We did go on vacations in 2022 and will post later.  I am skipping to 2023 because of a warning I wish to give concerning recreation.gov which we first ran across in 2019 in Maui where we had to get a reservation to be let in to the parking area at Haleakala to view the sunrise.

We did not trust the airlines(cancelled, delayed flights) so we drove. Our first day, June 1, we drove to BIg Spring, TX which was a long drive.  The next day we drove to Carlsbad, NM. Instead of stopping there we continued down to Guadaloup Mt National Park just across the TX border. There are many trails in this park but few that work for seniors.  We went on the trail that took us to the site of the Butterfield Station which was active in 1858 till the start of the Civil War.  It took mail/passengers from St. Louis to San Francisco in less than 25 days utiliziing stage coaches.  We also tried to take the McKittrick Canyon trail but were only able to do about half of it because the park service were to close the gate at 5pm.  I should have found out that but didn't.  The part of the trail we saw was well worth it and it is promoted as the most beautiful spot in TX.   We didn't find out ---- be sure to get there in time to do the entire trail before gate closing.

We then drove to Carlsbad Caverns to see the bats leaving.  We originally were going to view the bats the next day but were spooked by the report of rain the next day.  The next day we were going on a tour called the King's Palace.  It turns out that one must get a reservation (24 available per day) from reservation.gov.  At 8am the 24 were made available 30 days in advance. So I sat there waiting for the release.  The first time I clicked at 8am sharp only to see that all 24 were gone!!!  So the next day I clicked to see there were only 2 left so I grabbed them.  We shifted our entire vacation for this tour.  The tour was worth it. We stayed in Carlsbad NM.

The next day we  noticed a park called Living Desert SP in Carlsbad.  Since it was on our way we stopped there before driving to Alamogordo.  One reason we stopped is because we were having trouble ID'ing desert plants.  I highly recomment this park because it not only had desert flora and fauna, it had a zoo where we saw javelina and eagles and ....  We then drove to White Sands NP which is one of the newer national parks.  I was not impressed with White Sands before we got there but also after we got there.  It allowed me to get to 48 national parks.  We were supposed to take the sunset walk but storms came up to nix that.  We then drove to Las Cruces. 

Before leaving La Cruces we saw Dripping Springs Trail in the Organ Mts so we did the trail.  It was interesting and we enjoyed it. We then drove to Alamogordo where we on the spur of the moment went to a Pistachio Orchard which was a blast if you like pistachios.

We then drove to Arlington TX where the next day we went to a Ranger's game.

Warning:  If you are going to a national park visit the .nps website to see about closures and requirements.  A friend of mine drove halfway across Utah, waited 30 minutes in line at Arches N. Park then found out that a reservation to enter the park was needed from reservation.gov,  This is new for me because we went there 12 years ago and everybody was let it. Things are changing.