I do not have photos of my visit to Grand Canyon in 1993, but the memory of it will remain with me forever. My wife and son were with me as we drove late at night down the road to the lodge on the north rim. It was about 10:30 p.m. My wife and son were engaged in watching the incredible night sky and the stars, while I kept my focus on the road. Suddenly, a huge animal arched completely from one side of the road to the other in a split second. It was a mountain lion. Later, a park ranger told me that he had been working there for eight years and had never seen a mountain lion. So, I felt honored to have seen this magnificent animal. Surely, we Americans have little understanding of the meaning of our wonderful national parks. Otherwise, our current government could not take such an antagonistic approach to these sacred places.
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
“All of us have an urgent need to immerse ourselves in the natural environment, away from the man-made world of materialism. The Native Americans obviously knew how sacred were the places that have been set aside as national parks by wise, thinking administrators. These precious spaces contain far more spiritual substance than any materialistic endeavors in our culture.”
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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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