BLOGGERS' CELEBRATION OF THE NATIONAL PARKS, LASSEN VOLCANIC PARK

My garden friend Pam Penick, invites us to share our stories of visits to National Parks during the month of October. The link is here If you would like to share your trip to a National Park leave a comment on her posting and a link to the park you have visited. Your visit will  be added to the original list of parks. This would be your only opportunity to visit  the parks today because they are all closed. Foreign visitors must be as disappointed as I was the first time I went to Paris and the Louvre was closed for a strike.

During the early 80s, traveling in our VW camper, our family visited almost every National Park in the west. Now with a larger and more comfortable vehicle we find ourselves retracing our footsteps. Two years ago on our return from the Seattle Garden Bloggers' Fling, we crossed into Lassen Volcanic National Park. It was one of the parks we had never visited. We settled ourselves on the campsite for a couple of days and prepared for some hiking and wildflower spotting. I knew it was going to be good because we were at altitude and it had been a very late summer as you will soon see.

LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK
 You might think we were in Texas with these pretty bluebonnets but they are a lot taller than the ones that grow in my part of Texas. (Did you know that Texas has 6 bluebonnets and they are all considered the State flower).

It is a surprise to see this yellow one, although I have seen ones with mixed yellow and blue flowers.

Our first hike took us up to the place where we could see volcanic activity, with fumaroles and mud pots and stinky sulphurous air are reminiscent of Yellowstone National Park. The land laid to waste by unfavorable growing conditions.

But first we had to cross snowfields with deep snow and well worn packed trails. I sure am glad I had my hiking boots, poles and sun glasses. It is a warm day and it isn't long before I take off my jacket.

Later we pass semi-frozen lakes. Sorry David, no fly fishing today!

This is one of the lesser known National Parks situated in Northeastern California and boasting the largest plug dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. It last erupted in 1915.

We spent 2 days in the park, hiking the trails and enjoying the clear mountain air and the cool nights. Here are a few photos in celebration one of our great National Parks.

Mountain goat!

This boulder was moved here by the action of a glacier.

There were plenty of scenic hikes from windblown mountain tops.

to forests with rushing streams.

False hellebore.

Rock penstemon

Early morning views of Mount Lassen from Manzanita Lake.

I enjoyed my trip down memory lane. I hope you did too. Let's hope the parks will soon be open again for all to enjoy.

WHERE IN THE WORLD AM I?

I'm hiking on the trail where flowers are blooming, but where? You might think I was in Texas with these pretty bluebonnets,

...But wait a minute, bluebonnets flower in Texas in the spring and this is August.

and I have never seen yellow bluebonnets in Texas, so I can't be in Texas.

But surely this has to be Yellowstone, with fumaroles and mud pots and stinky sulphurous air. But I am not in Yellowstone.

Here's another clue.

Deep snow and packed trails. I sure am glad I had my hiking boots, poles and sun glasses. Alaska?

Sorry David, no fly fishing here!

If you haven't guessed yet, I'm in Lassen Volcanic National Park. This is one of the lesser known National Parks situated in Northeastern California and boasting the largest plug dome volcano in the world, Lassen Peak. It last erupted in 1915.

We spent 2 days in the park, hiking the trails and enjoying the clear mountain air and the cool nights. Here are a few photos of one of our great National Parks.

Mountain goat!

This boulder was moved here by the action of a glacier.

Death cammas.

Penstemon

Early morning views of Mount Lassen from Manzanita Lake.

YELLOWSTONE THEN AND NOW

In 1981 we had just moved from Canada to California. We spent every available weekend and holiday, traveling in our VW camper, visiting the National Parks, some on our doorstep and some further away. In the late summer we went to Yellowstone.

This summer 28 years later, our eldest son, standing next to his dad, traveled from Taiwan with his wife and daughter to join us on a return visit to Yellowstone .

There are two faces to Yellowstone park. The stinky, smelly, barren landscape with mud pots and fumaroles of hissing steam.

And the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone river with crashing pounding waters and rugged walls capped with fir trees.

This is the photograph we took this year

Here is the one I took in 1981. Not much difference.

We stayed in the Madison Campground which is close to the west entrance to the park. Our granddaughter toasted marshmallows.

From the this location we headed out to visit all the different features in the park.

Emerald Pool in Black Sand Basin.

Boiling water flowing into Firehole River.

In 1981 the buffalo stampeded across the field.

This time we only saw them peacefully grazing the lush summer grass.

Even in the more barren parts of the park wildflowers were growing. Here the fringed gentian, designated the official Yellowstone Park flower.

Hare bells.

We waited at Old Faithful for the show!

We stood well back from the crowds as the geyser blew.

At Mammoth Hot Springs we donned our sunglasses to view the blindingly white travertine formations.

Fishing Cone, at the West Thumb at the West Thumb Geyser basin on Yellowstone Lake, photographed in 1981.

Just a taste of all the wonders that await the visitors to Yellowstone National Park.