Today is the start of National Parks Week, which means entrance to them is free; so if you live near one, stop reading right now and go spend time in it. You can always read this blog later. Each year, National Parks Week prompts me to reflect on their importance, have gratitude for those I have been able to visit, and made some recommendations.
Why are National Parks important? As a small government conservative with a strong anti-federalism streak, why do I adore this one part of the federal government and approve of it owning and operating 85 million acres of land? To quote Aaron Sorkin's line from The West Wing's debate episode, "There are times when we are fifty states and times when we are one country." If you would rather I quote a real person, here are the thoughts of the first director of the NPS, ""The parks do not belong to one state or to one section...The Yosemite, the Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon are national properties in which every citizen has a vested interest; they belong as much to the man of Massachusetts, of Michigan, of Florida, as they do to the people of California, of Wyoming, and of Arizona." Some features are so spectacular that preserving them is the responsibility of all our citizens, not just those of the state the encompasses them. Every year, when I file my taxes, I find myself wishing that I could check boxes for where I would like my tax money spent. If I could, I would certainly include the preservation of these glorious sites along with national defense and highways.
In my life, I have been fortunate to visit a number of our National Parks. My dad was an amateur photographer for most of my life, so our vacations involved places to photograph. That meant arriving in an area with several parks and going to as many of them as possible during a week. While I'm not sure it is possible to visit all 418 National Parks sites (including 60 parks, dozens of battlefields, several trails, and over 80 monuments) while still living a regular life with a job, I have visited 50 sites in 18 states, if we count D.C. as a state. I hope I will have the opportunity to visit even more. While I'm sure you are hoping I will discuss each of the 50 I've seen in great detail, I'll limit myself to five or six.
Yellowstone
This is the park that started it all, which is fitting because it is not just beautiful; it is unique. There is nowhere else in the world with the amount and variety of features that Yellowstone National Park contains. From geysers and hot springs to waterfalls between the sulfur lined canyon walls that give it its name, there is no park with more to offer. This is also the park that started my love of National Parks. I was fourteen when I first visited, and there are photos of the Grand Geyser and Mammoth Hot Springs that I took that year hanging on my living room wall today.
I recommend spending a full week in Yellowstone, but that might not be possible for you. If you only have one day, see the geysers. There is a huge variety, from small and pretty to large and impressive. They are all awe-inspiring, but DO NOT miss the Grand Geyser, which goes 300 feet into the air. If you have two days, do the upper loop road on the first day and the lower loop on the second.
Arches
Arches National Park in Utah is not the most celebrated park, but it should be on your list. If I could spend just one more week in only one park, it would be this one. Over time, the wind has picked up sand and carved arches out of rock walls.
If you have limited mobility and can only look at what you can see from the road and overlooks, you can spend one day in this park. However, if you want to see it well, you need to do a little hiking. Most of the hikes are easy to moderate, and they are worth the time and effort. My favorite of the easy hikes leads to Sand Dune Arch. This arch is hidden between other rock formations, so when you reach it, you feel like you are inside. The temperature is about 10 degrees cooler than everywhere else, which is a relief in the heat of Southern Utah. Because of the hidden nature of this arch, the sand doesn't blow away, leaving a sand dune under your feet.
The most famous arch in the park is Delicate Arch. It is on the Utah license plate. There are three ways to view it. The lower viewpoint is a short easy walk from a parking lot, but you see the arch from a mile away and below. The upper viewpoint is a slightly more difficult hike, which includes some stairs, but you get a clear view. The best view is to hike to the arch itself, a moderately strenuous hike of three miles up slickrock with a scantily marked trail. If you can do it, it is absolutely worth the view. If you are a photographer, plan to spend some time here.Grand Canyon
Everyone should see the Grand Canyon before they die. There's no other way to put it. This is one of the most spectacular sites in the world, and pictures will never do it justice. Even April, the most cynical character in Parks and Recreation says, "I'm trying to find a way to be annoyed it. I'm coming up empty."
Unless you are a hiker, two days at the Grand Canyon gives plenty of time to see everything you want from the overlooks at different times of day. Make it part of a larger trip. There's a whole lot to do in the area, including Zion and Bryce.
Carlsbad Caverns
Will Rogers called this "the Grand Canyon with a roof over it."
New Mexico is a place where everything is spread out, so there's a lot of driving. The park is entrance is 20 miles from the nearest town. Even the entrance road is 7 miles long. When you get there, however, you park your car and spend your time at very pleasant temperatures under the ground. You can take an elevator down if you wish, but if you have good knees, I recommend the hour-long walk down the Natural Entrance Trail. It is paved and has handrails and steep in places. You see so much of the cave this way that you won't see if you take the elevator down (take the elevator back up, though).
If you are at Carlsbad between late May and early October, do yourself a favor and stay until sunset for the Bat Flight Program. I know it sounds like it will be creepy and horrible, but it is awesome. I thought I would hate it. I had images in my head of bats screaming over my head. It is nothing like that. There is an amphitheater built around the natural cave entrance. The ranger presentation is informative and interesting, but the place becomes silent when the bats start exiting the cave. Because this species of bat can't get enough lift with their wings to come straight out, they fly in circles, making a spiral of bats as they exit the cave and fly off into the sunset. The only thing you hear for several minutes is the flapping of wings. Just trust me. Stay.
My last two recommendations are in Alaska and Hawaii, so I know this is a stretch for most people. Please know that I understand how privileged I am to have seen these.
Denali
Alaska is a rugged place and travel can be complicated. It is that ruggedness, however, the makes Denali one of the most beautiful places in America. Named for the mountain the American government named Mt. McKinley, Denali National Park covers six million acres of land. There is only one road, and you can only take your car on part of it. Official park buses are required on most of it. The road is also only open for part of the year, so plan carefully.
The bus requirement seems limiting at first, but you will find that you are glad you can look out the windows and take pictures while someone else does the driving because there is so much to see. The narrated tour buses are more expensive than the transit buses, but if you have made it to Alaska, don't let that stop you. The tour guide we had was amazing and stopped any time someone thought they saw an animal. In her words, "We'd rather stop and be wrong than not stop, so shout if you think you see an animal. If it turns out to be a rock, we will ooh and ahh and take pictures of the rock." The day we were there was pretty overcast (in fact I never saw the mountain), but because it was so cloudy, the animals were out foraging. We saw grizzly bears, dall sheep, elk, deer, and caribou.
Haleakalā
This park IS a volcano. Booking a sunrise tour is going to sound crazy, but you are only losing one night of sleep for a once in a lifetime experience. A bus will pick you up at your hotel around 2:30 in the morning to take you to the top of the mountain. It's freezing cold up there and will be rather hot by the time you get back down, so pack accordingly. Get into a spot where you can see the crater and put your camera in burst mode. When the sun rises, it looks like it is coming out of the crater.
After the sun is up, spend some time hiking around, but be careful. You are at very high elevation, so you will be short of breath with little exertion. Give yourself time. The low amount of vegetation will make you feel like you are walking on the moon. Some tours bike back down the mountain, but I thought those were crazy people.
You may not live near one of these amazing parks, but there are parks in every state. If you can't get to a national park this week, there are state parks too. If nothing else, just get outside. Look at the sky; get your hands in some dirt. Do something to enjoy nature. That's why the parks exist, even if you can't get to one during National Parks Week.
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