Twelve out of the 18 years of my childhood were well spent with the West Entrance of Yellowstone National Park right out my backdoor, and I wouldn't trade it for a thing.
Yes, an effect of having Yellowstone as my back yard was growing up in a teeny-weeny-itty-bitty-bite-size Montana town smack dab in the middle of grizzly bear predominated wilderness. But the solitude can be truly awe-inspiring.
What you may not know is that my teeny hometown swelled from housing just over 1,000 of us year-round-hardy-tardy residents to housing tens of thousands of summer residents, seasonal employees, and park visitors. Three million tourists stream through the West Entrance each summer, so sometimes it seems as if the solitude dissipates.
Some city-goers like to believe that we're secluded from the outside world, but with the park right outside our door, we witness hundreds of different cultures. We might be off the beaten path, but we do have the opportunity to interact with people from so many walks of life.
In turn, the visitation is heavy. The park roads are busy. Some trails are crowded. But that's A-OK. Sometimes it takes a little reassurance to remember how blessed we are to live where others vacation.
Thus, much of my free time was spent riding bikes in the park, wading in rivers, and going on photo-taking adventures. Though some days were spent in the car experiencing what I grew up calling "bear jams" and "bison jams," rarely did I sit through a true traffic jam caused by cars. Even though I pretended to complain about it, it was splendid and wild and so enjoyable.
For the outdoor adventures, I learned to carry bear spray in case I ran into a dicey situation with a bear. It is actually pretty thrilling to be able to walk out your door and stumble upon wild animals. It really is the last best place.
I often found myself pausing mid-run, mid-hike, or mid-other-outdoor-activity to listen to the stillness; not a single drop of noise pollution. Not a single car, not a single siren, not even the buzz of a plane. Absolute seclusion is quite charming.
Also, science, geology, geography, biology, botany, entomology, ecology, astronomy. And history. And conservation. You name it. I learned a little bit of everything. No wonder I'm a science major.
In the parks, it's all about experiencing. Experiencing the wild. Experiencing nature. With Yellowstone as my backyard, I gained an addiction for the outdoors. It is the most wonderful place to grow up. I would highly recommend it. Untouched wilderness is dreamy. Experience it. Go out and find your own solitude.
Get wild.
