It’s summer! Time for barbecues, living outside, shorts, and birthdays. Today, more parents are opting to bypass traditional gifts of toys and games in favor of real experiences. You’ll hit a home run by celebrating a birthday for a child of any age with the gift of a time-honored summer vacation trip to a national park. We are so lucky to have Paul Zaenger a Supervisory Park Ranger at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park here to tell us how to make the most of a gift of a lifetime!
- Determine the fee that works best for your family. For those planning to visit multiple parks within a year, America the Beautiful passes can save money on park entrance fees and avoid lines at entrance stations. Those over age 62 are eligible for a $10 annual pass, which allows everyone in the vehicle to enter the park. U.S. citizens or permanent residents with permanent disabilities can receive a lifetime pass at no charge. Or enter the parks for no charge by visiting on fee-free days.
- Make lodging reservations ahead of time, especially if visiting the most popular parks. Campground reservations and wilderness permits for parks like the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone can fill up months ahead of time. Better yet, check out some of the less-visited parks for stunning scenery, personal attention and miles of open spaces without crowds. In Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park hosts just 200,000 people a year (vs. a few million at Yellowstone).
Photo Credit: Montrose Association of Commerce and Tourism
- Don’t try to see an entire park in a day. If time is limited, you’ll have a much better time by getting to know a smaller part of the park in-depth instead of trying to experience the whole place.
- Decide what types of activities you’d like to do and pack accordingly. Those new to camping and hiking may want to try renting or purchasing gently used gear.
- Make your first stop the visitor’s center to get current information on park conditions, talks and programs.
- Read. Before you go, read up on the parks you’ll be visiting on the web or in a library.
- Immerse yourself in the park by participating in a ranger-guided hike or other program. Make sure to check out evening campfire programs for fun, interesting adventures where you’ll be amazed by star-studded night skies. Always feel free to ask rangers for advice or input (and let them know who’s celebrating!).
Photo Credit: Nick Ellison
- Avoid crowds. If possible, visit on weekdays, and try to avoid the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. peak hours. And remember that if you hike almost any trail for more than 15 minutes from the parking lot, you’ll leave behind 90 percent of the crowds.
- Sample the local flavor of a park. Enjoy a meal at an onsite cafe or restaurant, take a picnic lunch, or sip hot chocolate or coffee at sunrise or sunset for an incredible view.
It’s not your typical birthday gift, but the memories that come with a trip some of America’s most cherished landscapes will last far longer than toys and video games!
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Paul Zaenger is a supervisory park ranger at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, located just east of Montrose, Colo. Working at the park since 1994 – in the years before it became a national park – Paul is co-author of “Black Canyon of the Gunnison: The Story Behind the Scenery.” He can be reached at 970-249-1914 or Paul_Zaenger@nps.gov. Find Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park here or on Twitter.
