was looking through my Apple photos today. I love looking through “old” memories. Many people take photos and never look at them again, but I most certainly do. I like that Apple tries to categorize pictures so you can look at like-type photos whenever you want. One of the categories that caught my eye today was called “Cliffs.” Cliffs! So I had to dive in.
Merriam-Webster’s definition of a cliff: a very steep, vertical, or overhanging face of rock, earth, or ice.
Turns out, I’ve seen a lot of cliffs so far in my life! And they were all fun to look at. Each photo brought back another memory of that moment. I thought these photos would be a fun share for today’s Blogmas post.
Do you have any fun “cliff” related memories or favorite places to share?
Visual Memories of My Favorite Cliffs
In no particular order.
Paracas National Reserve
Ica, Peru
We were here on our wedding anniversary! We boated around protected Ballestas Island, saw lots of wildlife (shoutout to the cute South American Sea Lions and Humboldt Penguins – unfortunately no Andean condors), and learned so much history of the area. Paracas National Reserve offered some of the most beautiful views from our entire trip to Peru. I could stare at that white sand beach alllllll day!
Canyonlands National Park
Utah, USA
As you may/may not know, we absolutely love visiting National Parks! Canyons offer realllllly cool cliffs and geologic patterns! The Canyonlands National Park area has been carved out by the Colorado River over thousands of years. There are three distinct and notable sections within the park ready for you to explore: Island in the Sky, The Maze, and The Needles. Canyonlands National Park is within a couple hours drive of Arches and Capitol Reef National Parks.
Kenai Fjords National Park
Alaska, USA
Fjords in general hold some of the greatest cliffs we’ll ever see. But the fjords in Kenai Fjords National Park? 100% worth venturing over to Alaska for. You’ll take a giant boat (read: catamaran) through some incredibly choppy waters, eventually arriving within Kenai Fjords NP “proper.” You’ll witness amazing wildlife (including puffins and orcas) and landscapes.
Sermitsiaq Island
Nuuk, Greenland
This gargantuanly tall waterfall (the mountain is 3,970 ft) cascades from a massive glacier on Saddle Mountain on Sermitsiaq Island in inland Greenland. This captivating waterfall and its stunning surroundings land a spot on my top favorite cliffy areas list!
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Michigan, USA
We visited here in August of 2023 after years of it being on the wish list! A story for another time, we were at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for a kayaking tour, and boy was that quite an adventure that I don’t think either of us were prepared for. But for this post, I’ll leave it at this: It was one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever paddled.
Palisades State Park
South Dakota, USA
Just across the Minnesota/South Dakota border lies the hidden gem of Palisades State Park. A beautiful, landscape-diverse area, you could spend a long weekend here and do something different every day. We’ve been camping and hiking here, but you could also go paddling, swimming, and Elissa has been rock climbing here. To read a full post on this park, check out this blog post.
Mesa Verde National Park
Colorado, USA
Would you believe people used to LIVE inside cliffs? Easily the most fascinating cliff situation we’ve ever seen, Mesa Verde National Park offers a unique (believe it or not that is grammatically correct) and historic glimpse into life the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived in these cliff dwellings beginning in the late 1190s. It is beautiful and it is fascinating. This photo is of the Cliff Palace Dwelling.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
North Dakota, USA
A truly hidden gem over in North Dakota. Eric and I camped at Theodore Roosevelt National Park on our way to our friends Anna and Jonathan’s Glacier National Park wedding, and this park faaaaaar surpassed both of our expectations. Wild horses, bison, cliffs, canyons, a river, and gorgeous sunsets. It felt like I was staring into a Windows default background photo.
Capitol Reef National Park
Utah, USA
I love places that make me feel small, and Capitol Reef National Park does a really great job of that! It even has petroglyphs and oyster shell fossils, which are so fascinating to learn about and even better to see. Check out all three of its distinct districts: Fruita, Cathedral Valley, and Waterpocket.
Great Stirrup Cay
Norwegian Cruise Line's island in the Bahamas, Caribbean Sea
A spontaneous trip to the Bahamas with Jessica via Norwegian Cruise Line back in 2017. Some amazing memories made and places seen! I LOVE anywhere with b-e-a-u-tiful and warm blueeeee water. We’ve since been back! This island is so relaxing.
Devil’s Tower National Monument
Wyoming, USA
One of the most beautiful and mysterious “cliffs” we’ve visited! Is it made out of mashed potatoes? Maybe. Are there aliens? Maybe. But one thing’s for sure, there’s a LOT to see and do and LEARN from Devil’s Tower National Monument! And similar to Palisades, Elissa has also been rock climbing here in the past (her 21st birthday).
Snow Canyon State Park
Utah, USA
I was here in November of 2022 as part of a group beginner backpacking trip. We didn’t backpack here specifically, but it was a spontaneous stop along the way. So much fun! You can climb in, on, over, through, and around (many) slot canyons, which easily adds them to my “I love this now!” list.
P.S. This post is part of the 2023 Blogmas series. Check out the other posts here.