National Parks in the USA

Ranked #4,438 in Travel & Places, #132,107 overall

Paradise Found in America: A Guide to the National Parks of the USA

What brings the 270 million visitors to National Parks in United States every year, is it the beautiful scenic lookouts, the chance to spot unique wildlife, clean, fresh air, or just the opportunity to get away from it all? Ask anyone and they'll likely check off all of the above. 58 National Parks are located within the United States, each with their own distinct look, personality, flora, and inhabitants. Here is an overview of some of the most popular National Parks in the United States, along with some of the lesser known (but equally impressive) parks, and why you should make it a point to visit them in your lifetime.

 

Grizzly Bear and Cubs

Big Bend National Park

The protected area along the Mexican-USA border of the Rio Grande River

Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park is a land of extremes...extremely dry weather in the spring and summer months, extremely isolated from populated areas, and an extreme abundance of unique desert wildlife and stunning scenery. Approximately 120 miles away from the nearest large town, Fort Stockton, the relative isolation has helped preserve this park's beauty, while still having to face some uphill battles being sharing the park's main attraction, the Rio Grande River, with adjoining Mexico.



Golden eagles, cacti, black bears, and 600 other animal species (along with 1200 plant species) and wildlife, can be found within the parks boundaries at times.



Blue Bonnets in Big Bend National Park



Santa Elena Canyon, Rio Grande River, Big Bend National Park: picture by Daniel Schwen

Yellowstone National Park

Perhaps the most famous of all National Parks, Yellowstone has something for everyone, from the once near extinct American Bison to the explosive geothermal activity taking place just inches below the surface.

Loading

Grand Teton National Park

The pristine park of northwest Wyoming

Loading

Which Came First?

Yellowstone National Park was the first established park in 1872, while the actual National Park Service was created in 1916.

Mile High Views, Lava Sprays and...Trash Island?

Rocky Mountain National Park - Landscapes Part 1
by tomdaggett | video info

5 ratings | 5,135 views
curated content from YouTube

A National Parks Poll...

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Sturdy, Trusted Hiking Gear for your National Parks Visits

Buy it right the first time (and last time) by buying great quality merchandise on Amazon. Click through the items here to start your own search for more cool hiking stuff.
Loading

Point Reyes National Seashore

Point Reyes National Seashore, just miles north of San Francisco, is a beautiful peninsula containing tranquil beaches, abundant hiking, and great Pacific scenery on the coast of California. It's also located on a major faultline and experienced a shift 17 feet northward during one of the earthquakes in the last century!

Point Reyes from Muir Beach overlook point by Jose C Silva
Drive in Point Reyes National Sea Shore, CA by Fovea Centralis
Point Reyes: Old boat on the beach by Franco Folini
Point Reyes Lighthouse by dbaron
Point Reyes - Estero Trail by Jerry Downs
Point Reyes Shoreline by Chispero
curated content from Flickr

Yosemite National Park

You'd be pressed to find a view in California more jaw dropping than the view from outside the mountain tunnel view of Yosemite National Park's Valley.
Loading

What's your Favorite National Park?

You can find a nearly endless amount of information and National Parks information in the form of entertaining DVDs, beautifully illustrated books, relevant and easy to read hiking guides, and gifts on Amazon. Click through to see more products that Amazon has to offer.
Loading

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park

Southwestern Colorado's crystaline vertical Black Canyon

Black Canyon of the Gunnison has been carved from the Gunnison River over the past 1.7 billion years into the massive vertical drop that stands today in southern Colorado!
Loading

Mesa Verde National Park

Ancient culture found at the Four Corners region

Mesa Verde of Colorado is one of the best examples of Native American culture dating back more than 1,000 years.
Loading

Arches National Park

Sublime wonders of nature in eastern Utah

Delicate Arch

Arches...it may not sound like much beyond a bunch of natural arches. The main attraction of Arches National Park are of course, the strange, antique arches that are found in the park's boundaries. Windswept and water corroding rock has resulted in just a small shell of their former selves to be left standing, resulting in an unusual arch shape. Why so many at Arches NP? It's a complicated story having to do with salt flats, erosion, water, faults and science, but Wikipedia can explain it fully.

The best and most satisfying reason to visit Arches is for the unmatched hiking, mountain biking, and photography. During the midday hours, colors may seem a bit drab, and temperatures are slighly inhospitable in the summer months. However, a spring, fall or winter visit will leave you pleasantly surprised. For great color in your photos, arive to the park early, or catch the late afternoon sun for perfect reds, oranges and golds that this park has to offer.

Broken Arch, Arches National Park, Moab by Fikret Onal
curated content from Flickr

Death Valley National Park

The largest park in the lower 48 states

Can you stand the heat? Death Valley's extreme temperatures sure haven't stopped many other visitors from paying visit during the hot summer months, where daytime temperatures regularly hit the 120's!
Loading

Great Basin National Park

Caves and mammoth peaks in Eastern Nevada

Nevada's own Great Basin National Park is almost like two National Parks in one, with the stunning Mount Wheeler and underground Lehman Caves.
Loading

Zion National Park

Stunning canyon views and water hiking in southern Utah

Zion is an incredible 15 mile long canyon in southwest Utah, and only around 70 miles or so from Bryce Canyon.
Loading

Bryce Canyon National Park

Utah's strange and majestic desert landscape

Loading

Canyonlands National Park

Eastern Utah's canyon gem

Right near Arches, you'll find the beautiful park of Canyonlands. With stunningly huge canyon expanses, this is a photographer's paradise.
Loading

Denali National Park

Denali: North America's largest mountain or the world's largest mountain? Denali is one of Alaska's most prized possessions. Stay long enough and you might even spot a snowy owl or two.
Loading

Desert Arches, Hot Serenity and the Clash of the Elk

Arches National Park Utah
by vbstargazer | video info

102 ratings | 51,565 views
curated content from YouTube

St. Mary Lake of Glacier National Park 

Recommended National Parks DVDs and Books

National Parks books and DVDs make for a great at home experience of what the National Parks have to offer. They're the second best thing to being there, great if you've already been to the parks, and an excellent preview if you haven't been.
Loading

Canvas National Parks Tote Bags

What better way to commemorate your trip to your favorite National Park than to carry it around with you everyday? These 100% cotton canvas bags make excellent grocery shopping bags, beach totes, fun vacation bags and excellent gifts.

Price: 0.00 Buy Now

Powered by CafePress

Mountain Goats, Wading through the Narrows, and an Unforgettable Ride

Hiking the Narrows in Zion National Park
by markdroberts | video info

16 ratings | 38,159 views
curated content from YouTube

Rocky Mountain National Park

Ute Trail, Rocky Mountain National Park



Rocky Mountain National Park contains some amazing sites in the state of Colorado. The high elevations result in near year-round snow, except for the summer months when it usually doesn't snow. Fishing, camping, rock climbing, hiking and skiing are all huge attractions for the famous park. Close to the park is the beautiful town of Estes Park, and not too far away at the foothills of the Rockies, the the artsy town of Boulder, Colorado.



Rocky Mountain National Park

Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park

Kilauea, Hawaii

Perhaps America's most exciting and vibrant National Park, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park lies on the big island, Hawaii. As recent as March, 2008, there has been major volcanic activity on the big island. The island is constantly undergoing changes as evidenced by the steam plumes and black sand beaches. New islands are added to and even created with each lava explosion. It's truly unlike anywhere else on earth, and an unforgettable experience.

National Parks Links...

NPS.gov
Experience America through this website and get a better understanding of what this country has to offer. A great interactive website that you should visit before your real life visit.
National Parks Foundation
The official National charitable partner of America's National Parks.
National Parks on Wikipedia
A history of America's National Parks and the creation of the NPS.
30 of the Most Popular National Parks in America
Discover 30 of America's most popular and underrated (and least visited) National Parks through photos, video and information.

The Creation of the National Park Service

Over 154,000 volunteers and over 20,000 paid employees make up the dedicated staff of the NPS, ensuring your visit to any of the National Parks of the United States are safe, fun, and memorable ones. Created on August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson passed a bill that enabled the NPS...

"...to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."
His statement forever lives on in the beautiful National Parks found from Hawaii to Maine that are available for all to enjoy.

Unique National Parks Apparel!

Why not memorialize your National Park trip with that souvenir you forgot to purchase? Or, if you an outdoor enthusiast who'd appreciate the gesture, here's some of the best National Parks gear you can find around.
Loading

The National Parks Group

View the best National Parks lenses that Squidoo has to offer at the National Parks Group!
Loading

Guestbook

* Kiwi T-Shirts
* Italian Heritage Gifts
* Political Apparel
* The Holiday Store

submit

More Lenses by Me:

Be sure to read more of my lenses!
Loading

Thomas Moran, Famous Watercolor Artist from the Hudson River Era

One of the most respected and well known artists of the Hudson River movement was Thomas Moran, a watercolor artist that painted some of the most vibrant, stunning learly American andscapes ever created. You can find his work at a very reasonable price right on eBay. Click through the item to refine your search further.
Loading

More Excellent Lenses on National Parks...

Loading

A Poll About this Lens

Loading poll. Please Wait...

by

kiwisoutback

The National Parks system of the United States has to offer some of the best scenic opportunities in the world, not to mention top notch camping, fish... more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!