In the Eastern Sierra Nevada range of California, our family group undertook four day hikes plus an easy 4-day backpacking trip, driving round trip from Chico from 18 July to Aug 3 in 2020. - We hiked Leavitt Meadows Loop clockwise (8.9 miles with 1570 ft gain) in Hoover Wilderness, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest. Staying below 8000 feet elevation, this makes a good training hike. - The pandemic increased competition for campsites in Mammoth Lakes village and for backpacking trips throughout Inyo National Forest, so pre-booking was helpful. We enjoyed hiking from Lake George Trailhead to Crystal Lake (side trip) and Mammoth Crest for 7 miles with 2000 ft gain. - We hiked to Shadow Lake (7.5 miles, 1200 ft gain) in Ansel Adams Wilderness, Inyo National Forest. - Historic Benton Hot Springs is worth a visit to explore the rusting old cars. - We hiked to Piute Pass Trail via ponds and lakes (9.7 miles, 2200 ft gain) in John Muir Wilderness, Inyo National Forest, Mono County. - Our backpacking trip from Green Creek Trailhead to Summit Lake was 7.6 mi with 2360 ft gain, 310 ft descent, over a leisurely 3 days, then out on the fourth day. A day hike from our Green Lake campsite to West Lake was 3.9 mi with 1830 ft gain to 8896 ft elev. From Summit Lake, we day hiked east to Burro Pass with a view to Virginia Lakes (2180 ft gain over 4 miles round trip).

2019 Sept 4–Oct 20: RV trip from Seattle to the Midwest USA and back, with photos from: -- Wyoming: - Wind River Range - Grand Teton NP -- Nebraska: Carhenge -- Illinois: - Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site -- Colorado: - Great Sands Dunes National Park - Mesa Verde NP - San Juan Mountains (Silverton, Ridgway, Telluride) -- Utah: - Arches NP - Capitol Reef NP

Radium Hot Springs makes a good base for spectacular day hikes in the Columbia Mountains and Canadian Rockies.

Images by Tom Dempsey from Colorado, St Louis (Missouri), South Dakota, and Wyoming, photographed over 27 days in a driving and hiking trip from Seattle to Indianapolis round trip Sept 21 - Oct 17, 2017.

England Coast to Coast hike on commission with Wilderness Travel, July 23 - August 5, 2017 plus more, by Tom Dempsey.

View Tom Dempsey's images from Hawaii: Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island, for 3 weeks January 16-February 6, 2017.

From October 6-14, 2016, a trip visiting Carol's mother in Indianapolis allowed two photo excursions: - Saturday Oct 8: We enjoyed a day at Conner Prairie Interactive History Park in Fishers, Indiana. Conner Prairie provides fascinating family-friendly fun for all ages. Founded by pharmaceutical executive Eli Lilly in the 1930s, Conner Prairie living history museum recreates life in Indiana in the 1800s on the White River and preserves the William Conner home (listed on the National Register of Historic Places). - Oct 9-11: In search of the closest early fall colors, we drove from Indianapolis 5.5 hours north to Cadillac in central Michigan. In William Mitchell State Park, we walked the pleasant 2.5-mile Heritage Nature Trail on boardwalks and packed limestone, starting from Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, through old-growth hardwood forest then around an old dike system which retains rich wetlands with a smattering of red and orange fall colors backlit near sunset. But despite mostly sunny weather on October 10-11 we were underwhelmed by the early-fall scenery after driving all four routes of the Cadillac Area Visitors' Bureau fall color route map through Huron-Manistee National Forest. Instead, the intense crimson sunset colors reflecting in Lake Mitchell were the highlight of our week. Experiencing the delicate sights, sounds and smells of nature on foot and up close always beats the monotonous, insular cocoon of a car. An 8-mile walk or bike ride around Lake Cadillac would also have been nice before sunset or at sunrise, but windy weather chased us away.

From September 11-13, 2016, Carol and I walked 22 miles in 3 days on an enjoyable backback to Mirror Lake in Eagle Cap Wilderness, Wallowa–Whitman National Forest, in the Wallowa Mountains, on the Columbia Plateau, northeastern Oregon, USA. (Its scenery resembles the Sierras.) Our route was as follows: - Hike 7.3 miles from Two Pan Trailhead (5600 ft) up East Lostine River to camp at popular Mirror Lake (7606 ft). - Day hike to Glacier Lake via Glacier Pass (6 miles round trip, 1200 ft gain). - Backpack out 8.7 miles via Carper Pass, Minam Lake and West Fork Lostine.

April 24-29, 2016 retreat to Whidbey Island: While Carol dyed and printed textiles at a workshop in Coupeville, Tom captured these photographs while biking and walking in Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Meerkerk Rhododendron Gardens, Deception Pass State Park, and nearby Anacortes on Fidalgo Island. A soirée at Compass Rose Bed & Breakfast in Coupeville revealed fascinating treasures collected by the proprietors. This fine 1890 Queen Anne Victorian home, on the National Register of Historic Places, is now an elegant two room bed and breakfast, furnished with antiques and glorious things from around the globe by the hosts, Captain and Mrs. Marshall Bronson.

A fall-color driving trip from Indianapolis (Indiana) to Southeast USA (Tennessee, North Carolina, Virginia) captured some evocative images October 7-23, 2015. Below, I share the images in day-by-day trip order:

On a hiking trip via our VW Eurovan camper July 5-23, 2015, we rediscovered the beauty of the Eastern Sierras, and for the first time hiked spectacular Castle Crags State Park in Northern California. Below, I share all my images in day-by-day trip order:

Whidbey Island, Washington photos by Tom Dempsey from May 17-22, 2016: - Deception Pass State Park: native rhododendron flowers bloom pink-magenta on May 19 at the southern base of Goose Rock Summit Trail; tidal currents & Ben Ure Island in Deception Pass, a strait in the Salish Sea; yellow stonecrop (sedum) flower; Madrona / Arbutus menziesii bark. - Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve: 1854 Block House, Bluff Trail, 1856 Jacob Ebey House. - Island County Historical Museum, Coupeville: Salmon Wheel (1996) was the signature carved piece of artist Roger Purdue (1938 - 2014). - Admiralty Head Lighthouse, Fort Casey SP. - Meerkerk Gardens: hybrid rhododendron flowers, yellow iris. - Forest Discovery Trail in South Whidbey State Park.

Starting from Indianapolis, Indiana, below are Tom Dempsey's FAVORITE images from a 3-week RV camping trip in October 2014 to see peak fall colors across Northeast USA plus scenic Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, CANADA. Photos include: New York (Adirondacks, Watkins Glen and Letchworth SP Gorges, and Corning Glass Museum); Vermont (Mt. Philo SP, Smugglers Notch and Shelburne Museum); New Hampshire (White Mountains!); Maine (Acadia National Park, Pemaquid Lighthouse); Pennsylvania (Ohiopyle SP); and New Brunswick, CANADA (Hopewell Rocks sunrise, St Martins, and Fundy Trail Parkway). Tom timed the route to hit the peak of fall colors at each location.

Starting from Indianapolis, Indiana, below are ALL Tom Dempsey's day-by-day images from a 3-week RV camping trip in October 2014 to see peak fall colors across Northeast USA plus scenic Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick, CANADA. Photos include: New York (Adirondacks, Watkins Glen and Letchworth SP Gorges, and Corning Glass Museum); Vermont (Mt. Philo SP, Smugglers Notch and Shelburne Museum); New Hampshire (White Mountains!); Maine (Acadia National Park, Pemaquid Lighthouse); Pennsylvania (Ohiopyle SP); and New Brunswick, CANADA (Hopewell Rocks sunrise, St Martins, and Fundy Trail Parkway). Tom timed the route to hit the peak of fall colors at each location.

From July 6 - 18, 2014 our group of eight Dempseys vigorously trekked 9 days around the Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit in PERU. We slept in tents at around 14,000 feet elevation and daily crossed breathtaking mountain passes up to 16,400 feet elevation in a trek supported by Aventura Quechua of Huaraz.

From June 19 to July 6, 2014, our group of eight Dempseys vigorously trekked 10 days Around Alpamayo in the Cordillera Blanca, PERU. We slept at around 14,000 feet elevation and daily crossed breathtaking mountain passes up to 15,000 feet elevation in a trek supported by Aventura Quechua of Huaraz.

The following images are from spring training hikes between April 14 - June 13, 2014 out of Seattle, Washington (Wallace Lake & Falls loop, Teanaway Ridge, Ingalls Creek, Blewett Pass, and the Kettle Range) and as far as Oregon’s Hells Canyon area (Wenaha River; Imnaha to Snake River; and Ninemile Ridge in the Blue Mountains, Umatilla National Forest, near Pendleton).

From March 15 to April 9, 2014, my wife Carol and I drove our VW Eurovan Camper from Seattle to Texas and back, visiting some great parks in Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, Texas and California. The trip produced these FAVORITE photos. [Alternatively, see my separate galleries which combine multiple trips into each labeled geographic area.]

From March 15 to April 9, 2014, my wife Carol and I drove our VW Eurovan Camper from Seattle to Texas and back, visiting some great parks in Oregon, Utah, New Mexico, Texas and California. ALL trip photos are shown below in day-by-day order [or else see my separate galleries which combine multiple trips into each labeled geographic area].

From Feb 13-17, 2014, Carol and I stayed 4 nights at a B&B in downtown Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada) capturing images of the aquarium, planetarium, Granville Island, Bloedel Conservatory & Lynn Canyon Park.