Preparing for the 2019 Campaign

The trail warms

As we lazily saunter into July’s dog days, my thoughts turn to the next chapter in the VATNPP program — a multi-park adventure through several Southwestern parks. The exact itinerary is not yet set. In fact, many of our trips’ itineraries have only a hint of order, even as we begin driving.

In general, we like to have at least one night’s worth of lodging secured, so we do make hotel reservations for the first night or two. After that, things can be a little, um, fluid.

Flexibility is helpful because the parks are all different. You might get to a park, thinking it’s small and perhaps you’ll see it all in a day, but it turns out that it’s a hidden gem. Great Basin is one such place — diverse, interesting, less busy and charming in surprising ways.

This trip’s plan is broadly two weeks in the Southwest and a week in Hawaii, to see these places:

• Big Bend

• Carlsbad Caverns

• Guadalupe Mountains

• Saguaro

• Joshua Tree (a repeat visit, because it’s wonderful)

• Hawaii Volcanoes (A repeat for B, a first for J)