We were excited to learn of a unique writing retreat that dovetails our two passions — parks and writing. We invited Jennifer Moss, founder of the Yosemite Writers Retreat, to write a guest post telling our readers more about how her retreat series originated, and what attendees can expect to focus upon as writers. Click here to read.
Spotlight on the Eastern Kansas Prairie
Kansan poet, historian, and educator Duane L. Herrmann celebrates the awesomeness and vastness of the prairie in this spotlight on eastern Kansas. Click here to read.
On Yellowstone National Park's 145th Birthday
We're pleased to celebrate the 145th birthday of Yellowstone National Park, America's first national park.
Chris Umpierre spots an injured bison staying strong for its calf, and a host of wildlife that fills him with wonder. Peter W. Fong recalls a summer as a curator at the Madison Museum and a host of fascinating visitors. Read both, and revisit Wendy Johnson's "Two Days in Yellowstone." While on a cross country, she pauses for a quick tour. To read each piece, click on the author's name above.
Banner image: The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Thomas Moran, Smithsonian American Art Museum.
Vision in Denali
Cecilia Worth's sense of time slows and deepens as she forms a relationship to the land in Denali National Park, click here to read.
At the Park: Spotlight on Reid State Park in Maine
Stephanie Paterson's moving chronology of many summers spent working at Reid State Park spans from her undergraduate years though completion of her doctorate. Click here to read about her lifelong connection to this remarkable coastal park in Georgetown, Maine.
Spirit Lake: Spotlight on Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin
In J.d. Lin's essay, "Spirit Lake," a stop in Devil's Lake State Park in Baraboo, Wisconsin offers a measure of peace during a time of professional transition. Click here to read.
Meet Parks & Points' Poetry Editor
We have been thrilled, in our first Parks & Points & Poetry series, to receive so many entries which express the natural beauty and profound impact parks and designated natural spaces have on visitors. We are doubly thrilled to welcome P&P contributor Celeste Hackenberg as our Poetry Editor.
Celeste Hackenberg earned her MFA in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College in December 2016. As a graduate student, she assisted in planning the Sarah Lawrence College Poetry Festival, and co-created an annual Alumni Festival to showcase the talent of previous students. She also served as Art Director and reader for LUMINA, Sarah Lawrence’s student-run literary magazine, for two years. Currently, she is based in Westchester county, with her three cats and one person. She works as an academic advisor at CUNY Start and writes mostly prose poems and haiku.
Heartbreak and Enduring Love: Two Valentines
For Valentines Day, Parks and Points is proud to publish the two Honorable Mention winners from our Fall 2016 Essay Contest. Allyson Whipple's "Heartbreak on a Hill" describes putting oneself back together after a breakup in Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, in Texas. Jean Jackman's "50th Anniversary in the Wilderness" set in the Desolation Wilderness in El Dorado National Forest, gathers nine family members together in celebration of fifty years of marriage.
Heart Lake, Olympic National Park photo by brewbooks / CC BY
Lost in Tikal: Spotlight on Tikal National Park in Guatemala
Click here to read MFC Feeley's essay, "Lost in Tikal," about finding her way though Tikal National Park in Guatemala.
Change in an Unexpected Place: Spotlight on Seoraksan National Park in South Korea
Click here to read "Change in an Unxepected Place" by Maggie Thach Morshed, detailing her self-discovery amidst the trails and temple at Seoraksan National Park, in South Korea.
Preservation and Inspiration at Pinnacles National Park
Click here to read Margaret Young's essay about finding the unexpected at Pinnacles National Park, and to learn more about the California Condor Recovery Program.
