Utah’s first national park showcases some pretty unique things here. You can follow the paths where ancient native people and pioneers walked. You can gaze up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into a brilliant blue sky. You can experience the wilderness in a narrow slot canyon.
Zion’s elevations range from 3,666 to 8,726 feet creating this diverse topography and habitats and species here. This park also has geological features over 250 million years old.
Zion is a pretty national park to check out sometime! If you head out there now, make sure to check out the website for shuttle information and any changes due to the pandemic.
Happy 230th anniversary to the National Mall. The National Mall is centrally located in Washington, DC.
The National Mall is America’s most visited national park and nicknamed “America’s front yard”.
The Mall area preserves the Washington Monument, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, D.C. War Memorial, World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, George Mason Memorial, Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House, the National Mall, East and West Potomac Parks, Constitution Gardens, 60 statues, and numerous other historic sites, memorials, and parklands.
I remember seeing the National Mall for the first time. I had traveled to DC for an internship after graduating college. In my free time, I walked over to check out a few sights and knew this area would be an ideal place to see some iconic memorials.
I grew up seeing the skyscrapers in Chicago. I’ve seen really, really tall buildings. I’ve seen open areas and parks. Yet, this place wowed me. The beauty, the history, the size, the importance of it all truly awed me.
I can’t wait to back to this part of our national park system. It brings together our country in unique ways. It also provides a peaceful place to encourage change in our country.
According to the National Park Service, “The open spaces and parklands envisioned by Pierre L’Enfant’s plan, which was commissioned by President George Washington, created an ideal stage for national expressions of remembrance, observance, celebration, and expression of First Amendment rights.”
If you’re in the DC area, definitely make some time and check out the National Mall area.
Happy 109th anniversary to Devils Postpile National Monument established back 1911! This national monument is located in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California and cover about 800 acres.
The Postpile serves as the main attraction here and is pretty cool to see in person! Current studies suggest that the Postpile was formed less than 100,000 years ago when a cooling lava flow cracked into multi-sided columns. This formation is a rare sight and towers about 60 feet high!
You can also check the 101 foot high Rainbow Falls here along with many mountain trails.
While it’s lesser known than the nearby Yosemite National Park, this national monument is definitely worth a visit!
Make sure to check for information online about it before visiting due to the current pandemic.
Happy anniversary to Devils Postpile National Monument!
