National Treasures of America, NYU Students Listen Up!
With spring and summer break creeping in alongside a warm front, vacations and getaways have been the talk of the season. Time and time again, while browsing for vacation ideas on Google and Reddit, I can’t help but notice an almost entire lack of National Park mentions. According to an AAA Survey, 85% of Americans have visited at least one national park, and 73% say national parks are a “must-see” vacation destination. So why is it that at New York University, the most popular spring break destinations seem to be Florida, Europe, and the Caribbean? Here, I am going to list my top three must-see national parks in the U.S.
Starting off strong with number one, this article’s cover image, and an homage to the Emmy-nominated TV Show, Yellowstone National Park stretches across Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana making it larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. This vast, nearly 3,500-square-mile national park is home to more than 10,000 hydrothermal features, including geysers, hot springs, mud spots, and fumaroles. Yellowstone is also home to the famous Old Faithful geyser. With the largest concentration of mammals in the lower states (with over 67 species) and approximately 290 waterfalls scattered across 2.2 million acres, this park offers a wildlife experience like no other. If you don’t mind the smell of sulfur and eggs, I would highly recommend Yellowstone as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see nature’s divine geysers, hot springs, and thermal features.
Moving on with number two–if you miss the cold New York winter and have an inkling for the snow (and maybe a husky sled), I would recommend Glacier National Park in Montana, near the Canadian border. If you dream of an icy cruise with hot chocolate, you’re the perfect candidate for this national park. Glacier National Park’s beautiful azure lakes will truly help you escape the stress of midterms and finals. The official symbol of the park, mountain goats, are known for their resilience and often curiously watch visitors as they forage for food. Peering into the reflections of the park’s 762 lakes, you might not even be able to tell where the water ends and the sky begins. I don’t think you would be able to find that level of loyalty to nature anywhere in Manhattan (I doubt the Hudson River could compare). However, if you want to see this natural wonder at its peak, you better move fast–according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the park’s glaciers have dwindled from 150 in 1850 to just 26 glaciers standing today.
Lastly but certainly not least, in homage to the west coast NYU students, Yosemite National Park in California is a towering must-see for students. Make sure you have your trail gear and extra bottles of water, as hiking is the main method of transportation here. Yosemite Valley is open all year for hiking, and trails within the valley are usually very busy, with levels ranging from beginner friendly to the most adventurer hiker’s mission: the Half Dome hike. The Half Dome is a 12-hour, 14-mile round-trip hike with huge elevations, cables, and exposed terrain. The Half Dome summit is a beautiful quartz monzonite batholith, whose sharp edges are sheer while the other edges are smooth and rounded, making it appear like a dome cut in half. Yosemite is for those who seek the beauty of mountains, rivers, and wildlife, as it is also home to one of the tallest waterfalls in America: Yosemite Falls (which reaches up to 2,425 feet). Are you a sunset or sunrise kind of person? If sunset was your answer, you're in luck here at Yosemite. In February, the sunset light is reflected as a fiery glow sunset. This phenomenon is known to visitors as firefall, which can be mistaken for lava spilling out of a volcano. For those who answered as a sunset person, I hope that is a further push to explore the beauty of the national park. The rock formations of El Capitan and Half Dome look like they are on fire the minute the sun hits themas it sets.
So, NYU Students, what will it be for spring break? Yellowstone’s steaming geysers, Glacier’s icy cruises, or Yosemite's intense hiking terrains? Perhaps you can see for yourself as an addition to the 73% of Americans who say national parks are a “must-see” vacation destination. I hope that with your newfound knowledge of our country’s natural beauty and terrain, you will be able to put on your explorer shoes and shades and head out either east or west. I also hope that with this appreciation of National Parks, we can call more attention to the funding, preservation, and conservation of these National Parks that make our country so great.
Head out NYU students - the adventure is waiting!
