Redwoods are the tallest trees in the world. These majestic giants tower over nearly all over species of tree—the closest I’ve seen was the giant eucalyptus trees of Tasmania, which are almost as tall as the redwoods. Tasmania’s trees aren’t quite as impressive as the redwoods in California mostly because they’re hardwoods and have a …
Yellowstone National Park is not only the first national park in the United States but the first national park in the world. Created in 1872, Yellowstone has held its position as the greatest of the parks in North America. It was also one of the first 12 sites to be named a UNESCO World Heritage …
Yosemite is one of the major parks in the U.S. and one of the first national parks in the U.S. Park Service. The Yosemite Valley is one of the most photographed and special places in the country. If I had to come up with a shortlist of places to visit in the United States, this …
I’ve arrived in the islands of Haida Gwaii in the Canadian Pacific Northwest. It is an area which doesn’t get a lot of visitors and few people are familiar with it. It is a shame because it is one of the most special places in North America. 1) Haida Gwaii exists If you’ve looked at …
If you’ve ever looked at a large cactus, you have probably pondered the question “what does the inside of a cactus look like?” It is hard to look at the spiny, pleated exterior of one and not wonder what is beneath. How does it stand? What does it look like inside? Wonder no longer – …
In 1846, the United States and Canada signed a treaty to finalize their border. It set the 49th north line of latitude as the border from the Lake of the Woods in Minnesota/Manitoba to Puget Sound in Washington/British Columbia. As part of the deal, the British were able to keep Vancouver Island south of the …
Kootenay is adjacent to two other national parks: Banff (which borders to the east) and Yoho (which borders to the north). It is also a component of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. As with Yoho, there is one primary highway which runs through the park, and everything you’d want to see …
In what is becoming an annual thing for me, I’ll be starting on another North American road trip soon. Compared to my road trip around the western US and Canada last fall, this should be relatively short. I am pretty apprehensive about this trip. My father left the hospital this week was placed in a …
Great Basin National Park is one of 60 sites in the United States with a national park designation, and one of 4 National Park Service Sites in Nevada. Its name is derived from its location in the Great Basin which consists of most of the state of Nevada, western Utah, and parts of southern Oregon. …