"Nature"

Yellowstone National Park. I have to admit that Yellowstone is one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen. However, the natural beauty of the park is so limited and restricted that I feel as if I am looking at a fake park and not nature. The animals were there, the geysers were there, the trails were there but they weren’t there. I could literally see what I wanted to go see, but couldn’t see it without restrictions. It is like getting hit with the fine print of a credit card or something. I know it sounds confusing but that is exactly how I was feeling about the park, confused. I didn’t truly get to enjoy the park until I took a walk with Sherman who equally shared my confused and restricted feelings of the park. We hiked up a few hills near the lodge in attempts to get away from this man made attempt of nature. As we realized how out of shape we were as we reached the top of the hill breathing heavily, our breaths were taken away again by the real beauty of the area. Finally, there weren’t any paths that you had to stay on, there were no signs that jolted out of the ground that signaled parking or restrooms, and there were no cars driving around disturbing one’s imagination of the area. It was a shame that we didn’t bring a camera to capture our hike, but it was also a good thing. We didn’t have any technology to ruin the moment of being secluded from what society was trying to make the national park. It was a lone moment that allowed me to view the park for what it is. I didn’t need a famous geyser or a famous spring to make the trip for me. Just that one moment.

-Clay Sohn