America’s National Parks

The photograph above was taken in 1988, my first visit to the Grand Canyon – the south rim. I returned in 2006 to visit the north rim. (That was WAY too long between trips.) There are 365 National Park Service Units in the United States. This would combine the Statue of Liberty and Gettysburg, PA – National Park Historic sites along with the Grand Canyon and Yosemite – National Parks. I’ve been to the Statue of Liberty, Gettysburg and the National Mall in Washington, DC (part of the park service), but it is those parks in the American west where my heart lies. When I stare into the Grand Canyon, I think two thoughts – 1) it feels like I am on a another planet and, 2) the planet Mars also has a Grand Canyon – Valles Marineris – that is the length of the United States. That’s (approximately) 3000 miles vs. 220 miles. Wow.