In a high mountain desert in Utah, ice carves columns out of rock, darkness reveals
hidden cosmic light, trees smell of butterscotch, and trunks spiral to resist lightning. It sounds
like something out of a whimsical tale or sci-fi movie, but at Bryce Canyon National Park, these
wonders are simply elements of the landscape. Hoodoos form from the two-hundred
freeze/thaw cycles that occur each year, an absence of artificial light lets the Milky Way shine
through, Ponderosa Pine sap gives off a sweet, vanilla smell, and tree trunks grow in swirling
motions to guide lightning strikes down only one strip of the tree.

My Partners in the Park experience at Bryce Canyon helped me delve deeper into the workings of the landscape. It reminded to be mystified by the natural world, and introduced me to camping and the southwestern U.S.. On this journey, I was led by professors of geology and outdoor recreation, accompanied by students from across the country, and introduced to a range of park officials. Everyone I met was enthusiastic and open. I built campfires, cooked over a backcountry stove, rode horseback down a steep canyon, learned new games, met amazing people, and stood in awe at the sights before me.

Bryce Canyon with its jagged columns and endless vistas is a sight to behold. I remember one of my professors emphasizing the influence light has on the landscape, but I didn’t comprehend the extent of that until I witnessed the canyon’s shifting hues and shadows throughout the day. The dominant feature of the canyon is, of course, its rock. It sits atop the Grand Staircase, a region carved out by a prehistoric ocean and seismic activity that stretches down to the Grand Canyon. While I had previously labeled geology as a snooze subject, Bryce Canyon’s rich geologic history invoked an appreciation for the soil and bedrock beneath my feet. Geologic processes often live at larger time and land scales than I look at in landscape architecture, but I intend to carry this newfound appreciation into land-use history investigations in my studies. I especially appreciated the interactive geology exhibits in the visitor’s center, which led me to think about the intricate ways the NPS communicates information to the public.

My group had a wonderful discussion about communication through signage while working with the vegetation technician on re-naturalizing social trails and campsites. Social trails and campsites form when visitors hike or camp outside of designated areas. This increases human impact in the park and can lead visitors to unsafe terrain. While the trail’s creators may not immediately see their impact once bare ground is exposed, social trails get exponential traffic as future visitors assume it is an official trail. After our restoration work, the vegetation tech discussed with us how this issue could be better communicated. I left that experiencing realizing that when recreating in natural areas, I have a responsibility to research how to do so safely and sustainably.

My favorite part of this entire experience was getting to know the fellow students in my group. There were only nine of us total coming from varied backgrounds in Maine, Massachusetts, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Missouri, and Wisconsin. I was especially surprised in our range of majors. We were prospective nurses, entrepreneurs, artists, teachers, nutritionists, and mathematicians. We got to know each other during hikes and dishwashing duty, and in our spare time, we played cards and other camping games sharing stories on what it was like in our hometowns and colleges. I was happily surprised by how quickly our student group bonded. The mathematician in our group calculated that the 96 waking hours we spent together were equivalent to three months of hanging out an hour a week, no distractions. In other words, Extreme Bonding: Bryce Canyon Edition.

The biggest challenge to our group came during a hike into Swamp Canyon. One of us experienced a health concern that prevented them from hiking back up, so our group had to split. Half of us hiked up to radio a rescue crew, while the other half remained in the canyon. I was with the group that hiked up, and we anxiously prepared dinner at the campsite for the other half’s return. Just after sunset, everyone returned safely, and we welcomed them with a steaming pot of stew. In light of the day’s events, the next day’s backpacking overnight was canceled, but I was not disappointed; at that point, I valued keeping the group together more so than a night in the canyon. That night’s campfire was the best of the week.

I embarked on this trip expecting to learn about a new biome, but I left with much more. I ended this trip with friends scattered about the country and optimism that there are awesome people everywhere – north to south, coast to middle, small town to big city. The experience of carrying all I needed on my back reawakened my joy in life’s simplicities (especially showers!) and the information I learned weaved well into my studies. I left with a universal regard for our country’s natural lands and the effort that goes into managing them. As I move forward with the knowledge I gained from the National Park Service, I am grateful that I had this opportunity and excited for the future opportunities it has revealed to me.