Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

When I first decided to come out to California to work for a few months (that extended to an over 10 month stay!) I made a list of places that I wanted to see before I left.  Near the top of my list were both the Channel Islands National Park and Sequoia National Park.  I went to the Channel Islands very quickly after getting here and as my time is winding down, I knew I had to get to Sequoia as well.  When I learned that Sequoia became a national park on September 25th, which happens to be my birthday, I knew that a great way to celebrate turning another year older would be at the park with my birthday buddy.

Sequoia National Park is a little hike from Sacramento, about a 3.5 hour drive to the closest city to the park, so immediately after work the destination was set for Visalia.  Saturday morning the drive to the park was a bit over an hour and as we got closer the trees started to get bigger.  There are always the really big trees that are named but what amazes me the most are the ones that you can walk right up to and feel how tiny we are in comparison.  I love that the trees can burn from the inside out so that they are hollow but still have this massive presence.  It is amazing to think of how many people have passed by and admired those trees simply by how long they have survived.  I walked through tree trunks, wandered through huge groves of trees and walked up to amazing view points.

On Sunday, I headed into Kings Canyon National Park.  It is adjacent to Sequoia and is also home to some of the massive trees but is also home to a great canyon that splits through the park and is awe inspiring on its own.  Unfortunately, time was a bit limited on Sunday as I still had to make the drive home and be ready for work on Monday.  After waiting to see this park and building it up in my mind, it did not disappoint. There was something spiritual and majestic about the parks.  I kept whispering while I was there and I couldn't figure out why.  It just seemed like such a peaceful place and talking at normal volume would disturb the peace some how. Sometimes it is good to feel small and peaceful and this park definitely did that for me.

Whitefish, Montana

I had been so excited about this trip since I first found out that my best friend since preschool was getting married in Whitefish.  I had wanted go up to visit her and see the area but never quite found the right time for us both so her wedding was not to be missed!  The trip turned out to be a bit different than I had originally planned after an unforeseen life change a few days before I left, but I wouldn't trade the amazing experience that I had.

I got off the plane when I arrived Saturday afternoon and headed straight for the sports bar.  My Gators were playing and I still had time to catch the 4th quarter.  You know...priorities. After cheering for a win, I checked into my hotel and later met Jen for dinner in Kalispell.  We ate at a restaurant called 406 Bar and Grill which had delicious small bite plates we could share including truffle mac and cheese, cheese stuffed dates, and really good oysters.  Catching up with a life long friend over a delicious dinner and a glass of wine after 5 years of not seeing each other was a perfect way to start the trip.

The trip was during the first week of October so whether the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier National Park would be open was already a bit iffy but after forest fires ravaged part of the park in the weeks before I got there, the road had already been closed from the west entrance.  I went to the west side of the park to check out Lake McDonald.  The water is crystal clear with colorful rocks lining the bottoms and I have seen many photos of it in the past so was excited to see it for my own eyes.  After walking and taking a lot of my own photos, it began to drizzle.  I drove a bit more around the east side of the park, as the drizzle started to become full blown rain, then I decided to go ahead and head into Whitefish for a beer and some Sunday football.  I ended up at the Craggy Range for some local beer and some delicious bison meatballs.  So good, in fact, that I ended up back there again for another round of meatballs later in the week.  They also have one of those ice strips around the bar to sit your beer on so that it doesn't get warm.  Really good cold beer and bison meatballs made for a great second day in town.

Lake McDonald

Whitefish is a quaint little town with a friendly cast of locals and those who have migrated there for the charm and welcoming feeling of the town.  Downtown has 3 or 4 blocks of shops, restaurants and bars with the kind of kitshy stuff you expect in any tourist town including anything huckleberry flavored that your heart desires. I stayed in the Firebrand hotel downtown.  A nice boutique hotel with a hot tub and deck on the top floor overlooking downtown and a bar downstairs that kept a lively vibe but still imposed a quiet time after 10 pm so you can get your sleep.

View of downtown Whitefish from the top of the Firebrand hotel

I spent a few days getting to do wedding stuff with Jen and spending time with her family, which I think I probably spent as much time with her family as I did my own growing up.  There is something about spending time with people who, even though you haven't seen them in years, it is like no time has passed.

I drove back to the west side of Glacier to spend more time and see Lake McDonald in the sunshine as well.  The drive over to the east side of the park should have taken about 2 hours but the drive itself was incredibly beautiful and I kept pulling off to take pictures and driving slowly because I was just simply in awe of the view.  The first time the snow capped peaks of the mountains came into full view I literally gasped it was so beautiful.  The fact that the trees were beginning to change colors and were vibrant yellows with occasional punches of red just added to the beauty.  On the east side of the park I stopped at a waterfall and did a short hike to get there before driving on to Two Medicine Lake.  It was a great time of year to be there because it was not crowded at all and it was easy to find peace and quiet and feel like I was alone and had this magnificent park to myself.  I did a couple of other 1 mile hikes and never saw a soul on them.  Just me and the chipmunks :)  And probably the bears but I never saw one.

Some of the beautiful scenery on the drive to the east side of the park

Two Medicine Lake

The view from my hike

Big sky country

The crowning jewel of the trip was definitely getting to see Jen marry her love and the happiness that they share.  They got married at the Whitefish Bike Retreat and the wedding was true to who they are.  I cannot imagine a more perfect wedding for them and was happy I got to witness it and spend some time with them in their new life.

The beautiful bride and me