Ian
priscilla 1National Parks of the USA
September 9th 2009 11:25
Created in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, the National Park Service of the USA looks after a total of 58 parks. Thanks to the Chicago Tribune let's take a look at the biggest, oldest and brightest National Parks for the travelling adventurer!
Established in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant, Yellowstone is the oldest in the National Park System and is located in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. From Old Faithful to the Mammoth Hot Springs, geysers and waterfalls, the natural beauty of the park envelops visitors from the first glance. Native bison, elk, wolves and other wildlife wander freely in abundance throughout the park.
The 500,000 acre Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomes more visitors a year than any other park. Covering parts of Tennessee and North Carolina, the park is a recreation wonderland -- if you can get away from the crush of cars, campers and RVs. Fishing, hiking, picnicking, cycling, swimming, camping and scenic drives are just a few of the endless activities available to visitors. An International Biosphere Reserve, the park is home to more than 4,000 species of plants. In the fall, the leaves change color in magical fashion.
On July 10, 1913, at what is now Furnance Creek Ranch, the thermometer topped out at just about 134 degrees Fahrenheit -- the highest temperature ever recorded in the United States. Death Valley isn't just hot, but dry. In 1929, not a single drop of rain was recorded for the entire year. A national monument since 1933 and national park since 1994, it's a cool place to visit in the winter. But hard-core visitors -- especially the French and Germans -- love the summers. The extreme landscape is home to Scotty's Castle, Furnace Creek and old ghost towns. In the spring, wildflowers grow in abundance among the vibrant desert landscape. From the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere of Badwater at 282 feet below sea level to the top of nearby Telescope Peak at 11,049 feet, the word extreme describes this park perfectly.
Located entirely north of the Arctic Circle in Alaska, Kobuk Valley National Park is the least visited park. Only 1,565 visitors made the remote trek in 2008 to this undeveloped wilderness. Within the park's 1.14 million acres, visitors experience an inland desert, the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, Kobuk River and the Onion Portage. The Onion Portage is of special interest as human existence dates back 12,500 years in the region and local Eskimos still hunt caribou that migrate in the region.
Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas is the smallest park at 5,500 acres. Forty-seven thermal springs are intertwined among the scenery and hiking trails.
The hot springs were the first federally protected area in the nation's history. President Thomas Jefferson sent an expedition here in 1804 to study the health benefits of the spas. Bathhouse Row is where many of the historic bathhouses from the early 20th century are located. An observation tower allows visitors to see the entire scenic valley and the Ouachita Mountains that surround the park.
THE OLDEST: YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
THE BUSIEST: GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
THE HOTTEST: DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
THE LONELIEST: KOBUK VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
THE SMALLEST: HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK
The hot springs were the first federally protected area in the nation's history. President Thomas Jefferson sent an expedition here in 1804 to study the health benefits of the spas. Bathhouse Row is where many of the historic bathhouses from the early 20th century are located. An observation tower allows visitors to see the entire scenic valley and the Ouachita Mountains that surround the park.
| 70 |
| Vote |
Comment by katyzzz
Photography Tips
MS Paint Art
Comment by Wilson Pon
Health 2 Know
Adventure Toes
Techno Stuffs
boxing sound
Business Rope
Fun Places 2 Travel