Destination: Great Basin National Park

Great Basin National Park, located near Baker, NV was established in 1986 and at the time of this publication there is currently no entrance fee.  This relatively new park offers a little of everything for outdoor enthusiasts including children.  Rising out of the surrounding desert sagebrush and salt flats, Great Basin NP is a wonderful example of a desert mountain island.  Great Basin, once an inland sea, has been drained and uplifted by tectonic movement thousands of years ago.  This movement of land created ranges and flat plains surrounded by vast ranges.  Water contained in the Great Basin has no outlet to the sea and all water, whether by rain, evaporation/condensation or snow, eventually drains to the lowest point in the basin.  The movement of the draining water created cave systems, the most famous of which is Lehman Caves located in Great Basin NP.

Destination: Needles District, Canyonlands National Park, UT

Backpacking in Canyonlands National Park is a surreal adventure for someone used to hiking in and around trees during backpacking trips.  I had only been to the desert on a few other occasions but this was the first backpacking trip.  Luckily I had someone with me knowledgeable in the area.  Canyonlands is a unique park made of of three very distinct regions divided by the meeting of the Colorado and Green Rivers.  Island in the Sky which is to the north and located between the rivers boasts expansive views of the La  Sal, Abajos and Henry Mountains to the east, south and southeast.  The Maze district, located to the west of the Green River boasts itself as a 30-square mile region of sandstone puzzle.  The Needles, located to the east of the Colorado River, contains many stunning rock formations such as Druid Arch, the needles themselves and canyons to traverse.  We only had time to explore the Needles district on this backpacking trip.