We all know the popular spring break destinations: a sunny, beach-filled vacation in Mexico, a road trip to the coast or a week of sightseeing in a big city like New York or Chicago. While a majority of spring breakers have participated in one or more of these trips at some point, others have decided to go a different route.
With the promise of spring hanging in the air, many of us find ourselves chasing sunshine and fresh air during this week-long reprieve from classes. Road trips to national parks, star-filled nights camping and time spent outdoors are becoming increasingly popular trips for college students to take during their spring vacations.
I spoke to a couple of Pioneers about their choice to ditch flip flops for hiking boots this past spring break.
Junior Paul Sherman is no stranger to outdoor adventure. Originally from a suburb of Chicago, Sherman has taken advantage of everything Colorado has to offer outside during his time in Denver. An avid hiker and camper, he and a couple of friends decided to spend their break exploring Utah’s national parks.
Over the course of a week, Sherman and his friends either drove or camped their way through some of the most well known natural landmarks in the U.S. One of the first stops on their route took them to Zion National Park, located in Western Utah. The hike “Angel’s Landing” proved to be quite the challenge, but Sherman claims the top offered “one of the most rewarding views I have ever seen.”
The following days were filled with nights spent under the stars and warm days exploring outside. Looking back on his trip, Sherman has few complaints. “Utah quickly earned a spot at the top of my list of favorite places I’ve been, and I’m confident that a road trip, and the route we took, offered up-close sights an airplane ride will not.”
When junior Corin Panozzo and three friends were planning their spring break road trip, a stop at Antelope Canyon was placed at the top of their list of things to see. Deciding on the “Four Corners” route, Panozzo and her friends passed through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah to sightsee, camp and enjoy the outdoors.
By Wednesday afternoon of their trip, Panozzo and friends found themselves bouncing in an open-air truck headed toward the much-anticipated Antelope Canyon. With camera in hand and baseball cap pulled down against the wind and sand, Panozzo and her group followed their Navajo guide into the narrow entrance of the canyon.
“The canyon itself is beautiful,” said Panozzo. “The walls are smoothed down and grooved due to the seasonal flash floods that have shaped it over the years.”
While a visit to Antelope Canyon was a priority for Panozzo and her group, they tried not to plan too much of the trip and allowed themselves to be pleasantly surprised at what came their way. The absence of a strict schedule offered a sense of spontaneity.
“If you are on the road and you see something interesting, you have the freedom to to go and check it out,” said Panozzo.
There’s no wrong decision when deciding where to spend one’s spring break, but stories like these prove that sometimes the best times are those spent in the great outdoors.
