My name is Diana Sarmiento and I am from Kansas City, Kansas. I am most definitely not in Kansas anymore and I think that phrase will be the death of me… but in a good way! This summer, I am at the beautiful Shenandoah National Park located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are part of the Appalachian Mountain range. The park is located in Virginia, which is a state I have never even visited before. Heck, I have never been to this part of the country before, but there is a first for everything. I decided to come out here, because I was ready to branch out and experience a whole new environment. I am excited for what the summer holds for me.

Shenandoah National Park is a beautiful park that stretches out for 105 miles with over 500 miles of hiking trails. It is known as a hiking park with beautiful scenery including things like vistas, waterfalls, and hikes through the forest. The only road that goes through the park is Skyline Drive, which eventually connects to another well-known road called the Blue Ridge Parkway. Both of them are known as historic scenic drives. To drive through the entire park takes around 3 hours with many amazing spaces throughout the park, so there are some great stops throughout the entire way. Besides all that, some fantastic animals live here with us such as deers, woodchucks, chipmunks and even bears!

Overall, I am so ready to take on what the summer brings on in this gorgeous national park! I am ready to learn, experience, and hopefully help teach others about the great things we have to offer here. Who knows… maybe I will even get to see a black bear for the first time.