Summer marks the time for family vacations and epic road trips. What better way to spend your summer getaway than exploring our national parks. For many of us, visiting a national park conjures up images of pristine, untouched wilderness. Everyone has their own reason to visit the National parks - maybe you are seeking an opportunity to view geological wonders up close, or perhaps you want to ponder the significance of historical landmarks, or maybe you just want to experience the clean, quiet spaces and escape the city. Either way, we are lucky to have so many choices when it comes to National Parks. To help you plan your next adventure, the staff here at WhatsYour20 has handpicked a few of our favorites to feature on our Best of the National Parks 2007 edition.
Often referred to as the “crown jewel of Maine”, beautiful Acadia National Park provides the best the state has to offer, from rugged beaches and pristine mountain scenery to small towns that merge with the park to add local flavor. First established in 1916 as Sieur de Monts National Monument, the park changed names again – to Lafayette National Park – before it became Acadia in 1929. Many private citizens were integral in insuring that this unique Maine landscape was preserved, fearing over development of the area. Donors of land included George B. Dorr, Charles W. Eliot, and John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
The largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, Everglades National Park is a treasure. Recognized as both a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve, Florida’s Everglades are home to rare and endangered animals and an abundance of unique fauna, including mangrove forests, hardwood hammocks, and massive open saw grass marshes. At 1.5 million acres in size, it’s easy to see how one can spend several days in this park – nicknamed “The River of Grass” – and never run out of things to do.
Glacier National Park is located in remote northwestern Montana on the U.S./Canadian border. Home to both grizzly and black bears, Glacier is a wonderful park to view animals in their natural setting. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise for adventurous visitors seeking wilderness and solitude. Glacier National Park offers a wide variety of recreational activities including: camping, hiking, boating, fishing, backcountry camping, bicycling, ranger-led nature hikes and talks, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and sightseeing.
Located in northwestern Washington in the region of the state known as the Olympic Peninsula, 922,000-acre Olympic National Park features a wonderful diversity of terrains that are a delight to explore. With more than 73 miles of coastline, the picturesque Olympic Mountains (including 8,000-foot Mount Olympus), and plenty of temperate rainforest, there’s something for everyone to enjoy in this expansive national park. Summer and early fall are the best times to visit Olympic National Park. While July and August can be warm, it’s rarely unbearably hot. July, August, and September are also the driest months of the year. Winters are mild at lower elevations but large amounts of snow can accumulate in the mountains.
The Grand Canyon should be a destination for everyone at some point in their lifetime. Perhaps the most iconic of all natural wonders in North America, the Grand Canyon National Park is one of the first national parks in the United States. The park contains the Grand Canyon, a gorge carved by the Colorado River. Venture away from the crowds and into the depths of the Canyon to experience one of nature's greatest spectacles the same way it was made – leisurely and peacefully.
Yellowstone National Park has always been one of the U.S.’s most visited parks and a favorite with guests of all ages. You don’t need to be a nature lover to enjoy Yellowstone, the sights are so amazing that even a city dweller will be awed by the natural beauty of this park. America’s oldest National Park, established in 1872, this 2.2 million-acre park attracts about 3 million visitors each year, and chances are that when some of those millions return for a second visit, the park is likely to be different than during their previous trip. People come to Yellowstone for lots of different reasons. Some just come to see the sights, such as the Old Faithful Geyser, the most famous and regularly-erupting of the 300+ geysers located throughout the park. Others head to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, a 20 mile long, (up to) 1,200 feet deep, and, in some spots, 4,000 foot wide canyon that is absolutely breathtaking. Be sure to bring a camera and catch a picture of the magnificent Lower Falls of the Grand Canyon.
This is just a sampling of our greatest national parks. Take some time out this summer to make your own list of greatest parks.
