OUR VIEW: Now is the time to enjoy our parks
The most unfortunate part about winter in Utah is more people are less likely to endure the cold to enjoy the gorgeous mountain scenery. When temperatures are below freezing, it’s much more appealing to sit next to a heater wrapped in a blanket than hike through a snow bank in the Uintahs.
You would think Utahns would be rocking back and forth, anxious to get to Moab, Bryce Canyon and Zion’s when trees start budding. We live in and near some of the most mysterious and spectacular landscapes in the U.S. Sadly, the attendance in Utah national and state parks is decreasing as it is throughout the country. And this decrease has nothing to do with the weather.
Our generation lives on screens – television, iPads, iPods, iPhones, laptops, netbooks, Kindles and so forth. It seems many of us would rather see the outdoors through images on our iPhones than look up and see nature right in front of us. We aren’t sure why, but this can’t be good. One day we hope everyone can get over the phenomena of technology, even become bored by it, and enjoy a spontaneous hike. Memories aren’t made on Facebook. They are made through recreation.
It’s unnerving to think what digital contraptions have done to our lives. We are sure too many people have looked at Internet photos of the places they’ve always wanted to see in person and called it good. Why spend the time leaving your bedroom when you can see the mountains from your bedroom window, or better yet, your laptop? We have this insane misperception that we get the same effect from nature by exploring it second hand. This is entirely false, and we hope everyone realizes it.
We have less than two weeks until we are freed from another semester or schoolyear at USU. If you are staying in Logan this summer, take an hour or two to venture up one of the several canyons bordering Cache Valley. The views are breathtaking, and once you make yourself explore local nature, you’ll understand why everyone talks about the aesthetics of our surroundings. The same goes for those leaving the valley. Take time to support our state and national parks this summer, because if attendance keeps declining, so will their funding. When this happens, I’m sure we will all regret what little time we spent enjoying the therapeutic outdoors.