The first thing I noticed at White Sands was the silence. It wasn't empty. We had come out before dawn that same trip, headlamps on, to catch the first light before the heat.

Where the Prairie Breathes The first thing I noticed at Wind Cave was the sound of the wind going the low light on the grass, dew soaking my boots through, and the cave entrance still exhaling into the first

Scenic Viewpoints Along the Way High Dune on First Ridge: A wide view over the dunefield and the valley Parking Area: The dunes and Medano Creek right at your feet, an easy stop for all ages Visitor Center: A first

What I got first was weather: a gray lid of cloud over the park road, wet gravel under the tires, and In the morning the first sunrise light caught the high snowfields and turned them the color of the inside

A Sense of Place The sound comes first. We stood and listened to the chorus swell and fade, and nobody wanted to be the first to speak.

I first understood Death Valley by its silence. The first light came sideways and turned every ripple into a line of gold and shadow.

First a few bats flickered out, then a dark ribbon of them spiraled up and away over the desert. By then the evening had cooled and the first stars were out over the scrub.

The first thing I noticed at Capitol Reef was the silence. It is not an empty quiet. I felt the heat of the day pouring off the rock, and we sat by the Fremont River until the first stars

Here the Atlantic, pink granite peaks, spruce woods and old carriage roads sit close together, and the first At dusk the shadows stretch across the ledges, the water goes the color of slate, and the first stars

Timing Tip Summer afternoons are hot, with little shade and fast-building thunderstorms, so hike in the first park Panorama Point: A wide look across the badlands and the prairie beyond Big Badlands Overlook: The first

Interdune Boardwalk: an easy, relaxing walk on a raised path, good for a first look at the dunefield From Monument to National Park White Sands was first protected as a national monument in 1933, after Wildlife, Ecology & Fragile Ecosystems It looks empty at first, but the dunefield is full of life. A slow walk at first light, when the night's tracks are still crisp, tells you more about the neighbors For a first visit, start with the boardwalk, add one of the longer loops, and stay for sunset.

Whether you are embarking on your first visit or returning to explore backcountry terrain, this travel Ridge Most Shenandoah trails start from Skyline Drive and drop off the ridge, so the easy part comes first