Zion Snuffs Out Smokies, Arches Rock Acadia in Parks Madness

Final Four Pits Yellowstone vs. Yosemite and Zion vs. Arches in 2024 National Park Championship

BETHESDA, MARYLAND, UNITED STATES, April 10, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Park fans found their “Y.” From the start of Parks Madness it seemed inevitable that Yosemite and Yellowstone would meet in the Final Four, and now the dream matchup is happening. The winner will face a member of Utah’s Mighty Five – either Zion or Arches – for the 2024 National Park Championship.

Three of the four Elite 8 matchups proved very close calls, and online voters were clearly conflicted. “Glacier and Yellowstone was a gut-wrenching match for this born and raised hardcore MT girl,” said voter Gina Mahoney, who ended up choosing Yellowstone “for her diversity.”

But Glacier did not melt without a fight. “Yellowstone has great wildlife and good scenery, but not quite as good as Glacier,” voter Brad Davis argued. “This should have been the final, rather than Elite 8 matchup. No other park offers the variety that these offer.” Despite Glacier’s passionate fan base, Yellowstone skated to the win, 53-47%.

No. 1 seed Yosemite faced a historically deep competitor in No. 3 Grand Canyon, which also drew more 2023 visitors, 4.73 million to 3.89 million, according to the National Park Service. Still, the home to El Capitan and the annual “Firefall” phenomenon rope-climbed to victory, 54-46%.

As by far the most visited U.S. national park, No. 2 seed Great Smoky Mountain seemed well-provisioned to trek past No. 1 seed Zion. Park fan Thomas Grady even laid out the statistics: “The Great Smoky Mountain National Park: (a) is the most biologically diverse national park; (b) is the most visited national park and (c) has 150 official hiking trails covering approximately 900 miles, including 72 miles (1/30th) of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail.” But like a flash flood in the Virgin River Narrows, Zion’s fans swept it to a convincing win, 62-38%.

The first place to see sunrise in America and last competitor from the East Coast, No. 1 seed Acadia, hoped to keep its Parks Madness run going but ran into a steep ascent against No. 3 seed Arches. The red-rock wonderland outpolled the rocky Maine coastline, 53-47%.

The Parks Channel tournament is down to its Final Four: Yellowstone vs. Yosemite and Zion vs. Arches, a contest with a staggering variety of natural features, wild inhabitants and outdoor activities to explore. Voters face more tough choices, although they sound up for the challenge. “I’m loving Parks Madness!” said Jessica Goodfellow. “My husband and I have enjoyed debating the relative merits of different parks and ‘trash-talking’ some of the parks too!”

Another voter, Shannon Woodring, validated the whole point of the tournament: “I like Parks Madness better than basketball because after researching the parks, it makes me want to visit them!”

To submit Final Four ballots, visit https://theparkschannel.com.

The remaining schedule for Parks Madness:

• Final Four voting ends at midnight ET on April 12

• Championship matchup announced on April 13, voting until midnight ET on April 15

• 2024 National Park Champion declared on April 16

ABOUT THE PARKS CHANNEL

The Parks Channel is a new platform for “America’s Best Idea” – at home, on the journey and for making memories. Our mobile-optimized website, theparkschannel.com, features over 500 curated and geotagged videos, enabling visitors to discover amazing places to go, informed by park superfans and others dedicated to public lands. Users can create their own pages, unlock park badges by submitting content and create curated gear checklists for travel based on where they want to go and what they like to do. Coming soon, Parks Channel will be available as an advertising-supported free app on connected TVs.

Alanna Zahn Davis
The Azure Group for Parks Channel
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