I’m belatedly observing the 100th anniversary of the U.S. National Parks System. I coincidentally woke up on the anniversary — August 25th — away from home, camping, something I’ve done most of my life.
I’ve visited over two dozen national parks. Luckily for me there are a lot of them in the West. These are the places that have formed the backbone of my visual vocabulary and have created the best, most vivid of my memories. It’s no coincidence that I’ve chosen to live near the foot of the Olympic Mountains and Olympic National Park.
Olympic National Park stretches from the wild Pacific coast inland across the peaks of the Olympic Mountains. Majestic. Incomparable. Like other National Parks, ours allows visitors to breathe in and experience nature, to find peace and stillness, to reconnect with themselves and their world.
Our forests are filled with beauty and magic. Trails stretch onward for miles. Where they take you is as much a matter of destination as it is where you allow yourself to venture.
Lucky you. I have one national park near me. Tyresta. I can bike there in 45 minutes and often do. The unique thing with that park is the untouched forests, and the closeness to Stockholm, only 20km.
I’m glad someone had the foresight to set aside this land for future generations.
It sure is beautiful and glad you live so close to enjoy it whenever you feel like it.
What a beautiful and poignant post. I’ve been reading about our national parks in National Geographic and I envy your for having so many opportunities to experience all they have to offer. Super photos, too. I especially like that 2nd one – rather moody and misty and mesmerizing!
Magnificent landscapes. It is wonderful that they were set aside.
What gorgeous vistas! You are lucky to be able to enjoy the parks so often.