Z for Zion National Park #BlogchatterA2Z

 Zion National Park 

Zion is one of the most popular national parks in Utah. Many say it's the best out of the Mighty Five in Utah.

For me, Bryce Canyon National Park is the best. But Zion is unique in its own way.

Zion Canyon, which is an average of 2000 feet deep, offers numerous hiking trails with astonishing views.

While Narrows and Angels Landing are the most popular trails, The Subway is considered the most challenging.

Angel's Landing trail is considered very challenging and requires a permit and fitness to hike it. Walking through narrows with knee-deep water between the canyon walls is a unique experience. 

Here is our travelogue for Day 1 and Day 2.

This is one of the best views from the Canyon Overlook Trail.

Until next time,

PS:

So, that's the last post of this year's BlogchatterA2Z. It is never easy to write and publish one post a day for the whole month. It needs a lot of planning. I have written most of my posts, planned ahead, and scheduled most of them. 

It took some time to decide which places I should write about for each letter, but then, there is no stopping. I really enjoyed this challenge. 

Thanks to the Blogchatter blogging community for the support and encouragement. I got to read many wonderful posts from different bloggers along the way as well. 

Congrats to all the bloggers who completed the challenge 👍 It's not easy with our everyday responsibilities, but we all did it :-)

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

Other A2Z Posts:

A for Arches National Park

B for Bigbend National park

C for Capitol Reef National Park

D for Disney

E for Escalante National Monument

F for Fort Davis

G for Great Smoky Mountains National Park

H for Hot Springs National Park

I for Idaho Springs

J for Jackson Hole

K for Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

L for Las Vegas

M for Monument Valley

N for Niagara Falls

O for Orlando

P for Pikes Peak

Q for Quiet and Secluded

R for Rocky Mountain National Park

S for Santa Fe

T for Talimena Scenic Drive

U for Utah

V for Vermont

W for White Sands National Park

X for Xtreme Weather

Y for Yellowstone National Park

Z for Zion National Park

Y for Yellowstone National Park #BlogchatterA2Z

 Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming 

There cannot be any other choice for letter 'Y'. Yellowstone is very unique as it has a variety of places that attract anyone.

Geothermal springs, waterfalls, snow-capped mountains, lush forests, wildlife, and gushing rivers. Which other place can have all of this beauty in one place?

We have spent around 5 days in Yellowstone, covering each part of the park and attempting multiple trails. We are amazed, and we will go there again if we can. That vacation stayed in our minds forever with many beautiful memories.

We might have stretched ourselves and hiked more than 6 miles a day. There is a lot to see. 

Here is our overview of Yellowstone Trip.

Read the detailed Yellowstone travelogue below:

Yellowstone Itinerary Day #1 - Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and West thumb geyser basin

Yellowstone Itinerary Day #2 - Midway Geyser Basin and Grand Prismatic Spring Overlook

Yellowstone itinerary Day #2 (Part 2) - Upper geyser basin and Lower geyser basin, Old Faithful

Yellowstone Itinerary Day #3 - Mammoth Hot springs, Roosevelt Arch, and Norris geyser basin

How is that color? That's one of the viral photos on social media, and mind you, there are no filters applied. It's original without edits. That Grand Prismatic Spring geyser looks amazing and unreal!

Until next time,

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

Other A2Z Posts:

A for Arches National Park

B for Bigbend National park

C for Capitol Reef National Park

D for Disney

E for Escalante National Monument

F for Fort Davis

G for Great Smoky Mountains National Park

H for Hot Springs National Park

I for Idaho Springs

J for Jackson Hole

K for Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

L for Las Vegas

M for Monument Valley

N for Niagara Falls

O for Orlando

P for Pikes Peak

Q for Quiet and Secluded

R for Rocky Mountain National Park

S for Santa Fe

T for Talimena Scenic Drive

U for Utah

V for Vermont

W for White Sands National Park

X for Xtreme Weather

Y for Yellowstone National Park

Z for Zion National Park

X for Xtreme Weather #BlogchatterA2Z

 X for Extreme Weather 

Ok, I cheated with X a bit, but I couldn't find any places starting with X. :-)

We have been to many places with extreme weather. Let me share with you such stories.

Hail:

They say it is always a bad time to hike in the mountains in the afternoons. This is due to the extreme and unpredictable weather in the afternoons. 

We were returning from the Pikes Peak summit(Colorado) on an afternoon. The sky was filled with dark clouds quickly, and we saw a golf ball-sized hailstone hitting our car window very hard. Fortunately, nothing happened, and the hail stopped after some time. That was a unique experience.

Hail
Image by LoraPalner from Pixabay

Snow:

We drove through snow a lot of times. It can be very dangerous when black snow is formed on the roads. 

Cars might skid, and braking might not work immediately. It is always important to maintain a distance from the car in front and go slowly. Once we saw a car just before us skidding to the side of the road while braking. It was scary. All cars were at a speed of around 50 miles per hour.

Lightening, Thunderstorms, and Heavy rain:

It is tough driving during a thunderstorm. We once had to drive during a severe thunderstorm. The rain was so heavy that the wipers couldn't wipe water fast, and visibility was very poor. A Lightning strike very near to us made it even scarier. 

We also saw a whirlwind/twister in a field while driving on the road. Fortunately, we were at a safe distance.

Image by NoName_13 from Pixabay

High winds:

Winds can be dangerous when mixed with snow / wintery weather. We experienced such weather while walking on the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado in Winter(956 feet above the Arkansas River). 

The winds were so high that we couldn't walk with our eyes open, had to walk holding the rails with our eyes closed, wind pushing us back. It was very tough. 

All these experiences make me realize that nature is not only beautiful, but can also be powerful and dangerous.

Until next time,

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

Other A2Z Posts:

A for Arches National Park

B for Bigbend National park

C for Capitol Reef National Park

D for Disney

E for Escalante National Monument

F for Fort Davis

G for Great Smoky Mountains National Park

H for Hot Springs National Park

I for Idaho Springs

J for Jackson Hole

K for Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

L for Las Vegas

M for Monument Valley

N for Niagara Falls

O for Orlando

P for Pikes Peak

Q for Quiet and Secluded

R for Rocky Mountain National Park

S for Santa Fe

T for Talimena Scenic Drive

U for Utah

V for Vermont

W for White Sands National Park

X for Xtreme Weather

Y for Yellowstone National Park

Z for Zion National Park

W for White Sands National Park #BlogchatterA2Z

 White Sands National Park, New Mexico 

White Sands National Park, located in a desert in New Mexico, is home to the World's largest Gypsum sand dune. The park is accessible via an 8-mile drive. 

White sand, which is soft and like fine powder, looks very bright on hot days with sun rays reflecting on it. A great place for sand sledding. 

Put on sunscreen, Googles, and sled through the sand! Both kids and adults can enjoy sledding. Since the sand is very soft, there won't be any injuries, and you can enjoy sledding safely.

A lot of fun for sure!

Here is our travelogue.

Until next time,

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

Other A2Z Posts:

A for Arches National Park

B for Bigbend National park

C for Capitol Reef National Park

D for Disney

E for Escalante National Monument

F for Fort Davis

G for Great Smoky Mountains National Park

H for Hot Springs National Park

I for Idaho Springs

J for Jackson Hole

K for Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

L for Las Vegas

M for Monument Valley

N for Niagara Falls

O for Orlando

P for Pikes Peak

Q for Quiet and Secluded

R for Rocky Mountain National Park

S for Santa Fe

T for Talimena Scenic Drive

U for Utah

V for Vermont

W for White Sands National Park

X for Xtreme Weather

Y for Yellowstone National Park

Z for Zion National Park

Lenny The Little Explorer - A Day of Adventure by Milo Rivers - [Book Review]

 Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

Book Details:

Title: Lenny The Little Explorer - A Day of Adventure

Author: Milo Rivers

Genre: Children's Picture Book, Children's Fiction

Publisher: Independently published

Print Length: 27 pages

Recommended Age: Baby to 4 yrs

Source: A copy from the author for review

Blurb:

Join Lenny, the lovable little fox, on his exciting journey through the forest in this heartwarming adventure! Perfect for toddlers and preschoolers, "Lenny the Little Explorer" is a beautifully illustrated story that sparks imagination, curiosity, and a sense of wonder.

This gentle, feel-good story, with its soft pastel illustrations and friendly characters, encourages young readers to be brave, kind, and adventurous, just like Lenny. Ideal for bedtime reading or quiet afternoons, "Lenny the Little Explorer" is sure to become a family favorite.

Key Features:

Engaging story perfect for ages 1-4
Interactive moments that invite children to participate in the adventure
Gentle life lessons about friendship, curiosity, and courage
Soft pastel illustrations with a warm, childlike fantasy feel

Whether you’re introducing your child to the joy of reading or looking for a magical new story for your collection, "Lenny the Little Explorer" is a charming tale that kids will want to read again and again!

Purchase Link:

Amazon

My Review:

This is about the little fox Lenny. She ventures out beyond the meadow to explore for a day-long adventure. She meets a wise Owl, a squirrel, and a bunny.

There are some good life lessons and skills to learn from her new friends for Lenny.  

What do I like about the book?

The cute and lively pictures—wow, the expressions on faces are so clear—the innocent but brave Lenny, the silly squirrel, and the cute bunny. The illustrations and the pastel colors are a big plus for this book.

I love that the story imbues the importance of making new relationships and helping strangers.

Lenny is not only a curious fox but also transparent and helpful to others. This book is perfect for bedtime reading and is good for little kids up to 4 years age.  

The title is apt, and the book cover is very nice. 

My Rating: 5/5

PS: I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Until next time,

V for Vermont #BlogchatterA2Z

Vermont

Vermont is a state in the northeastern part of the United States. It has thousands of acres of mountain terrain with many hiking trails and skiing options. 

It is very popular for the scenery during the fall season. This is part of the New England region and is a major producer of Maple Syrup. Vermont is also famous for Ben & Jerry's Ice cream.

We visited Vermont during the fall season, and so far, that's the beautiful fall foliage I have seen in the USA. 

A few beautiful places to see in this Green Mountain state are - Mount Equinox skyline drive(the longest privately owned toll road in the USA with spectacular mountain views), Colchester Causeway (a narrow causeway across Lake Champlain, great for bikers and hikers)...

Here is our travelogue.

Fall colors are amazing. Do you see 3 colors in the same tree?

Until next time,

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

Other A2Z Posts:

A for Arches National Park

B for Bigbend National park

C for Capitol Reef National Park

D for Disney

E for Escalante National Monument

F for Fort Davis

G for Great Smoky Mountains National Park

H for Hot Springs National Park

I for Idaho Springs

J for Jackson Hole

K for Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

L for Las Vegas

M for Monument Valley

N for Niagara Falls

O for Orlando

P for Pikes Peak

Q for Quiet and Secluded

R for Rocky Mountain National Park

S for Santa Fe

T for Talimena Scenic Drive

U for Utah

V for Vermont

W for White Sands National Park

X for Xtreme Weather

Y for Yellowstone National Park

Z for Zion National Park

U for Utah #BlogchatterA2Z

 

Utah

Utah has 5 beautiful national parks called 'The Mighty 5'.

Utah is famous for gorgeous landscapes with natural sandstone rock formations like arches, buttes, spires, and mesas. This is also home to many lakes, and snow-capped mountains. It is a hiker's paradise and nature lovers' favourite destination.

One of my friends said Utah is the most beautiful state, so far from what he has seen in the USA. Even for me, it's the best so far. So much variety in the landscape, vegetation, and miles of free land with hiking trails and serenity.

Here are some of our Utah travelogues:

•  Utah Vacation plan
•  Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park
• Zion National Park - Part 1
• Zion National Park - Part 2
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
• Capitol Reef National Park

This is from Bryce Canyon. Those formations are called 'Hoodoos' :-)

Until next time,

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

Other A2Z Posts:

A for Arches National Park

B for Bigbend National park

C for Capitol Reef National Park

D for Disney

E for Escalante National Monument

F for Fort Davis

G for Great Smoky Mountains National Park

H for Hot Springs National Park

I for Idaho Springs

J for Jackson Hole

K for Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

L for Las Vegas

M for Monument Valley

N for Niagara Falls

O for Orlando

P for Pikes Peak

Q for Quiet and Secluded

R for Rocky Mountain National Park

S for Santa Fe

T for Talimena Scenic Drive

U for Utah

V for Vermont

W for White Sands National Park

X for Xtreme Weather

Y for Yellowstone National Park

Z for Zion National Park

T for Talimena Scenic Drive #BlogchatterA2z

Talimena Scenic Drive, 

Oklahoma to Arkansas

We love mountains and scenic drives. We could find this last year when we explored the scenic drives nearer to Texas. 

This 54-mile scenic byway is around 3.5 hrs from Dallas. This drive connects Mena, Arkansas to Talihina, Oklahoma. The best time to visit is the fall season. This area's Peak fall foliage times are around the last week of October to the first week of November.

There are 22 scenic viewpoints to enjoy the beauty of panoramic views and it takes 1 hr 15 mins to travel from one end to the other. Queen Wilhelmina State Park offers beautiful views and hiking trails. 

Here is our travelogue.

Until next time,

I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z

Other A2Z Posts:

A for Arches National Park

B for Bigbend National park

C for Capitol Reef National Park

D for Disney

E for Escalante National Monument

F for Fort Davis

G for Great Smoky Mountains National Park

H for Hot Springs National Park

I for Idaho Springs

J for Jackson Hole

K for Kasha Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

L for Las Vegas

M for Monument Valley

N for Niagara Falls

O for Orlando

P for Pikes Peak

Q for Quiet and Secluded

R for Rocky Mountain National Park

S for Santa Fe

T for Talimena Scenic Drive

U for Utah

V for Vermont

W for White Sands National Park

X for Xtreme Weather

Y for Yellowstone National Park

Z for Zion National Park