch of Lake Michigan's eastern coastline and the Manitou Islands. Established for its outstanding natural features including forests, beaches, dune formations, and ancient glacial phenomena, the Park also contains many cultural features including an 1871 lighthouse, Coast Guard Stations, and an extensive rural historic farm district. There are over 100 miles of trails available for walking, biking, or cross-country skiing in the winter. In 2011 the area won the title of "The Most Beautiful Place in America" from Good Morning America, and it isn't hard to see why once you've spent time hiking the dunes, swimming in the lake, camping out, or winding your way through the maple and beech forests.

 

Haleakala National Park, Maui

As luck would have it, our visit to Maui coincided with the October 2013 16-day government shutdown, and almost prevented us from visiting the Haleakala National Park. We berated ourselves for not visiting the park when we first got here and had the chance, as each day went by and it looked like the mess in Washington D.C. would never get resolved. But finally on October 17th, the House approved a bill to raise the debt ceiling, the National Parks opened back up, and on October 19th we took the 38-mile drive to the summit within the Haleakala National Park. The tallest peak of Haleakala ("House of the Sun") is Pu'u 'Ula'ula ("Red Hill"), and towers above the clouds at 10,023 feet. The road to this summit holds the world record for climbing the highest elevation in the shortest distance, starting at sea-level and passing through five distinct climate zones along the way. Unfortunately we seemed to experience just one climate zone the day we went - cloudy! Even though we made it to the top, the clouds never cleared off enough for us to get a view of the Haleakala Crater, or the other Hawaiian Islands visible from the top on a clear day. Still, it wasn't a wasted trip. The drive up provided stunning views; we were able to see the space observatories; and we saw the rare and beautiful Silversword (ahinahina) plant, a threatened species that only grows above 6000 feet, and the only place in the world it lives is on the slopes of Haleakala. A very popular tourist activity on Maui is to be driven to the top of mountain, then provided a bicycle for an exciting downhill ride. But we were more impressed with the few cyclists we saw who were actually riding their bicycles up the hill - now that's an accomplishment! Even though our visit to the National Park wasn't all we had hoped for, we're still glad we took the time to go. Here are some pictures of our trip.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Established in 1916, the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is a big draw for visitors to The Big Island. It encompasses two active volcanoes, Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and Mauna Loa, the world's second most massive volcano. Kīlauea and its Halemaʻumaʻu caldera were traditionally considered the sacred home of the volcano goddess Pele, and Hawaiians visited the crater to offer her gifts.

The park encompasses diverse environments that range from sea level lava-made coastlines, to the summit of Mauna Loa at 13,677 feet. Climates vary from lush tropical rain forests, to the arid and barren Ka'u Desert. Lava flows as recent as 2002 cover portions of the Chain of Craters Road that runs throughout the park, providing tourists unique picture taking opportunities.

The closest place to observe a volcanic eruption within the park at present is from the Halema'uma'u Crater, best viewed from the Jaggar Museum overlook. During daylight, the robust plume of volcanic gas is a constant and dramatic reminder of the molten rock churning in a lava lake beneath the crater floor. After sunset, Halema'uma'u continues to thrill visitors and park staff with a vivid glow that illuminates the clouds and the plume as it billows into the night sky.

Other noteworthy features within the park are the numerous steam vents, dotting the landscape with plumes of hot, slightly sulfuric steam emanating from deep beneath the ground; ancient underground lava tubes visitors can walk through like a cave; and the Pu'u Loa petroglyphs, a vast area covered with incredible images carved in the hardened lava.