Happy Thanksgiving from Western National Parks, I hope your day is filled with family, friends, and lots of love. Enjoy the outdoors if you can, too!

One of my very favorite Western National Parks is Muir Woods, located north of San Francisco in Marin County. Why? Because it’s such an oasis of peace and tranquility located just minutes away from one of the busiest cities in the nation. It’s a beautiful redwood forest on the coast, and even when the weather is sweltering, Muir Woods is cool, calm, and a world away from cell phones and rush hour.

Muir Woods is a walker’s park. There are six miles of trails throughout the park, and that’s the best way to see and experience this park. Walk a trail (some are paved and perfect even for wheelchairs and strollers), sit on a park bench, and simply enjoy the peace and serenity of this wild place.

In summer, the park can be crowded, and parking is limited, so your best bet is to take the shuttle that runs between the Sausalito Ferry, Marin City, Manzanita Park and the Ride Lot inside the park. You can’t picnic or ride a bike in the park, but you can take a leisurely walk and get back to nature, right on the edge of The City! 

Located in Southern New Mexico on the Mexican border, Carlsbad Caverns is another one of those National Parks that caters to the winter visitor. Winter temperatures can be cold, and you can encounter snow, but not as much as in many other western parks. The caves are open year-round, and there are guided and self-guided tours available every day of the year except December 25.

Inside the cave it’s always 56 degrees, no matter what time of the year, so bring a jacket or sweater for your cave tour! Oh, and if you visit between Memorial Day and Labor Day, don’t miss the bat flights at dusk, they are a highlight of the trip for many visitors. 

Ok, so it’s not a National Park (yet, anyway!), but it just may be a local national wonder. Outdoor retailer Cabela’s has opened a new store in Reno, and it is taking the area by storm. The first day of business, was Friday, Nov. 16, and estimates indicate that over 45,000 people flooded the store on opening day.

If you’re not familar with Cabela’s, they are an outdoor mega-merchant that carries everything from hunting gear to camping gear and even holiday special foods, like smoked meats and such. The reason their stores are so popular is because they offer more than just retail, they offer a taxidermy display, live aquarium with native fish, and actually are more of a destination location, rather than just a retailer. If you want to check out the Reno store, take Interstate 80 West to the Verdi/Garson Road exit (the Boomtown exit), and follow the signs (and the traffic!).

Mesa Verde National Park, in southwestern Colorado, is one of those lesser known parks that’s just a jewel in the National Park system. The park highlights the life and homes of the ancient Native Americans, the Anasazi, who lived in the area until around 1300 or so.

Many of their cliff dwellings are open for tours, and visitors can also see museums, hike ancient trails, and learn more about these ancient Pueblo people. It is amazing to stand above these cliff dwellings and realize they were occupied so long ago, and since this park is a little less traveled than many other western parks, you’ll have the chance to see more of the park with less parking and conjestion woes!

If you’re heading to the Grand Canyon, no matter what time of year, don’t miss sunset, it’s one of the things on your “to do” list that shouldn’t be overlooked. Sunset over the Grand Canyon is a magical time, where color, light, and shadow all play important roles.

The best place to watch the sunset at the Grand Canyon is any point along the West Rim Drive. Hopi Point is great, but it’s also one of the most crowded, so if you want more peaceful viewing, head further out, toward Yaki or Pima Point, or even further.  If you’re traveling from December through March, you can drive the Hermit Road yourself, and choose a pull-out or other area to enjoy the view, but in the summer, you’ll have to rely on shuttle buses. Get out, walk along the rim, find a sheltered spot, and enjoy the sunset, it’s spectacular!