It is my belief that the Nature Trail is a very important part of the educational program of the park and thus merits the same serious consideration that is given to the planning of a museum display or the preparation of a campfire talk. In all three cases it is clearly a problem involving the best method of presentation. With this basic fact as a guide, the following modificaions of our Nature Trail system is proposed for consideration:
- Determine the story each trail is best equipped to tell.
- At the beginning of the Nature Trail construct a Trailside Exhibit, in which would be told the important story or stories of this particular area. Throughout this exhibit there should be carefully implanted the thought that important details of this story will be demonstrated along the trail itself. The Trailside Exhibit building at the Temple of Sinawava in Zion is an example, although somewhat larger than necessary, of this type of structure.
- Carefully select sites along this trail where important phases of this story can best be told.
- These sites should be restricted to the least number possible and still include the essential portions of the story to be told.
- Construct at each site chosen a miniature trailside exhibit. This should be made of native stone or other suitable native materials. The overall height of such a structure should not exceed 50 inches and its other dimensions should be only wide enough and thick enough to insure stability of the structure and present a pleasing appearance. Insofar as possible a relatively uniform size should be adhered to in all parks so that visitors will know in the significance of such an exhibit whenever encountered. In the top of this structure, set in an inclined position and countersunk into the rock face, would be found a panel approximately 4″ x 20″ in which would be placed hand lettered labels and any simply charts needed to explain the parts of the story as seen from that particular site. Over this panel of label material would be a heavy shatter-proof glass cover, to fit flush with the surface of the surrounding rock structure. The entire panel would necessarily have to be made waterproof, with moisture drains and air vents where needed, an with a “sunshade” of rock or other suitable material to protect it.
With structures of this type the two greatest objections to our present system are removed. The small panel exhibit gives sufficient space to present neatly and clearly the essential details of the story being told at that point. The small “exhibit in place” can be made attractive in appearance. In addition, it should be easy to maintain. The addition of a Trailside Exhibit shelter at the beginning of each trail will allow for carefully directed thought, and the visitor’s attention can be pre-focused upon the story ahead before he starts out along the trail.
It is my belief that seldom, if ever, should a trail require more than four small panel exhibit structures to supplement the Trailside Exhibit building. For example, it is believed that the one mile long Narrows Trail in Zion would require only four such structure to assist its present Trailside Exhibit building in telling the important story found along this trail–and additional study may show that three will be sufficient. Certainly one objection to the present system–the great numbers of metal trailside labels–would be and should be completely eliminated. Such an exhibit system would also eliminate the present lack of organization in the presentation of the details of the story being told. Designed to take the place of a guide, the present system is a failure and should be replaced by methods of a more effective nature. Not until then will this part of our program be interpretive instead of a program devoted only to staking out inadequate metal name bearing labels. In that light it is hoped that this proposal, whether acceptable or not, will stimulate new thought on the subject.
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