“We are all co-owners of some of the most moving places on Earth, and while much of that emotion is born in the spectacular scenery we are seeing there, it also finds its source in us and our love and connection to each other.” – Ken Burns
When I saw this article and video this morning (thanks to a Tweet by my friend @MeghanJambor) I became instantly hungry for a National Park experience. I was immediately and emotionally taken by Ken Burns’ story about visiting Shenandoah National Park as a child with his father. When I was seven (1965, yikes!), we lived in Rockville, Maryland and I cannot tell you how many road-trips my family made to Front Royal and the Shenandoah National Park, the Skyline Drive & Blue Ridge Parkway – it was incredible!
Another one of the greatest memories I have involving National Parks was hiking 3 miles (6 miles round trip!) in Glacier National Park – up an elevation change of 2400 feet – with my father in the late 1970’s. The view from the top of the climb was spectacular. Looking to the east you could see FOREVER across Montana and back to the west the taller Rising Wolf Mountain and crystal blue Two Medicine Lake we had just climbed up from…and it was all the more memorable because I had done it with my dad. I’ll always have that memory forever etched into my mind.
Our National Parks are our greatest natural treasures – watch this great Ken Burns’ video commentary on our National Parks, and read the full article in USA Today Travel here. I’d almost guarantee you’ll join me with an incurable case of wanderlust.