Looking for ways to save on Tax Day? Take a road trip!

This just in: From WBAL-TV11 Baltimore - According to the Energy Information Administration, regular gasoline is expected to average about $2.23 per gallon this summer, which is more than $1.50 cheaper than last summer. A recent AAA poll via the Internet reported that people are more likely to take a road trip this summer since fuel prices are lower than last year.

So what does this all mean? If you're from the eastern half of the United States and are looking to create a magical trip to the great outdoors of the western half of the continent, you couldn't pick a better time to travel. Airfares are at the lowest prices they have been in quite a while. Hotel rates in major cities are at bargain rates. Half the adventure of getting to a place like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon or Yosemite is the first leg of your trip. And with gas prices at a more reasonable level, that's just one more component of your trip that will be cheaper than next year.

And how can Tracks & Trails add to that savings? We research the best deals we can find for RV rentals while maintaining a high level of quality in the vehicles our clients will drive. We look out for our clients to ensure that their expectations are not only met but exceeded. And that means staying within your budget and creating magnificent trips to the most beautiful locales for all types of vacations. Give us a ring toll-free at 800-247-0970 or check out the website to start your adventure!

Great place to watch Old Faithful & a call for photos!

Looking for a unique place to watch the regular eruption of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park? This picture is from a trip I took in September, 2007. On the second floor of the Old Faithful Inn, there's a large deck viewing area with benches. If you get there early enough like the folks in the picture, you can get a great picture of the geyser while sitting on a bench with a seat back (unlike the metal benches that form a half circle around the geyser). If you time it right, you can grab a bite for lunch either at one of the restaurants at the hotel or back in your RV.

Just thought I'd share a picture from a wonderful trip to our country's first National Park. We are in the process of redesigning our website and we're looking for great photos! If you have recently traveled to the national or state/provincial parks of the western US & Canada or Florida, please send them to us. To share your great shots, comment on this posting or send us an email through Contact Us on our website.

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.

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.

Why travel domestically? Better yet - why not?

We understand that many statistics show that around 80% of all United States citizens do not have a passport. We're not here to say whether that is bad or good. We'll leave that to someone else. And it currently takes about 3 weeks to process a passport application (a good thing to know if you're planning to take advantage of the dollar's exchange rate compared to last year). That still leaves many Americans that want to take a vacation this year with the awesome possibilities of seeing more of the United States.

Of course, we'd like to see many folks without passports see the great outdoors in our National Parks. We asked many times to help create a special vacation for families and friends that want to experience more that our country has to offer. And many of our clients live in areas that are different in topography, history and climate than the most popular National Parks such as Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Glacier National Park or Olympic National Park.

And you can still get some international flavor at our favorite vacation spots! Since these destinations are known internationally, you can rub elbows with many tourists from overseas. And luckily, many will speak English so that you can share your experiences during a ranger talk or just talking with your neighbors in the campgrounds. Last time I was in Yellowstone, one of our camping neighbors was from Vancouver. They had camped all over in their RV and it was great to listen to their experiences.

So, if you don't have a passport and are considering a trip to the western USA (including New Mexico!), we say "why not?". (FYI, we do our best to pass on any great deals that we can find for you!)

Summer Vacation vs. Spring Break

The family summer vacation has been steeped in the culture of the United States for many years. It seems that only recently (and I mean in the last 20+ years) that the spring break vacation has become required to battle the stresses of modern life. With all the teeth-gnashing stress of our current times, we have been keeping our collective ears open and listening for signs of which trip will suffer and which will benefit (and hoping that both are not sacrificed).

Our initial observations are that folks are forfeiting their family spring break vacation and using that part of their annual budget for their summer vacation. So far, we are seeing that there are fewer clients planning spring break vacations this year. We are also seeing that the average cost of our clients' summer vacations is higher than last year. And our clients are still taking RV trips to stunning destinations like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons or Yosemite. They are also heading to western Canada since the the exchange rate is so favorable compared to last year. And we have some clients that are taking advantage of using an SUV or minivan rental and staying in unique lodges or hotels.

If you are looking to get maximum value for your family vacation dollar this year, give us a call toll-free (800-247-0970) and talk to one of our experienced trip consultants. They'll help with creating a great vacation that will fit into your budget.

Calling all Wildlife Seekers!!!

by Ann Proctor

If one of your main objectives while on vacation is to view wildlife, here are some of the top National Parks to consider visiting, along with the types of wildlife you are most likely to see there:

Glacier National Park, Montana. Best for: Grizzlies, mountain goats, elk, and deer. Unless you’re ready to get up close and personal with one or more of the resident grizzlies, don’t come to Glacier National Park. And though not likely, be prepared for encounters with wolves, mountain lions, and mountain goats. For the most wildlife encounters, do something that visitors usually don’t: Get out of the car and take a hike! More than 730 miles of hiking trails offer opportunities to see animals in the wild. Paddle the North and Middle Forks of Flathead into the heart of the wilderness where you’re likely to see mountain goats from the water.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Best for: Elk, wolves, bison, and deer. Yellowstone is home to more than 30,000 elk, 3,000 bison, 2,000 mule deer, and hundreds of grizzlies, moose, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn antelope. The park is home once again to gray wolves, who were absent for more than 60 years due to extermination by park rangers, but are now considered a valuable component of the ecosystem. Get up early and head to the Lamar Valley, where elk herds graze under the watchful eyes of the wolf packs who prey on them.

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Best for: Bighorn sheep, mountain goats, elk, and marmots. Bighorns are well suited for the steep and rugged environment of the Rockies. In the summer they spend a lot of time around the Sheep Lakes. There is a special Bighorn Crossing Zone on Highway 34. Hike the Milner Pass trail to the edge of the Crater, where you’ll find them in their Alpine setting. The curious Rocky Mountain marmot and coyotes can be found in the park’s forests, large, open meadows, and Alpine tundra. Best seen at dawn or in the late evening are the park’s more elusive animals: mountain lions, bobcats, and elk.

Everglades National Park, Florida. Best for: Alligators, crocodiles, manatees, turtles. The last remaining everglades in the world, this park is truly a unique environment. Almost completely submerged beneath water; even deer and bobcats have adapted to the semi-aquatic environment and can be seen wading in the water foraging for dinner. You can boat or paddle the waterways where you’re likely to see alligators, deer, herons, and numerous turtles. Try the half-mile long Anhinga Trail, where saltwater meets fresh. You’ll find a staggering variety of fauna. You can bike the 15-mile, paved Shark Valley Tram Road, where you’ll see alligators, deer, herons, and turtles.

Whichever park you choose, encounters with animals in the wild are bound to be a thrill. You will be entranced with their beauty and grace, and their ability to survive, against all odds, in the modern world. Tracks and Trails offers trips to all of these National Parks – the wildlife awaits!

A Collection of Intriguing Adventures

by Ann Proctor

Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie looking for your next “fix” or a discerning traveler searching for that “once-in-a-lifetime” experience that will become the highlight of your entire vacation, here are a few destinations that are "off-the-beaten-path" that we include in some of our custom itineraries:

Pacific Tree Climbing Institute, Eugene, Oregon. If you are inspired by new experiences, this belongs on your “must do” list. Ascending into the canopy of an old growth forest is not only an adrenaline high but a journey of the spirit. It offers an exciting and peaceful place to experience life in a timeless setting. The tree you climb is specially chosen for your experience, ranging from 250-300 feet tall. You can even spend the night aloft in a hammock, hearing the call of owls, and waking to mist in the treetops. No prior climbing experience is necessary; ascending the tree is comparable to hiking a mountain with a day pack. See this on our Touring the Oregon Coast trip.

Soaring Tree Top Adventures, Durango, Colorado, boasts the largest, highest and safest zip line canopy tour course available, with over a mile and a quarter of ziplines through alpine mountains, aspen forests and across the beautiful Animas River. Opened in 2008, the fastest and most thrilling soaring run spans 1,400 feet, almost tripling the length of its predecessor of 560 feet! Located on 180 private acres, this thrilling day-long, eco-friendly adventure lets you glide through old-growth Ponderosa pines with the help of friendly Sky Rangers (guides) who assist you at every tree. If you take our one of our Colorado trips, you can check out this activity that will make you scream like you're on a roller coaster!

Fossil Butte National Monument, Kemmerer, Wyoming. Some of the world’s best preserved and abundant fossils are found in the flat-topped ridges of southwestern Wyoming’s cold sagebrush desert. Visit on a Friday or Saturday in the summer and you can hike to the fossil research quarry and collect fossils with a paleontologist. This is a rare opportunity to experience the thrill of seeing a fossil revealed after being buried in stone for 50 million years. All fossils remain in the monument’s museum collection for scientific study, but you can watch lab personnel prepare a fossil, and they will field your questions as well. We can create a custom trip so that you can get to see this unique find for the fossil hunter in your family!

For devoted animal lovers, the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, 5 miles north of Kanab, Utah, (two hours’ drive from Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the Grand Canyon North Rim) is worth a visit. More than 2,000 rescued animals reside in this sanctuary in awe-inspiring Angel Canyon, waiting for you to lavish them with attention. An additional option, you can stay overnight in one of the on-site cottages or cabins, or in your RV. If you take our most popular trip in 2008, you'll go right past the sanctuary.

These are just examples of the tons of information that we give you in your Adventure Kit when you take a Tracks & Trails driving adventure. We've either done the sightseeing to these great destinations or our clients have told us from their own exploring. Either way, there is so much to see in the Western US/Canada and Florida, that we can schedule either downtime, tons of activities or a little of both.

Look for more out of the way destinations next week!

Fake Yellowstone evacuation warnings

If you're at all interested in visiting Yellowstone this year and have been searching the internet, you may have seen what amounts to a fake US Geogolical Survey website calling for the evacuation of Yellowstone and the surrounding areas.

We have seen these fake reports and wanted to let you know that the real USGS website has not changed their alert levels based on the recent earthquake activity in the park over the past couple of weeks. To read for yourself, check out the USGS Yellowstone Volcano Observatory website.

To summarize, the USGS is saying through January 5th, "seismic activity has markedly decreased". Through this past Monday, they had identified over 500 earthquakes that had occurred between December 26 and January 1, 2009. Approximately 80% of those earthquakes were below a magnitude of 2.0. While they acknowledge that the activity is above normal, "it is not unprecedented during the last 40 years of monitoring". At this time, they also are not seeing any anomalous changes in what they call "surface discharges" (hot springs, gas output, etc.). No current winter activity in the park has been affected.

We'll do our best to keep you up to speed with any new information. If you have any questions, let us know.

Exploring the National Parks

by Ann Proctor

Our last couple of posts have been about dreaming that your vacation is in a National Park (through playing a game) and telling you about one of the things to do before you get there (buy a National Parks Pass). So we thought that we would give you some idea of what to expect when you get there!

When you visit a National Park, prepare not only to be entertained, but to be educated, so subtly so that you and your children may not even realize it is happening. The moment you enter the park you will receive brochures, maps, and a park newspaper full of services available, interesting tidbits, current activities, and other pertinent information like road closures, detours, and delays.

The park information will give you details of guided tours, where knowledgeable park rangers share the park’s history, geology, and other notable facts, as well as self-guided tours you can complete at your own pace. The visitor centers typically offer interactive displays and contain a wealth of information. (Michael's favorite is the Canyon Information Center in Yellowstone!) Roadside pullouts throughout the park feature signs describing what you are seeing in more depth – you can’t help but learn something new from reading them! The goal of all of these interpretive services is to increase each visitor’s enjoyment and understanding, and to foster care for our national parks.

Campfire programs are hosted on select evenings and reach out to entertain and enlighten visitors on a wide variety of topics. For kids, the Junior Ranger programs occupy the small fry with fun activities and reward their learning with a badge. Also available to visitors is the National Park website (http://www.nps.gov/), a great tool which will assist in planning your visit, as well as a fun facts section to get the kids involved.

And we can help plan that driving vacation into the National Park of your choice. Not only have we been there, but 10 years worth of our clients have been there and all that information goes into creating great vacations for you and your family. Whether it's by RV or rental car, we can help you create a trip of a lifetime!

The National Parks Pass

Most of our clients at some point during their Tracks & Trails driving adventure spend a significant amount of time in a National Park or other Federal recreation area. If you are going to be spending time in 3 or more places overseen by the National Park Service on your trip or back home over the course of one year, a National Parks Pass is a great investment.

This pass is available to the general public and provides access to, and use of, Federal recreation sites that charge an entrance or standard amenity fee, for a year beginning from the date of purchase. The pass admits the pass holder and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas and pass holder + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, at per person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free). The pass can be obtained in person at the park, by calling 1-888-ASKUSGS, Ext. 1, or via the Internet at http://store.usgs.gov/pass. The cost is $80.

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident age 62 or over, there is a lifetime America the Beautiful Pass for only $10. This pass can only be obtained in person at the park and includes discounts on additional services in addition to the same admission benefits as the standard pass.

Much thanks to the National Parks Service for providing the information above. If you want to learn more about the parks in the NPS system, go to www.nps.gov. And if you want to learn more about how we can help you plan your National Parks driving or camping vacation, check out, the Tracks & Trails website or give us a ring at 1-800-247-0970 and talk to one of our fabulous trip consultants.

Junior Ranger Programs

“I, (fill in name), am proud to be a National Park Service Junior Ranger. I promise to appreciate, respect, and protect all national parks. I also promise to continue learning about the landscape, plants, animals and history of these special places. I will share what I learn with my friends and family.”

Kids interested in exploring? Do they enjoy art, history, science, animals or nature? Junior Ranger programs help keep your kids’ ears and eyes open as you explore your National parks.

Junior Ranger programs are usually free (or nominal for supplies) and are offered in about 286 of the 388 National parks. The programs are typically available for children ages 6 through 14 (depending upon the park you are visiting.) Zion National Park, for instance, has a program designed for children ages 6 to 12, but children under 6 can complete an activity sheet to earn a decal from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. At the Grand Canyon, there are now 5 ways for you to complete the Junior Ranger requirements (ages 4 and up) and be sworn in as a Grand Canyon National Park Junior Ranger. Their requirements include writing down your observations, answering questions about the park, writing poems and attending one of their Ranger-led programs offered throughout the day. Upon completion of the activities for your age group, bring the booklet back to the Visitor Center for review by a ranger.
Some ways to prepare for these programs would be to eat before you go. No food or snacks are served during the programs. Wear closed-toe shoes – activities are typically held outside and sandals are not usually allowed. BYOW – Bring your own water. And be prompt – Programs start right on time, and kids will need to arrive approximately 15 minutes early to register.

Fun, new airline websites

Unless you've been under a rock, you know about websites to book airfares such as Expedia, Travelocity and Priceline. As you can imagine, we have access to a ton of industry information, including some that still comes from magazines (I know it's hard to imagine...). Now that we're in our off-season, we get a chance to get caught up on our reading. One of our regular reads is Travel and Leisure magazine. One of the few things that we do not include in our road trip adventure packages is airfare. So here are a few sites that were in an article from T&L earlier this year:

1) www.momondo.com - This is a great site to help you uncover cheap flights around the world. They do this by searching over 450 websites to give you the cheapest deals available.
2) www.yapta.com - This site can help you keep tabs on changes to fares both before and after your flight so you can get any applicable credits or refunds. Know that the refund policies are only applicable if you book directly with the airline.
3) www.milemaven.com - This site is updated daily to give you the latest on limited time offers for bonus miles. The search capability will allow you to search by the frequent flyer program so you can work on cranking up those miles in your favorite awards program.

Hopefully this information is a help to you in planning your vacation with Tracks & Trails. Let us know how else we can be of assistance!

Going fast vs. Going slow

We hear many of our clients talk about how they need to be very active during their vacations. Does this sound like something you've thought of or said:

• "My kids want to do everything - hike, bike, fish, climb, swim..."
• "We are very athletic and we want to do at least two activities every day."
• "We love driving. We can drive 500 miles a day."

Not that there isn't anything wrong with doing a ton of stuff on your vacation and we don't doubt that you could drive 500 miles a day. The question is, "Would you really want to if you don't have to?". We find that listening to you makes a big difference when it comes to understanding what you expect from your trip. Most of our clients have never been to the great expanse called the West and have a variety of expectations about what can realistically be done in a 1-week or 2-week self-guided, driving vacation.

We take a philosophy that slower is better. With many of the National and state parks our clients are visiting, we like to plan at least 2 days (and sometimes 3 days) in each major destination. Also, with the idea of going slower, we feel that driving less is also better. Typically most days would include an average of 100 miles of driving (or less), with time to sightsee, stop for lunch, take in an activity and get to the campground for the evening. And those evenings include getting dinner ready, setting up a campfire, listening to a ranger talk or just staring at the stars. We are firm believers that this is your vacation - a time to relax as well as a time to enjoy what the outdoors have to offer.

So, we would vote for going slower when it comes to planning vacations. That said, we have planned very active vacations for our clients. Most times though, we get feedback that they wished they had gone a little slower or felt they missed some key sight that was on their "must-see" list. We know that most everyone has a very busy "real life" and we hope that your vacation will be a break from those hectic days - with time to reconnect with each other and with the beautiful destinations you'll be visiting. Let us know how Tracks & Trails can help.

When's the best time to travel?

Boy, if I had a nickel for every time we get asked this question, hmmm...

We keep our eye on many factors when helping to plan a trip. Since most of our clients are families with school-age children, we know that we are working with the timeframe between Memorial Day and Labor Day for most folks. And depending on the school district, it sometimes is between mid-June and mid-August.

We also do our best to prepare everyone for the type of weather conditions and the number of other travelers that they'll come across on their road trip. While the US Southwest is very hot in July and August, afternoon thunderstorms can give a cooling affect. The California coastline can be shrouded in fog for much of the summer, leaving September and October the best months for good weather. Yellowstone's weather is most summer-like in July and August and yet that's when their park attendance is highest. Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula can be wet and warmer in the summer. We've seen temperatures in Jasper, Alberta over 90 much of the summer and yet have a freak snow storm in July.

The trick is to be prepared with layers of clothes to add when the weather is not ideal and with a few pairs of shorts to take advantage of those perfect days. In our Adventure Kit, we help our clients prepare for their trips with checklists of what to bring and groceries to buy as well as other travel tips that can make a trip just that much more enjoyable.

If you have a more flexible schedule for travel, just let us know and we can help steer you in the right direction. Check out the seasons for travel on each trip in our Trip Catalog. Here's an example. This trip has a short season due to the high elevation of Rocky Mountain National Park.

Trip: Rocky Mountain National Park - Quick Getaway
Season: Jun 1 - Sep 15
Starts and ends in: Denver, Colorado
Primary destinations: Rocky Mountain National Park
Prices from: $1,325

Travel this fall to Canada

Today we're seeing the best exchange rates between the US dollar and the Canadian dollar or the "loonie" that we've seen all year. Still not as good as last year but a far cry better than earlier in 2008. So what's that mean for anyone traveling from the US to Canada? While gasoline is still quite a bit more expensive north of the border, it means your US dollars go a little farther.

What's that mean for RV travel? We're still seeing some limited availability from our RV rental connections in mid- to late September. Yes, it will be a little chillier, but the summer crowds will definitely be gone and you'll have some of the world's most beautiful National parks and scenery nearly all to yourself. If you've been dreaming of seeing the stunning sites of Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff, Victoria Island or Whistler, give us a call and we'll see what we can cook up for you! For that matter, there are many wonderful locations worth seeing in September (like California). See my earlier post on travel in the Fall!

Talking "green" when taking a road trip

So how do you reconcile driving a big, American-style RV that gets around 10 miles per gallon of gasoline in the current energy and environmental concerns in the US? We could talk about this subject for a long time and will probably revisit this in later posting. For today, I thought I would tell you about two of our recommended RV rental companies and what they are doing that point to your concerns about greenhouse gas emissions and overall cost of your trip.

The first company is El Monte. Based in the Los Angeles area, this RV rental company just recently offered their clients the ability to purchase carbon offsets right on their website through a provider called TerraPass. TerraPass is a carbon offset provider that takes the voluntary offset purchases and invests them in projects that are designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The projects are clean energy produced by wind power; farm power which makes good use of animal wastes; and landfill gas capture, which reduces the impact of our own wastes. And it's pretty cheap! For a Class C RV, the cost of a carbon offset is currently only $7.32 per trip. If you want more information, I would suggest googling "carbon offset providers". You can also go to http://www.elmonterv.com/ to learn more about green RVing.

The second company is Go West. This Canadian-based RV rental company is offering a new RV for rental, a 22' Dodge Sprinter van conversion. This vehicle has a Mercedes diesel chassis and can get up to 25 miles per gallon. It's designed for two people with a double bed in the rear, A/C, furnace, bathroom, propane stove, microwave, inside and outside showers and many more amenities. Here's a picture at the right. We feel that this is the beginning of a new trend in the RV industry that is directly responding to the recent increase in fuel prices. (Hint: they've been doing this in Europe for years.) To see more details, go to http://www.go-west.com/. We have itineraries that cover beautiful areas of western Canada including Jasper and Banff National Parks and Vancouver Island and Whistler. Check out the trip catalog on our website, http://www.tracks-trails.com/ for more information or call us toll-free at 1-800-247-0970!

Traveling in the Fall

If you have the time, want to miss the crowds and like the weather a little cooler, then maybe you should be thinking of taking that "summer" vacation in September or October. Both are great months to travel to beat the crowds, beat the heat and feel like you have the National parks all to yourself. We have found that for families that homeschool their children, traveling after Labor Day is a great time to create an awesome field trip and a vacation at the same time. And for those folks that would be traveling without children, most campgrounds are a bit quieter and hiking trails are a bit more deserted. While there may be a few outfitters that have closed up shop for the year, we think that you'll find a wonderful experience just waiting for you.

Last year I was in Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks for 11 days in September. Yes, it was a little chilly at night, but warmed up nicely to still be able to wear shorts, hike, whitewater raft or just relax by the river. Or you could take a great picture of a bull moose hanging out at Ox Bow Bend in the Grand Teton National Park.

We also have found that Yosemite and the Grand Canyon are also great destinations in September and October (althought the North Rim campground at the Grand Canyon usually closes by mid-October). And if you're looking for the Wild West, check out our trip to Tucson and the surrounding area (http://www.tracks-trails.com/trips/trip.cfm?Region=3&Len=2&Trip=33). There is amazing history to be seen first-hand.

And don't forget the California coast line! Just a little secret from the staff: the best weather all year in this area is between Labor Day and Halloween.

If you need help creating the perfect educational driving adventure or just want to be in some of the most beautiful places on earth when they are less crowded, just give us a call 800-247-0970 or check out the website at www.tracks-trails.com.