In July 1978 my wife and I climbed Guadalupe Peak and signed the summit register. Our daughter was born in May 1979. My wife died in July 2002, and my daughter and I climbed Guadalupe as a memorial to her and we signed the summit register. At the ranger station we asked to see if they had preserved the register entries from July 1978 and they had! We were so moved to see Niesha’s and my entries, made just 10 months before our daughter Arianna’s birth. On September 25, 2020 a thoughtless neighbor put out strychnine poison (illegal) to kill ground squirrels and killed our beloved black lab girl dog Sierra. A week later Arianna and I climbed Guadalupe and Arianna signed the summit register. I was 79 years old then, turned 80 a few days ago. We are so grateful for the National Parks, particularly for Guadalupe and its wonderful preservation of summit register entries for years and years. The beauty and challenge of Guadalupe National Park has been a refuge for grieving souls.
Sincerely,
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
This wilderness area preserves the largest exposed fossil reef on Earth, showcasing remnants from an underwater world that existed 260 million years ago when this part of West Texas was covered by the sea. Visitors can explore the park’s striking mountains or hike a stream bed through the winding limestone walls of McKittrick Canyon, where deciduous trees and other vegetation stand in vibrant contrast with the surrounding desert.
State(s): Texas
Established: 1972
“The National Parks arose from the brains and hearts of unique citizens John Muir and Theodore Roosevelt, much as USA arose from George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton ER al.”
National parks represent the best of America. Why do you care about protecting and preserving them? Tell us why parks matter to you!
Success! Thanks for sharing your story with us.
You’ll be notified by email when your story is approved and added to the collection on the My Park Story homepage.
In the meantime, you can share your own story page with your family and friends — and help us spread the word about these priceless memories and priceless places!
Here’s your unique story page link:
{{ storyUrl }}-
Greetings from Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Having been to over 30 national parks, we didn't expect an early morning visit on March 5, 2019 to Guadalupe Mountains National Park to be one of our most memorable experiences. While driving into the park on the way to the visitor center, we noticed a majestic scene unlike anything…
-
Greetings from Guadalupe Mountains National Park
We hit the Guadalupe Mountain Trail early on a March morning after driving eighty miles east of El Paso, Texas through a great salt flat as white as snow. We soon met a Bavarian girl on the trail when we all stopped to put on heavy sweaters in a fiercely…
-
Greetings from New River Gorge National Park & Preserve
This summer, my friends and I held our annual camping trip in New River Gorge National Park. As young adults, (some of us are still students) a lot of vacation spots are out of our price range, but public lands like national parks allow us to spend time together without…
Preserve Our Parks
Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.
Donate Now