UNITED STATES NATIONAL PARKS

1. UNITED STATES NATIONAL PARKS

2. Acadia National Park, Maine By Sam Bigham It reserves much of Mount Desert Island & associated smaller islands including Isle au Haut, parts of Baker Island & a portion of the Schoodic Peninsula on the mainland. Originally created as Lafayette National Park in 1919, the first National Park East of the Mississippi, it was renamed Acadia in 1929. The park includes mountains, an ocean shoreline, woodlands, & lakes. The park is home to some 40 different species of mammalian wildlife. Among these are red & gray squirrels, chipmunks, white-tailed deer, moose, beaver, porcupine, muskrats, foxes, coyote, bobcats & black bears.

3. Big Bend National Park, Texas By Sam Bigham It administers approximately 244 miles (393 km) along the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo boundary of Mexico & the United States. Big Bend National Park has national significance as the largest protected area of Chihuahuan Desert topography & ecology in the U.S., which includes more than 1,200 species of plants, more than 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, & 75 species of mammals. The park covers 801,163 acres. Few areas exceed the park's value for the protection & study of geologic & paleontologic resources. Cretaceous & Tertiary fossil organisms exist in variety & abundance. Archeologists have discovered artifacts estimated to be 9,000 years old.

4. Denali National Park & Preserve, Alaska By Sam Bigham It is located in Interior Alaska & contains Denali (Mount McKinley), the highest mountain in North America. The park & preserve together cover 9,492 mi². The word "Denali" means "the high one" in the native Athabaskan language & refers to the mountain itself. The mountain was named after President William McKinley in 1897. The park was established as Mount McKinley National Park on February 26, 1917. However, only a portion of Mount McKinley was within the original park boundary. The park was designated an international biosphere reserve in 1976. A separate Denali National Monument was proclaimed by President Carter on December 1, 1978.

5. Death Valley National Park, California By Sam Bigham It is located east of the Sierra Nevada in the arid Great Basin of the U.S. The park covers 5,262 square miles. Death Valley National Monument was declared in 1933, placing the area under federal protection. In 1994, the monument was redesignated a national park. It is the hottest & driest of the national parks in the United States. The second-lowest point in the Western Hemisphere is in Badwater Basin which is 282 feet below sea level. The park is home to many species of plants & animals that have adapted to this harsh desert environment including creosote bush, bighorn sheep, coyoto & the Death Valley Pupfish, a survivor of much wetter times.

6. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota By Sam Bigham It is comprised of 3 geographically separated units of badlands in western North Dakota. The park was named for President Theodore Roosevelt in honor of his achievements in conservation as president & for the landscape's influence on his life. The park covers 110 square miles (285 km²). Both main units of the park have scenic drives, foot & horse trails, wildlife viewing, & campgrounds. The park is home to a wide variety of Great Plains wildlife including bison, feral horses, elk, bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, mule deer, prairie dogs & at least 186 species of birds including golden eagles, sharp-tailed grouse & wild turkeys.

7. Badlands National Park, South Dakota By Nani Espiritu It is located in southwest South Dakota, was designated on January 25, 1939 & preserves 244,000 acres of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles, & spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the U.S. The Badlands Wildnerness protects 64,144 acres of the park as a designated wildnerness area & is the site of the reintroduction of the black-footed ferret, the most endangered land mammal in North America. The Stronghold Unit is co-managed with the Oglala Lakota tribe & includes sites of 1890s Ghost Dances & Red Shirt Table, the park's highest point at 3,340 feet. It was redesignated a national park on November 10, 1978.

8. Glacier National Park, Montana By Nani Espiritu It is located in Montana, bordering the Canadian provinces of Alberta & British Columbia. The park encompasses over 1,000,000 acres & includes parts of 2 mountain, over 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants & hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem", a region of protected land encompassing 16,000 square miles. The mountains of Glacier National Park began forming 170 million years ago when ancient rocks were forced eastward up and over much younger rock strata.

9. Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky By Nani Espiritu It is located in central Kentucky, encompassing portions of Mammoth Cave, the longest cave system known in the world. The official name of the system is the Mammoth-Flint Ridge Cave System for the ridge under which the cave has formed. The park was established July 1, 1941 & an international Biosphere Reserve on September 26, 1990. The park's 52,835 acres are centered around the Green River. With over 390 miles of passageways it is by far the world's longest known cave system. Mammoth Cave developed in thick Mississippian-aged limestone strata capped by a layer of sandstone, making the system remarkably stable.

10. Shenandoah National Park, Virginia By Nani Espiritu It encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. It is long & narrow, with the broad Shenandoah River & valley on the west side, & the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont on the east. The most prominent feature of the Park is the scenic Skyline Drive. Almost 40% of the land area 79,579 acres has been designated as wilderness. The highest peak is Hawksbill Mountain at 4,051ft. The Blue Ridge Mountains form a distinct highland rising to elevations above 4,000 ft. Rocks exposed in the park are among the oldest in Virginia dating to over 1 billion years in age. Bedrock in the park includes Grenville-age granitic basement rocks.

11. Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii By Aaryan Booter Was established in 1916. It displays the results of hundreds of thousands of years of volcanism, migration, & evolution—processes that thrust a bare land from the sea & clothed it with complex & unique ecosystems & a distinct Ancient Hawaiian culture. Kilaueau, one of the world's most active volcanoes, & Mauna Loa, the most massive, offer scientists insights on the birth of the Hawaiian Islands & visitors' views of dramatic volcanic landscapes. In recognition of its outstanding natural values, Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park has been designated as an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980 & a World Heritage SIte in 1987.

12. Isle Royal National Park, Michigan By Aaryan Booter The park is made of Isle Royale itself & approximately 400 smaller islands. Isle Royale National Park was established on April 3, 1940, was designated as a Wilderness Area in 1976, & was made an International Biosphere Reserve in 1980. It is a relatively small national park at 894 square miles, with only 209 square miles above water. The park has 2 developed areas: Windigo, at the southwest end of the island with a campstore, showers, campsites, & a boat dock; & Rock Harbor on the south side of the northeast end with a campstore, showers, restaurant, lodge, campsites, & a boat dock.

13. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming By Aaryan Booter Signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872. Yellowstone was the first national park in the world, & is known for its wildlife & its many geothermal features, lakes & waterfalls, especially Old Faithful Geyser. Hundreds of species of mammals, birds, fish & reptiles have been documented, including several that are either endangered or threatened. The vast forests & grasslands also include unique species of plants. Grizzly bears, wolves, & free-ranging herds of bison & elk live in the park. Yellowstone has numerous recreational opportunities, including hiking, camping, boating, fishing & sightseeing., lodge, campsites, & a boat dock.

14. Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota By Aaryan Booter A U.S. National Park located innorthern Minnesota near the town of International Falls.. It was established in 1975. The park's name commemorates the voyageurs, French Canadaian fur traders who were the first European settlers to frequently travel through the area. The park is notable for its outstanding water resources & is popular with canoeists, kayakers, other boaters & fishermen. The Kabetogama Peninsula, which lies entirely within the park & makes up most of its land area, is accessible only by boat. To the east of the National Park lies the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

15. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah By Siena Meng It is located in southwestern Utah & was designated in 1928. The major feature of the park is Bryce Canyon, which, despite its name, is not actually a canyon but a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion along the eastern side of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. Bryce is distinctive due to geological structures called hoodoos, formed by wind, water & ice erosion of the river & lake bed sedimentary rocks. The red, orange & white colors of the rocks provide spectacular vistas. Bryce is at a much higher elevation than nearby Zion National Park. The rim at Bryce varies from 8,000 to 9,000ft. The park covers 56 sq mi. It is remotely located near the he town of Kanab, Utah..

16. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon By Siena Meng Oregon’s only national park was established May 1902. The Crater Lake caldera rests in the remains of a destroyed volcano Mt. Mazama. The lake’s deepest point is 1,949 ft. This impressive depth is due to the nearly symmetrical 4,000-ft deep caldera formed 7,700 years ago during violent climactic eruptions & the collapse of the volcano. It covers 286 square miles. Crater Lake has no streams flowing into or out of it, so water that enters the lake is eventually lost from evaporation or subsurface seepage. The lake's water commonly has a striking blue hue & is re-filled entirely from direct precipitation in the form of snow & rain.

17. Joshua Tree National Park, California By Siena Meng It was designated in 1994 & located in southeastern California. It is named for the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) forests native to the park. It covers a land area of 789,745 acres. A large part of the park is designated to wilderness area - some 429,690 acres. The park includes parts of 2 deserts, each an ecosystem whose characteristics are determined primarily by elevation: the higher, drier & slightly cooler Mojave Desert which is a special habitat for the Joshua Tree & lower Colorado Desert which encompasses the eastern part of the park & features habitats of the Creosote bush scrub, Ocotillo, desert Saltbush & mixed scrub including Yucca & Cholla cactus

18. Rocky Mountains National Park, Colorado By Siena Meng It is located in the north-central region of Colorado & features majestic mountain views, wildlife, varied climates & environments – from wooded forests to mountain tundra – & easy access to back-country trails & campsites. The park includes the Continental Divide & the headwaters of the Colorado River. The park is surrounded by Roosevelt National Forest on the north & east, Routt National Forest on the northwest, & Arapaho National Forest on the southwest. Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses approximately 265,770 acres of land in Colorado's northern Front Range. Several small glaciers & permanent snowfields are found in the high mountain cirques.

19. Carlsbad Caverns National Park By Jackie Bonner A United States National Park located in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park for most visitors is the show cave. Visitors to the cave can hike in on their own via the natural entrance, or take the elevator (the exit for everyone) directly to the Underground Lunchroom some 750 feet below. Carlsbad Caverns includes a large cave chamber, the Big Room, a natural limestone chamber which is almost 4,000 feet long, 625 feet wide, & 350 feet high at the highest point. It is the third largest chamber in North America & the seventh largest in the world. The largest in the world is the Sarawak Chamber in Malaysia.

20. Yosemite National Park, California By Jackie Bonner The park covers an area of 761,268 acres in east central California. It is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, Giant Sequoia groves & biological diversity. Almost 95% of the park is designated wilderness. The park has an elevation range from 2,127 to 13,114 feet & contains 5 major vegetation zones: chaparral/oak woodland, lower montane, upper montane, subalpine & alpine. Its geology is characterized by granitic rocks & remnants of older rock. About 10 million years ago, the Sierra Nevada was uplifted & then tilted to form its gentle western slopes & the more dramatic eastern slopes.

21. Mt. Rainier National Park, Washington By Jackie Bonner It is located in northwestern Washington state & was was established on March 2, 1899 as the 5th national park in the U.S. The park contains 368 square miles including all of Mt. Rainier, a 14,411-foot stratovolcano. The mountain rises abruptly from the surrounding land with the highest point in the Cascade Range, around it are valleys, waterfalls, subalpine wildflower meadows, old growth forest & more than 26 glaciers. Mt. Rainier is circled by the Wonderland Trail & is covered by several glaciers & snowfields totaling some 35 square miles. Carbon Glacier is the largest glacier by volume in the continental U.S., while Emmons Glacier is the largest glacier by area.

22. Everglades National Park, Florida By Jackie Bonner Located inFlorida, it is the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S & the 3rd-largest national park in 48 states. It has been declared an International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site & a Wetland of International Importance. Unlike most U.S. national parks, it was created to protect a fragile ecosystem instead of safeguarding a unique geographic feature. It protects an interconnected network of marshland & forest ecosystems. 36 species designated as threatened or protected live in the park, including the Florida panther, American crocodile, & the West Indian manatee. It is the most significant breeding ground for tropical wading birds in North America.

23. Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona By Jackie Bonner It is located along Interstate 40 between Holbrook & Navajo, Arizona. It features one of the world's largest & most colorful concentrations of petrified wood. The park consists of two large areas. The northern area encompasses part of the multicolored badlands of the Late Triassic Chinle Formation called the Painted Desert. The southern area includes colorful terrain & several concentrations of petrified wood. Several American Indian petroglyph sites are also found in the southern area. Near the south end of the park is Agate House, a Native American building of petrified wood, reconstructed during the 1930s.

24. Biscayne National Park, Florida By Michael Chandler Biscayne National Park, Florida It is located in southern Florida due east of Homestead. The park preserves Biscayne Bay, one of the top scuba diving areas in the U.S.. Ninety-five percent of the park is water. In addition, the shore of the bay is the location of an extensive mangrove forest. The park covers 207 mi² . Elliott Key, the park's largest island, is considered the first of the true Florida Keys being formed from fossilized coral reef, i.e. Key Largo limestone. The islands farther north in the park are transitional islands of coral & sand. The major attractions of the park are fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling on the coral reef, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, or camping on Elliot Key or Boca Chita.

25. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona By Michael Chandler It is one of the our oldest national parks & is located in Arizona. Within the park lies the Grand Canyon, a gorge of the Colorado River, considered to be one of the major natural wonders of the world. The park covers 1,902 miles. Much of the Grand Canyon is extremely rugged & remote, although many places are accessible by pack trail & backcountry roads. The area around the Grand Canyon was designated national park on February 26, 1919. Grand Canyon itself, including its extensive system of tributary canyons, is valued for the combination of large size, depth, & the exposed layering of colorful rocks dating back to Precambrian times.

26. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming By Michael Chandler It is located in northwestern Wyoming & named after the Grand Teton, which is 13,770 feet tall. It was established on February 26, 1929 & covers 484 square miles of land & water. There are nearly 200 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy. It is part of the Rocky Mountains. In addition to 13,770 ft high Grand Teton, another 8 peaks are over 12,000 ft above sea level. The glaciated range is a textbook example of alpine topography. Rubble piles left by ice age alpine glaciers impounded a series of interconnected lakes at the foot of the range. Jackson Lake covers 25,540 acres & has a maximum depth of 438 feet. There are also over 100 alpine & backcountry lakes.

27. Redwood National Forest, California By Michael Chandler Established in 1968, it is located along the coast of northern California & covers 133,000 acres. The park protects 45% of all remaining Coastal Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) old-growth forests. These trees are the tallest & one of the most massive tree species on Earth. In addition to the redwood forests, the park preserves other indigenous flora, fauna, grassland prairie, cultural resources, portions of rivers & other streams, & 37 miles of pristine coastline. The ecosystem preserves a number of threatened animal species such as the Brown Pelican, Tidewater Goby, Bald Eagle, Chinook Salmon, Northern Spotted Owl & Steller’s Sea Lion.

28. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska By Michael Chandler It was established in 1980 & covers an area of approximately 1,760 sq mi on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska. The park contains the Hardng Icefield, one of the largest ice fields in the U.S. It is named for the numerous fjords carved by glaciers. The field is the source of at least 38 glaciers, the largest of which is Bear Glacier. A network of trails from the Nature Center provide access to the glacier. Cruise tours originating from Seward also provide access to the park via Resurrection Bay. Tours provide views of land & marine wildlife, particularly stellar sea lions, puffins, Dall’s porpoises, American black bear, mountain goats, & humpback & orca whales.