Rite of Passage

Bryce Canyon National Park, 1998, Linda Kleinhesselink
Bryce Canyon National Park, 1998, Linda Kleinhesselink

National Park Service sites hold new adventures and experiences that offer opportunity for connection and discovery. Whether it is just around the corner or a multi-hour drive, entering a park marks the start of a journey in which visitors make discoveries about themselves, the people they came with, and the world that surrounds them. This happens by learning to rely on one another while climbing up the steep mountainside of Mount Rushmore, by working together while whitewater rafting down the Guadalupe River, or simply embracing the sublime wonders of the Grand Canyon. Memories of visitors’ experiences at parks percolate throughout their lives as they reflect upon their adventures and share their stories with friends, family, and others. Not only will they reminisce through magnets, patches, pictures, and stories, but they will also recall what they learned during the journey and pass on that knowledge to their children and their grandchildren. These memories are the intangible souvenirs that visitors will carry with them for the rest of their lives.