The moment I set foot in Utah's
Zion National Park, I knew I'd be back again. I hiked miles and miles on that first trip, mesmerized by the towering pink cliffs. The second time, I waded through
18 miles of the Narrows (pictured above), staying upright thanks to my sticky-rubber shoes and a wooden staff. The third time, I rappelled down cliffs (with technical training) and snaked through
Orderville, an ambitious slot canyon hike well off the beaten path. The fourth trip, I conquered my fears and ascended
Angel's Landing, hanging on for dear life to chains bolted along the way, with thousand-foot drops to either side of me.
Everyone has a place like Zion, a place that has created lasting memories. Many of these experiences wouldn't have occurred had it not been for the creation of the National Park Service and the people who've dedicated their lives to it.
Sunday's premiere of Ken Burns' "
The National Parks: America's Best Idea" couldn't have come at a better time. Today's children – plugged in to video games and fueled by a steady stream of high-fructose corn syrup – are so in need of a dose of unadulterated nature. How can we expect the next generation to preserve our national parks without first learning to treasure them?
I've had the opportunity to see all 12 hours of the series at a sneak preview, and it is ... magnificent. The way the stories unfold, the cinematography, the soundtrack – if you shut your eyes, I swear you can smell the pine trees.
Note: We're stacking the series, so from Sunday-Friday, September 27-October 2, a new episode will air each night at 8.
If you haven't visited the parks lately, this is sure to inspire you to get out there and get moving. While you're at it, take photos. Now through October 31, we're accepting submissions for our National Parks Photo Contest.
Submit your favorite nature shots here, and enter to win a DVD set of the entire series! Oh, and a bunch of tickets just opened up for our big screening event at Chautauqua on Saturday.
Click here to RSVP.
-Elizabeth Mayer, Rocky Mountain PBS
