Since this trip happened two months ago, it almost seems pointless to blog about it. But I want to make sure I blog about every national park site I've been to, even if there's not much to say.
Okay, so, when I was visiting my parents in Chicago, I realized I still had some time left before school started to visit park sites. Also, I was having so much fun with the Pic Your Park contest, I wasn't ready to stop! So, I decided to visit Alabama. My parents were baffled and thought it was a terrible idea and don't understand why I'm in such a hurry to see all the parks. Honestly, it was not a good financial decision, but I have no regrets because I ended up really enjoying this trip!
I started out by visiting Stones River National Battlefield in Tennessee. I hiked around this area called The Slaughter Pen. 24,000 people were killed, wounded, or captured here. Just like most battlefields, this place had an eerie energy.
The next morning, I visited Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. 34,000 were killed, wounded, or captured here, including the guy who discovered Saturn's rings. Someone described the battlefield as "a carpet of bodies."
I was glad to leave the battlefields behind and head to Russell Cave National Monument in northern Alabama. It was first inhabited 9500 years ago! You can't actually go in the cave, but it was still an interesting spot to visit. Off the beaten path and not crowded at all. I love visiting rock art sites here in Utah, so I really enjoyed this park site.
Then it was on to Little River Canyon National Preserve. Beautiful waterfalls! People were cliff jumping, and that water did look really refreshing.
My last stop of the day was Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, another upsetting place. Andrew Jackson was part of this atrocity. (I just listened to a podcast about him, and he was truly evil. No wonder he's Trump's favorite president.) This place commemorates a battle between the U.S. army and the Red Stick tribe. 800 out of 1,000 Red Stick fighters were killed. One of their prophets was killed by a bullet to his mouth and Jackson basically said, "God did that to him for being an imposter." The battle resulted in the U.S. taking that land that would become Alabama, and a promotion for Jackson.
Okay, so, when I was visiting my parents in Chicago, I realized I still had some time left before school started to visit park sites. Also, I was having so much fun with the Pic Your Park contest, I wasn't ready to stop! So, I decided to visit Alabama. My parents were baffled and thought it was a terrible idea and don't understand why I'm in such a hurry to see all the parks. Honestly, it was not a good financial decision, but I have no regrets because I ended up really enjoying this trip!
I started out by visiting Stones River National Battlefield in Tennessee. I hiked around this area called The Slaughter Pen. 24,000 people were killed, wounded, or captured here. Just like most battlefields, this place had an eerie energy.
The next morning, I visited Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park. 34,000 were killed, wounded, or captured here, including the guy who discovered Saturn's rings. Someone described the battlefield as "a carpet of bodies."
I was glad to leave the battlefields behind and head to Russell Cave National Monument in northern Alabama. It was first inhabited 9500 years ago! You can't actually go in the cave, but it was still an interesting spot to visit. Off the beaten path and not crowded at all. I love visiting rock art sites here in Utah, so I really enjoyed this park site.
Then it was on to Little River Canyon National Preserve. Beautiful waterfalls! People were cliff jumping, and that water did look really refreshing.
My last stop of the day was Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, another upsetting place. Andrew Jackson was part of this atrocity. (I just listened to a podcast about him, and he was truly evil. No wonder he's Trump's favorite president.) This place commemorates a battle between the U.S. army and the Red Stick tribe. 800 out of 1,000 Red Stick fighters were killed. One of their prophets was killed by a bullet to his mouth and Jackson basically said, "God did that to him for being an imposter." The battle resulted in the U.S. taking that land that would become Alabama, and a promotion for Jackson.
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