Education outdoors and the National Parks

The growing trend in homeschooling has spawned many resources for creating valuable learning and life experiences for all ages. The internet has become an indispensable resource for many parents for research and sharing information. In that spirit, we want to point out a great resource for education, the National Park Service website.

From park-based curriculum (Kindergarten to High School) to distance learning information to suggested reading lists, nps.gov offers a wide variety of resources that are free. Families can create a number of lesson plans for all of their children that learn primarily at home. And this is a fun way to combine schoolwork with vacation. Many parks have Junior Ranger programs as well.

Remember that Tracks & Trails can help with creating this one-of-a-kind trip! Whether it is RV-based or by rental car, we can have you staying in a National park campground or in a park-based lodge so you are close to all the action and activities.

Can't make it to the great outdoors this year? Try becoming a WebRanger on-line! You can play more than 50 games while learning about the National parks.

New travel insurance coverage

For those that are interested in purchasing travel insurance, we have a link on our website that will directly connect you to Travel Guard. We have had very positive feedback from our clients about the cost and the customer service. They offer a toll free telephone number if you have any questions (1-800-454-7107 ).

What's new from Travel Guard is that they have announced coverage for involuntary termination or layoff. All four of their core plans now include this trip cancellation coverage. They require one year of continuous employment with the same employer and doesn't have limitations on your departure date.

We have been hearing that many folks have either postponed or canceled their summer vacation plans due to uncertainty about the future with the economy and their jobs. We hope that the announcement of this new coverage will help those feel more comfortable with starting the process of planning a great summer vacation to our National Parks in the western US or Canada. As always, if you have any questions for us at Tracks & Trails, give us a call on our dime at 800-247-0970.

It's not too late to book your Spring Break vacation!

If you can give us two weeks notice and you have a pretty good idea of what you want to do, we can help create a fun getaway. Popular destinations for spring break vacations are Florida, Arizona and Southern California. Here are some choices from our trip catalog that may work for you:

Central Florida and the Space Coast - This trip starts in Orlando and heads into Old Florida where cool springs flow into rivers that are lined with mangroves, and are home to alligators, river otters and all types of birds. You'll visit the oldest European settlement in the United States at St. Augustine, and then tour the modern technology at the Kennedy Space Center. Get active with kayaking to see manatee and dolphins, try surfing, or just grab a boogie board and play in the surf.

Tucson, Tombstone and the Sonoran Desert - This trip is perfect for spring break (we have clients there right now). Visiting Tucson and the surrounding area will give you a taste of the wild Sonoran Desert, home of the giant Saguaro cacti. Family-oriented museums feature everything from outdoor wildlife to missiles to the world's largest outdoor airplane display. Wandering movie sets, visiting Tombstone, "The Town Too Tough To Die" or going underground at Kartchner Caverns round out the adventures.

San Diego, Palm Springs and the Anza-Borrego Desert - This is a perfect mix of city adventures & wilderness for those who want a taste of both. Start with visiting parks like Legoland and Seaworld. Spend a day at the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park, then try surfing, kayaking, boat touring and bicycle riding. Head into the largest state park in California, amidst the desert where you can hike or tour by jeep. Pass the Salton Sea (before it shrinks) enroute to Palm Springs, where you can ride the Aerial Tram through 4 climate zones. Return to Los Angeles for more theme park action, or simply to fly home.

Give us a call before it's too late! 800-247-0970!! We can make that last-minute trip happen!!!

Yosemite camping reservations and the Ides of March

Well, yesterday was the 15th of March - can't you hear the whispers of "beware the ides of March" tracing back to the murder of Julius Caesar?

And it was the date where campsites in Yosemite National Park are available for another 30 day reservation window, five months in advance. That means that you now can make reservations up to August 14, 2009. This rolling five month window continues throughout the year and March 15th is one of the most popular dates for making reservations due to the peak of the camping season in Yosemite.

We were lucky enough to make about half of the outstanding requests for reservations for our clients yesterday. Based on our past experience, getting half is great! And for those clients who did not get reservations, we have other favorite campgrounds that are just outside of the park that are beautiful and not quite so crowded. Yes, they'll miss camping inside the park and they will still be close enough to enjoy one of the most popular national parks in the USA!

This is one of those reasons why our trip proposals have approximate prices. Many times, particularly as it gets closer to the summertime, campgrounds have booked up for the season (or at least when you want to travel). And, pricing is usually different from one campground to the next. So, when we have to rearrange your planned route due to a campground change we do our best to minimize any impact on the overall cost that we include in proposals. We know how sensitive everyone is to vacation costs and please know that we do our best to ensure the total cost of your trip will be at or lower than your quoted cost.

If you have any questions about booking your Tracks & Trails vacation or would like to know more, just give us a call at 800-247-0970 and talk to one of our knowledgeable trip consultants.

Arizona Fly-fishing Spots

by Ann Proctor

We get tons of requests to make special activities or excursions part of great family vacations. One the most popular is fly-fishing and the level of experience of our clients is from "never done it but want to try" to "I'm an avid fisherman and want to go to the best spot on my trip". We have many outfitters that can provide a unique, western fly-fishing experience in great mountain locales, but we'd thought we'd share some cool spots in Arizona that may tickle your fancy.

The Grand Canyon State is home to 85 species of fish that inhabit more than 300 cold-water streams and 100-plus lakes and reservoirs. Ah, the choices! These Arizona locations can be accessed from our popular Canyon Country or Desert Southwest trips that can be customized for you by Tracks and Trails. Like reviewing a new restaurant, picking a favorite fishing hole is mostly subjective, but it’s hard to argue with these recommendations:

Lee’s Ferry is Arizona’s mecca for blue-ribbon trout. The Colorado River’s clear, cold (50 degrees year-round) water is hemmed in by 1,000-foot-high-cliffs. Dry fly-fishing is at its best in the summer months, when monsoon rains wash grasshoppers, cicadas, ants and beetles into the river, and shallow nymphing invites strikes. From Page, drive south 25 miles on U.S. Route 89; turn right onto U.S. Route 89A and head north 14.5 miles. 15 fishable miles.

You can fish Oak Creek downstream from Sedona (rainbow trout and smallmouth bass), or upstream from Grasshopper Point (rainbow and brown trout). Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks the creek almost every week. A dry/dropper setup will sometimes produce strikes on both flies. From Sedona, drive north on State Route 89A past Slide Rock State Park. 50 fishable miles.

Lake Powell boasts 1,900 miles of shoreline and is the second-largest reservoir in the country. Cliff walls surround the deep, clear canyon lakeproviding excellent casting spots for fishing cracks, corners and rock rubble. Striped bass guard the lake’s shaded coves, while Wahweap Bay traditionally gives up the larger rainbow and brown trout. From Page, drive north on U.S. Route 89 to the south entrance of Wahweap Bay. 186 fishable miles. Shuttle service is available within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Lake Pleasant is one of the best-kept secrets in the Southwest. Fish for several kinds of bass as well as crappies. Sport fish follow the abundant threadfin shad into the creek channels in the spring and open water in the summer. From Phoenix, drive north on Interstate 17 to the Carefree Highway exit. Turn left onto Carefree Highway and drive west 11 miles to Pleasant Harbor Boulevard. Turn right and drive 1 mile to the marina entrance. 110 miles of shoreline.

Hellooooooooo Canada!!!!

Last October we told you about bargains in Canada and guess what? They are still around!!!

We are seeing the availability RVs drying up around the end of July and beginning of August, but there is plenty of opportunity to take a fabulous vacation at a 20% discount when compared to last year. The currency exchange rates are still VERY favorable for Americans wanting to travel to Canada and we have the itineraries made just for you!

Check out the Northern Rockies & Western Canada region on our website. There are a bunch of great reasons (other than the cost savings) to travel to Canada this summer:

1. The pace is a little bit slower.
   
2. It's a lot less crazy.
   
3. We have access to high quality RVs.
   
4. It's less commercial than its southern neighbor
5. There are unbelievable destinations like Lake Louise (see the picture) and Tofino.
   
6. You get to see glaciers in the summer & majestic fjords on the Pacific Ocean.
7. It's less crowded.
8. And more!!!

Give us a ring at 800-247-0970 and talk to one of our trip consultants about an affordable, family vacation to the national parks of western Canada.