Our Country’s National Parks

Glacier%20National%20Park%2C%20established%20in%201910%2C%20hugs%20Montana%26%238217%3Bs%20border%20with%20Canada.%20The%20park%20was%20created%20by%20receding%20ice%20glaciers%20that%20once%20covered%20North%20America.%20Some%20glaciers%20can%20still%20be%20found%20throughout%20the%20park.%20The%20scenic%20Going-to-the-Sun%20Road%20spans%20the%20park%2C%20going%20over%20the%20Continental%20Divide%20at%20Logan%20Pass.%20It%20takes%20up%20to%2010%20weeks%20to%20plow%20each%20spring.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Arches%20National%20Park%20is%20located%20just%20outside%20Moab%2C%20Utah.%20The%20park%2C%20home%20to%20some%20of%20the%20most%20unique%20geological%20formations%2C%20would%20be%20a%20rock%20climber%26%238217%3Bs%20dream.%20Climbers%2C%20however%2C%20are%20banned%20from%20climbing%20the%20arches%20within%20the%20park.%20%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Covering%20approximately%20310%2C000%20acres%20of%20northwestern%20Wyoming%2C%20the%20Grand%20Teton%20National%20Park%20is%20not%20too%20far%20from%20Yellowstone.%20Many%20of%20the%20same%20species%20of%20plants%20and%20mammals%20in%20the%20park%20have%20lived%20here%20since%20prehistoric%20times.%20The%20park%20allows%20adventurous%20visitors%20to%20go%20back-country%20camping%20year%20round%2C%20with%20a%20permit.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Biscayne%20National%20Park%20%26%238211%3B%20a%20top%20scuba%20diving%20and%20fishing%20destination%20%26%238211%3B%20is%20mostly%20water.%20Located%20at%20the%20southern%20tip%20of%20Florida%2C%20the%20park%20is%20also%20home%20to%20an%20large%20mangrove%20forest.%20%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Mt.%20Rainier%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EEstablished%20in%201899%2C%20Mount%20Rainier%20National%20Park%20in%20Washington%20state%20is%20home%20to%20a%2014%2C410-foot%20tall%20volcano%20of%20the%20same%20name.%20Millions%20of%20people%20visit%20the%20park%20every%20year%2C%20some%2010%2C000%20of%20whom%20attempt%20to%20climb%20the%20popular%20peak.%20

Big%20Bend%20National%20Park%20lies%20on%20the%20border%20between%20Texas%20and%20Mexico%2C%20encompassing%20half%20of%20the%20Rio%20Grand%20River.%20The%20park%26%238217%3Bs%20primary%20attractions%20are%20hiking%20and%20backpacking%2C%20though%20it%20is%20one%20of%20the%20least-visited%20national%20parks%20in%20the%20lower%2048%20states.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Nestled%20in%20the%20Blue%20Ridge%20Mountains%20of%20Virginia%2C%20Shenandoah%20National%20Park%20is%20mostly%20Mid-Atlantic%20woodlands.%20Its%20Skyline%20Drive%20covers%20almost%20half%20of%20the%2079%2C579%20acre%20park%2C%20and%20is%20particularly%20popular%20when%20the%20leaves%20are%20changing.%20The%20highest%20peak%20in%20the%20park%20is%20Hawksbill%20Mountain%20at%204%2C051%20feet.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

The%20Wind%20Cave%20National%20Park%20is%20located%20in%20the%20southern%20Black%20Hills%20of%20South%20Dakota.%20It%26%238217%3Bs%20the%20first%20cave%20in%20the%20world%20to%20be%20set%20aside%20as%20a%20national%20park.%20The%20park%2C%20much%20of%20which%20is%20above%20ground%2C%20helped%20save%20many%20animals%20including%20bison%20that%20came%20close%20to%20extinction%20by%20the%20late%201800s.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20McNew%2FGetty%20Images%29

Established%20in%201915%2C%20Rocky%20Mountain%20National%20Park%20sits%20in%20central%20Colorado%2C%20surrounded%20by%20three%20national%20forests.%20Visitors%20can%20camp%2C%20hike%2C%20fish%2C%20rock%20climb%2C%20snow%20shoe%20and%20ride%20horseback%20throughout%20the%20park%2C%20all%20while%20taking%20in%20the%20breathtaking%20views.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

The%20Redwood%20National%20Park%20was%20created%20to%20protect%20the%20sequoia%20tree%2C%20native%20to%20northern%20California%20and%20one%20of%20the%20largest%20tree%20species%20on%20earth.%20The%20park%20is%20also%20home%20to%20some%20of%20the%20rarest%20animal%20species%2C%20including%20the%20Northern%20Spotted%20Owl.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Joshua%20Tree%20National%20Park%20occupies%20part%20of%20California%26%238217%3Bs%20Mojave%20Desert.%20Congress%20passed%20a%20law%20in%201994%20changing%20its%20designation%20from%20a%20national%20monument%20to%20national%20park.%20The%20park%20%26%238211%3B%20about%20the%20size%20of%20Rhode%20Island%20%26%238211%3B%20is%20mostly%20wilderness%2C%20inhabited%20by%20lizards%2C%20ground%20squirrels%2C%20bighorn%20sheep%20and%20coyotes.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Glacier%20Bay%20National%20Park%20sits%20in%20the%20Alaska%20panhandle%20near%20Juneau.%20Glaciers%20and%20snow-capped%20mountains%20are%20its%20most%20visible%20assets%2C%20but%20the%20park%20also%20includes%20thousands%20of%20acres%20of%20protected%20marine%20ecosystems.%20Visitors%20can%26%238217%3Bt%20drive%20to%20this%20national%20park%2C%20the%20only%20way%20in%20or%20out%20is%20by%20boat%20or%20plane.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Crater%20Lake%20National%20Park%20was%20established%20in%201902%20and%20is%20the%20nation%26%238217%3Bs%20fifth%20oldest%20park.%20The%20crater%20was%20formed%20from%20a%20destroyed%20volcano%20in%20what%20is%20now%20southern%20Oregon%2C%20creating%20the%20deepest%20lake%20in%20the%20United%20States.%20No%20streams%20flow%20into%20or%20out%20of%20the%20lake%3B%20all%20the%20water%20comes%20from%20snow%20or%20rain.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Established%20in%201916%2C%20Acadia%20National%20Park%20sits%20on%20the%20rocky%20Maine%20coast.%20The%20scenic%20park%20consists%20of%20mountains%2C%20islands%20and%20shorelines.%20It%20has%20over%2040%20different%20species%20of%20wildlife%2C%20including%20white-tailed%20deer%2C%20moose%2C%20porcupine%20and%20bobcats.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Thinkstock.com%29

Cliff%20Dwellings%20are%20the%20major%20attraction%20at%20Mesa%20Verde%20National%20Park%20in%20Mesa%20Verde%2C%20Colorado.%20Mesa%20Verde%2C%20Spanish%20for%20green%20table%2C%20offers%20a%20spectacular%20look%20into%20the%20lives%20of%20the%20Ancestral%20Pueblo%20people%20who%20made%20it%20their%20home%20from%20A.D.%20600%20to%20A.D.%201300.%20These%20sites%20are%20some%20of%20the%20most%20notable%20and%20best%20preserved%20in%20the%20United%20States.%20%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Doug%20Pensinger%2FGetty%20Images%29

Volcanoes%20National%20Park%20in%20Hawaii%20is%20home%20to%20two%20active%20volcanoes%20%26%238211%3B%20Kilauea%20and%20Mauna%20Loa.%20The%20former%20is%20the%20most%20active%20in%20the%20world%2C%20and%20the%20latter%20the%20most%20massive.%20The%20park%20is%20also%20an%20International%20Biosphere%20Reserve.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Marco%20Garcia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Yosemite%20National%20Park%20spans%20part%20of%20the%20Sierra%20Nevada%20mountain%20range.%20The%20park%20is%20visited%20by%20an%20average%20of%203.5%20million%20people%20per%20year.%20Visitors%20to%20the%20park%20are%20able%20to%20climb%20up%20Half%20Dome%20or%20El%20Capitan%20to%20get%20panoramic%20views%20of%20the%20park.%20%28Photo%20by%20David%20McNew%20%2FNewsmakers%29

Yellowstone%20National%20Park%20%26%238211%3B%20the%20first%20national%20park%20in%20the%20world%20%26%238211%3B%20was%20established%20by%20the%20U.S.%20Congress%20and%20signed%20into%20law%20by%20President%20Grant%20on%20March%201%2C%201872.%20Primarily%20in%20the%20northwest%20corner%20of%20Wyoming%2C%20the%20park%20extends%20into%20Montana%20and%20Idaho.%20It%26%238217%3Bs%20known%20for%20its%20wildlife%20and%20its%20many%20geothermal%20wonders%2C%20including%20the%20Old%20Faithful%20Geyser.%20%20%28Photo%20credit%3A%20MARK%20RALSTON%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Some%204.5%20million%20people%20visit%20the%20Grand%20Canyon%20each%20year%2C%20making%20it%20the%20most%20visited%20destination%20park%20in%20the%20United%20States.%20The%20six%20million-year-old%20canyon%20averages%2010%20miles%20wide%20and%20a%20mile%20deep%20and%20is%20considered%20my%20many%20the%20most%20spectacular%20national%20wonder%20in%20America.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20John%20Moore%2FGetty%20Images%29

Everglades%20National%20Park%20was%20established%20in%201947%20to%20protect%20a%20fragile%20ecosystem%20in%20southern%20Florida.%20It%20is%20the%20third%20largest%20national%20park%20in%20the%20lower%2048%20states.%20Thirty-six%20federally%20protected%20animals%20live%20in%20the%20park%2C%20which%20is%20also%20home%20to%20the%20American%20crocodile.%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Joe%20Raedle%2FGetty%20Images%29

Denali%20National%20Park%20is%20located%20in%20central%20Alaska%20and%20home%20to%20the%20highest%20mountain%20%28Mount%20McKinley%29%20in%20North%20America.%20With%20large%20populations%20of%20grizzly%20bears%2C%20black%20bears%2C%20caribou%2C%20Dall%20sheep%2C%20wolves%20and%20foxes%2C%20the%20park%20is%20ideal%20for%20viewing%20wildlife.%20%20%28Photo%20Credit%3A%20Mike%20Powell%2FGetty%20Images%29

Death%20Valley%20National%20Park%20%26%238211%3B%20the%20largest%20national%20park%20in%20the%20US%20%26%238211%3B%20comprises%20more%20than%203.3%20million%20acres%20of%20desert%20wilderness.%20Anthropologists%20estimate%20that%20roaming%20humans%20first%20settled%20in%20Death%20Valley%20roughly%2010%2C000%20years%20ago.%20In%201849%2C%20a%20group%20of%20gold%20rush%20pioneers%20entered%20the%20Valley%2C%20thinking%20it%20was%20a%20shortcut%20to%20California.%20After%20barely%20surviving%20the%20trek%20across%20the%20area%2C%20they%20named%20the%20spot%20%26%238220%3BDeath%20Valley.%26%238221%3B%20%28Photo%20credit%20GABRIEL%20BOUYS%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Bryce%20Canyon%20is%20a%20small%20national%20park%20in%20southwestern%20Utah%20which%20was%20named%20after%20the%20Mormon%20Pioneer%20Ebenezer%20Bryce.%20It%20became%20a%20national%20park%20in%201924.%20Bryce%20is%20famous%20for%20its%20unique%20otherworldly%20geology%2C%20consisting%20of%20a%20series%20of%20horseshoe-shaped%20amphitheaters.%20%28Photo%20credit%20MARK%20RALSTON%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Badlands%20National%20Park%2C%20situated%20in%20southwest%20South%20Dakota%2C%20is%20rich%20with%20geological%20deposits%20and%20fossil%20remains.%20The%20park%20protects%20animals%20including%20bison%2C%20bighorn%20sheep%2C%20deer%2C%20pronghorn%2C%20prairie%20dogs%20and%20black-footed%20ferrets.%20%28Photo%20credit%20FRANCIS%20TEMMAN%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29