Hello world, how you been?

Hi, I'm Krista. C: I am the Queen of the pointless story, never-ending ramble and stream-of-consciousness. I can and will change the subject, forget the ending and cover with less than grace. But you have to admit, you love me and my tangents.

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On this day in 1906, Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado became a national park.  

For over 700 years, the Ancestral Puebloan people built thriving communities on the mesas and in the cliffs of Mesa Verde. Today, the park protects the rich cultural heritage of 26 Tribes and offers visitors a spectacular window into the past.

Photo by Steven Yabek (sharetheexperience.org) Photo description: The ruins of an ancient culture light up the cliffs as a pink and orange sky lights up the background.

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You find yourself at Kenai Fjords National Park in Alaska. Are you in a dream? Are you awake? It’s almost midnight but the sky is still filled with an eerie dreamlike light.  

The land of the midnight sun allows for endless dreamy hours of glacier watching moments.

The formation of a glacier requires three conditions: abundant snowfall, cool summers, and the gravitational flow of ice. All of these conditions are met in Kenai Fjords. Moist air moving off the Gulf of Alaska in the winter drops, on average, 60 feet of snowfall on the Harding Icefield every year. These perfect conditions are why nearly 51 percent of the park is covered by ice.

Photo courtesy of Angela Feldhaus (www.sharetheexperience.org). Photo description: A pink hazy sky with a low sun hangs above a blue colored glacial ice on a black rocky cliff.

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If you visit Glen Canyon Recreation Area in Utah, Horseshoe Bend is a must-see.

This selfie hot-spot requires advanced planning. The hike in from the parking lot offers no shade and is extremely hot. There is no railing or barrier at the overlook, so keep your distance from the edge. Bring plenty of water, snacks, and start the journey to the overlook in the morning before that dangerous desert heat begins.  

Once you’ve arrived, enjoy the view of the Colorado River as it continues to cut through the colorful uplifted layers of sandstone.

Pic by Michael Ryno (sharetheexperience.org) Photo description:  A blue river bends around a layered sandstone cliff

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Let your eyes adjust to the dazzling fireflies at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina. The synchronous fireflies are among the 19 species found in the park. 

Timing and darkness are everything for their luminous dance number as they sync up their flashing patterns. They require an incredibly dark place to stay coordinated, and any light that enters the area throws off their whole performance. The light show only lasts for a few short but spectacular weeks from mid-May to mid-June. 

Photo by Richard Bryant (www.sharetheexperience.org)

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Like pages in a book, the rock layers of Black Canyon and Curecanti National Recreation Area in Colorado tell a story of past environments, ancient animals, and dynamic processes of geologic change.

At the rate of about one inch per every 100 years, the Gunnison River has slowly worked its way through the resistant rock layers, forming the narrow, steep-sided Black Canyon and Curecanti. Only a high volume, high-velocity river like the Gunnison could produce such a breath-taking canyon!

Photo courtesy of Sophie Bechara

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Few landscapes in the world are as striking and memorable as that of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Mountains, valleys, lakes, rivers, and skies are home to diverse and abundant forests, wildflowers, and wildlife.

Photo of mountain sunset with reflection is courtesy of Austin Sills

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The Buffalo River at the National Park Service’s Buffalo National River in northern Arkansas, is one of the nation’s last major rivers that is still free-flowing. Its ancient current gives life to well over 300 species of fish, insects, freshwater mussels, and aquatic plants.

Photo by National Park Service

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Standing under a sky full of stars at Big Meadows, part of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, will heighten your senses. You’ll feel the breeze accompanied by the faint, sweet smell of the grasses and sedges, some of the meadow’s abundant plant life. Whether you set up the camera or just look up, it’s worth letting your eyes adjust to take in the open view.  

Photo by Nitin J Sanket (www.sharetheexperience.org).

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The rocks and geologic features at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah are so well exposed and so brilliantly colored, that a visit to this remote alien landscape can feel like visiting another planet.  

Photo by Roy Goldsberry (sharetheexperience.org)

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The rocks and geologic features at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah are so well exposed and so brilliantly colored, that a visit to this remote alien landscape can feel like visiting another planet.  

Photo by Roy Goldsberry (sharetheexperience.org)

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Why is this glacier ice at Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska blue?

Glacier ice is blue because the red (long wavelengths) part of white light is absorbed by ice. The blue (short wavelengths) light is transmitted and scattered. The longer the path that light travels in ice, the more blue it appears! The more you know 🌈 🎵

Photo by National Park Service. Photo description: A blue iceberg sits in the water with a large glacier and mountains in the background. 

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When the morning fog is so thick at Great Falls Park in Virginia, it can appear as if the Potomac River is on fire. It’s hard to believe that just a few miles down the road from this tranquil place is the hustle and bustle of our Nation’s Capital. If you look closely through the haze, you can just make out the tiny outline of three anglers hoping to take home the catch of the day. Pic courtesy of Stephen Smith

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Wow. Ok Lake Mead National Recreation Area. We see you…we see you. 

The spectacularly rugged scenery surrounding Lake Mead is perfect for scenic photography, whether in the early morning hours when the warm light of the sun is just peaking over the mountains, or at dusk when shadows and contrasts are most pronounced. A lucky few might even catch a rainbow settling over the mountains for a brief appearance. The winter skies, spring flowers, summer recreation and fall clarity are all prime photographic opportunities at this southern Nevada oasis. NPS photo by Andrew Cattoir  

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most pristine natural areas in the eastern United States. The park is filled with breathtaking mountain scenery, rushing mountain streams, and mature hardwood forests stretching to the horizon. Photo by Mary Pisoni (www.sharetheexperience.org)

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“Nature doesn’t take notice of your gender, your race, your abilities, or your faults. The only thing that matters is that you leave the space as you find it.” - Teresa Baker  

As we enjoy National Park Week, we encourage park lovers to leave these special places unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations. Photo of Glacier National Park by Autumn Schrock (www.sharetheexperience.org)  

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Team Public Lands Tip: Know before you go. Check agency websites or stop by a contact station before you set out to learn about fees, pick up permits, check the weather and make a plan. Know your limits and pack the proper gear for your public lands adventure. Photo of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area by Darsh Patel (www.sharetheexperience.org). https://www.doi.gov/blog/welcome-team-public-lands  

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“Rivers are the old roads, as are songs, to traverse memory.” - Joy Harjo

Sunrise light warms the Painted Wall at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Montrose, Colorado. 

Photo by Ryan McGinely (www.sharetheexperience.org)