"When we strive to pass wilderness legislation, what we are really engaged in is democracy at work."
- Bart Koehler

Read an important message about patriotism and the purpose of wilderness from our friends at the Wilderness Support Center in Colorado.

Perspectives on Wilderness

September 3rd marks the day President Lyndon B. John signed into law the Wilderness Act of 1964. This historic bill established the National Wilderness Preservation System (NWPS) and set aside an initial 9.1 million acres of wildlands for the use and benefit of the American people. Over the past 50 years, and as a result of America's support for wilderness, Congress has added over 100 million acres to this unique land preservation system.

In honor of the occasion we’re sharing heartfelt perspectives on wilderness from Arizonans of all ages — from early Wilderness advocates to the next generation of conservationists and supporters.

Bobbie Holaday Some wise person once said, “There’s no such thing as too much wilderness.” When I saw large tracts of primitive land fall under the developers heavy equipment, I resented the devastation of the relatively few wild places that still remain. I began to have feelings of guilt because as much as I enjoyed my hiking experiences in the wilderness, I wasn’t doing a single thing to try to save it. Read more...	Violet Williams, age 7½ For me the wilderness calms me down. Once I was really mad and I took a walk in the woods and it helped me feel better. There are things you do not usually see in the city that are in the forest. It is beautiful: flowers and trees, grass, and it is quiet. You do not have to be a certain height or age to enjoy the wilderness. Read more and see Violet's written essay...	Hugh Denno Wilderness connects us to our rich cultural and natural history, while at the same time it helps us live in the present, to recharge and refocus on what really matters for the future. I have been playing in the wilderness for most of my life and for the last 10 years I have been working in the wilderness as a wilderness guide, environmental educator, restoration ecologist, and film producer. But, really, Wilderness is my teacher and my guide. Read more...
Darryl Geurin I grew up in Arizona; my heart and my memories are connected to this hot, dusty desert. My body, too, I’d swear. You know, they say once you get that caliche dust in you, it never leaves. And I’m about as dry and crusty as they come these days. My favorite memories of wilderness and being out in nature are snapshots over time: in places the wilder, the better, where the trail gets dimmer and dimmer. Read more...	Lukas Stogsdill From a very young age I have always thought of nature as where you are supposed to go to have fun, and now that I have grown more, the only thing that has changed is my perception of how vast and truly beautiful it can be. My favorite part about nature is the unique experience an individual can have based purely on chance. Read more...	Craig Weaver Work was 24/7 when I first moved to Tonopah. So escaping the project for a hike or campout became my first course in the complex beauty contained within the nearby wild desert areas. Long-time residents taught me about big, old, mountains plus the smaller, newer, volcanic ranges. Read more...
Thom Hulen I suppose the Superstitions, as it is known to many people, is like my first love. No matter how the love affair ended there are some fond memories. In my case, I am still friends with my first love and the Superstition Mountain Wilderness area never fails to beckon me back for a yearly visit. Read more...	Tim Craig When I step out of the truck, onto the trail and pass the Wilderness boundary sign my heart beats a little faster and my mind fills with joy as I journey into the unknown. I've had some of my best nights in Wilderness, with friends, alone, marveling at the solitude and expansiveness. Read more...	Mindy Cox I've come to see wilderness not as a luxury, or something to be reserved for a once-a-year vacation, or some mysterious other apart from "real life" — but as a necessity as sure as water and air are necessities. Read more...
Brad Herbert A tiny fly on the end of a tightly stretched line dropping lightly onto the mirror surface of a high mountain lake; a silver spinner dancing through the crystal water of a meandering river in a long lazy arc as it fights against a slow current. This is where my mind goes when I think about my relationship with wilderness. Read more...	Mark Lowe Wilderness is important to me — an escape from the digital, suburban life that I live and work in. It's where I go to recharge my feeling of 'self' and allows me to slow down and not go by a clock that represents hours and minutes, where the only time that matters is day or night, and the changing of the seasons. Read more...