Landscapes Galleries

National Ozark Riverways : Two of America’s clearest and most beautiful spring-fed rivers make up the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, the first national park area to protect a wild river system. http://www.nps.gov/ozar/index.htm The area is best reached via Interstate 44 or U.S. Route 60. From I-44 take State Route 68 south from St James, then take State Route 19 south into the park. From US Route 60, you will reach State Route 19 in Winona if you come from the west. You can then take SR 19 north to the northern areas of the park, or continue east to State Route 103 to visit Big Spring near Van Buren. Park Headquarters and Visitor Center are in Van Buren. If you follow US 60 from the east, you'll reach SR 103 first and then SR 19 about 20 miles further on. (Click on Gil-bear to return to the main menu.)

National Ozark Riverways

Two of America’s clearest and most beautiful spring-fed rivers make ...

Updated: Dec 29, 2009 4:10pm PST

Colorado : Colorado Spring sits at the foot of one of America's most famous landmarks, Pikes Peak, upon whose summit Katharine Lee Bates was inspired to write America the Beautiful. Pikes Peak can be reached by car, trail, or cog rail. At the top, 14,160 ft the view is breathtaking and the air is thin. So thin they sell oxygen at the gift shop. One of the nation's most fabulous city parks, Garden of the Gods, is nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak. This is a photographer’s paradise. It would take many days to shoot it all. . A visit to the area would not be complete with a walk across the Royal Gorge Bridge. Proclaimed the highest suspension bridge in the world towering over 1,000 feet above the Arkansas River and is surrounded by a 360 acre park. But you must see the bridge from below on the Royal Gorge Railroad. Travel along the Arkansas River in a domed car or get the best seat in the house on the open flatbed car. Other areas include Seven Falls, Manitou, Air Force Academy, Fort Carson, and the annual Hot Air Balloon Festival. (Click on Gil-bear to return to the main menu.)

Colorado

Colorado Spring sits at the foot of one of America's most famous landm ...

Updated: Feb 15, 2010 5:55pm PST

Glacier National Park : Glacier consists of pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. Glacier has only one road to cross it’s over 1 million acres and has been kept un-commercialized except for its historic chalets, lodges, transportation, and stories of Native Americans. Just outside the eastern half of the park is part of the Black Feet Reservation, who sold the land to the United States for the current park. (Click on Gil-bear to return to the main menu.)

Glacier National Park

Glacier consists of pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains ...

Updated: Oct 04, 2009 8:25am PST

Smokey Mountains : The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited National Parks in the United States. It is a national preserve, consisting of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina It is 20 mi (32 km) wide and extends southwest for 54 mi (87 km) from the Pigeon River to the Little Tennessee River. Established in 1934 to preserve the U.S.'s last remaining sizable area of southern primeval hardwood forest, it covers 520,269 acres (210,553 hectares) and contains some of the highest peaks in the Appalachian Mountains. Summits are crowned with dense forest, while lower elevations have mountain laurel, rhododendron, and azaleas. The park consists of over 900 miles of hiking trails of all levels. There is an abundance of cascading waterfalls, streams, and scenic vistas. The park is a garden of Eden of over 1,500 species of native flowing plants and is known for its orange, red, and yellow fall foliage. You don’t have to go far to see wildlife and watch out for the bear. Regardless of the season The Smokey Mountain National Park is one of America’s jewels. (Click on Gil-bear to return to the main menu.)

Smokey Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most visited Nat ...

Updated: Dec 02, 2009 9:19pm PST

Elephant Rock State Park : Giant red granite rocks standing end-to-end like a train of circus elephants is how many explain Elephant Rocks State Park. Located 7 miles north of Ironton on highway 21, then 1 mile west on NA. Said to have been created 1.5 billion years ago from cooling hot magma, this area is considered to be one of the most curious geologic formations. Dumbo, the largest of the red granite rocks stands atop a granite outcrop and calculated to weigh 680 tons. A one mile Braille Trail can accommodate people with visual or physical disabilities. The trail passes by a quarry pond, which now supports a variety of animal life. A short spur off of the trail takes visitors to the top of the granite outcrop, where they can explore the maze of giant elephant rocks. A second spur leads to an old quarry site. This red granite, first commercially quarried in the late 1800s, has been used as building material and as paving blocks for the St. Louis levee, downtown streets, and columns of the Missouri Governor’s mansion. (Click on Gil-bear to return to the main menu.)

Elephant Rock State Park

Giant red granite rocks standing end-to-end like a train of circus ele ...

Updated: Oct 10, 2009 7:16am PST

Parks : This is a new album being developed to display photographs of State Parks.

Parks

This is a new album being developed to display photographs of State Pa ...

Updated: Feb 16, 2010 6:14pm PST

Conservation Areas :

Conservation Areas

Updated: Feb 23, 2010 8:00pm PST

Badlands : This is a new album and will be filed with photographs of the Badlands after my Badlands and Yellowstone vacation. Check back in late July for many new additions. It the meantime this is just a sample of what is to come. (Click on Gil-bear to return to the main menu.)

Badlands