Quote by John Muir, naturalist and conservationist, 3 September, 1873.
For as long as I can remember, my parents have driven my brother and I out west so that we could marvel at the Rocky Mountains that they loved to explore. We've camped along rushing rivers, hiked next to glaciers, and paddled across lakes settled in a valleys between peaks. Mountains are truly one of the most beautiful landscapes in nature I have ever witnessed. Last summer we took a trip to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, and the scenery and wildlife that I saw there has shaped the way I view and appreciate all of the nature on this planet.
This summer, I will be heading on an entirely new kind of mountain adventure: I am loading up my Duluth Pack and heading south to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The Great Smoky Mountains! One of the oldest mountain ranges in the world! And although it is a different landscape than the rocky, western scenery that I'm used to, I could not be more thrilled to call this beautiful setting home for the next three months.
I will be working as a Resource Education Intern focusing on web design, science and nature content writing and editing, and photography. This internship is a dream come true, and I am so grateful to be part of such an amazing team and organization as the National Park Service!
One of the most interesting things that I've learned about the Smokies is that no other piece of temperate land of its size has as much biodiversity. Around 17,000 species have been identified within the park, and scientists estimate that there could be up to 100,000 total. That means that they've only found 17 percent of the plants and animals that are potentially out there--and that's pretty crazy! (And basically a biologist's dream).
If you're interested in learning more about the park, check out their website by clicking on the link below:
I'll do my best to keep this blog updated with photographs and stories throughout the summer. Stay tuned!
Lindsey
