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Yellowstone/Glacier National Park
- By: Jennifer Cleary
- Created on: 09/26/2009
- Rated By 0 Users
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It’s hard to describe on paper, or even in words, the vast complexity and beauty of a National Park, especially for two of the grandest National Parks in all of America. I live about as far east as one could get, so it’s not everyday that I get to experience a world full of ice-tipped peaks and steaming pools of ancient geyser rock. This past summer, however, I was fortunate enough to be able to travel out west to partake in the sights of both Yellowstone and Glacier National Park. Never before have I seen settings so breath-taking and so full of wildlife.
As a nature lover, my main focus while attending these parks was to take pictures and view the variety of animals that they offered. In Yellowstone the most popular animal was definitely the buffalo, for as far as the eye could see, these massive and bold creatures roamed the land. I awed at their beauty; they seemed so powerful yet so gentle at the same time. The park rangers told us to look out for the more rare animals such as bears, wolves, and bighorn sheep, but the locals informed us that these animals were rarely seen by anyone. One foggy morning however, we awoke just before dawn, hoping to catch a glimpse of the scenery as the sun rose. We were driving beside a lake when suddenly a movement near the water’s edge caught my eye. Not believing what I was seeing, I frantically shouted to stop the car just as three magnificent wolves broke through the brush on the side of the road and trotted casually past us, only twenty feet away. The fog illuminated their fur and created a spooky setting, as they gracefully bounded across the road and over a hill, disappearing like ghosts into the haze.
The only other time I have ever witnessed something so spectacular happened to be during the exact same trip. After leaving Yellowstone, we drove about 500 miles to Glacier Park in Montana where the mountains rose tall and the hikers always carried pepper spray. This was another park well-known for its bears and wolves, but still we were discouraged by locals from ever actually seeing any. The early bird must get the worm though, because after rising before the sun one morning we had the pleasure of sighting a total of four large black bears. The third sighting was the most thrilling, for this hulking creature was only ten feet away, happily stuffing its furry face with fresh huckleberries.
I had never begun to imagine the beauty of this world beyond what I have seen at my home in Maryland, but now I realize the depth of just how much planet Earth has to offer. The animals and scenery I witnessed are so far from me, yet still connected in my actions and in my thoughts. This trip opened my eyes to Mother Nature’s greatest creations, and viewing the landscape that served as a home to such a wide diversity of life has given me a sudden urge to want to protect those magnificent places forever. After visiting such wonderful areas of the world, I realize that my goal in life is to share with the rest of the world the beauty of Earth, whether it is through my writing or photography. I will always preserve the images that I have of this trip in my mind, but I want to share with others the spectacular sights of these National Parks. Everyone should have the pleasure of seeing for themselves the true beauty of our Earth.
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