The great state of Utah is known for many things besides being the source material for the hit musical “Book of Mormon Musical”, beyond its cultural quirks Utah is source of some of the most beautiful landscapes you will ever hope to lay your eyes upon.
The crown jewel of Utah is its plethora of National Parks that dot the southern landscape of the state including the aptly named “Mighty 5” national parks that includes Arches National Park whose magnificent Delicate Arch dominates the states license plates along with the nearby Canyonlands National Park that amazes with its towering red rock beauty.
As if that wasn’t enough there is mesmerizing pink hued rock hoodoos that make up Bryce Canyon National Park and the towering canyon walls of Zion National Park that looks as though they were carved by the angels themselves.
But the crown jewel of the Mighty 5 is found in the serene magnificence of Capitol Reef National park which still retains its relative anonymity among its more well-known peers and offers the priceless gift of solitude. Which is why I take as many opportunities as I can to visit this diamond in the rough and take shelter in the soul-searching beauty that nature so freely offers.
Earlier this month as I was slowly rambling through the surprisingly dense desert jungle of Capitol Reef with no destination in mind the lyrics to “This Land Is Your Land” by Woody Guthrie bounced freely through my head like tumbling tumbleweed. Though I generally don’t consider myself the socialist, community loving hippie type I can’t help taking great pleasure in the idea of knowing that when it comes to National Parks, this land is your land, this land is my land. From the towering redwoods of California to the picturesque ocean shorelines of Arcadia and everything in between our National Parks system is like the world’s biggest timeshare that’s available to everyone.
As I continued my walkabout through this delightful desert landscape I found myself embracing the sense of solitude that I rarely find in the bustling chaos of the city but seems to exist freely in the great wide open of nature. I came upon an overlook that perfectly illustrated the magnificence of Capitol Reef. Laid out before me was a picture perfect portrait so beautiful that Van Gogh would have surely given his other ear to paint this ethereal scene. A pleasant creek snaked its way across the desert floor giving life to an explosion of lush green cottonwood trees that lined the banks like a crowd watching a passing parade. The rust red cliffs of the towering buttes rose sharply against a deep blue sky as a red tailed hawk glided effortlessly against its azure backdrop. This land is my land, but thanks to the efforts of President Roosevelt and more recently President Obama, this land is your land too.
At least it was until President Trump decided to take it upon himself to rollback the efforts of President Obama and Clinton in reducing the size of their swan song gifts to Utah in the form of Bear Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments by reducing their size.
While Roosevelt is primarily known for his economic prowess in job creation and constructing the Panama Canal he also gave future generations the gift of protecting all the abundant natural beauty that America has to offer when signed the Antiquities Act of 1906. This generous and forwarding thinking action gave Roosevelt and his future predecessors the power to proclaim historic landmarks as national monuments. Since then nearly 60 national parks have been endowed for the public’s enjoyment and preserved for our children’s children and beyond. During his term as president Obama did more than his part by creating and expanding nearly 34 national monuments including the aforementioned Bear Ears National Monument.
I silently praise the efforts and foresight of Roosevelt and Obama as I come across a clearing near the creek with large, smooth, pink hued stones that run up against the water and invite me seductively to partake of its natural perfection which I quickly accept. As I lay back on the surprisingly soft stone that inexplicably feels as though it is molding to the contours of my back I’m lulled into a pleasant doze by the gentle rhythm of the flowing water and I muse upon what a luxury it is to have the beauty of such places at my disposal. Its moments like this that compound the importance of the National Parks system that forbids corporations from raiding the grandeur of places like Capitol Reef by stripping it of its natural resources for profit.
It’s imperative that we refuse to allow companies to build oil pipelines through our protected lands or to ravage the landscape near Escalante Valley, which is surrounded by the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, because there is the prospect of oil. We must protect the nearly 100,000 archaeological and cultural sites that exist within Bear Ears National Monument.
Failing to protect natural treasures such as those would be akin to trading a cow for a few magic beans that yields a towering beanstalk that would serve as an entry way for a large lumbering giant that destroys everything in its path. If that sounds like a farfetched fairytale than here’s hoping that when it comes to protecting our National Parks from land grabbing pirates like President Trump who want to plunder their natural resources that it will stay that way.
As I continue along my journey through this desert dynasty that seems untouched by time I look past the tall grass and through the abundant juniper bushes and see the bright yellow and pink prickly pears that dot the desert floor in surprising number. I stop to admire its stark brave beauty that has inexplicably bloomed amongst the thorns of the cactus. I breathe in both the experience and the sweet floral scent that I wish I could capture in a bottle and keep for myself. However I gently remind myself that sometimes the best experiences in life are the one that can’t be replicated on demand. They exist only in the moment in which they happen. Our National Parks are full of beautiful life changing experiences like this and they invite us all to wallow in its magnificence. While a part of me would selfishly keep it all to myself a greater sense of community reminds me that this land was made for you and me. Let’s keep fighting to keep it that that way.