07 Jun Your Park Your Way

Hola fellow LHIP Interns! Que tal? Cómo les va? I hope everyone is as excited and pleased with their placement site as I am. My first impression of the C&O Canal was –“Wow, these trees are so beautiful!!!” I have been living in Colorado for past two years and, while very beautiful, it does not have the vibrant green vegetation that is omnipresent in this gorgeous park. My fellow intern Grecia and I spent our first week at our park “roving” — NPS lingo for ya!– and we explored several areas of the park. I was very pleased to discover that this park offers something for everyone. Enjoy hiking and gorgeous views? The Billy Goat trails are here for you! Interested in wild life and nature? This area is home to several species of birds, insects, reptiles, dear, and other animals.  How about taking a 15 mile bike ride down the Towpath to Georgetown to get a delectable treat? The possibilities are endless and the best part of all is that these are YOUR parks to enjoy YOUR way. I think the most important lesson that we can learn from participating in this program is that there is no prescribed way to engage with nature. I may be interested in kayaking, biking, or hiking, while someone else may prefer to bird watch, paint, or fish. All connections with nature are healing and we should encourage and promote these connections in whatever way we can. I am over-the-moon to be an LHIP Intern and feel extremely fortunate to have been placed in such a wonderful park. Please continue to follow Grecia and I as we continue to explore the C&O Canal and surrounding areas! Chao! Andrea