 |
| Monument Valley has provided a classic and timeless "American West" backdrop for countless movies. Photo: Julio Soto |
A City Slicker Discovers Our National Parks
- Yellowstone National Park
- Grand Teton National Park
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Zion National Park
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Antelope Canyon & Lake Powell
- Monument Valley & The Arches
- Moab
- A Journey to Remember
I'm not an outdoorsy person. For me, "roughing it" is a hotel without room service. Simply put, I'm your modern-day city slicker.
But here I am, flanked by spectacular 11,000-foot peaks, watching three bull bison stroll by our car. The buffalo pause, shoot a glance our way, then amble along. There is just one word to describe this experience: Inspiring.
I'm in Yellowstone National Park, the first stop on my journey through eight of America's most spectacular wildlife treasures. Today's national park system is made up of nearly 400 parks and 84 million acres of stunning landscapes. It's also home to thousands of species of wildlife who find a safe haven in these protected lands.
The concept of conserving pristine regions was first introduced in the 1800s by artist George Catlin, whose paintings depicted scenes of Native American life and captured the stunning beauty of these lands. Catlin's passionate mission resulted in an 1872 congressional act identifying Yellowstone as America's first national park.
But it would be a young politician named Theodore Roosevelt who truly championed these efforts, resulting in the establishment and protection of five parks,18 monuments and 100 million acres of forest.
Following in Catlin's original footsteps, I now find myself in unfamiliar territory. My experience traveling through the world's most exotic regions didn't quite prepare me for this. I realized I knew more about India than Utah. So donning new hiking boots and still-crisp flannel, I set off in search of new frontiers and a true grit adventure.
 |
Yellowstone's Morning Glory Pool is a hot spring known for its vivid colors and the rainbow of light it reflects. |
My guide is Shawn Horman, a Utah native who is a specialist in national park adventures. Over steaming mugs of roasted Montana coffee, I learn that Shawn once acted as a Japanese-speaking guide for the region. I would later wonder if he had to brush up on his already fluent Japanese so he could learn dozens of new adjectives just to describe this stunning landscape.
After our evening in the rustic town of West Yellowstone, MT, we are sitting at the gateway to the fabled Yellowstone National Park. I breathe a sigh of relief as the bison finally clear the way for our journey to continue.
Before traveling here, my knowledge of Yellowstone was limited to Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo, and their unrelenting quest to steal picnic baskets from unsuspecting campers. (Wait a minute…that's Jellystone.) As the expansive beauty and wonder of the park is revealed, I begin to realize how little I truly know about the wonders only America offers.
 |
A bison treks through Yellowstone National Park. |
The nearly 3,500-square-mile park —it's larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined—extends through Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Within its massive borders is some of the most concentrated geothermal activity in the world. Over 300 geysers can be found in Yellowstone, but I'm most interested in seeing the park's iconic trademark—Old Faithful.
And I'm not disappointed. Every 90 minutes or so, Old Faithful puts on a dramatic show, with steaming vents that surround a 135-foot spout of boiling water shooting dramatically into the air. I'm surprised to learn that Old Faithful is just one small example of what the park has to explore. Yellowstone is also home to one of the world's largest collections of petrified forests and countless waterfalls. I learn that the largest concentration of wildlife in the lower 48 states can be found here. Roaming across the ancient volcanic plateaus and watery respites are bighorn sheep, moose, grizzlies, elk, coyotes and over 70 species of birds. Sadly, night falls, and I know that my quest will continue on a different path in the morning.
 |
After a hearty breakfast, we head south to Grand Teton National Park. I soon discover why this snow-capped mountain landscape is a favorite among climbers, hikers and photographers. Towering skyscrapers of crystalline rock provide dramatic images of Mother Nature's finest handiwork.
Trekking through the rough terrain, we breathe in crisp mountain air as a serene silence enwraps us. We watch from afar as a moose and her tentative calf make their way to a grassy meadow and the tender willow buds they favor.
The forests that carpet these mountainsides provide an idyllic home to a wide variety of wildlife. Golden eagles soar above as stately elks and stalwart bison roam across the horizon. Within these vast borders are black bear, coyotes, mule deer and the more elusive mountain lion. Everywhere we go, we're greeted by the familiar and ever-present marmots, ground squirrels and chipmunks.
At the top of one stunning mountain crest, I notice that the smooth glacial lakes below have created a dramatic mirror image of the 14,000-foot windswept summit. It's in this moment that I realize that this city slicker has a lot to learn.
 |
Bighorn sheep are famous for their large, curled horns. In winter, bighorn herds move to lower elevations to graze. |
The drive from the natural rock amphitheaters of Bryce to the wild collision of canyons and tunnels that is Zion National Park is a short two hours. An off-road hike brings us to an ideal location for viewing its endless multi-colored, thousand-foot cliffs. We take our time exploring the canyons, brightly lit beneath the brilliant blue sky. Far below these giant walls lie mysterious chasms and rifts in the rock, some forming secret and beautiful tunnels with soft marbled walls, while others burst skyward in craggy, razor-sharp formations.
Designated a national park in 1919, Zion (meaning "The Promised Land") is Utah's oldest and most popular park. These distinctive canyons attract hikers and canyoneers from around the world thanks to their virtually endless opportunities for outdoor adventure.
This morning, I am the first to belly up to the breakfast buffet, and it's not about digging into that mountain of scrambled eggs in the chow line. The simple fact is I couldn't sleep in anticipation of my first visit to the Grand Canyon ahead of me. After all, the Grand Canyon is the iconic symbol of the American West and is renowned for its colossal beauty, mammoth depth and inspirational native culture and history.
The park encompasses 1.2 million acres of northwestern Arizona, and its unique geological attributes make it one of the most studied landscapes in the world. With only one day on our schedule to explore, we barely scratch the surface of what this impressive wonder has to offer.
From our vantage point along the South Rim, I watch as the walls explode in ever-changing vibrant colors, finally settling into a soft ballet of oranges and yellows before the deep red sun takes its final bow. You could easily spend days hiking, taking wildlife tours and cliff-side mule rides, or just marveling at the Grand Canyon's never-ending beauty.
 |
Carved by rainwater and time, Antelope Canyon is a photographer's dream. |
After saying a reluctant goodbye to the Grand Canyon, our next destination is Antelope Canyon. While not the mammoth setting of our previous stop, Antelope Canyon is a photographer's dream and the most popular "slot" canyon in the Southwest. Slot canyons are formed by flash flood erosion, which occurs when rainwater picks up speed and sand as it rushes through narrow passageways. Over time, these passageways become deeper and smoother to form graceful, curving shapes in the rock. The fluid shapes, coupled with moving shafts of ambient sunlight, create a fascinating and otherworldly effect.
We wrap up the day with a sunset cruise on Lake Powell. Sandstone rock formations complement the cozy, secluded coves and perfect-sand beaches.
 |
Arches National Park in Utah is famous for its natural sandstone sculptures. Pictured here is the Delicate Arch. Photo: Julio Soto |
Monument Valley is the stuff movie legends are made of. As I pass through its familiar landscape, I picture iconic film director John Ford overlooking thousands of wardrobed extras, all waiting for his bellowing voice to shout, "Action!"
Fans of classic western movies will recognize the freestanding sandstone formations that rise from the desert floor. This photogenic region offers dramatic vistas that have served as the perfect backdrop for countless "old west" movies—including Ford's 1939 classic, Stagecoach, which gave John Wayne his big break.
Nearby, Arches National Park is known for the largest concentration of sandstone arches in the world, some 2,000 in all. Simple erosion by the elements over thousands of years created these intricate and artfully sculpted formations.
The light of dawn slowly blankets the red rock hills surrounding the town of Moab, UT.
A unique combination of caverns, hills, slopes and cliffs makes it an adventurer's paradise. You'll find a hotbed of high-activity pursuits here, from horseback riding and whitewater rafting, to hang gliding, hiking and rappelling. Diehard dirt bike enthusiasts seek out this land, whose terrain sates their adventure-seeking spirit.
Events and downtown festivals are held year-round in Moab, thanks to the region's near perfect climate, and we also find a great collection of restaurants, shops and galleries. Locally made Southwestern art, jewelry and other souvenirs are wonderful keepsakes for my final (so soon?) leg of this wondrous journey.
 |
| City slicker Julio Soto became one with nature on the rocky banks of an icy stream. |
I've traveled the world, but have never encountered wonders that can rival what I experienced traveling through America's exquisite national parks. I reflect on the conversation Shawn and I had as we made the drive from Bryce Canyon to Zion. We talked about the time and effort it took for Disney to recreate just a small portion of Bryce's unique geology and amazing hoodoos. Looking around, it's daunting to think that Mother Nature has created mile upon mile of her own astounding marvels, landscapes and towering peaks. And they're all here—just waiting to be rediscovered.