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. Later, for his 70th birthday, our family completed a 12 mile dayhike encompassing the Tonto. Because of my dad, I fell in love with the park and returned year after year, navigating the December snows to reach the North Rim, crossing the Tonto carrying six liters of water, facing fear and loneliness on the Boucher. Each time the park brought me peace and solace. But after my father died, I was adrift. He was my compass, a deeply kind man who loved nature and parks. I sat on the rocks near Hance Rapids, waiting for the magic of the canyon to sink in. I heard the cascading notes of a Canyon wren, a bird my dad loved. I tried to see my dad in the clouds, the river, the layers of the canyon. I thought, for a moment, that I could.
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
“They provide healing and solitude and joy as well as habitat and clean water. ”
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