National Park Service – Mary Rice's blog

October 17, 2019October 17, 2019

Fall in the Rockies

A couple weekends ago my sister and I went to Estes Park, Colorado and the Rockies to catch up and enjoy some photography together. I had never ventured west of the Mississippi to photograph fall, but wanted to capture some of those beautiful Aspen I’d often seen in others’ images.

Here’s some of what we saw in Rocky Mountain National Park just a few days before its first snow.

Aside from the picture perfect scenery, the air was cool and crisp and sometimes cold and windy, especially on the Trail Ridge Road. I don’t have any images to show from up there because the 12,000 + foot altitude made that part of the trip brief. Down in the lower elevations we enjoyed seeing the very large racks on the bull elk, although Park Rangers were quick to caution there had been two attacks on tourists in recent weeks so we kept a respectable distance.

I nevertheless got a few pictures of elk. The two below were taken from our car window. These elk were just hanging out on our hotel’s lawn.

All in all it was a great trip – great to finally see fall Aspen trees through my own lens, great to see some of the treasured landscapes preserved by the National Park Service, and great to be connecting again with my sister and Mother Nature.

Thanks for following my blog. I hope you also find time to get out and enjoy this beautiful time of year.

August 7, 2018August 7, 2018

in an Oregon state of mind

Don and I spent some time in Oregon in June. Neither of us had been there before. Here are some quick take aways:

it has an incredibly diverse landscape;
it seems like everyone has a dog and takes the dog(s) with them everywhere they go;
Road signs say “Speed 60” instead of “Speed Limit 60.” Why no limits in Oregon?
They don’t let you pump your own gas and gas stations often close at dusk;
Seafood, beer, wine, fish hatcheries, logging, and Les Schwab Tire Dealerships seem to dominate the landscape (btw Les Schwab did a great job patching two flat tires for us);
Oregon appeals to a lot of outdoor enthusiasts and photographers (ask Don about breakfast with the professional windsurfers sometime); and, be sure to remember this last one …
the Oregonians we met and spent time with clearly love Oregon and appreciate what they’ve got.

So what photograph(s) do I share?

Well, at this point, only two.

So because Oregon is such a dog loving state, we’ll start with “Fetch.”

“Fetch” was taken in Joseph, Oregon, in the heart of what is called Oregon’s “Little Switzerland.” The mountains in Joseph look a lot like the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. I was sitting on a boat dock when a woman nearby started throwing a ball in the lake for her yellow Lab to retrieve. I went over and started talking with her and then made friends with Kona. Good times.

This second image was taken on the Oregon coast, I think near Newport.

I like the whimsical nature of this image. Often I look up at the clouds and think about the shapes they make. The boulders in the background of this image also invite you to imagine. Is that a dragon back there? Or maybe a clone of the Loch Ness monster?

It’s never been a goal of mine to visit all 50 states but when I took a silly Facebook quiz many years ago I realized I had then been to 40+ states and so started considering it. This trip made Oregon my 48th state to visit. What’s left? North Dakota and Hawaii. Will I visit those states? I don’t know.

Sure, I like to travel, but in recent years I’ve come to realize that while it’s fun to visit new places, lasting contentment does not come from travel; it comes from appreciating wherever you presently are.

A couple nights after coming home from Oregon I did a photography session with newborn twins. As I looked around at the location the parents had chosen, it occurred to me, particularly in that golden hour of light, that the setting was as beautiful as any I had encountered in Oregon, and I was so lucky to be there, in that place, with that family, in that moment.

That state of contentment where you appreciate where you currently are – it’s the only state you really must visit.

Thanks for following my blog and joining me as I remember our time in Oregon and think like an Oregonian.

August 26, 2017

Happy 101st birthday to the National Park Service!

It’s possible Don and I are National Park Service (NPS) junkies. We’ve spent a lot of time visiting national parks.

I used to think it was Don’s endearing Clark Griswold-ish dad qualities that landed us summer after summer in a national park. For example … after Scott’s college graduation in 2015, do you know what we did? A 4,320 mile road trip to visit six national parks. Not kidding. With a teenager and a Millennial in the car. I still remember the kids and me trying to persuade Don before leaving that maybe you’ve planned too much this time, dear. But Don persisted, and we did it, and we loved it. Since then I’ve taken several trips on my own (you can draw your own conclusions on that), and now I’ve grown to realize it’s not just Don who loves the parks. We both do.

So let’s take a look at a sampling of park offerings.

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These photographs were taken in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. The Smokies are the most visited national park. Last fall wildfires swept through and claimed 14 lives and more than 26 square miles. The good news? The sites you see above were not affected and the park is still thriving. This is a great place to take your family.

Next …

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These photographs were taken at White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. The NPS website describes White Sands as “like no place on earth.” I went with a photography group. The temperatures can be extreme and it’s easy to get lost. You can take your family, but if you’re going for photography, expect to hike pretty far in. People and animals leave footprints and trails everywhere.

If I had more time and/or a quicker system to retrieve archived photographs, I’d show you Arlington Cemetery or Ellis Island or the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial to make the point that the NPS not only oversees parks with great natural beauty, but also man-made sites that honor and preserve America’s cultural heritage. You want to experience something so moving you’ll never forget? Visit Arlington Cemetery on a day when a horse-drawn carriage brings in a fallen soldier to rest. Oh the power of quiet, respect, dignity, and grace …

Well, with the NPS celebrating its 101st birthday this week, it’s a good time to review some quick fun facts:

Did you know there’s a national park in every state?
and if you’re aged 62 or over, the cost of the lifetime senior pass increases from $10 to $80 tomorrow?
and 4th graders receive free admittance?
and so do current members of the military and their dependents?

So many opportunities!

I hope you can visit one of the parks this year. I’ll be the first to admit that food and lodging can sometimes be challenging, but it’s only a temporary challenge. The memories you come home with will last a lifetime.

For more information, please visit https://www.nps.gov.