National Parks

There are some sights and sites that words will never properly describe. Yosemite National Park is in that class. But that is about the only group it's in because this magnificent natural wonder is otherwise in a class by itself.

True, there are dozens of National Parks, many of them heavily forested and offering mountains and streams. There are thousands of other forests around the U.S. with lakes, rivers and mountains galore. But Yosemite is unique.

For those who love backpacking, or just seeing some of the finest natural scenery on the planet, Tuolumne Meadows is one good example of Yosemite's unique features. At 8,600 feet (2,620 m) it offers pure air, bright sunshine and a chance to get away from the crowds that sometimes make this park a challenge.

The name of the White Sands National Monument is well chosen. The sparkling white grains of gypsum that cover the whole area give off an eerie glow as the wind brushes over them. But there is much more that is inviting about this natural wonder in New Mexico.

Located in the Tularosa Basin it offers one of the most unusual environments for lovers of U.S. national parks. Technically, White Sands is a National Monument, a 'step below' the National Park designation. But the difference is only bureaucratic. The area itself is the equal of many, such as Joshua Tree, that already have that honor.

Only an hour from bustling Miami is one of America's most unusual parks. Covering over a million and a half acres in southern Florida, The Everglades National Park is a wilderness wonderland. Filled with plant and animal life in abundance, it houses one of the world's most diverse ecosystems.

Freshwater sloughs provide a home to alligators, a common sight in the park. Along the water's edge are many species that provide them a meal, and many others as well. Great Blue Herons, American Egrets, White Pelicans and many other sub-tropical bird species are easy to spot around and above the water.

Sometimes, over millions of years of being exposed to the elements, wood eventually turns to something like stone. That obscure fact of chemistry takes on a whole new dimension in the Petrified National Park in Arizona. Here, visitors can find some of nature's most beautiful colors, along with its most fascinating ancient sights.

The Badlands in South Dakota houses fossils from the Oligocene period, 20-35 million years ago. The Petrified Forest has it beat by about 200 million more years. The Late Triassic period, during which the dinosaurs developed, far pre-dates the Jurassic Period when they roamed widely. There are many active excavation sites in which their remains are still being found.

Visitors to Hawaii often have something other than visiting a park on their minds. Yet, this island state offers one of the most unusual national parks in the system: the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The park covers nearly 505 mi≤/1350 km≤ and has several distinct ecosystems.

Here, explorers can find the results of over 70 million years of the planet's volcanism, including two live samples. They are part of the famed Ring of Fire - a series of volcanoes, many of them underwater, that lie along the edge of several continents. The world's largest, Mauna Loa, stands 13,677 feet high. The other, Kilauea, is considered one of the world's most active volcanoes.

The Grand Teton National Park gets its name from the high, jagged mountain in Wyoming that forms the centerpiece of the area. But that description doesn't begin to capture the scenic glory of this park. Perfect hiking trails, glorious rivers and vast plains of breathtaking beauty greet the visitor at every turn.

There are over 200 miles of hiking trails within the park, so no matter what your fitness or skill level you'll find one that's just right for you. Whichever you choose, the scenery will be awe-inspiring. Backpacking through the Teton Crest, for example, hikers can cover nearly 40 miles along the park's southern border, ending at Paintbrush Canyon. Be prepared to camp overnight for a couple of days when making this one.

Glacier National Park is over 1.4 million acres. But even that impressive size can't begin to convey what is most significant about this park in Montana. For that, other facts are needed. Many of them.

For example, there is the fact that there are over 50 glaciers here. And the fact that it houses more than 200 lakes and streams. And 730 miles of hiking trails. And about 300 grizzly bears.

What all those facts won't convey, though, is the sheer breathtaking beauty of every part of Glacier.

They won't describe how the mountains around Lake MacDonald, glowing pink in the setting sun, will make you want to stand still until dark. They won't tell you how the huge field of tall Beargrass stalks with their white flowers will make you want to run through the meadow like a child.

If you want to get a great idea of what South Dakota looked like millions of years ago, come visit Badlands National Park. Ages of wind and water have created deep canyons and high buttes where dinosaurs once roamed freely. Parts look like the dead surface of the moon. Others are so filled with life and color you will wonder how the two can exist together.

The Badlands holds some of the world's most extensive fossil deposits. Scientists have uncovered the remains of saber-toothed cats and their prey, a tiny ancestor of the deer. The bones of three-toed horses are scattered over many of the sites, along with ancient turtles and other reptiles.