Alex- Zion- Day Five

This day, Friday, was our last day in Zion National Park. It was also our free day, so we spent the day hiking the most strenuous and longest hike the park offers, Observation Point. It was a nine mile hike that was projected to take eight hours. However, we had become fairly accustomed to the increased elevation of Utah, and our work and other hikes had prepared us for Observation Point. We were able to complete the hike in less than five hours, including the time we spent sitting on top of the world (well, the canyon that Zion is centered around). After our hike, we decided to pack up our campsite and head back to Lawrence. We decided to leave this early because of the snowstorm that was hitting the midwest. To avoid getting stuck in the mountains, we took an alternate route through Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma that added an extra four hours to our driving time. We make it safely back to Lawrence late Saturday afternoon.

My alternative break to Zion in Utah was a great experience. I was able to see just how important volunteers are to keeping the nation's national parks open. As a volunteer, I was needed to complete the odd jobs that rangers do not have very much time for. My job was especially important for this time of the year because the park was getting ready for the spring and summer season, its busiest time of the year. Going on this trip also allowed me to learn about other volunteering organizations in the country. Although ACE is not for me, it is a great organization, and I would like to support it in any way that I can. I also want to find ways to volunteer at other national parks around the country. I commend them all for treating their volunteers as well as they do, specifically Zion. The rangers in Zion were so kind and hospitable, I definitely want to go back and meet up with them again. Becca from the nursery said that she loves when people come back to visit. My experience at Zion also makes me want to apply for another Alternative Break.