The National Park Service seems to be little appreciated by this country.  Perhaps it's a result of me living in NY where there are not National Parks, but it seems that few capitalize on the value of these places.  Later this month, Rod and I will visit yet another National Park -- Acadia in Maine.  It'll be interesting to see the contrasts between the parks I visited out west to this on the east.

Last year when I visited Zion National Park in Utah, I not only fell in love with the park but the state as well.  Located near the Virgin River, Zion has lush greenery and tall rocks.  It was a nice mix.  I suppose I assumed (and you know what happens when you do that) that the National Parks in Utah would all offer the same lushness.  That was not so.

Arches National Park, located in Moab, Utah is much drier and rockier.  Although I was there at roughly the same time of year that I was in Zion (with a year's separation), the absence of vegetation makes a big difference.  Since I spent more time exploring Zion, I feel more connected to it.

Surprisingly, Death Valley National Park has much to offer.  It is the lowest sea level in the United States.  As a result, there is a salt flat there.  Rod was impressed by the presence of mesquite there too.  I liked the sand dunes.  It gets hot here, so it's best to go during the early spring, late fall or winter.

The Petrified Forest seems little visited.  I was not terribly impressed, but it's interesting to note that the land was deemed important enough to preserve what time had done with the wood.  I wish I could have taken a piece for my rock collection, but it's not allowed (nor should it be).

The biggest National Park that I've seen, and perhaps one of the most popular is Grand Canyon National Park.  Truly, once you see the canyon, it takes your breath away.  Nature is truly amazing.  While the Grand Canyon should be on your bucket list, I think once you spend time in Zion actually hiking the trails, you'd find it more impressive.  But that's just my humble opinion.