·:[ National Park Reservations Blog ]:·
• • • • •

vacation in Mesa Verde National Park

Have you ever dared to wonder what lies hidden in the hills of Mesa Verde National Park in Utah? What lurks in the ancient cliff dwellings of the mysterious Anasazi? Where did these simple people go after they left these protected dwellings? Take a vacation in Mesa Verde National Park and find the answers out for yourself!
Deemed as a national park in 1906, the Mesa Verde National Park has over 52,000 acres of protected land and features more than 4,000 known archaeological sites. Included in these sites are more than 600 cliff dwelling sites for our discovery. Mesa Verde is the only national park entirely devoted to the protection of the works of humans.

Step back into history and visualize mesa-top pueblos, pit houses, and subterranean  kivas jutting from the cliffs for the excited viewer. Dating all the way back to 500 AD, the Puebloans (or Anasazi) built magnificent communities on these cliffs as they developed from the hunter-gatherer lifestyle to the calmer, largely agrarian lifestyle. These mesa-top pueblo villages were built under the protection of the cliffs for the safety of the families. However, for reasons still unknown, around the year 1300 AD the residents left their homes, leaving their story behind for us to bring to the light once again.

A vacation in Mesa Verde National Park means numerous adventures into the life of the Anasazi. Discover the wonder for yourself of the intricate Cliff Palace where the towers, walls, and underground kivas spark your curiosity. Wander over to the Balcony House, which is only accessible by a 32 foot ladder, and inspect the inner dwellings. Let your imagination carry you away as you explore the magnificent Long House, Step House, and the Spruce Tree House.

Your vacation in Mesa Verde National Park will be a treasure you will never want to forget. Stay a couple nights at our fabulous hotels and relax while you play! Make sure you make your lodging reservations early to beat the rush of people! Call one of our reservation agents at 1-866-875-8456 today and we will be more than happy to assist you with your lodging needs.

Death Valley National Park is a region of singularity, with a distinctive landscape and unique character all it’s own.

Offering a stark contrast to many of Americas other national parks, Death Valley caters to those who are looking for an escape from the ordinary, and a refuge from cold temperatures in other parts of the country.

One thing that Death Valley is known for is it’s warm temperatures. June is the driest month inside the park, and temperatures during the summertime range in the upper 90’s and low 100’s during the day, and often cool into the mid 60’s to mid 70’s during the night time hours.

Due to the extreme temperatures, Death Valley sees most of it’s visitors in the late fall, winter and early spring. During the winter months, Death Valley offers a “safe-haven” from the cold, for many ‘snow-birds’ from across north America.

Winter temperatures are much more pleasant with daily highs in the 50’s and 60’s, and cool nights that can dip into high 20’s and mid 30’s. Light snow showers are not uncommon on the valley floor during the wintertime, although the snow is usually gone by mid morning.

February tends to be the wettest month inside the park, with the majority of that precipitation falling as rain.

Death Valley National Park is a large park, 1 1/2 times the size of Delaware and there is a plethora of sights to see, and fun activities to enjoy.

Mountain biking is a popular activity within Death Valley National Park all year round. Mountain bikers flock to Death Valley in the winter months when other biking hot-spots from around the country are covered in snow.

Hiking is also a popular activity within the park. However one should use caution when hiking inside Death Valley National Park, especially during the summertime when the temperatures can be extreme.

Death Valley National Park comprises more than 3.3 million acres of spectacular desert scenery, rare desert wildlife, complex geology, undisturbed wilderness and sites of historical interest.

There are more than a half-dozen ghost towns in the region that provide a glimpse into Death Valley’s historic past. Panamint City for example is a postcard right out of a western movie. Known as one of the toughest and most rowdy little “hell-holes” that ever passed as a civilized town, Panamint City was actually founded by a couple of outlaws who were hiding out from the law in the Panamint Mountains. While hiding out, these outlaws discovered silver in Surprise Canyon, and traded in their outlaw ways and set down roots in the area by founding the town of Panamint City.

The life-span of Panamint City was short and sweet. The town experienced the height of it’s boom in 1874 when there were approximately 2000 residents in the area. However by the Fall of 1875 the boom was over, and a year later a flashflood swept through the area and destroyed most of the buildings in the town. Today, the ruins of Panamint City can be accessed via a 5 mile hike from Chris Wicht’s Camp, which is located about 6 miles northeast of Ballarat, another popular ghost town in the area.

To learn more about Death Valley lodging, activities and tourist attractions, visit NationalParkReservations.com/deathvalley.htm . There you will find a complete listing of lodging options both inside the park as well as near the parks perimeter. You can also learn more about Death Valley’s many ghost towns and other tourist attractions.

Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park has many stories waiting to be told, and a world of beauty that can renew and bring peace to the body and spirit.

Shenandoah National Park is a sanctuary for more than 100 varieties of trees, 200 species of birds, and 1,100 species of flowering plants.  Surrounded by such unbelievable beauty and tranquility it is hard to believe, when you are hiking or driving through Shenandoah National Park, that you are barely an hours drive from the hustle and bustle of our nations capital.

Shenandoah National Park lies in a picturesque setting high above the classic American panorama.  Consisting of 300 square miles stretched out along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park is a precious reminder of the great hardwood forest that once blanketed the northeastern United States. This area is full of trails for biking and hiking or even a nice drive along the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Blue Ridge Mountains make up a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Range.  The Blue Ridge Mountains got their name from the hydrocarbons that are released into the atmosphere from the trees that cover the mountainsides.  These hydrocarbons when released into the air produce a distinctive bluish haze in the atmosphere.

The beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains stretch between two of Americas favorite national parks, connecting Shenandoah National Park and the Great Smokey Mountains.  One of America’s most beautiful stretches of highway, the Blue Ridge Parkway also runs through the area between Shenandoah Park and Great Smoky Mountains.

To learn more about Shenandoah National Park and discover what lodging and activity options await you there, visit National Park Reservations online at http://www.NationalParkReservations.com/shenandoah.htm or call one of the friendly and helpful agents at 1-866-875-8456.

If you are interested in other vacation travel destinations across America and around the world, visit the adventure travel blog at TravelingAdventure.net.