As we traveled through Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, we found beautiful plants and flowers at every turn. Most of the flora we encountered was trees, which are sparse in our part of West Texas, so we were enchanted by the sheer numbers of them. What was interesting to us was not only the countless trees, but the variety of trees we saw everywhere we went. Oh, and the flowers were spectacular! Now, because of so much “pretty”, we have created a post showcasing another part of the beauty of New England to share with you. We hope you enjoy…
Water lilies on a pond at AcadiaBeach roses
Some of the plants that we’re showcasing were growing wild and some were in gardens. We have been able to identify a lot of them, but some of them remain nameless. If any of you can tell us what the UFO’s (Unidentified Flowering Objects) are, please leave the answer in the comments section below.
Can anyone identify this gorgeous plant?We found ferns everywhere we lookedMountain Ash. The clusters of lipstick red berries made them hard to miss.Does anyone know what this pink plant is called?This majestic tree is on the grounds of the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park, near the visitor center.Sunflower in a garden in New HampshireViburnumPink ViburnumVelvety mosses carpet the forest floorWe had to include this hot pink zinnia that we found growing near the Vermont State HouseStaghorn SumacWe aren’t sure what kind of tree this is (birch, maybe?), but we thought it was interesting.AstersWe are tempted to call these sedum, but we’re not sure. Can someone confirm?Stunning dahlias found in a garden in Bar HarborMore dahlias. Breathtaking!
Okay, one more dahlia, and then we’re going to call this post finished. (It’s so beautiful we couldn’t leave it out!)
Thank you for letting us share the beauty of New England’s plants and flowers with you. We hope you enjoyed this excursion through the flora! Please come back to our site often for more pretty pictures, exciting road trip destinations, and lots of other great stuff. We really appreciate your “likes” and comments. If you are not a follower, become one so you never miss a post.
We are going to close this post with hydrangeas. We saw them everywhere we went, and they were exquisite. See for yourself…
We got caught by the homeowner when we were taking this photo, but his hydrangeas were way too pretty to pass up. When we told him what we were doing, he just smiled and waved. We have a feeling that we probably weren’t the first people to stop by this house for a picture.These hydrangeas were in front of the New Hampshire State House.
Until the next trip…
Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Bored? Stuck at home? Rather be on the road or camping? We are right there with you. To fill the void at our house, we’ve been using our spare time to take different kinds of virtual road trips. In this post, we’ve put together a list of ideas to help end the boredom. We hope some of these resources will “get you out of the house” and help you start planning your next big adventure.
Bridge at Acadia National Park
YouTube
Some of our favorite folks to virtually travel with are full-time RVers. These folks travel all over the country giving tips on where to go and what to do and see. They also give reviews on great camping spots, and we promise that you’re going to see some amazing scenery and points of interest along the way, too. In random order, our top six picks:
Changing Lanes – best for higher end camping and motorcycle rides.
Embracing Detours – best for free camping spots and traveling with pets.
Grand Adventure – best for boondocking in very scenic places.
Traveling Robert – best all around for travel, RV camping, hiking, and scenery.
Less Junk, More Journey – best for traveling the country with small kids.
Long Long Honeymoon – best for tips and tricks along with great destinations.
Texas
Texas
We love for others to see what adventures await in our great home state of Texas. Some of our favorites:
The Daytripper – Chet Garner and crew travel to a new Texas city or town every week – PBS – check listings for times.
Texas Parks and Wildlife – travel to state parks and recreation areas and view our state’s amazing wildlife – PBS – check listings for times.
Texas Country Reporter – ride along with Bob Phillips for amazing places in Texas – various channels – check their website for more information. Here’s a link: Texas Country Reporter
The Texas Bucket List – learn about the people, places, food, and fun that Texas has to offer with host Shane McAuliffe – various channels and times – check their website for more information. Here’s a link: Texas Bucket List
Good Ol’ Buoys
Netflix
We thoroughly enjoyed the two shows listed below. The only problem: they weren’t long enough!
Expedition Happiness – join Salima and Felix as they travel North America in a school bus turned RV – movie – 1.5 hours.
National Parks Adventure – documentary narrated by Robert Redford – 42 minutes.
Water Diamonds
Prime Video
While some Prime Video selections have to be rented, the following are included with an Amazon Prime membership.
The National Parks – America’s Best Idea – 12 part documentary by Ken Burns
America’s 58 National Parks – documentary series with 57 episodes
America’s National Parks – 8 part documentary series
Best Parks Ever – America’s National Parks – 10 part documentary series
America’s Treasures – 8 part documentary series
RV – hilarious 2006 movie starring Robin Williams – 1.5 hours
National Lampoon’s Vacation – 1983 movie starring Chevy Chase – the ultimate guide for what you don’t want a road trip to be – definitely worth another watch
West Texas Sunrise
Books
There’s nothing like a good book. Pick up the hard copies or download a couple of our favorites listed below.
Dear Bob and Sue – three book series covering Matt and Karen Smith’s adventures while visiting all of the national parks. These are a great read for any national park or travel enthusiast – couldn’t put them down! They have written a couple of other travel-related books, too, so check those out as well.
50 States 5000 Ideas – National Geographic publication which also includes the 10 Canadian Provinces – where to go, what to see, what to do. This is a fun book!
On the Road – classic Jack Kerouac novel published in 1959. If you have never read it, now is a great time.
Any road atlas – yep, we mean that old fashioned paper map book. Atlas trips are a favorite pastime of ours. Pick a state and see what all it has to offer by “traveling” its highways and backroads via map.
Fat Prairie Dog
Around the Web
The possibilities are endless for navigating travel related sites on the web. Here are some of our favorite stops:
RoadsideAmerica.com – pick any city and state to see what quirky attractions await.
AtlasObscura.com – enter a destination in their search box to see what interesting sights can be found there.
Explore.org – a collection of live webcams and webcam videos from around the world. Kids will love this!
OnlyinYourState.com – enter a state in the search box to find out about people, places, and things in the state of your choosing.
TripAdvisor.com we like to search “things to do” in a particular city and state to see what Trip Advisor comes up with.
DearBobandSue.com – check out their website for podcasts, photos of their adventures, and more.
One for the Money Two for the Road Blog – you’re already here, so look through our archives and revisit some great road trip ideas, itineraries, and photos!
Reflections of Boston
We hope our ideas will help you escape for a few minutes or a few hours. Remember to count your blessings, wash your hands, and turn off the news. Stay safe and well, and we will see you when we can get back on the road.
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Lake Mackenzie is a municipal water district reservoir located about seventy miles southeast of Amarillo, Texas. The water district manages campgrounds and recreation areas around the lake. RV with electric and water hook ups and tent camping are available here. (Campers, the campgrounds were nice and clean, but the bathrooms/showers were very dirty.) Currently, speed boats and skiing are prohibited due to low water levels, however, pontoons, kayaks, and motorized fishing boats, as well as jet skis are permitted. We suggest checking with the lake regarding water levels and boating regulations prior to arrival. Lake Mackenzie is a popular fishing lake. There are two beaches for swimming, picnic areas, miles of ATV trails, and group facilities. This is definitely a place to kick back and relax.
For information and fees, here’s a link to the website: Lake Mackenzie
Interesting West Texas history
We enjoyed camping at Lake Mackenzie. The relaxing atmosphere was perfect for a weekend trip. During our stay, we saw several deer, a raccoon, a fox, and many different birds.
This mama and baby mule deer pair walked right through our campsiteThis beauty got up early to watch the sunrise with us. You would think we had never seen a deer before, but it’s still a thrill to see them in their habitat. We love their curiosity…and their big ears!Four Canada geese and their early morning reflections on the lake
Side trip: Caprock Canyons State Park is about forty minutes southeast of Lake Mackenzie. (Link to our Caprock Canyons post here: Three Get Ready and Four Let’s Go to Caprock Canyons State Park and Trailway.) Caprock Canyons is home to the Texas State Bison Herd and is a can’t-miss state park. Go not only for the beauty of the red cliffs and canyons, go to see the bison. There is a wonderful scenic drive and miles of hiking trails, too.
When we camp, we love to get up early for the sunrise, and the Lake Mackenzie sunrises did not disappoint. Neither did the sunsets. We were also treated to two brilliant harvest moons, but unfortunately those didn’t photograph well. Here is our favorite sunrise shot:And, our favorite sunset shot:
The scenery is breathtaking as you enter the canyon on approach to Lake Mackenzie from the south. It reminded us a little of the area around Moab, Utah, specifically Canyonlands National Park, with its red rock fins, buttes and hoodoos. Y’all know how we love red rocks!
Here are a few more shots of the lake:
Pontoons on a sunset cruiseCloudy reflections near the beach
That’s going to do it for this weekend trip. We hope you enjoyed Lake Mackenzie as much as we did. Please join us next time for another adventure, tip or trick. You are the reason we post our trips. Become a follower so you never miss a post, and follow us on Facebook, too. Until the next trip…
Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road.
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Franconia Notch State Park is located in the White Mountain National Forest between the towns of Lincoln, New Hampshire and Franconia, New Hampshire. This park has much to offer in the way outdoor adventures, just to name a few:
Hiking
Biking
Kayaking and canoeing
Scenic Drives
Waterfalls
The Flume Gorge (fee required)
The Basin
Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway and Ski Resort
Lakeside beach
We had limited time to spend at this park, however, we felt that we got to do most of the things we wanted. We wish we would have had time to take the tram to the top of Cannon Mountain, but it was raining or overcast the whole time we were there. A little rain and a few clouds have never stopped us before, so come along as we do some hiking and see some of the sights at Franconia Notch State Park.
We made a late afternoon stop at The Basin. It was a relaxing walk from the parking lot to the trail, and then a nice little hike along the trail above The Basin.
The Basin
Although it looks man made, this granite pothole started being created by rushing water from a melting glacier after the last ice age 25,000 years ago! The Basin is thirty feet across by fifteen feet deep, and the water is almost perfectly clear. Swirling water continues to shape The Basin today.
As we hiked the trail above The Basin, we found more small waterfalls and a small flume. The forest in this part of the park was gorgeous.
At just under four miles round trip, the Flume Gorge trail was the most strenuous hike of our trip, but it was well worth the effort. As you will see in our pictures below, the scenery is outstanding.
Visitor center and trailhead. Food, a gift shop, and restrooms can be found here.And, we’re off…From the trail: the Pemigewasset RiverCovered bridge over the river, built in 1986
Avalanche FallsMosses, plants and trees growing right out of the rocks
Many different types of trees, shrubs, ferns, mosses, and fungi, made for beautiful scenery in the woods.
View of the trailFerns growing on this moss covered logFernsMoss and mushrooms growing on a stump in the middle of the trailA pretty view of the river from the trail
We’re going to wrap this post here. Thank you so much for joining us at Franconia Notch State Park. We hope you will stop by our site again for more posts from New England, lots of other destinations, and some tips to help make your travels easier. If you’re not already a follower, become one. Follow us on Facebook, and tell your friends about us. We want to be friends with them, too!
We will close this post with a photo of the cloud covered White Mountains of Franconia Notch.
Ghostly clouds dance above the trees at Franconia Notch
Until the next trip…
Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road (or at a state park!)
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Cost: $7.00 per person (ages 16 and up) for 7 day pass – seniors free with senior pass
Pine Springs Visitor Center: open daily 8:00 – 4:30 Mountain Time
McKittrick Canyon day use area: gate is open daily 8:00 – 4:30 MST and until 6:00 MDT
Frijole Ranch Museum: open daily 8:00-4:30
Salt Basin Sand Dunes day use area: no overnight parking or camping, picnic tables and pit toilets available – located approximately 50 miles southwest of Pine Springs Visitor Center – no services
Williams Ranch day use area: high-clearance vehicle required for one lane dirt road access – keys must be checked out at the Pine Springs Visitor Center and returned the same day
Camping spaces available at Pine Springs Campground – open year-round – no hook ups and reservations are not available – restrooms and potable water are available
Dog Canyon Campground: open year-round – located 110 miles from Pine Springs Visitor Center, and approximately 65 miles from Carlsbad, New Mexico – tent and RV campsites available – restrooms are available – no services
Backcountry and equestrian camping also available in the park
Hotels, additional camping, food, and gasoline available in Carlsbad, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas
View of the mountains near Guadalupe Pass
Getting There:
Cholla cactus blooms
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located approximately 53 minutes southwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico and approximately 1.75 hours northeast of El Paso, Texas via US Highway 62/180. El Paso has a major airport.
⇒Travel Tip: there are few services between El Paso and the park. It’s a good idea to have plenty of gasoline, water, and food on hand before beginning your journey. The only services between the city of Carlsbad and the park are 32 miles northeast of Guadalupe Mountains in White’s City near the entrance of Carlsbad Caverns National Park, but the services there are limited. There are no services available in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.
Recommended RV parks in Carlsbad:
Carlsbad RV Park & Campground – 4301 National Parks Hwy, Carlsbad, NM 88220 – (575) 885-6333, which is closest to the national parks.
Carlsbad KOA Holiday – 2 Manthei Rd, Carlsbad, NM 88220 – (575) 457-2000, which is about 30 minutes farther but is close to the state parks in Carlsbad.
Destination: Guadalupe Mountains National Park
The Guadalupe Mountains are the remains of an ancient reef – beautiful!
Guadalupe Mountains National Park is one of two national parks in Texas, the other being Big Bend National Park. Guadalupe Mountains, however, is home to Guadalupe Peak, which is the highest point in Texas at 8,751 feet. The Guadalupe Peak trail, at a little over eight miles round-trip, is a popular and strenuous hike.
Pine Springs Visitor Center
There is an interesting museum exhibit inside the Pine Springs Visitor Center. Guadalupe Peak hikers can check in here. Restrooms and a water filling station are available. Outside, there is a short nature trail (the Pinery trail) leading to the remains of the historic Pinery Station, which was a Butterfield Overland Mail Station (pre-Pony Express) used in the mid-1800s. The remains of this station are some of the only ones left of any Butterfield Station in the US. Learn about some of the plants found in the park while walking the paved Pinery trail.
The Pinery Station
The crumbling walls of the Pinery Station with El Capitan in the background
Highway access and parking for the Pinery Station is approximately .5 miles northeast of the Pine Springs Visitor Center and is clearly marked with signs along the highway. The parking lot here also serves as overflow parking for the Guadalupe Peak trailhead which is located at the Pine Springs campground near the visitor center. The short trail to the Pinery Station is paved and is wheelchair accessible.
Frijole Ranch
The Frijole Ranch house, originally built in 1876 and expanded in the 1920s, is now a cultural museum. The ranch was established in order for its owners to raise cattle near several springs located here in the foothills of the Guadalupe Mountains. Subsequent owners grew vegetable gardens and tended large orchards along with raising stock. Click the park website link above to read about the interesting history of the ranch.The orchards are behind the white building (which could be an outhouse) on the left. The tin roofed building on the far right was used as a bunkhouse and schoolhouse.
Access to Frijole Ranch is via a well-marked exit off of the highway northeast of the Pine Springs Visitor Center. A short gravel road will lead to a parking and picnic area (with restrooms) next to the Frijole Ranch house/museum. Equestrian corrals and overnight parking for stock trailers are available at Frijole Ranch. This is also the trailhead for Manzanita Spring trail and Smith Spring trail. The Manzanita Spring trail is an easy 4 miles round-trip on a paved, wheelchair accessible trail. Smith Spring trail loop is classified as moderate at 2.3 miles round-trip.
Hiking McKittrick Canyon
Here you can see a wide variety of plants, and possibly some animals that call Guadalupe Mountains National Park home. That, on top of the breathtaking beauty of the mountain scenery, makes McKittrick Canyon a wonderful place to hike. Oak, maple, walnut and many other types of trees can be found in this desert-turned-riparian hideaway. When the trees turn in the late fall, the canyon becomes an even more popular place for hikers. Check the website for the fall colors report in October and November.
Starting off on the trail leading from the ranger station/contact station where all hikers must check in. Didn’t we have a gorgeous day for hiking?A cool creek is a welcome sight on a hot dayPratt Cabin – note the stone roof
Wallace Pratt, a Humble Oil Company geologist, first came to McKittrick Canyon in 1921, and eventually acquired about 5,000 acres of the canyon. In the early 1930s he hired Houston, Texas architects and local workers in need of jobs to construct the cabin also known as the Pratt Lodge. Mr. Pratt referred to the cabin as the Stone Cabin, which was constructed of locally quarried limestone. Pratt eventually built another home in what is now Guadalupe Mountains National Park. His second home, completed in 1945, is known as the Ship on the Desert. In 1960, the Pratt family donated their land to the park service. The cabin is open intermittently for ranger guided tours, and there are a couple of picnic tables nearby but no restrooms or water.
View from the front porch of Pratt Cabin – we could have stayed on that porch all dayThis little lady was as curious about us as were about herA shady part of the trail leading to The Grotto
The well-marked turn-off for McKittrick Canyon is located 7 miles northeast of the Pine Springs Visitor Center. Although we went on a hot day, this was one of our all time favorite hikes. It is rated moderate, however, we thought it was an easy, family friendly trail. We turned around at The Grotto (6.8 miles round-trip), but the trail continues to McKittrick Ridge which is a steep and strenuous 14.8 mile round-trip hike from the ranger/contact station trailhead. Restrooms and water filling stations are available at the station. Park passes/admission fees can be paid at the station, however, they require exact change in the form of cash only. Park passes can also be obtained at the Pine Springs Visitor Center.
Below are a few more shots from McKittrick Canyon trail.
Cute and colorful – we saw several of these guys along the trail
One of our favorite things to see on this trip was the blooming New Mexican agave plants, even though the only ones we saw were in Texas!
We visited the park during the latter part of May when many of the plants were in bloom. Desert plants are magnificent when in bloom, and if you’ve never experienced the refreshing summer rain scent of the creosote plant, you’re totally missing out!
Agaves and yucca plants produce tall stalks that can grow several feet overnight. Many desert animals eat the blooms and the stalks. We watched a mule deer in McKittrick Canyon gobble up an entire century plant stalk in about five minutes.
The normally scraggly-looking cactus plants put on a show during the spring with their brightly colored blooms, such as the cholla cactus shown at the top of the page.
Some of the other plants that were in bloom included:
Soap Tree YuccasButterfly WeedPrickly Pear CactusApache Plume with its white flowers and feathery pink plumesDelicate Prickly Pear “rosebuds” about to burst into bloomBright orange Ocotillo blooms and a beeCardinal penstemon growing straight out of a rock at The GrottoAnother agave shot – not sorry. This was a large “agave forest” (our words) just outside the park.
Below are some of the plants and sights that we saw along the road in Lincoln National Forest on the way to Dog Canyon. Some of the plants looked like they had been purposely planted, but that didn’t bother us. We loved taking the back roads and seeing these plants off the beaten path!
Creosote Bush – and oh, did it smell heavenlyYellow Bird of Paradise BushSweet AcaciaFree range cattle jam on the road – and this wasn’t the only one we encounteredThis is the state line marker on the gate going in to Dog Canyon campground. Most of the trek to Dog Canyon is through New Mexico, but all of Guadalupe Mountains National Park is in Texas. Remote Dog Canyon is THE place to camp if you want to get away from it all.
We will close this post with a shot of a spectacular Texas Madrone.
Texas Madrone trees shed their bark to expose their smooth pink wood
Thank you for hanging with us through this long post. There is just so much beauty in Guadalupe Mountains National Park we wanted to share it with you! (And we barely scratched the surface.) We appreciate you traveling along with us on our journeys, and we hope you will stop back by soon for more great road tripping and RVing tips and more exciting adventures. Until then…
Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road.
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
Scenic Highway 112 aka the Kancamagus Highway aka the Kanc is a National Scenic Byway that traverses 34 miles of the beautiful White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire.
You’re probably wondering why we chose to do a New England road trip when the leaves weren’t turning. The simple answer is: we didn’t want to fight the crowds.
The White Mountains
As crowded as some of our destinations were during non-leaf peeping season, we can’t imagine what it is like in October when the trees turn. With that said, we were not disappointed in the least about seeing Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont on the cusp of autumn. Although we did see a few trees showing their colors, we thought the foliage was beautiful as it was – green. So now that we’ve cleared that up, hop on board, buckle up, and let’s do the Kanc.
The Kancamagus (Can-cuh-ma-gus, sort of rhymes with August) Highway begins in Conway, New Hampshire, if you’re driving West, but a few miles up the road in North Conway, we decided to stop for lunch. Our pick: Muddy Moose Restaurant & Pub. The weather was perfect, so we were able to sit on their patio, have a great burger, and enjoy the fresh air in the White Mountains. We are giving them a high five because their food and service was great. Thanks, Muddy Moose!
Back on the road in Conway, we stopped to see our first covered bridge.
The Saco River Bridge was built in 1890 and spans – you guessed it – the Saco River.The Saco River as seen from the bridge.
Our next stop was the Saco Ranger Station. While a drive on the Kanc is free, a special pass is required for parking at the scenic areas. The ranger gave us a great map of the highway along with some other information, and he told us about the can’t-miss sights along the road. After that quick stop, we were off on our adventure.
There are six National Forest campgrounds along the Kanc. All have potable water, bathrooms, parking, open fire places, and picnic tables. None of the campgrounds have RV hook-ups. Campsites are generally available from mid-May through mid-October, and most are only available on a first-come basis. Wood for campfires cannot be brought into the national forest. For information about camping on the Kanc, contact the White Mountain National Forest Ranger District. Additional campgrounds and hotels are available in Conway, North Conway, and Lincoln.
Albany Covered Bridge
The White Mountain National Forest Covered Bridge was constructed by the Town of Albany in 1858 and renovated in 1970.
Lower Falls Scenic Area
Scenic falls on the Swift River
Rocky Gorge Scenic Area
We spent about an hour at Rocky Gorge. The area had well maintained walking trails, a bridge, rocks, pools, and even a small flume. This was one of our favorite stops along the Kanc.
A small flume at Rocky GorgeThe (rock filled) Swift River at Rocky Gorge
Russell-Colbath House Site
The Russell-Colbath House, a historic farmhouse that sits near the Kancamagus Highway
Across from the house is a small cemetery that is still maintained by the Town of Albany. What is it about old cemeteries that piques our interest? The age of the graves, perhaps, or maybe it’s the interesting headstones. Doesn’t it make you wonder who these people were, and wouldn’t you like to know their stories?
Many of the graves in this cemetery are marked simply by fieldstones, such as the two in the right foreground.
And, here is the interesting but sad story of Ruth Russell Colbath, the wife of Thomas Colbath. For the rest of her life, Ruth maintained her family home and the farm with the help of her children and a local handyman. No one ever solved the mystery of what Thomas was doing for all those years.
Sabbaday Falls
This was our favorite stop on along the highway. The hike to the falls was wonderful, and the falls… well, see for yourself.
Sabbaday Falls
The earthy scent of the lush, green forest and the crashing of the water on the rocks. That’s our kind of hike, and we loved every minute of our time here. The US Forest Service has added bridges, stairs, and viewing areas for ease in accessing the falls. There is also a picnic area near the parking lot. The hike is about .6 miles round trip with a 75 foot elevation gain.
Serene sceneFrom Sugar Hill Overlook. A few of the trees are about to start changing into their fall colors.Here’s one getting a head start on its autumn colors.
Lincoln Woods
This is the trailhead into the Pemigewasset Wilderness and the Franconia Mountain Range. Apparently, this strenuous trail is not for the faint of heart.
Suspension bridge over the Pemigewasset RiverThe Pemigewasset River as seen from the bridgeLook who we found near the parking lot!
At the end (or beginning, depending on which way you’re going) of the Kanc is the town of Lincoln, New Hampshire, which was our stop for the night.
In Lincoln, we had dinner at Gordi’s Fish & Steak House. Does roasted beet salad sound good? Homemade clam chowder? Steak and baked potato? We loved their atmosphere, food, and service. This restaurant came highly recommended by the folks at our hotel, Holiday Inn Express. High fives, to Holiday Inn Express and to Gordi’s!
We’re at the end of this journey, but stop by again for more of our New England road trip, tips and tricks, and other exciting destinations. Become a follower on our site and on Facebook, and we would very much appreciate it if you would tell your friends about us.
We’re going to close this post with one more look at beautiful Sabbaday Falls.
Until the next trip…
Travel safe, travel smart, and we will see you down the road!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own.
When we bought our travel trailer, we decided that in order to get the most use out of it we would implement what we call “minimal trip prep”. Minimal trip prep for us meant outfitting the trailer with everything we needed so we wouldn’t have to pack or unpack every time we went camping. Now, with the RV completely outfitted, all we have to do is throw a few clothes in the closet, round up our food, and hit the road. Hopefully, by seeing how we roll, you will be able to do the same!
Here is a list of the basics that we keep in our RV kitchen:
Dishes– 4 place settings (Corelle – dinner plates, salad plates, and bowls kept in racks, like the Panacea Grayline rack shown here and purchased from Amazon, with squares of non-slip shelf liner between each plate/bowl)
Coffee mugs – 4 (we use this holder, by Grayline and purchased from Amazon, for our mugs and we’ve never had a broken one)
Plastic tea/water glasses – 4
Silverware – 4 place settings
Serving bowls – 2 medium-size Corelle
Cookie sheet – 1
13 x 9 pan – 1
Dish towels – 4
Assorted kitchen knives
Paper plates, paper bowls, plasticware, napkins, salt and pepper kept in a picnic caddy for easy indoor or outdoor use. Ours is wicker, but this one by WeRdeals from Amazon looks great.
Skillets – 1 large, 1 small
Sauce pans– 2 qt and 1 qt with lids
Toaster
Medium-size cutting board
Camco Refrigerator Bar
Cabinet and refrigerator bars
Gallon, quart, and sandwich size zip top baggies
Aluminum foil and plastic wrap
Coffee maker – 4 cup
Collapsible colander – medium-size
Squish Mixing Bowl
Collapsible mixing bowls – 3 quart and 1.5 quart (we like the Squish brand bowls that we purchased from Amazon)
Collapsible food storage containers for leftovers and for heating in the microwave
Refrigerator and freezer thermometers- 1 for each compartment
Long lighters – 2 – to light stove, oven, and outdoor grill
Potholders – 2
Dish drying mat(we tried using a plastic dish drainer, but we found this to be much easier and it definitely takes up less space)
Rotating utensil holder that holds all of our cooking utensils, such as spatulas, slotted spoon, large spoon, tongs, ladle, peeler, etc., as well as our manual can opener, bottle opener, and kitchen shears
Standing paper towel dispenser for the counter top
Acrylic lazy susan like the one below for our cooking oils, cooking spray, balsamic vinegar, large seasonings, etc.
Dish washing detergent and scrubber
Small trash can and trash bags
Kitchen cleaning supplies
Tips:
Our counter top kitchen items (coffee maker, toaster, lazy Susan with oils, etc., utensils and rotating holder, picnic caddy, paper towel dispenser) are stored in two large car trunk organizers which can be placed next to each side of our bed for travel. The organizers we use are the Trunkcratepro multi-compartment trunk organizers purchased from Amazon.
Clean out your home kitchen before buying anything for your RV. Those extra knives, coffee mugs, or dishtowels that have been hiding in the back of cabinets and drawers might just save some you money. If you want brand new items, Amazon, Walmart, and dollar stores are the go-to’s for everything you need.
Ask friends and family if they have any extras that you might be able to use, or go to estate sales and garage sales to pick up a few items.
Don’t spend a lot of money for things that are unnecessary or that you won’t use. We promise that you do not need a stand mixer (or any mixer, for that matter) or gourmet cookware unless you are a full-timer or just want those things.
When buying plastic items that will be used for food, make sure they are BPA free, and always buy USA made products if possible.
The things that we could live without are the dishes, plastic tea/water glasses, serving bowls, and silverware. Paper plates and bowls, and plasticware work fine for us, especially if we’re just camping for a weekend. Seriously, who wants to do dishes?
If towing weight is an issue, be conscious of heavy items such as cast iron skillets, ironstone dinnerware, and heavy appliances. Of course that Instant Pot is great, but you probably won’t need it on a shorter camping trip. Build a campfire or fire up the grill and roast some hot dogs instead! Invest in a set of telescoping roasting forks for cooking hot dogs and marshmallows over the campfire.
Don’t take more than you need. Storage space is precious in an RV, so don’t fill it up with things you won’t use.
WARNING: shopping for RV accessories (especially online) can be addictive and expensive, but it is SO MUCH FUN!
Visit our site again for more RV tips and tricks, as well as some great trip posts. Better yet, become a follower so you never miss any of the cool things we post here. Until next time…
Happy camping, y’all!
Mike and Kellye
As always, we strive to be as accurate with our information as possible. If we made a mistake, it was unintentional. (Hey, we’re only human!) We aren’t paid for our recommendations, and we only recommend our own tried and true products, vendors and venues. Our suggestions are for places that we’ve heard good things about but haven’t visited personally, and our opinions are our own. Photo copyright infringement is not intended. Our written content and photos are copyrighted, and may not be published without our permission.
And, our favorite sunset shot:
