Denali State Park, Alaska

Intro: Denali State Park is really, really big — at 325,240 acres, it’s half the size of Rhode Island!

The park was established in 1970, and expanded in 1976. On the western side it shares a boundary with the similarly named, but much more developed, Denali National Park and Preserve, formerly Mt. McKinley National Park.

Famous for: Denali is the original name for Mt. McKinley. At 20,320 feet, Mt. McKinley is North America’s highest peak. It literally and figuratively towers over South central Alaska from its base in Denali National Park.

Admission: Denali is such a huge park that there are a variety of day, season and annual pass options. See the Alaska State Park Fees page for information about the specific activity you have planned.

Individual Fees:

* Nightly camping: $10 to $20 per night
* Daily parking: $1 to $5 per vehicle
* Boat launches: $10 to $15 per day
* Sanitary dump station: $5
* Firewood: $5 to $8 per bundle where available
* Guided tours of historic sites: $2 to $10

Families with young kids will like: seeing so many wild animals, even from your car.

Families with teenagers will like: Getting out and getting active in the great outdoors. There’s something for everyone, from hunting and fishing, to photography, animal watching, hiking, cycling, dog sledding, boating, canoeing, rafting & kayaking,…if you can do it in a flannel shirt and a pair of hiking boots, you can do it in Denali.

Other travelers will like: “Flight seeing” — a popular way to see the icy expanses of Alaska is from the windows of a small plane or helicopter. See bears from a safe distance!

Easy site seeing: This is pretty rugged country, but it’s easiest to do a drive up George Parks Highway, the major road link between Anchorage and Fairbanks, that divides the park.

Best hotel in the park: Has yet to be built, but a visitor center is in the works for the southern part of park.

Best campground in the park: The park operates three campgrounds, four viewpoints and five trailheads. The park also offers three public use cabins available for rent on Byers Lake. But if you’ve gone all the way to Alaska, you should really go all the way and do some backcountry camping, which is allowed any anywhere along the ridge trail. Just remember to camp away from the trail, avoid spots where others have camped, and bring a stove, because campfires are not permitted on Kesugi Ridge.

Worst lodging experience: Just be careful of bears! Use bear proof containers for your food, and read up on Safety Tips!

Best months to visit for weather: June through early September, but you can catch some pretty cold, wet weather at higher elevations. Be prepared, this isn’t a trip to the beach!

Best months to visit to avoid crowds: The nice thing about a park the size of Denali is that crowds aren’t really a factor. That said, the peak months of June through September will also be the most visited times. For a true adventure, check out the park in the winter!

Nearest major cities: 130 miles north of Anchorage by car, about 100 air miles north of Anchorage, Alaska.

More info can be found at the Denali State Park page

Related posts:
Denali National Park & Preserve
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge
Alaska National and State Parks
Lake Clark National Park

Photo courtesy of: Denali State Park

A rustic sign welcomes you to Franconia State Park, NH

Intro: One of the most famous parts of 1-93 is the eight mile stretch that winds between the Kinsman and Franconia mountain ranges, and through Franconia Notch State Park.

Franconia Notch is home of the famous Old Man of the Mountain, which could be seen from two spots on the highway until it crumbled after nearly two centuries. The park is filled with easy to get to, family friendly activities, like the Flume Gorge Visitor Center, the aerial tramway at Cannon Mountain, and the New England Ski Museum.

You can swim at Echo Lake, fish at Profile Lake, bike on the Recreational Trail, go rock climbing, see wildlife or hike on the Appalachian Trail. Read More »

Frozen mamoth Baby Lyuba at Chicago's Field Museum

Nothing fascinates kids like poop.  Just the idea occupies their little minds to the point that all they can do is squeal or giggle whenever the term comes up.  Take advantage of that curiosity and head to Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History and Museum of Science & Industry, where they can learn about animal poop and the science behind it.  The “Poop To Power” display at the Museum of  Science & Industry, explains the process of recycling animal manure on farms and the “Name That Poop” interactive game at the Field Museum unravels the info that scientists gather from animal poop. Read More »

Prairie Beach, Humboldt County, CA

Intro: Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park offers hiking, nature study, wildlife viewing, beach combing, picnicking, a visitor center with year-round exhibits and a nature store. You can see Roosevelt elk, do some whale watching, and see interesting birds like the spotted owl and the marbled murrelet.

And of course, there are 75 miles of trails in and around the Northern California Redwood forest.

Famous for: being a sanctuary of old growth coast redwood trees.

Admission: $8/vehicle

Families with young kids will like: The visitor center with exhibits, the easy trails and glimpses of wildlife.

Families with teenagers will like: Seeing the redwood forest that was the location for Endor in Star Wars.

Other travelers will like: The range of hiking trails, from the 1 mile Loop through Fern Canyon  to the 6.5 mile, 500 foot elevation Gold Bluffs Beach trail.

Easy site seeing: Many trails are accessible to individuals with physical or visual limitations, as well as the Nature Store and Visitor Center with exhibits open year round

Best hotel in the park: None, if you don’t want to camp, check out hotels in nearby Eureka, CA

Best campground in the park: The visitor center & Elk Prairie Campground, located at the southern end of the Parkway.

Worst lodging experience: getting caught in the cold summer fog without warm clothes. You may think it’s summer time, but imagine you’re packing for London in the winter, just in case.

Best months to visit for weather: October in Northern California is ah-mazing. In the summer temps run 40-75 degrees, and it’s cooler along the coast. Morning & evening fog is common. In the winter, 35-55. Dress for rain November to May.

Best months to visit to avoid crowds: You’ll see loads of locals whenever the weather is nice on the weekends, year round. Non-school vacation days during the week will be less busy.

Nearest major cities: The park is 50 miles north of Eureka and 25 miles south of Crescent City.

More info can be found at the always helpful California state park site for Prairie .

Related posts:
Fort Humbolt State Park, Eureka, CA
Samoa Dunes Recreation Area, Eureka, CA
Lassen Volcanic National Park
Redwood National Park

Photo courtesy of: California Coastal Records Project