There are an array of national parks across this country; some with history that reveals other cultures living long before present-day mankind cultures and people that remain the backbone and building blocks of who we are today. However, when the word ‘ancient’ is spoken where national parks are concerned, Zion National Park is the location that comes to mind first. It was back in 1919, that Zion became a National Park in Utah, and the area is literally stunning. From canyons to cliffs, the hiking opportunities are thrilling, offering the most spectacular views on the planet. The Narrows, Subway, and Angels Landing are locations well-known to lovers of adventure, and with almost 3 million people visiting Zion National Park each year, this is one area that cannot be outdone where thrills are concerned.
Zion National Park is literally a land crisscrossed by paths that ancient natives, as well as the original pioneers, traveled in order to settle the U.S. and begin a country that would eventually become the best of the best. It was nearly 12,000 years ago that mammoth, giant sloth and camel roamed southern Utah, with the first settlers following them into a majestic world of sandstone. The cliffs were large, high and frightening, and when the sun set on the cream and pink of the land, even the narrowest of canyons lit up with fire.
‘Enchanting’ is not enough to describe this world. The wilderness is both light and dark, drawing naturalists, environmentalists, photographers, sightseers, and more to its center. The history of humankind causing the mammoth to disappear from their overabundance of hunting is a learned mistake and something America strives to never do again to any species that call the U.S. home.
Learning to gather foods and farm for themselves, the people in the Zion are changed their lives. The culture that came into being believed in ranching and cultivation proving that the area could be the ‘place of peace and relaxation’ that is the actual definition of ‘Zion’.
It is an unforgettable experience when searching the skies above and witnessing the endangered California condor and peregrine falcons soar above, taking you back to a time where nature once ruled the kingdom that was created for them. And when hiking in Zion National Park, the Temple of Sinawava the route to Angels Landing produces thrills and chills in the soul. Long, steep, narrow ridges are traversed by the brave using support chains in the rock, offering the safest anchors along the journey. A slippery slope to say the least, it is also one that will be etched in your mind forever.
The beauty of this area also came into play for ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’; not the real daring duo, of course, but the movie that remains one of the most beloved in history was filmed near Zion in the ghost town of Grafton. Two of Hollywood’s greatest actors were framed by the beauty and power of Zion’s amazing backdrop.
Through the Narrows…to the Temple...the huge waterfall created by the North Fork…staring down breathless at the gorge from the canyon rim – these are lines that great writer’s use. Yet when it comes to Zion National Park, each and every one of these scenes are reality.
If wanting to keep both feet on the floor, scenic driving is also quite easy to do in this area. Zion Canyon Drive and Zion-Mount Carmel Highway run throughout the mighty canyon, bringing you (more safely) to some of the amazing tourist spots that everyone must witness before their time on earth is through.
The variety of elevations also provide an abundance of both plant and animal species living in the canyons, roaming the desert floors, and even resting on forested plateaus. It is obvious to anyone who visits that Zion National Park is a land that has seen everything from hardship to peace. But the strength of those awesome canyons and cliffs – the beauty of those waterfalls and structures created by both Man and Mother Nature – have proven to all visitors that Zion was built on strength and kept alive with the hope and faith of our earliest forefathers. This is the strength that has allowed it to thrive in 2014.
When speaking about protecting lands so that the next generation can enjoy them, there is no better example than Zion.