At dusk, the Colorado River traces a narrow course through Glen Canyon, a few miles below Lake Powell and upstream from Lees Ferry in Arizona. PAUL SULLIVAN

All the great canyons aren't west of the Mississippi. There are some nearby as well. By Paul Sullivan

Date published: 4/22/2006

T HEY COME in an almost infinite variety of shapes, sizes and colors and offer no end of opportunities for the curious explorer.

They are America's canyons, found in almost every state and not always even called canyons.

Some canyons, for that matter, are so little known and rarely visited they are yet unnamed.

When we think of canyons, immense declivities such as Arizona's Grand Canyon immediately come to mind, but there are literally thousands of others, just within the state of Arizona alone.

I have a fondness for snooping out these lesser canyons, whatever state they are in, and exploring them.

Oh, and anyone who thinks all the great canyons lie west of the Mississippi or in the Southwest--think again.

Just a few months ago, for instance, on a quick trip to Southwest Virginia, I stood on an overlook peering into the depths of the great gorge at Breaks Interstate Park, on the Kentucky-Virginia state line. It may not be a canyon in name, but a canyon it is for sure. Impressive, too.

I can bring this idea even closer to home: A few weeks ago near Baltimore, I took pictures of the canyon just downstream from the U.S. 40 bridge in Patapsco Valley State Park. It is heavily forested, as most eastern canyons are, but it is an impressive gash in the earth.

To prove this point that there are nearby canyons to explore, I was looking through my photo negatives and found some shots of White Oak Canyon in Shenandoah National Park. This is an open, straightforward canyon and it is heavily traveled (especially on weekends) but its beauty is enduring, and it is always worth going up for another hike. Done it in spring or summer? Try it in midwinter, and have the place to yourself with the addition of frozen waterfalls to boot!

Date published: 4/22/2006