10 Days, 4 National Parks

Four national parks down! Trisha here. Chuck is still in South America for another week and I am journeying westward solo. Well, westward is maybe a simplification as I am actually navigating a swooping "U" shape across these lands. I am now firmly planted in Texas for the next couple of days. Aside from possession of marijuana being chargeable as a felony and the number of road-killed animals... oh, and the Trump supporters, alien and climate change conspiracy theorists, the general trashy wasteland, and rampant racism... Texas seems ok. Plainly speaking, I am on edge here, but doing my best to stay relaxed.

Enough about Texas. The more interesting parts of my journey were north of here in the four national parks I visited over the last two weeks. I started in Shenandoah National Park where the foliage was gorgeous, I took a walk with a park ranger through an alpine meadow, and I watched the sunset over the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

Sunset from Skyline Drive!

You can see why they call them the Blue Ridge Mountains - so many shades of blue.

I have arrived! Just in time to catch some glowing foliage during the sunset. I did end up arriving to my campsite in the dark which made backing-in a horrible endeavor. Fortunately, my neighbor was a tow truck driver who took pity on my situation and helped guide me in with some flashlights.

Magic

   Alpine meadow ranger walk (left)  + N.P. water bottle from MIL Patrice and book from bestie Kate! <3 (right)

Before the sunset

Next up: New River Gorge National Park. I just so happened to be in this park for Bridge Day! Bridge Day is the only day each year when pedestrians can legally walk across the New River Gorge Bridge. It is also legal (and encouraged) for people to rappel and BASE jump from the bridge on this day. It was amazing! The view of the bridge and from the bridge were both equally stunning. In addition to catching bridge day, I explored some waterfalls, beaver habitat, and took a quiet walk in the woods. 

View from the bridge

New River Gorge Bridge

(If you want to see some videos of BASE jumpers, let me know! I will send them to you)

Next up, where I spent the most time, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This park literally brought me to tears with its beauty on multiple occasions. Beyond the incredible sights, this park is rich in geologic, biologic, and human history! I learned about much of this history through the book pictured above (thanks Kate!) and the park rangers (an incredible resource in every park). Though I had some misadventures here (including a very rude woman who came charging into my campsite and some camper mishaps), my time was not overshadowed by these less-than-ideal happenings. 

Some highlights of my time in the Smokies include watching the sun rise from the highest point in Tennessee - Clingmans Dome, watching the elk awaken from slumber as the mist surrounded them, biking through the woodsy trails, cold plunging in Deep Creek, and taking 2.5 hour horseback ride through the trails in the southern part of the park. 

Sunrise and smoke

 

        I have arrived! (Left) Bike ride! (Right)

 

View from Clingmans Dome

The weirdly futuristic yet retro Clingmans Dome Observation Tower

Oh, hello elk family!

The elk awaken to the misty dawn

 

Horseback riding near Smokemont Stables

And last, but not least: Hot Springs National Park. This park is unique in that the main attraction is not a trail or scenic drive, but Bathhouse Row: eight bathhouses constructed during the early 1900s in Arkansas. The hot springs in the area have been capped and captured in order to control the springs and direct the waters toward the bathhouses and public fountains in the town. The water that comes forth fell as rainwater 4,000 years ago! That's how long it takes for the water to seep 8,000 feet below the Earth's surface and reemerge as 135* water from the hot springs - mind-blowing! I visited Buckstaff Bathhouse, the only bathhouse on the row to be in continuous operation since the early 1900s (1912 to be precise). The experience there is meant to replicate the experience of  the bathers of the early 20th century in the "golden age" of public bathing. Photography is not allowed within the bathhouse as people are naked or wrapped in toga-style sheets, but I have included some images from the museum that show the type of facility that I experienced. 

 

Hot springs around town

Here I am!

Old Army and Navy Hospital - now abandoned.

Views from the promenade above Bathhouse Row - the green enclosures are where springs are capped in the lawn to the left of the pathway.

Inside the bathhouses:

My locker is as far as my phone could go.

These are from the museum, but are exactly like the ones used the Buckstaff Bathhouse. 

On the left: the tub that is filled with slightly cooled (about 103*) mineral water for a 15-20 minute bath. Mine also had an old "whirlpool" machine. On the right: a sitzbath (I skipped that part) and a steamer - everything but your head is enclosed in the metal box while steam is released (about 5 minutes spent in there - like a mini sauna).

Another view of the steam box.

The bathhouses were decorated and so fancy! 

Ceiling in the museum - this was in the men's bathing chamber.

Another bathhouse fountain.

And that's it for National Parks so far! Other than exploring the parks I have been driving A LOT, doing camper yoga, and stopping off at random spots - like the Lodge factory store/museum! 

The collection is growing! Patches in the camper from national parks :)

For Kyle

Camper yoga

Lodge! So much cast iron

Golden Hour