“The wonders of the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately represented in symbols of speech, nor by speech itself. The resources of the graphic art are taxed beyond their powers in attempting to portray its features. Language and illustration combined must fail.” – John Wesley Powell
Aside from a few family vacations when I was young, I only have glimpses in my memory of our national parks. However, that changed when I was 13 and went to Grand Canyon National Park for the first time. I visited with my Boy Scout troop on spring break for my first backpacking trip. I’m not sure of my rank in Scouting at the time, but as far as backpacking went, I was truly a tenderfoot.
Our first night, spent on the South Rim, was as snowy and cold. As such, we hit the trail the next morning with wet tents and cold feet. Two days later, I would be bailing water out of my tent for an entire afternoon in a torrential downpour on the North Kaibab trail. After a rocky start, though, the clouds lifted and we got to experience the tranquil beauty of Grand Canyon. The immense canyon showed us all four seasons over just a few days. I came out filthy, exhausted, and addicted. Addicted to our national parks, to the wilderness ethos, to a life dedicated to the outdoors. That trip changed my life, and I’m grateful for that.
Grand Canyon National Park remains one of my favorite places, and today is its 100th birthday! Over the course of its time as one of the crown jewels of the national parks, it has inspired millions. With the help of fellow defenders, Grand Canyon has weathered storms of its own. Tourism development, mining, and even dams have threatened Grand Canyon at some point during its tenure as a national park. Threats continue: there are active proposals to open portions of Grand Canyon to uranium mining (despite a ban currently in place). Grand Canyon National Park is also leading the way in acknowledging the long history of indigenous people in our national parks.
Despite the threats, one cannot help but stand in awe when faced with such immensity. Grand Canyon takes the visitor back in time, looking through Kaibab limestone, Coconino sandstone, Redwall and Muav limestone, and finally down to the bottom–to Vishnu schist, some of the oldest rock on earth. You can’t help but feel small there. The resilience and humility it instills in us makes Grand Canyon worth celebrating.
Here are a few of my favorite images from Grand Canyon over the years.
