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My Ten Favorite National Parks

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"O beautiful, for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain..."

I have an addiction - to National Parks.  All of them.  I love them.  Cannons, forts, rivers, rocks, battlements, mountain, old houses, wooden markers: all of them.   I am lucky enough to live in a country that has such an extensive, fascinating, and varied system of historical parks, battlefields, memorials, recreation areas, monuments, and  scenic rivers and trails.  I always had a passing appreciation for the wonder of the parks-- but in 1993 that changed.  I was at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona and a wonderful ranger there was taking the time to explain the area and the park to my mom and I.  He also showed me what would soon become a constant traveling companion of mine for future trips.  The National Parks Passport.  So, take a minute and let me show you my favorite parks and maybe spark an interest (or begin an addiction) in you.


Grand Canyon National Park

I am lucky enough to have been able to visit the Grand Canyon twice when I lived in Arizona. Both times I was simply overwhelmed. It may sound cliche, in fact you may think the Grand Canyon itself a cliche. Well, it's not. It is simply the most spectacular thing I have ever seen anywhere in the world. I quite happily just sat an looked at it for the longest time, and then I only moved to go to a different spot to ponder it some more. If you haven't been to the Grand Canyon, I cannot urge you strongly enough to make sure that it is on your "To See" list.


Over the Edge : Death in Grand Canyon

This book fascinates me -- to realize that people still die every year in the Grand Canyon National Park amazes me. When the signs say that you shouldn't get to close to the edge, the signs mean it. This is a great book.
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Gettysburg National Military Park

I visited Gettysburg National Battlefield while seeing friends on "that" side of Pennsylvania. I will go back. I was mesmerized by all that it stood for and all that I was seeing. And, I don't think I got to see the whole battlefield, as I spent a great deal of time in the cemetery. All the states involved have monuments there and it's something to see. If you like battlefields, this one is a winner.



Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine

Fort McHenry is the fort that flew the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the "Star Spangled Banner". I stopped here while I was working in the Baltimore area (I told you already, I take my Parks passport with me whenever I am on the road for just such an opportunity!) and did I ever luck out. It was near the end of the day and I was the only person in the viewing of the short documentary on the fort that they show you before you enter the grounds. At the end of the movie an instrumental version of "The Star Spangled Banner" began to play as a wall of curtains was opening. To my surprise the curtains opened out onto a view of the fort grounds and the most magnificent, hugest American flag I have ever seen. I stood and faced that flag with my hand over my heart as the national anthem finished and it literally brought a tear to my eye.



Dry Tortugas National Park

I go to Key West, Florida as often as I can, once or twice a year when I'm lucky. On all of those trips, I kept meaning to go to the Dry Tortugas National Park, but it took me about 5 years to actually make it. Despite the "dry" in the name, the park is only reached by boat or plane. It's 70 miles west, across the ocean from Key West. It is also the home of Fort Jefferson. One of Fort Jefferson's most famous prisoners was Dr. Samuel Mudd, the doctor convicted of conspiracy in the murder of President Abraham Lincoln for setting the leg of John Wilkes Booth. The good doctor was able to secure his release from the prison due to his heroic efforts to render aid during a yellow fever outbreak among the prisoners in the fort.

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

While stying with friends who live in a northern Atlanta, Georgia suburb, we decided to visit Kennesaw Mountain. While they may not like parks as much as I do, they liked cannons, so off we went on our road trip. Keenesaw Mountain is a beautiful place, it's hard to believe it's a battlefield.The one thing we kept remarking on as we ascended the mountain was that the battle there took place in late June/early July. In the south's heat. The soldiers were in full uniform (wool ones) and they hauled cannons up that mountain. It gave you pause for thought at the dedication to purpose that those men had.


Books About National Parks Available From Amazon

I've selected the most interesting book I could find on each of the parks, you can pick how many you want for your library.
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Johnstown Flood National Memorial

The Johnstown Flood National Memorial was another park I got to visit while traveling for work. Having grown up in the Midwest, I had a vague idea of what the flood was and what had happened. But, the museum was so much more that I could have hoped for! they have a magnificent scale model int eh center of the visitor center with flashing lights to follow along with the written explanation that walks the visitor through the series of events. And, the exhibits in the museum are so well done. A definite favorite and a great learning experience.




This is a view from what remains of the breast of the dam today looking toward the buildings in the far background (the white area on the hillside), where once the clubhouse sat at the water's edge.

Harry S. Truman National Historic Park

I admit it: I wanted to go to this site because it was in Missouri. I am a fan of the television show M*A*SH*, and can't count how many times I heard Colonel Potter talk about his home state. But, once I was there, all that was forgotten. I found myself moving back in time. The museum is so well done and the exhibits captivated me. The site I visited is the Truman Home (Wallace House) in Independence; you can also visit the Truman Family Farm in Grandview, Missouri. All in all, a must see if you are ever in the area, and it is a gorgeous area of the country.



Andersonville National Historic Site

Andersonville is the site of the prisoner of war camp in Sumter County, Georgia; known in it's day as Fort Sumter. The fort itself is notorious for the number of prisoners that died there and the deplorable conditions in which they were kept. The park service has done a magnificent job with markers and information to give you the feel for what you are seeing and the scope of what it once was. At his site there is also the Andersonville National Cemetery. The cemetery was established to give a place of honor in death for those who died in service to our country - the first buried there (starting in February 1864) were those who died in the nearby Andersonville. Walking the grounds of this park was a sobering and somber experience - you could almost feel the history around you.



Andersonville - The DVD

I highly recommend this DVD, but that recommendation comes with a warning. This is a very well done, very accurate movie - and that ensures that it is a very graphic and a very disturbing movie. It is a film you won't forget.
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Petrified Forest National Park

As I said in the beginning of this page - it was a visit to the Petrified Forest that solidified my love for National Parks. It was a really cold December day, even though we were still in Arizona, the desert there gets snow and it was magnificent. The ranger in the Visitor Center was so knowledgeable and friendly and eager to answer all of our questions. Even after being fortified with all of his information, I wasn't prepared for the sheer beauty of those petrified trees. Breathtaking.



Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

My visit to the fort at St. Augustine (Castillo de San Marcos) could not have been timed more perfectly. We set off for the fort early in the day and got there just as they were doing a re-enactment type opening of the fort and raising of the flag. Characters in full costume were all about and it was simply delightful. And, this was a most surprising and educational fort. To see how they utilized the natural materials available to them, to learn the importance of this site. When I think of "forts" they are to be brick or log and there certainly shouldn't be palm trees there. But, amidst all of that, the Castillo had some seriously impressive cannons - which are part of the reason for their winning record, I assume. The entire town of St. Augustine is rich with history and beauty, the fort is a delightful capstone to that.



More Books About National Parks Available From Amazon

I've selected the most interesting book I could find on each of the parks, you can pick how many you want for your library.
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The Parks At A Glance:

Click On A Park Name To Go Directly To That Park's Information:

National Parks Guest Book

Which National Parks have you been to? Which was your favorite? Do you have any park visits planned soon? Please leave me a note about them, I would love to hear. And, thanks for visiting my page.

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  • Reply
    agoofyidea Jan 20, 2012 @ 9:24 am | delete
    I also love National Parks. Your list was great. I've visited about eight of them, I'll have to see the other two. Blessed.
  • Reply
    tonigrundstrom Oct 9, 2011 @ 6:25 am | delete
    Great information. Anyone can use your recommendations for US National parks for a vacation destination.
  • Reply
    Helenee Sep 2, 2011 @ 2:07 am | delete
    Never been in the US. Grand Canyon would be one I'd like to visit.
    I'd love to see more natural wonders than historical sites, though - like Yellowstone, or... I don't know... you surely know better than I do. Please, do make a lens on National Natural Parks!
  • Reply
    BarbRad Aug 2, 2011 @ 7:46 pm | delete
    I've been to three on your list, and lots that aren't on your list. We've been to Gettysburg several times, and it's one of our favorites. I remembering reading Andersonville and I know I would never be able to watch the movie. I lost my appetite, especially for meat, for about three weeks after I read the book. I might recommend it to dieters. Good job.
  • Reply
    VickiSims Jan 7, 2011 @ 2:07 pm | delete
    From the parks on your top 10 list, I've been to the Grand Canyon and Kennesaw Mountain. Since I live in the west I've been to quite a few closer to home: Mt. Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic, Crater Lake, Lassen, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Zion, King's Canyon Grand Tetons and Glacier. All are so unique and beautiful. I'm always so thankful that people and the government were farsighted and have protected and preserved these areas for future generations.
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In Acknowledgement, With Gratitude:

I want to take this opportunity to thank Glen for his hard work on the lens about Bulleted and Ordered Lists. I used it to help me create my Table Of Contents module. If I can do it, so can you ~~ with Glen's help, of course!
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GypsyPirate

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