Earlier this year, our wayfinding carried us through the desert heart of northern Arizona — from the wind-carved mesas of Pipe Spring to the volcanic ridges near Sunset Crater, winding our way toward Sedona’s red rock canyons. What began as a Junior Ranger adventure earlier was to be continued, and we headed back out toward Sedona this Fall to finish the journey. But things were very different this time, our National Parks had been shuttered by the government shutdown. But even though the government shutdown foiled our badge-collecting plans, we found that wonder can’t be closed.
We made the best of our Sedona Junior Ranger Adventure by completing the Arizona Junior Ranger Explorer Book. So, this is our two-part adventure.
Pipe Spring National Monument (Arizona)
On the Arizona Strip, Pipe Spring National Monument stands as a desert ranch oasis. The riparian area here felt like a little green universe in the midst of the arid landscape, alive with spring birds and flowering plants. Learning about the Mormon settlers and the Kaibab Paiute connection gave the Junior Ranger program a rich context of cultural and ecological adaptation. For our alien-themed journey, it felt like spotting life in the most unexpected corners of a planet — a perfect place to dream of extraterrestrial visitors while keeping our feet firmly on the Earth.
Wupatki National Monument (Arizona)
Wupatki National Monument, where the ancient pueblos rise from the high desert like whispers of a long-lost civilization. In spring, the desert blooms with tiny but fierce wildflowers, giving the stark red landscape bursts of color — almost like a terrestrial starfield. As Junior Rangers, we explored ruins, learned about how people thrived here in harsh conditions, and imagined the “star people” stories of ancient travelers. It was a perfect start to a journey that combined history, geology, and a dash of interstellar imagination.
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (Arizona)
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument is a vivid reminder of how dynamic our planet is — jagged lava flows contrast against the new spring growth that clings to the blackened slopes. The Junior Ranger activities here teach geology in a hands-on way, and we couldn’t help but imagine alien explorers landing in the crater’s moonscape-like terrain. Between the lava fields and budding wildflowers, it was like Earth had its own secret alien world — no need for NVGs yet, the colors of spring were enough to dazzle us.
Sedona, Arizona
This time, we reached Sedona, the land had shifted from basalt black to crimson red. The sandstone cliffs glowed in the evening light, and the air hummed with that unmistakable Sedona energy, both grounding and otherworldly. We quickly found out on this trip it would not be the Junior Ranger programs that guide us, so we made our own adventure. We hopped on some old fashioned bikes from the Arabella Hotel Sedona and found out way through vortex land.
The Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park
Tucked into a quiet canyon, the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park offered something unexpected and healing. Prayer flags rippled in the desert breeze, and the scent of juniper mingled with incense. We walked the spiral path in silence, each turn a meditation on gratitude — for family, for the land, for the stories that connect us all. In a season of closures, this sacred space felt profoundly open.
The Quiet Sadness of Closed Parks: Tuzigoot & Montezuma Well
We should have anticipated that the ongoing government shutdown would affect the parks. It was a small heartbreak, but also a lesson: the land doesn’t close, and the stories don’t stop. We left with the intention to return when the doors reopened and the rangers could once again share their knowledge and stories. Our belief in the importance of the National Parks, and their role in preserving our nation’s history, gave us hope that all would restore soon.
For the parks are not just places to visit and learn, they are a testament to a functioning democracy, a shared commitment to history, culture, and the common good. Their loss would be the quiet death of something far larger. But as history may take a turn that none of us can imagine, the timeless Buddha sits with hands in a mudra, a reminder that while reality may shift and the aeons may turn, one must continue to act in the world—with wisdom, guidance, and calm clarity—regardless of what happens.
