The Albany Pine Bush Preserve is one of Upstate New York and the Capital District’s most well-known and loved preservation areas. With sections of it dotted across the landscape between the cities of Albany and Schenectady, you can always be sure to find fellow nature lovers out there taking advantage of the hiking, bicycling, and educational resources available to all. We come to the Pine Bush very often, and this visit, we found ourselves along the Karner Barrens East Trail.
When traveling through the southwest, one of my favorite national parks by far was the Petrified Forest National Park. This park located in northeastern Arizona is naturally and culturally significant and quite beautiful. This area is strewn with colorful fossilized logs that date back to the Late Triassic Period. About 2,000 years ago, humans settled in and built little communities here.
Meandering trails take you throughout the park, giving you glimpses of trees that look like works of art and pueblos from hundreds to thousands of years ago show you how these prehistoric people lived. There’s even one home that looks like it was made from precious stones, which it kind of is.
