My Dad took us all on summer vacation “out west” in Summer of 1981. He wanted his family to experience the beauty of America, as he experienced it through the lens of his camera. We visited the spectacular vistas of Bryce, experienced the history of Mesa Verde, boated on Lake Mead, and hiked the riverbed in Zion. We camped at Grand Canyon-North Rim, where my dad was mistaken for the mule driver due to his long grey beard. But camping at Zion was the most memorable, due to the crashing thunderstorm and flash flood that occurred in the middle of the night, leaving my parents floating on air mattresses inside the tent, while my brother and I took refuge in the station wagon. By the time we got to Black Canyon of the Gunnison, about 3 weeks later, my brother and I refused to get out of the car, as two teens of 14 and 16, we were all tripped out! Looking back, my father left me a legacy of travel and photography that I embrace to this day. I’ve taken my children to Yosemite, Cape Cod, and National Historic Sites in Boston, Philly and Washington DC. On my bucket list is Grand Teton and Yellowstone.
Sincerely,
Zion National Park
Free-flowing rivers cut through multi-hued sedimentary rock to form Zion's deep and spectacular canyons. Park trails lead visitors to dramatic rock formations, hanging gardens, scenic vistas, ancient rock art and natural arches. People have lived in Zion’s landscape for at least 8,000 years, and the park's prehistoric art and artifacts tell the stories of the area’s previous inhabitants. The park also provides habitat for a variety of wildlife and large mammals, hardy desert plants like cholla and juniper, and rare and threatened birds like the peregrine falcon, California condor and Mexican spotted owl.
State(s): Utah
Established: 1909
“There is nothing like them in the world!! The natural beauty of America is beyond comparison. I am changed for the better because of my visit to Yosemite!”
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Greetings from Zion National Park
My wife and I have been hiking with a high school buddy of mine and his wife for years and we try to visit a National Park every year. I will share a very memorable and beautiful trip we made to Zion. We traveled there in the summer and hiked…
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Greetings from Zion National Park
My 26yo grandson and I ascended Angel’s Landing in the morning and then headed to the Narrows. He wondered how we were going to hike IN the Narrows. He was caught aback as I just continued my hike from the river walk right into the river without a pause. He…
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Greetings from Zion National Park
Zion National Park will always have a special place in my heart. The first time visiting, I hiked up to Observation Point in the morning and did a few miles in The Narrows in the afternoon. It was a glorious and exhausting introduction to the park. Years later, I brought…
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