It’s been said that “sometimes you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, and sometimes in the middle of nowhere, you find yourself.”
I enjoy visiting the National Parks. An annual park pass costs $80. If you’re a senior citizen, you may purchase a lifetime park pass for $80. An adult can’t get into Disney for $80 a day. An adult can’t buy a one day skiing lift ticket for $80 a day.
What is the attraction? Sometimes it’s the smell of the fresh air (Grand Portage, MN); sometimes it’s the sound of bird song (Fort Union, NM); sometimes its the awe-inspiring stars at night (Big Bend, TX); maybe it’s the shear joy of hiking the “narrows” (Zion, UT); the challenge of hiking rim to rim to rim (Grand Canyon, AZ); at other times it’s the shear quietude and absence of sound, with maybe the exception of my shoes crunching on a gravel trail (Chircahua, AZ); or maybe it’s not seeing another soul in the park (Tonto, AZ); or maybe having an un-hurried conversation with a park ranger about rattlesnakes (Fort Bowie); or maybe the glorious fall weather; comfortable daytime temperatures, and not being able to remember the last time that it rained.
I’m often asked if I have a favorite park; and I’m not sure if there’s a benefit to having favorites. However, I will share that there are parks that I’ve visited more than once; keeping in mind that some states have a tremendous number of parks, monuments, and historic sites. Often times, I return to a park if it seems that it needs more time to explore.
In Utah, I’ve visited Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion several times. In Texas, I’ve visited Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountain several times. In Arizona, the list includes Grand Canyon, Saguaro, Chiricahua, and Organ Pipe Cactus; Organ Pipe Cactus is unique because it sits right on the US-Mexico border. In California, the list includes Death Valley (visiting in January and March due to the high temperatures), Joshua Tree, Mojave, and Point Reyes.
And I certainly have a “wish list” of parks to which I’d like to return, including Yosemite (CA), Glacier (MT), Mount St. Helens (WA), Denali (AK), Yellowstone (ID, MT, WY), and Rainier (WA).
Another point to mention is that the pandemic has certainly made it difficult to travel overseas, and as a result, the national parks have been quite crowded. It’s nice to see that people are taking the opportunity to visit the parks, and I’m certainly grateful for the opportunity to get out of the house, to travel, and to explore.
garthmonroe 