My mom, daughter, and I visited The Grand Canyon several years ago when my daughter was in middle school. I had become an avid birder (I still am) and at one of the overlooks I noticed the Park Rangers had a telescope focused on a cliff. One of the Rangers explained that they were monitoring a California Condor nest. He then gave me all the history about the Condor conservation work - I knew a little because I live in L.A. County & the L.A. Zoo was part of the effort, but I wasn’t aware of how close the birds had been to extinction. Right after he finished talking to me, one of the Condors soared right in front of us, as if on cue. I will never forget that moment and how much the Ranger clearly cared about his job and educating the public about conservation.
Sincerely,
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument
For public lands enthusiasts willing to forego paved roads and cell service, Parashant offers remote overlooks of the Grand Canyon, dark sky viewing, and backcountry camping in a wild landscape replete with desert cactus, ponderosa pines and rugged rock formations.
State(s): Arizona
Established: 2000
“National Parks and Monuments are essential to habitat preservation, honoring history and indigenous land, and providing public access to nature and information. They also provide employment to thousands of people.”
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 Kettle Creek Battlefield
By Retired Col. Irma Hagans Cooper, former member of NPCA’s Pacific Regional Council MAMMY KATE, Enslaved Patriot of the Revolutionary War Mammy Kate was a Black woman enslaved by Colonel Stephen Heard of Georgia, a man who would later become governor of the state. Before she was kidnapped, sold, and…
-
Greetings from Yosemite National Park
I travel to, and paint the US National Parks. I am passionate about conservation in “the People’s” Parks. I’ll be a guest painting teacher in Yosemite where I hope to share shifting color palettes of the Park depending on time of day, weather, and season.
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