Acadia
National Park: Maine’s Jewel
Located
in Maine on the rock-bound shore of Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park
features granite cliffs side-by-side with sand and cobblestone beaches and
glacier-carved mountains rising from the ocean. Deep lakes hide in valleys.
Here, too, are meadows and marshes and dense evergreen forests. The ocean makes
its presence felt everywhere, whether by sight, sound or smell.
Cadillac
Mountain, at 1,530 feet the tallest point on the Atlantic coast, stands over a
landscape or forests, ponds, tidal pools and rocky bluffs. Trips across the
island reveal beautiful vistas of peninsulas, miles of green and a sea that can
be calm one day and angry the next. Birds are everywhere, including bald eagles.
Acadia’s natural ruggedness contrasts with its genteel
history – in the late 1800s it was a summer retreat for New York and Boston
society families. Established in 1916, Acadia was the first national park east
of the Mississippi and, more significantly, it was the first national park whose
land was donated entirely by private citizens.
A
27-mile drive on Park Loop Road encompasses shoreline, forest and mountain
scenery. The road begins at the Hulls Cove Visitor Center and offers access to
Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, Jordan Pond and Cadillac Mountain.
Acadia
also offers 120-miles of hiking trails ranging in difficulty from easy to
strenuous with varying terrain from rugged shoreline and deep woods, to open
mountain summits with views of the ocean and outer islands. Take a walk or
bicycle ride on Acadia’s 45-miles of carriage roads. Portions of the carriage
roads were built between 1913 and 1940 by John D. Rockefeller Jr., and are the
best example of broken stone roads in the United States.
For
more information, call (800) 365-2267 or (888) 530-9796 (TDD).
Carlsbad Caverns National Park: Explore the Depths
Often
called the Eighth Wonder of the World, Carlsbad Caverns National Park possesses
the world's largest underground chamber. First
designated a national monument in 1923 and re-designated a national park in
1930, Carlsbad Caverns features more than 80 caves and covers more than 46,000
acres in the Guadalupe Mountains of southeastern New Mexico.
Named a World Heritage Site in 1995, the caverns formed more than
one million years ago when groundwater dissolved limestone and created one of
the most extensive systems of caves in the world. At 14 acres and a ceiling that
reaches 250-feet, the “Big Room” is the largest chamber in the world. Its
unusual formations and tremendous size makes it one of the most spectacular
sights. The room can be reached by taking an elevator or a walking tour.
For the bold explorer, Slaughter Canyon Cave offers
visitors a chance to be a “spelunker” for a day. The rugged adventure
requires a ½ mile hike up the 500-foot mountain. The cave is undeveloped, but
it contains formations not found in the main cavern.
Ranger-guided
tours are also available into several other caves. On these tours you'll carry
either a flashlight or a headlamp and explore the caverns similar to the way
early visitors did. Be prepared to crawl around and get dirty.
In
addition to the self-guided and ranger-guided cave tours that take visitors 800
feet below the surface, other features of the park include more than 50 miles of
backcountry hiking trails, picnic areas near Rattlesnake Springs, and wildlife
viewing. During the months of August and September, see one of the park’s
greatest attractions as thousands of Mexican free-tailed bats fly out through
the cavern’s natural entrance each evening at sunset.
For
more information call (505) 785-2232 or e-mail cave_interpretation@nps.gov.
Denali
National Park: The Great One
Denali
National Park and Preserve features the North America’s highest mountain, the
20,230 foot high Mount McKinley, countless other spectacular mountains and many
large glaciers. Denali, the "Great One," is
the name the Athabascan indigenous people gave the massive peak that crowns the
600-mile-long Alaska Range.
The park’s
more than six million acres encompass a complete subarctic ecosystem
with large mammals such as grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep and moose and
variety of tundra shrubs and taiga forest. For those interested in seeing docile
animals, the park offers sled dog demonstrations to show Alaska’s traditional
mode of transportation. Visitors also have the chance to tour the park kennels
and visit Denali’s Alaskan Huskies.
Located in central Alaska and originally established in
1917 and designated an international biosphere reserve in 1976, the park today
accommodates a wide variety of visitor activities, including wildlife viewing,
mountaineering, camping, driving tours, bicycling and backpacking. It continues
to serve as a laboratory for research in the natural sciences.
For more information, call (907) 683-2294.
Everglades
National Park: The River of Grass
Everglades
National Park in southwestern Florida is the largest remaining sub-tropical
wilderness in the continental United States with extensive freshwater and
saltwater areas, open everglades prairies and mangrove forests. The abundant
wildlife includes rare and colorful birds, and alligators and crocodiles, the
only place in the world where these huge reptiles exist side by side.
Less than an hour's drive from Miami, Everglades National
Park is the only ecosystem of its kind in the world. Established in 1947 as a
national park, the Everglades National Park became an International Biosphere
Reserve in 1976 and a World Heritage site in 1979. Covering more than 1.5
million acres, the park allows visitors to explore the Florida that once was,
when alligators and egrets were more plentiful than humans.
Airboats
and swamp buggies whisk you through miles of mangrove wilderness and across
veritable oceans of marsh grass. Trails and limited roads allow visitors a
closer look at the fragile ecosystems and countless animals and plants.
While
many visitors take part in these activities, many go to
immerse themselves in an environment.
The highlights of Everglades National Park lie in the total experience, the
subtle differences and the surprises of light, plants and wildlife.
For more information, call
(305) 242-7700.
Glacier National Park: Far Away … and Worth the
Trip
Set in the scenic Rocky Mountain wilderness of northwestern Montana, Glacier National Park is
alive with active glaciers, sky-reaching mountains, enormous lakes and sprawling
valleys that all show the effects of the ice sheet that once covered the region
billions of years ago.
Established
in 1910, the park encompasses more than 1 million acres and straddles the
Continental Divide. The combination of spectacular scenery, diverse flora and
fauna, and relative isolation from major population centers have combined to
make Glacier National Park the center of one of the largest and most intact
ecosystems in North America.
In
1932, Glacier National Park and Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta were joined together by the governments of
Canada and the United States as Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, the
first park of its kind in the world. The
partnership between the United States and Canada fostered a worldwide
International Peace Movement to encourage other countries to work together to
protect their shared resources and maintain a healthy ecosystem. Both
parks have been designated Biosphere Reserves, and in December of 1995 they were
jointly designated the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park World
Heritage Site.
Glacier
National Park offers one of the most scenic drives in North America on the
Going-to-the-Sun Road. After 11 years of work, the final section of the
Going-to-the-Sun Road, over Logan Pass, was completed in 1932. Considered an
engineering feat and established as a National Historic Landmark, the road
forever changed the way visitors would experience the park. It not only made
previously inaccessible territory available to more people without taking away
from the landscape, but it also provided a spectacular view of the entire park
and beyond. Today, tourists still marvel at how such a road could have been
built.
While
much has changed since the first visitors came to Glacier National Park, it is
possible to relive some of its history. You can take a horseback ride like a
pioneer, hike miles of trails used by trappers in the 1800s or stay in one of
the various hotels or chalets built by the Great Northern Railway at the
beginning of the 1900s.
For
more information call (406) 888-7800, (406) 888-7806 (TDD) or fax (406)
888-7808.
Grand Canyon National Park: Don’t
go near the edge!
There’s
simply no other place on earth that looks quite like the Grand Canyon. It is one
of the most spectacular geological formations in the world and unmatched in the
incomparable vistas it offers to visitors with its colorful canyons, cliffs,
ridges, hills and valleys of every form.
Established by Congress in 1919, Grand Canyon National
Park covers 1.2 million acres in the northwest corner of Arizona and includes
105 miles of the Colorado River. It is up to one mile deep, four to 18 miles
wide and more than 200 miles long. The park offers three distinct sections: the
South Rim, Inner Canyon and North Rim. Each section offers a unique experience
with its differing climate and vegetation.
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The South Rim/Grand Canyon Village area attracts the
largest number of tourists annually with its wide variety of lodging,
restaurants, shops and year-round attractions.
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The Inner Canyon is perfect for those wanting a little
backcountry adventure, though it may require special reservations and
permits. There’s camping above and below the rim, overnight hiking by foot
or mule and one-day walking trips.
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If you’re looking for peace and quiet, the North Rim
offers pristine landscapes, seclusion, hiking trails and limited park
services.
Most
of the five million people who visit the park each year enjoy the breathtaking
views, journeying by foot or mule to the bottom of the canyon, backpacking in
the remote areas and rafting through the canyon on the rushing Colorado River.
As one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon continues to
be one of the most impressive destinations.
All
general park inquiries should be directed to (520) 638- 7888. For in-park
lodging reservations and most other concession activities, such as mule rides,
call (520) 638-2631 for same-day reservations or (303) 297-2757 for advance
reservations.
Great Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Rolling Sea of Mountain Ridges
World renowned for the diversity of its plant and animal resources, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located in North Carolina and Tennessee, is one of the largest protected areas in the East. Congress established the 520,000-acre park in 1934, and its importance is now recognized around the world as an International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site.
There’s a lot to see and do in the Smokies (as the locals call it) – from cross-country skiing at Newfound Gap to rafting along scenic Deep Creek. Hike the Cave Bluffs Nature Trail that passes a tunnel-shaped Arch Rock at the 1.5-mile mark and climbs to the base of Alum Cave Bluff, a 150-foot overhang formed from sedimentary rock—like a geological fruitcake of slate, schist and phyllite. This was the location of an old alum mine, providing saltpeter for Civil War gunpowder. You can turn around here, or ascend another 2.5 miles to outstanding views at the top of Mount LeConte.
For a different type of exercise, take a bicycle tour along Cades Cove Loop Road. The 4,000-acre valley was settled in 1820 and remained occupied for the next hundred years. Dismount for walking tours of its historic buildings where barns, cabins, churches, and farmlands along the 11-mile road have been returned to their original state. Highlights include the white-frame Primitive Baptist Church, built in 1827, the Elijah Oliver Place, a hand-hewn log cabin homestead complete with outhouse, and the John Cable Mill and a working gristmill. While you’re there, hike to Abrams Falls, one of the park’s many large waterfalls.
For a relaxing drive, take the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. It may seem like a contradiction in terms, but you can see plenty of nature from behind the wheel of your car – and even more if you get out to take a stroll along the way. Much of the route follows a creek as it cascades noisily over rocks.
The Smokies, a wild landscape rich with traces of its human past, calls people back year after year.
For more information, call (865) 436-1200.
Mount Rainier National Park: The
Sleeping Giant
Located southeast of Tacoma, Washington, Mount
Rainier National Park features dense forests, alpine meadows, waterfalls, lakes
and a variety of outdoor activities no matter what time of year. Established in
1899, the park is far enough away from the state's urban areas to qualify as
remote, but close enough to highways and airports to be accessible for a
vacation or a quick getaway.
Mount
Rainier is an episodically active volcano that began to grow between one half
and one million years ago. Despite explosions and landslides, Mount Rainier
has become the largest single-mountain glacier system in the United States,
excluding Alaska, with 41 glaciers occupying the summit. Today, Mount Rainier
ranges in elevation from 1,610 feet to 14,410 feet above sea level.
For a scenic view of the park, hike the 93-mile Wonderland
Trail that circles around the base of the mountain. Other activities include
camping, backpacking, picnicking, summit climbing, fishing and horse riding.
When winter arrives, visitors enjoy the cross-country ski and snowshoe trails,
tubing and winter camping along the south side of the mountain.
If you’re looking for something different, visit the Mount
Rainier Scenic Railroad in Elbe, Wash. Experience 19th century
adventures by riding a steam train or a railbike, an apparatus once used by
railroad companies for track checking, moving workers or going for assistance
when a locomotive broke down. Other nearby attractions include Mount St. Helens
National Volcanic Monument, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, and Crystal Mountain
and White Pass Ski Resorts.
For
more information, call (360) 569-2211.
Redwood
National Park: Where the Trees Tower
Redwood National Park, located in Del Norte and Humboldt counties in Northern California, are home to redwood trees as old as 2,000 years, officially the oldest living organisms on the planet. These parks offer an endless array of visual splendor and wonderment.
The National Park Service and the state of California jointly administer four adjoining parks with more than 100 miles of trails and roads crossing freely from national to state lands. Together these parks are a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve. They are Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (est. 1923); Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park (est. 1925); and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park (est. 1929). Redwood National Park was founded in 1968 and enlarged to 110,246 acres in 1978. In addition to the forests, the parks include prairie lands and rugged coastline with tidepools and sea lion colonies.
One of the best drives is along U.S. 101, which runs 40 miles north-south through the parks, taking visitors through the towns of Orick, Klamath and Crescent City. The coastal drive winds past redwood groves, the Klamath River and the Pacific Ocean.
A stop at the High Bluff picnic area may provide a glimpse of migrating whales or sea lions. About a mile north of the picnic area is a World War II–vintage early-warning radar station cleverly disguised as a farmhouse, along with a barn. The drive loops east and reconnects with U.S. 101. At the Big Tree Wayside, view Big Tree. The 304-foot, 1,500-year old tree will amaze you.
Don’t miss the "drive-through" trees. Although there are none in Redwood National and State Parks, three exist in the area. All are coast redwoods and are located along U.S. 101. Each park charges admission. Listed from north to south, they are:
- Klamath Tour Thru Tree – use the Terwer Valley exit in the town of Klamath
- Shrine Drive-Thru Tree – use the Avenue of the Giants exit near the town of Myers Flat
- Chandelier Tree in the Drive-Thru Tree Park – follow signs off U.S. 101 in the town of Leggett
No doubt about it, you’ll find numerous ways to immerse yourself in this land of regal redwoods, wild coastline, and elk-filled prairie.
For more information, call (707) 464-6101.
Rocky Mountain National Park: High
in Colorado
Located northwest of Denver near Estes
Park, Colorado, Rocky Mountain National Park offers fantastic views with its high
peaks exceeding 10,000 feet, as well as broad valleys, gorges, alpine lakes and
surging streams.
Rocky
Mountain National Park ranks as one of America’s premier wildlife watching
destinations with its abundance of elk, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, deer,
ptarmigan and various birds. With more than 700 known plants, the park’s high
country is full of arctic vegetation and other flora found in lower latitudes.
Whatever you’re seeking, the park is a wild preserve where you can picnic at
the water’s edge, hike trails once used by Native Americans or challenge your
mountaineering skills against vertical cliffs. Other activities include camping,
fishing, bicycling, skiing, snowboarding, ranger led tours and snowmobiling.
A
scenic 48-mile drive on Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous highway in the
United States, takes you west from Estes Park across the Continental Divide, one
of nature’s wonders. Every drop of snowmelt or rainwater to the west of the
Great Divide flows toward the Pacific Ocean; every drop to the east toward the
Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. On the west side of the park, a road trip
can take you to the ghost town of Lulu City where prospectors are remembered for
their great efforts.
For
a little city life, visit the towns of Estes Park and Grand Lake. Estes Park has
been Rocky Mountain National Park’s “front door” for more than 100 years.
The town’s main attraction is Elkhorn Avenue, a historic shopping district
featuring a variety of shops and restaurants.
The
community of Grand Lake is located between the western border of Rocky Mountain
National Park and Colorado’s largest natural lake, Grand Lake. While the
town’s main street, Grand Avenue, is lined with rustic boardwalks that create
a western, small-town atmosphere, the area offers an array of year-round,
outdoor-adventures, including fishing, mountain biking, hiking, boating and
more. Wherever your travels take you in the Rockies, there’s always something
to do.
For
more information, call (970) 586-1206 (general information), (970) 586-1333
(phone recorded messages), (970) 586-1319 (TDD), (970) 586-1242 (backcountry
information) and (970) 627-3471 (west side information).
Yellowstone
National Park: An Adventure Wonderland
Yellowstone is the
oldest national park in the world. Created by Congress in 1872 and designated a
World Heritage site in 1978, Yellowstone covers 2.2 million acres in
northwestern Wyoming.
The
commanding features that initially attracted interest, and led to the
preservation of Yellowstone as a national park, were geological: the geothermal
phenomena (there are more geysers and hot springs here than in the rest of the
world combined), the colorful Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River, fossil
forests, and the size and elevation of Yellowstone Lake. As an added bonus,
Yellowstone’s southern border is less than 20 miles from Grand Teton National
Park.
Some of
Yellowstone’s more popular sights include “Old Faithful,” a geyser that
erupts fairly regularly every 33 to 120 minutes, and the Fountain Paint Pots in
the Lower Geyser Basin, with pink, plopping mud geysers, fumaroles, and a blue,
hot-spring pool. At Mammoth Hot Springs, “Minerva” displays a multi-colored
terrace with hot water cascades.
Ninety-percent of
Yellowstone National Park remains undeveloped, providing a wide range of habitat
types that support one of the continent’s largest and most varied large mammal
populations. Animal life in Yellowstone is typical of the Rocky Mountains and
includes bison, elk, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, deer, moose, black bears, grizzly
bears, and coyotes. Wolves were reintroduced into the park in 1995. Hundreds of
different species of birds live in the park, among them many waterfowl,
including the trumpeter swan. The lakes and streams are stocked with fish; trout
is the most popular with anglers.
Yellowstone
is a true wilderness, one of the few vast, natural areas remaining in the
continental United States. Here, you meet nature on its terms, not yours.
For
more information, call (307) 344-7381 or (307) 344-2386 (TDD).
Yosemite
National Park: Embrace Nature
One
of the most photographed places on earth, Yosemite National Park embraces almost
1,200 square miles of scenic wild lands set aside in 1890 to preserve a portion
of the central Sierra Nevada that stretches along California’s eastern flank.
The park ranges from 2,000 feet to more than 13,000 feet above sea level, and
offers three major features: alpine wilderness, groves of Giant Sequoia and
Yosemite Valley.
High above the valley, adventurous travelers find
solitary satisfaction in the alpine wilderness. This is a region of sparkling
lakes, flowery meadows and austere granite peaks. Tioga Road and the Tuolumne
Meadows are touchpoints for enjoying this region.
The Tioga Road portion of Highway 120, generally open
from later spring through late fall, offers a 39-mile scenic drive through
forests and past meadows, lakes and granite domes between Crane Flat and
Tuolumne Meadows. Tuolumne Meadows is a large, open sub-alpine meadow graced by
the winding Tuolumne River and surrounded by majestic peaks and domes. Picnic
areas and miles of hiking trails are available.
The Giant Sequoias near Wawona are some of the oldest and largest
living things on earth. Grizzly Giant is the oldest of the old sequoias. The
tree's base diameter is 30 feet, a girth of 94 feet and a height of 200 feet —
the height of a twenty-story building.
Yosemite
Valley – “The Incomparable Valley” – displays what is probably the
world’s best-known example of a glacier-carved canyon. It’s leaping
waterfalls, towering cliffs, rounded domes and massive monoliths make it a
preeminent natural marvel. Sheer granite walls and a flat floor characterize
Yosemite Valley, and it is this dramatic scene that remains in the minds of most
visitors. Ask Yosemite veterans to describe driving into Yosemite, or about the
first views of El Capitan, Cathedral Rocks, Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, and
they usually cannot put it into words.
For
recorded general park information, call (209) 372-0200.