I was the only USA citizen among my cohort of post doctoral students. I had never been to the Grand Canyon myself, not just my international friends. We decided that as long as we were going to be sent to a scientific meeting in New Mexico, we would take a week of vacation after that meeting and explore together. American, Spanish, and Russian, we had the most wonderful adventure of our lives: Encouraging each other to keep going despite unaccustomed exertion. Taking pictures, resting and writing poetry about the beauty before our eyes. Sketching our ideas and taking photographs. We remain lifelong friends so many years later because we shared something special that working together in the lab would never have accomplished. It made our science better, because we understood Nature better. Our national parks have the power to bring the world together. People sharing wonder and reverence for natural beauty, have diplomatic advantages in ways that politicians cannot possibly achieve in conference rooms. People should start holding peace talks in the context of hikes and adventures in National Parks. Beauty speaks when words fail.
Sincerely,
Grand Canyon National Park
America’s Southwest is full of breathtaking canyons, but none as famous or as widely visited as the Grand Canyon. This world-famous landmark offers wondrous views, spectacular hiking, exhilarating whitewater rafting and countless adventures. One look across the enormous chasm confirms just why this inspirational place is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a must-see destination for so many travelers. The park also protects a wealth of biological diversity, including numerous endemic and threatened species and several rare ecosystems.
State(s): Arizona
Established: 1919
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Greetings from Grand Canyon National Park
Twelve years ago, my husband and I spent 3 days visiting the Grand Canyon. One of those days I suggested taking a hike down into the canyon on the South Kaibab Trail. It was amazing! You don’t realize the vastness of the canyon until you’re down in it, looking up,…
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Greetings from Grand Canyon National Park
I returned to the Grand Canyon a few months after my father passed away. I hiked solo down the crumbling switchbacks below Horseshoe Mesa and across the stark plateau to Hance Rapids. My dad introduced me to the Canyon; as a reluctant teenager we hiked down to Bright Angel campground.…
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Greetings from Grand Canyon National Park
We’re a family of four from South Carolina that includes a son in fourth grade and a daughter in college. A tradition of ours is to take at least one vacation each year to a national park. For Christmas 2021, we planned to visit Grand Canyon National Park and Saguaro…
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