Archive for the ‘Great Basin’ Tag
Sunset ignites the clouds around Mount Rainier’s summit in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. To see this, hike up to Glacier Overlook and enjoy wonderful views of forests, meadows, streams, mountains and wildlife. There’s so much to experience, you might even miss the marmots. Can you spot the one in this picture? Photo by Howard Snyder. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 5/22/16.
Southern Idaho’s Snake River plains are dissected by several deep river canyons that offer spectacular scenery and world-class bird viewing and photography opportunities. Close by is the Bruneau Canyon Overlook. It’s the only readily accessible spot from which to view this deep canyon and was recently protected by Congress as a Wild and Scenic River. The viewpoint provides a taste of one of the more remote corners of the U. S.: the Bruneau-Jarbidge-Owyhee River Canyon system. These canyons offer whitewater boating, fishing, hunting and unlimited exploring for properly equipped adventurers. Photo by Bob Wick, BLM. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 5/19/16.
Idaho’s Grand Teton National Park at sunset. Photo by Michel Hersen. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 4/26/16.
Sunset photo of the Bristlecone Pines in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park. Photo by Thomas Sikora. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/22/16.
In the shadow of Wheeler Peak at Great Basin National Park in Nevada, ancient bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines – creating a surreal and beautiful landscape. Bristlecone pines are the world’s longest living tree. At Great Basin, a 4,900+ year old tree was removed from the Wheeler Peak grove in 1964. Photo of Bristlecone Pine at sunset by Kelly Carroll, National Park Service. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 5/8/16.
The colorful landscape at Vermillion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona looks like an imaginary creation from a Dr. Suess book. In real life, the brilliant red, orange and white bands of Lollipop Rock – the iconic geologic formation of the White Pocket area – display enticing curves stretching to cloudless skies. White Pocket is a great area to check out as an alternative to The Wave. Photo courtesy of Scotty Perkins. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 4/25/16.
The perfect sunset at Virginia’s Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Heather Bautista. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/4/16.
Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, where it’s still winter. Photo by Karen Robinson. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 2/29/16.
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Great Basin National Park
Over thousands of years, Lake Superior carved out caves in the sandstone cliffs of the Wisconsin lakeshore. Today, when conditions are right, you can hike out across the solid water (ice) and see these remarkable formations clad in snow and ice at Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Photo of “The Keyhole” by Michael DeWitt. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 12/29/15.
In the shadow of Wheeler Peak in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, 5,000-year-old bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines. The area boasts some of the darkest night skies left in the United States, making for some great stargazing. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 12/30/15.
Low fog through Yosemite Valley and bright stars created this amazing moment at Yosemite National Park in California. Toby Harriman snapped this photo from the park’s Tunnel View. His favorite part of the photo: The climber’s headlamp that is visible mid way up El Capitan on the left. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 1/2/16.
Colorado National Monument preserves one of the grand landscapes of the American West. It preserves towering monoliths within a vast plateau and canyon panorama. Magnificent views from highland trails and the Rim Rock Drive stretch from the colorful sheer-walled canyons and fascinating rock sculptures to the distant Colorado River valley. You might even see a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Photo by Amy Hudechek. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 1/3/16.
Sunrise over Canyonlands National Park. Photo by Vivek Vijaykumar. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 1/3/16.
Utah’s Great Basin National Park in fall color. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 9/28/15.
An amazing view of Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park. During battles spread out over years, the Civil War raged on Virginia’s forests and fields. More than a 150 years after the guns fell silent, these battlefields — preserved for their historical importance — now serve as critical natural landscapes and habitat for wildlife. Photo by Buddy Secor, National Park Service Volunteer. From an article on the US Department of the Interior website, “Five Amazing Places Protected By the Land and Water Conservation Fund.”
The colorful hills, flat-topped mesas and sculptured buttes of the Painted Desert in Petrified Forest National Park are primarily made up of river sediment deposited over 200 million years ago. Erosion has shaped intriguing landforms and the rocks reveal an enthralling chronicle of time that is unfolding and ever-changing. From an article on the US Department of the Interior website, “Five Amazing Places Protected By the Land and Water Conservation Fund.”
Florida’s Everglades National Park. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 9/28/15.
Grand Teton National Park in the fall. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 9/30/15.
The Milky Way appears over the summit of Mount Rainier in Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park. The streaks of light on the Mount Rainier: those are climbers getting an alpine start and heading towards the summit. Photo by Stephen Byrne. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 6/27/15.
On a clear, moonless night, visitors to Great Basin National Park in Nevada can see thousands of stars, five of our solar system’s eight planets, star clusters, meteors, man-made satellites, the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Milky Way – all with the naked eye. The area boasts some of the darkest night skies left in the United States. The black sky, the purple landscape … beauty. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/17/15.
Balanced Rock at Arches National Park in Utah beneath the amazing Milky Way and night sky. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches, in addition to hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins and giant balanced rocks. This red rock wonderland will amaze you with its formations, refresh you with its trails, and inspire you with its mesmerizing night skies. Photo courtesy of Mike Mezeul II. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/24/15.
Stargazing is out of this world at Arches National Park in Utah. Photo of the Milky Way over one of the park’s many rock formations by Manish Mamtani. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 3/25/15.
North Maricopa Mountain Wilderness. Time lapse photography by Bob Wick of the BLM. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 3/30/15.
Located on the Colorado Plateau in northern Arizona, Vermilion Cliffs National Monument is a geologic treasure. This remote and unspoiled monument contains 280,000 acres of diverse landscapes — including the colorful swirling stone of the Wave (pictured here). Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior, 3/28/15.
The Milky Way over the Grand Canyon. Photo by Sophia Porter. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 3/12/15.
Here are the Halema’uma’u and Pu’u O’o craters glowing with the Milky Way above the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Photo courtesy of Nina McIntosh. Posted on Tumblr by the US Department of the Interior on 11/23/14.
Nevada’s Great Basin National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 4/10/15.
Near the 13,063′ Wheeler Peak, 5,000 year old bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines. Great Basin National Park. Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 5/23/14.
Where Is It: About 300 miles north of Las Vegas.
The Birth: The Park was established on October 27, 1986 by President Ronald Reagan.
It Happened Here: In 1964, before the Park was established, an ancient bristlecone pine, found to be more than 4,900 years old, was cut down for scientific research.
Size: 77,082 acres
# Visitors: Great Basin National Park reported record attendance in 2012: 98,540. Peak attendance was in July; January had the least attendance.
Plants: From the sponsored Great Basin National Park Sights page:
The bristlecone pines are the stuff of legends. True masters of longevity, they endure not centuries but millennia. On rocky slopes beyond the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, you can walk among trees that have kept their grip on life for two to three thousand years – some much longer than that. A bristlecone pine found here was determined to be the world’s oldest living thing: 4,950 years of age.
Great Basin bristlecone pines (Pinus longaeva) are remarkable for their great age and their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. In fact, it seems one secret to their longevity is the harsh environment in which most bristlecone pines grow.
Bristlecone pines in Great Basin National Park grow in isolated groves just below treeline. Conditions are harsh, with cold temperatures, a short growing season, and high winds. Bristlecone pines in these high-elevation environments grow very slowly, and in some years don’t even add a ring of growth. This slow growth makes their wood very dense and resistant to insects, fungi, rot, and erosion. Vegetation is very sparse, limiting the role of fire. Bristlecone pine seeds are occassionally cached by birds at lower elevations. Bristlecone pines grow more rapidly in more “favorable” environments at lower elevations. They do not achieve their legendary age or fascinating twisted shapes.
While bristlecone pines are the longest-living tree, scientists debate what is truly the oldest living thing. The creosote bush that grows in the Mojave Desert may be older. The cresote achieves its age by “cloning” new bushes from its root system. Yet bristlecone pines surely deserve our respect for not only surviving harsh conditions, but thriving in harsh conditions.
Animals: Animals common to the Park range from pronghorn antelopes to pygmy rabbits, from mountain sheep to marmots, from ringtail cats to ermine.
Choices: From Utah.com:
Great Basin National Park offers three major attractions:
- Wheeler Peak, a 13,063 foot mountain that towers above the Great Basin.
- Bristlecone pines, a unique tree that grows to an amazing age � some are thought to be up to 5,000 years old.
- Lehman Caves – beautiful caverns that penetrate deep into an underground world full of stalactites, stalagmites and other decorations.
The park is a great place to explore, hike, camp and see unique sights.
Fees: There is no entrance fee.
Staying There: There are about 100 camping sites which currently cost $10/night. There is no other lodging in the Park.
Contact Info:
100 Great Basin National Park
Baker, NV 89311
Park Headquarters: (775) 234-7331
Lehman Caves Tours Advance Ticket Sales: (775) 234-7517
In the shadow of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, 5,000 year old bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines. Photo: Karen Robinson (www.sharetheexperience.org). Tweeted by the US Department of the Interior, 11/19/13.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
From the Park’s Facebook page.
Palmer’s Penstemon grow to 5 feet high and can be found between 3500-6500 feet in elevation on roadsides, washes, and mountain slopes. From the Park’s Facebook page.
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National Park Service: Great Basin National Park
