They contain the highest point and lowest point in the country. They also contain the worlds largest living organisms. They are our National Parks. An originally American idea, the National Parks set aside special lands for the enjoyment of everyone.
The parks are said to have the ‘Wow’ factor and I’ve certainly found that to be true again and again. It is just as much fun to be around wihen another person is hit with the stunning awe of the sites to be absorbed. I was sitting on the rim of the Grand Canyon with my sister waiting for the sunset to turn the red and orange hughes even deeper in tone when a little boy and his older sister ran out from the parking lot path to get their first site of the canyon. That is when the little brother said ‘Wwwooooooowwwwww!’, upon taking in the view. To which his wiser sister replied, “See, and you said it was just a hole in the ground” with all of the, I told you so she could muster.
Other wow factors have include hiking through a calf deep stream in the Narrows of Zion NP with the towering walls so high that you hurt your neck cranking your head back to see the where the top of the rock walls touch the sky. Then there was the time standing at the pay phone in the Tetons calling my folks running through the litany of animals we had scene. Keep in mind, I was a 30 year old with the excitement of 7 year old rambling on the phone.
The parks are said to have the ‘Wow’ factor and I’ve certainly found that to be true again and again. It is just as much fun to be around wihen another person is hit with the stunning awe of the sites to be absorbed. I was sitting on the rim of the Grand Canyon with my sister waiting for the sunset to turn the red and orange hughes even deeper in tone when a little boy and his older sister ran out from the parking lot path to get their first site of the canyon. That is when the little brother said ‘Wwwooooooowwwwww!’, upon taking in the view. To which his wiser sister replied, “See, and you said it was just a hole in the ground” with all of the, I told you so she could muster.
Other wow factors have include hiking through a calf deep stream in the Narrows of Zion NP with the towering walls so high that you hurt your neck cranking your head back to see the where the top of the rock walls touch the sky. Then there was the time standing at the pay phone in the Tetons calling my folks running through the litany of animals we had scene. Keep in mind, I was a 30 year old with the excitement of 7 year old rambling on the phone.
One of my favorite places is the front porch of Roosevelt Lodge in Northern Yellowstone. It’s a long wooden planked porch running the entire front of the one story log building built in 1920. There is a big pine log rail that is perfect for propping your feet up on while rocking the evening away sipping on Moose Drool ale. If you are fortunate enough to be at the lodge the last week of August the place is decorated for Christmas. The trophy antlers are strung with white lights and there is Christmas tree by the river rock fireplace with home made paper ornaments. Roosevelt Lodge, like most of Yellowstone, shuts down Labor Day preparing for the long winter, so the summer staff celebrates Christmas together before returning to their regular lives.
If you have had the pleasure of visiting one of the parks or have only dreamed of making such a
trip, do yourself a favor and watch the new Ken Burns documentary on the National Parks. The program airs for the first time starting Sunday evening, September 27th, on PBS. From the first morning rays of light hitting America in Acadia National Park to first national park, Yellowstone, it is a visual treasure trove. Take the phone off the hook, let the dog out, don't answer the door and set aside all other distractions, then Enjoy.http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/
Pre view clips of the documentary: http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/watch-video/
Photos: Hiking the South Kaibab trail Grand Canyon NP, Moulton Barn Grand Teton NP, Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir in Yosemite (since I don't have Mr Peabody's wayback machine I didn't take this picture), Early Morning Mist Yellowstone NP.
