Yosemite, Zion, Grand Canyon, Death Valley

An old saying goes A family that prays together stays together, I like to modify it for my family and say, "A family that travels together grows together."

My sister and I are the typical Air Force BRAT(s).. born, raised, and traveled. Ours was a house where we would need to find out which city would be our next stop. It was rare for us to stay in the same place for more than two years. Although this was cyclical, we felt it was one lifelong holiday. This nomadic life in our young days set the tone for our adult years. The desire to travel, explore, and discover new places is deep-rooted with no end to satisfaction.

This year, Europe was the desired destination for our family tour. However, with my Indian passport and apathy of VHS combined with the rejection rate of visas for Indians, we could not travel!

Overcoming the initial disappointment, we started to look for places within driving distance in the USA. Sanchitram took the lead and came up with the plan to travel to Grand Canyon National Park and Death Valley national parks. Arvind and I love it when youngsters take the lead - they are quick with technology, adapt quickly to challenges and change, and generally upbeat with life. All we had to do was tag along and shed our typical parental attitude that would surface occasionally!

Realizing the distance from home to Grand Canyon was a whopping 850 km, we decided to stay at Pahrump, a two-hour drive from Death Valley national park. As we set off towards Pahrump, Au also set off from Thousand Oaks. In perfect unison, we arrived at the Air BNB at the same time. The time at the Airbnb was spent teaching each other new card games, and playing bulls and cows mentally. The competition was intense, and no quarters were given or taken. This playful but stimulating sport intensified the pleasures of our trip.

Anu 

Death Valley is North America's hottest, driest park, below sea level. Record summer here makes Death Valley a land of extremes. The valley is dry with no vegetation, but nature has ensured this land has unique land formations. 

It was incredibly heartwarming to see my aged parents ready by 5 am to see the points of interest at the park. Our first stop was the Zabriskie Point to watch the sunrise. A short walk from the parking lot leads to an overlook that gives a panoramic view of the badlands, colorful mountains, and the valley below. A trail leads down the valley crisscrossing many hills and gullies. Savoring the peace and quiet of the morning, we stayed in silence as the hues in the mountain changed with the sun's rays falling on them. The vast stillness in the landscape induced all the visitors to immediate silence - as we all felt dwarfed by Nature!

Our next stop was the natural bridge canyon. A short one-mile hike leads to the Natural Bridge Canyon. The arch was a grand natural formation arising in the middle of the desert land amidst the mountains. Walking past the turn, there is a dry waterfall that remains a stream that used to flow through the canyon years ago. Perhaps it seems to have been a mysterious stream that made the distinctive pattern millions of years ago? Pure conjecture, who knows !? 

By now, the sun was high and scorching hot. We drove to the Bad water basin, North America's lowest point. 282 meters below sea level. We walked up to the salt flats and were stunned to see the fantastic shapes of the salt pans. 

During peak summer, finishing the places of interest by 10am was essential before the heat sets in. The visit to death valley was fascinating with the surreal landscapes and beauty. It ignited a newfound appreciation for the beauty of seemingly desolate places. 

The Natural Arch 

Leaving Pahrump, we reached Kanab, our stop for the Grand Canyon National Park. Our first view of Kanab Airbnb was arresting, with majestic red mountains providing an incredibly beautiful background to the urban landscape. We dumped our luggage and quickly explored a trail - called the Squaw Trail!

Sunset at Kanab. 

The North Rim of the park holds a special place in our hearts. As we stood on the edge of the rim, looking into the vast chasm below, we were struck by the sheer grandeur of this natural wonder. 

  

We hiked along its winding trails, taking in the serene beauty of the tall pine forests that contrasted with the dramatic drop of the canyon below. The canyon's rugged landscape and multi-colored cliffs created a scenic canvas by mother earth that stretched endlessly, revealing millions of years of Earth/s history in the exposed rock layers. The North rim of the grand canyon is a place of awe and inspiration. 

The bolder people on the edge 

Our Air BNB at Kanab was about half an hour from the Majestic Zion National Park. It was too good a temptation to resist. We wanted to take it easy at the park. We drove through the scenic route stopping at various lookout points. Reaching the temple of Sinawava, the hike at the narrows beckoned us. 

The virgin river flows between the hundred-foot walls of zion canyon.  The total hike distance is about 8 miles. However, the best part of the hike is one can go as far as one wants and return. It has incredible views of the canyon on both sides. The path was rocky, and we had yet to come prepared for the hike.

Nevertheless, that did not deter us from walking for a few miles inside the canyon. We had to wade through water, sometimes waist-deep at some points. It was an awe-inspiring experience.  

Our return journey was through the scenic route that took us about 13 hours to return.  It was an exciting journey passing through the barren desert alien land to the lush Yosemite peaks and Stanislaus National Park. 

Yosemite peaks as we drive along. 

 

The visit to the natural parks left us in awe of the power of nature. Each of the parks boasts unique geological formations. We felt profound wonder and respect for the world's natural wonders.  We witnessed places of unparalleled beauty in the course of our one-week trip.  This travel experience was unforgettable with my family. 

Where next?