The beauty often hides the danger

Grand Canyon offers beauty, but just a slip, or small misstep, can be disastrous

When one enters one of the larger outdoor-type national parks, there is always danger.

And that danger has been playing itself out a lot over the past couple weeks.

An accident on a trail in the Grand Canyon led to the death of a woman.

Another person died earlier in the year from a fall after getting too close to the edge of a cliff.

My wife and I have been to the Grand Canyon on a number of occasions. We enjoy the grandeur and the expansive beauty.

But we realize one needs to be very careful when getting close to the "edge."

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is our go-to park. It is closer than the other more famous destinations.

But evenso, I am always aware of the fact that danger lurks.

Whatever park one enters, there is always the possibility that an individual can get hurt or killed.

Enjoy the hike, but realize the danger

There are wild, yes, “wild” animals. Bears, deer, wolves, buffalo, elk and even a raccoon can cause a problem for unsuspecting individuals.

Visitors seem to think that the animals aren’t dangerous. But tell that to their surviving relatives.

It is not DisneyWorld, although people can just as easily die on the grounds of an amusement park.

In the national parks, there are the animals, other people, rock formations and steep cliffs which contribute to deaths and injuries to those who are too adventurous or believe that nothing bad can happen to them.

People over-extend, go out unprepared, don’t take enough precautions and fail to prepare for whatever the weather is for a particular season.

The streams that run through the parks also pose a danger. They seem to entice people to do dangerous things such as jumping off high cliffs to the water below.

A rainstorm can turn a slow-moving stream into a torrential river.

There is danger everywhere and people need to realize that.

So just be aware!

Next post: July 26, 2016