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Zion National Park

Two Trees And The Virgin River, Zion National Park

A winter scenery of two lone, bare-branched trees on the bank of the Virgin River in Zion National Park

Zion National Park is more than just the rugged, steep, red-rock canyon walls. There is eye-catching geology in the form of ancient cross-bedded sand dunes, twisted Ponderosa pines growing out of cracks in the rocks, and softer scenes of bare-branched trees in the winter growing along the banks of the Virgin River.

Rebecca Latson
Two Trees And The Virgin River

2nd Annual Threatened And Endangered Parks: Overcrowding And Visitor Management

There are, across the National Park Service, a number of parks that draw large crowds of visitors, crowds that in some places are stretching the shoulder seasons and challenging park managers to get creative when it comes to protecting natural resources and dealing with the heavy visitation.

2020 Year In Review: Parks, A Pandemic, And Photography

Despite 2020’s coronavirus pandemic causing cancellation of a number of park photo trips, Traveler’s Rebecca Latson still managed to visit several of the National Park System’s units in a safe, distanced manner. Over the year, Rebecca shared tips, techniques, and favorite places to photograph as well as how to stay safe and healthy while doing so. Here’s a look back at her articles and photos.

Photography In The National Parks: Winter Wonderlands

Winter is one of photographer Rebecca Latson’s two favorite seasons of the year during which to visit a national park. There are fewer people, the vistas are much clearer due to fewer water molecules in the atmosphere, and the landscape looks so much different than it does during the warmer seasons of the year. So, this month’s photo column by Rebecca is about winter photography within the National Park System. Yes, she’s written about this before, but it’s always nice to have a little refresher course for those who regularly read the Traveler, and it’s a good introduction to winter imagery for those readers who are new to the Traveler.

Op-Ed | Present Day Graffiti Vs. Historical Graffiti In National Parks – What’s The Difference?

Vandalism in its many forms, seems to be continuing unabated in the national parks. The Leave No Trace Seven Principals don’t appear to apply to those who wish to let others know they were there in the form of acrylic paint on 180-million year old sandstone and gouges into rock and living trees in places like Zion, Joshua Tree, Olympic, and Redwood national parks? Is modern graffiti on protected lands considered art and future history for archeologists, much like the ancient petroglyphs and pictographs now safeguarded within the boundaries of natural parks, national memorials, and other park units? Or is it a despoiling of protected National Park Service lands by a selfish few who apparently learned no respect for keeping the landscape unblemished for the enjoyment of present and future generations? Contributing editor and photographer Rebecca Latson offers her own thoughts on the subject.

UPDATED | Zion National Park Struggling In The Battle With Graffiti "Artists"

There are places in the National Park System where carvings, etchings, and even 20th century “graffiti” are preserved. Unfortunately, there is a surprising number of 21st century individuals who think it’s perfectly appropriate for them to carve their names and other signs and symbols into national park landscapes.

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