Over the break, I traveled to the states of Arizona and Utah with my family to visit scenic places. In Arizona, we went to Sedona, a small town surrounded by red cliffs and hills, and also to the Grand Canyon.  Near Sedona, we went to a place called the Palatki Heritage Site, a place with Native American ruins that are hundreds of years old. We also went to Jerome, a town famous for its interesting history and hundred-mile views, from which we left for the Grand Canyon.

At the Grand Canyon, we went on a few hikes as well as a helicopter ride. The helicopter flew across the canyon, giving us spectacular views for miles around, including both the canyon’s north and south rims. I also saw wildlife at the Grand Canyon, including 3 elk that stood only 30 feet away from me, bats, several species of bird that aren’t found in the eastern US, and rodents such as rock squirrels and cliff chipmunks.

After leaving the Grand Canyon, we traveled to Utah to see Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park. At Bryce Canyon, we saw hundreds of natural stone pillars known as hoodoos, as well as a natural arch. At one point, we were at an altitude of over 9,100 feet! From Bryce, we went to Zion National Park. Driving through the park to get to our hotel was incredible, there were huge cliff faces all around us, At one point, my dad had to stop the car because there were Bighorn Sheep standing in the middle of the road. The next day we hiked along the river to see amazing views of the canyon. During the hike, there were rock squirrels that were so brave that they would come within a foot of us! Sadly, we had to leave for our hotel near the airport in Las Vegas later that day.

I would highly recommend all of these places to anyone considering a vacation. They were all incredibly beautiful and unforgettable.