On our third day in Alberta, we explored more of Banff National Park. There is so much to see. Nature is incredible. Pictures really don't do justice to what it's like seeing it with your very own eyes. One thing we wished though as we drove is for more viewpoints or pullouts along the road, so we can stop and take in the spectacular scenery. Even so, it was a beautiful drive; even the wild animal crossing bridges are beautiful. As the road was widened, these crossings are an ingenious idea to make the road safer for both wild animals and motorists. Wild animals are more likely to use these bridges rather than underpasses. BOW LAKE Alas, we found the first viewpoint, just right by the road. This was the most accessible viewpoint we found in Banff National Park, with a spectacular landscape. The Bow Lake, located on the left side of the Icefields Parkway when going north, is not to be missed. It has a big parking space so stopping is not a problem. Besides, most people don't stay long anyway (just taking a few shots of the scenery and off they go) so there is bound to be an empty spot for anyone at all times. Perhaps not in summer, I would think. The sky was clear and the day was cool and sunny - we couldn't ask for a better day. The calm, clear blue water of Bow Lake reflecting the mountains clearly has such a stunning effect on the landscape. The blue water of this lake is fed by melt-water from Bow Glacier in the Wapta Ice-field. Before heading to Peyto Lake, we detoured to Simpson's Num-Ti-Jah Lodge to see the other end of Bow Lake. A good time to take a pit stop as well. This part of the lake is also stunning. In visiting the gift shop, Hermann couldn't resist buying a picture book. PEYTO LAKE Peyto Lake is not as accessible as Bow Lake. A short hike up to the viewpoint near the Bow Summit is required. This is a popular site so we expected a crowd, but not as crowded as it would be in summer we hoped. Peyto Lake was named in honor of Bill Peyto, a pioneer, mountain guide and the early park warden of Banff National Park, from 1913 to 1936. Peyto Lake is fed by glacial melt. Typical of any glacial lake, its turquoise color is due to glacial rock flour (ground up as the glacier moves down) mixed in with the water from the Peyto Glacier. This lake reminded us of the glaciers we visited in the South Island of New Zealand. It was just as spectacular and stunning. It was crowded when we reached the overlook. To get away from the hordes vying for space to take selfies, we followed a dirt trail below the deck/viewpoint. The trail was not a designated trail but it was well worn, with no "keep off" warning sign. It was obviously a well-used trail. Down below, we had the place to ourselves, at least for a few minutes (solitude can be found only when you go hiking up high in the mountains). After taking a few pictures, we climbed back up and then headed back down the Ice-fields Parkway the way we came toward our next destination. But before that, we drove partway into British Columbia and stopped at a rest area at the top of Kicking Horse Pass - the border between the two provinces. Had to take pictures there of course. LAKE MINNEWANKA Our next destination was Lake Minnewanka, which is just outside of the town of Banff - a short drive from the Trans-Canada Highway. This lake is a popular recreation spot for fishing, boat cruising, hiking, biking, canoeing or kayaking, and even scuba diving - believe it or not. Around the shores are picnic areas with designated cooking pavilions. Boy! Talk about a multi-use park for everyone, not only in summer but winter as well. This is also one of the best places to watch the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) in winter. Well, at least in this part of the Canadian Rockies. Lake Minnewanka is also a glacial lake, the second longest lake (13 miles) in the Canadian Rockies. There are several dams that have been built on this lake over the years (for hydroelectric power generation). The most recent one was built in 1941, raising the lake 98 feet, resulting in submerging the resort village of Minnewanka Landing. This alone makes an interesting underwater exploration for scuba divers. The original shores of Lake Minnewanka were the hunting and camping ground for the indigenous Stoney Nakoda First Nations people for over 10,000 years. They called this lake Minn-waki (Lake of the Spirits) - later named Devil’s Lake by early European settlers. The indigenous people feared as well as respected this lake for its resident spirits. NEXT... KANANASKIS COUNTRY PREVIOUS... CANMORE

On our last day of our four day trip in Alberta, we had almost a whole day to explore before our flight back home. We made sure though that we had plenty enough time to return the rental car and have some dinner before our flight. So, in order not to be short on time, we just drove the Kananaskis Wildlife Trail Loop, the back road of the Kananaskis Country. It borders the town of Canmore and Banff National Park, located west and southwest of Calgary. It can be easily accessed from the Trans Canada Highway at the towns of Canmore and Kananaskis. KANANASKIS COUNTRY Kananaskis Country is "Alberta's Mountain Playground". The area is an open green space with five provincial parks, four wildland provincial parks, one ecological reserve and several provincial recreation areas (including the Canmore Nordic Center built for the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics and Nakiska Ski Resort, used for the alpine events). Kananaskis Country is the same size as Banff National Park, but much quieter and wilder. Driving the Kananaskis Wildlife Trail Loop was a wonderful idea if you don't have a lot of time but want to see the area. Leaving Canmore, we followed the road to the Nordic Ski Center, driving southwest until we reached the turn-off to Highway 742 also known as the Smith-Dorrien Trail. The loop, which is about 96 miles takes about three hours, depending on how much time you spend stopping and taking pictures along the way. The first mile or so was a rough and winding narrow gravel road over the pass of Three Sisters Parkway ridge. But then the road flattened out as we reached Whitemans Pond. They call this back road Wildlife Trail Road because you are bound to see wild animals. Our first sighting was by a construction zone along the Three Sisters Parkway. The three female bighorn sheep were there probably to lick the salt on the roadway surface. A SCENIC ROUTE It was a very scenic route, almost no traffic. You will really feel that you are in the wilderness even if you're just driving. The gravel road was well maintained, so driving a regular car is not a problem - just keep the windows closed if there's a car coming, it can be dusty. The wide gravel road is shadowed on either side by dense pine forest in some parts. We drove leisurely and looked around to see if we could find wild animals - especially bear or moose - lurking in the shadows of the trees. No such luck. A BEAR COUNTRY We found plenty of photo ops without wandering far away from the road. As much as we wanted to see wild animals, one thing we didn't want to encounter was a bear, especially a grizzly bear. It would be nice to seem them from afar but not face to face, especially since we didn't have bear spray with us. It was not quite autumn when we were there, but it was that time of year when berries are at their peak. The bears definitely would be out looking for food. There were warning signs at some recreation areas making it clear that they are closed, so we were cautious. PONDS & LAKES So, with all this spectacular landscape, who can resist stopping for pictures? It was a sunny but cool day and we had plenty of time, so why not. We stopped at several beautiful ponds and lakes and we found almost no people at any of them at all. This is the place if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Banff National Park. Except for occasional cars and cyclists, we only saw a couple of people fishing at Buller Pond - complete solitude for those two. SPRAY LAKES RESERVOIR The Spray Lakes Reservoir is a tributary of the Bow River. Well, actually, the Spray River that formed the string of lakes, is the tributary. This reservoir supply drinking water to the town of Canmore. The rugged peaks in the background lent a stunning effect to the landscape so that we couldn't help but stop several times. The lake is long, about 9.2 miles, following the west side of Highway 742, with varying landscape views. Definitely great photo ops for everyone. The sky was blue and the lake was calm, so it reflected the mountains clearly. It was such a nice day to be driving this back road. It was the least we could do, since hiking was not on our agenda on this trip. There are lots of hiking trails, picnic sites and campgrounds along the side of this lake, but there were no activities either on water or on land, at least at the time when we were there. I bet in summer this lake is busy, but not that day. Of course it was a weekday after the unofficial end of summer. KANANASKIS TRAIL/HIGHWAY 40 We did not see any wild animals again until we reached the junction with the Kananaskis Trail/Highway 40. There was a lone female bighorn sheep standing right in the middle of the intersection. We've seen many big wild animals (moose, deer, elk, bear, etc.) on our hiking and road trips, so this was nothing new. But it's always cool to see wildlife at anytime. A real treat, it will put a smile on your face every time. We are are always satisfied just to see them from afar, not to be near them or take selfies with them. Keeping a safe distance and giving them space is the right thing to do, for our safety and the safety of wild animals. A quick stop at a viewpoint along Highway 40 at the Grizzly Day Use Area/Opal Ridge South Trailhead - no one was around to our surprise, even though it's just by the road - to admire the spectacular mountain landscape. The photo above shows part of the Kananaskis Range, Mount Inflexible, named after a battle cruiser of the Royal Navy which served during the First World War. Stopping some more at several spots along the way, we took a short drive through Kananaskis Village, a hotel community, then drove straight to the airport to catch our flight. This is a beautiful drive worth doing, that any nature lover would appreciate. OTHER SITES WE EXPLORED IN ALBERTA, CANADA: TOWN OF CANMORE BOW LAKE, PEYTO LAKE & LAKE MINNEWANKA - BANFF NATIONAL PARK LAKE LOUISE, VERMILION LAKES, TOWN OF BANFF, BOW FALLS - BANFF NATIONAL PARK A MAP TO GUIDE YOU LEGEND: 1. Town of Canmore 2. Goat Pond 3. Buller Pond/Sparrow Hawk Day-Use Area 4. Spray Lakes Reservoir 5. Peninsula Day-Use Area/Lower Kananaskis Lake 6. Grizzly Creek Day-Use Area/Opal Ridge South Trailhead 7. Kananaskis Village

Sounds like a magical place doesn't it? In Arizona, the sixth largest state in the United States (in terms of area), there are three National Parks: Grand Canyon National Park, Saguaro National Park and Petrified Forest National Park. Each has its own unique characteristics and one of a kind features to offer. The Badlands, however, are not confined to South Dakota alone; they can be found in the Southwest as well. In Arizona, the colorful Badland hills are scattered across the Painted Desert. The Chinle Formation, deposited here over 200 million years ago (during the Late Triassic Period), is mainly of fluvial origin which are river-related deposits. The Painted Desert encompasses over 93,500 acres and stretches over 160 miles. Located in Northeast Arizona, near the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau, it includes the Petrified Forest. The park is 95 miles east of Flagstaff and 55 miles from the New Mexico border, along Interstate 40/Route 66. Entrance to the Park is about 25 miles east of Holbrook, Arizona, a town steeped with a history of outlaws, railroaders and cattlemen, and Hispanic and Native American culture. How was the Painted Desert named? As the story goes, in 1540, a Spanish explorer, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, who was trying to find routes between their colonies along the Rio Grande and the Pacific Coast, named the region El Desierto Pintado, meaning “The Painted Desert”. It was a perfect name. Standing looking at the incredible landscapes here is like looking at a canvas. The park has two geological formations - the Late Triassic Chinle Formation and the Mio-Pliocene Bidahochi Formation. Ancient environments are represented by these layers. The fossils that are found here help scientists reconstruct those ancient environments. The landscape, created by erosion, has a multitude of colors, ranging from lavenders to shades of gray with vibrant colors of red, orange and pink. It's like a magnificent rainbow of colors unique only in the area. It took millions of years for nature to create this natural landscape, sculpting and molding the land throughout the park. The area's unusual colorful landscape is composed of bentonite clay (a product of altered volcanic ash), and sandstone. Wind, which blows most of the time here, played a big role in shaping the terrain, since the meager amount of rainfall (annually only about 10 inches) has little effect on altering the shape of the land because it falls in small amounts at a time and doesn't run off all that much. PAINTED DESERT INN Before heading to the Petrified Forest, we stopped at the Painted Desert Inn, located at Kachina Point, two miles from the north entrance. This building became a National Historic Landmark in 1987. Back in the days, from the early 1920's, this inn served as a rest and stop point for people traveling along Route 66. Today, it serves as a museum with displays of the Inn's history, the historic Route 66 and the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). Also inside are restored murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie. The Inn today is of Pueblo Revival Style (stuccoed masonry, thick walls, earth tones, flat roofs, and projecting roof beams or vigas), but the original building was made of petrified wood and other native stone. It was built by Herbert David Lore, a homesteader. He called it "Stone Tree House" and operated it as a tourist attraction. It had a lunch room where visitor's could eat, a taproom to quench the thirst, an area to buy American Indian arts and crafts, and six small double rooms to stay the night. Unfortunately, the original Inn did not last due to its location. The structure sits on bentonite clay which causes swells and shrinkage due to changes in moisture. The foundation shifted, and cracks and water damage appeared in the walls. Lore sold his property to the Petrified Forest National Monument in 1936, in order to preserve it. The park service demolished it eventually. The National Park service architect Lyle Bennett (considered a master of the Pueblo Revival Style) redesigned the Inn, copying the Puebloan and Spanish Colonial cultures, a popular style in the 1930's. The new inn was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (who also built roads, trails and bridges in many national parks during the depression). They also hand-painted the skylight panels with images of prehistoric pottery, and etched and painted the concrete floors with Navajo blanket designs. The inn re-opened in 1940 but was closed again in October 1942 because of World War II. The Inn was reopened five years later under new ownership. The Fred Harvey Company, which is tied to the Southwest railroad and tourism, made renovations and repairs with the help of the company's architect and interior designer, Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter. New plate glass windows were installed to take advantage of the view, and renowned Hopi artist, Fred Kabotie was hired. Colter was also responsible for hiring young women who became known as the "Harvey Girls of the Painted Desert Inn" to serve customers. NOTE: Among the park’s archaeological features are Petroglyphs (e.g., Newspaper Rock) and the ruins of ancient Ancestral Pueblo (Anasazi), notably the Puerco Indian Ruin just south of the Painted Desert. The park has limited dining and retail facilities but no lodging or developed campgrounds, though there are back-country camping sites designated in the wilderness areas. Early or late in the day (depending on park hours) are said to be the most spectacular times to visit the Painted Desert. At the edge of Painted Desert is the Wupatki National Monument, a collection of ruins of dwellings built by the Anasazi and Sinagua Indians during the 12th and 13th centuries. NEXT... PETRIFIED FOREST NATIONAL PARK

The Watkins Glen State Park is located in the heart of downtown of Watkins Glen, a village in Schuyler County, New York. The "Glen" is considered one of New York’s “flagship” parks and one of the top attractions of the state. Indeed, even off season, we found a lot of visitors in the park. Must be mobbed in summer. I can understand why, it is by far the best and most spectacular gorge we have ever been to. WATKINS GLEN STATE PARK The gorge has less than two miles of stream descending 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, with 19 waterfalls. It is wise to wear sturdy shoes, or hiking boots on this trail, it was wet and slippery in most parts. It was chilly as well; we are glad we brought along our rain jackets in addition to our fleece jackets. Watkins Glen was first opened to tourists in 1863 by private owners. It changed ownership over the years until New York State purchased the property in 1906 and opened it to the public free of charge. The New York State Parks took over in 1924. The Civilian Conservation Corps (active in the park from 1935-1941) built much of the projects in the glen. The trail ends at the upper parking lot (you can get a bus back down to the visitor center, for a fee) but we decided to follow the Rim Trail back down. The trail has over 800 steps, in increments. You have to be careful. And the trail goes over and under the waterfalls in some parts. Fun! VILLAGE OF MONTOUR FALLS Three miles south of the town of Watkins Glen is the village of Montour Falls, the southern gateway to the Finger Lakes Region. They named the village after the waterfall found at the end of West Main Street, the She-Qua-Ga Falls. The village itself, named after a prominent Iroquois leader, Queen Catharine Montour, is a national historic district. The village was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. There you will find mid- and late 19th century structures. Aunt Sarah's Falls Before reaching the village of Montour Falls, watch for Aunt Sarah's Falls, located on the right side of the road, along State Route 14. Unfortunately, there is no parking area by the falls, but you can park at the parking area to the other side, just be careful crossing the road. The falls measure 90 feet and approximately 15 feet wide. This falls are said to be spectacular in spring and or winter when the water freezes. Legend has it that the falls were named after the wife of an early settler who jumped over the falls and died. She-Qua-Ga Falls She-Qua-Ga Falls, meaning “tumbling waters”, is 156 feet high. It is very impressive, big and wide. The falls is hidden behind houses along South Genesee Street. You will miss it if you are not looking, we did. There is a small parking slot by the street, just enough for two cars, but you can park along Main Street. The source of She-Qua-Ga Falls comes from Shequaga creek. It cascades under the bridge along Mill Street, as it plummets down to the pool. The last king of France, Louis Philippe, made a sketch of this falls while touring the region in 1820. The sketch is on display at the Louvre Museum in France. There is a concrete barrier in front of the waterfalls, as well as private houses on each side of the small park, so you will be limited in taking pictures.