Our National Parks
From towering snowcapped peaks to the howl of a lone wolf, from backwater swamps to soaring Sequoias, from sparkling Great Lakes to painted deserts, the United States National Park Service preserves 85 million acres (3.4%) of some of the most beautiful American landscapes. There are 63 National Parks spread out across 29 states and 2 U.S. territories. They offer insight to ancient creatures and lost continents, peoples who have lived on the land for millennia, and incredible biodiversity in some of the last remaining strongholds for wild and wonderful species across the United States.
National park MAP
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Great Sand Dunes
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Great Smoky Mountains
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Guadalupe
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Haleakala
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Hawai'i Volcanoes
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Hot Springs
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Indiana Dunes
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Isle Royale
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Joshua Tree
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Katmai
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Kenai Fjords
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Kings Canyon
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Kobuk Valley
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Lake Clark
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Lassen Volcanic
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Mammoth Cave
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Mesa Verde
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Mount Rainier
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New River Gorge
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North Cascades
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Olympic
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Petrified Forest
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Pinnacles
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Redwood
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Rocky Mountain
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Saguaro
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Sequoia
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Shenandoah
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Theodore Roosevelt
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Virgin Islands
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Voyageurs
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White Sands
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Wind Cave
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Wrangell-St. Elias
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Yellowstone
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Yosemite
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Zion
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The National Parks showcase diverse ecosystems and human histories. Navigate your way through the parks by checking out these books and movies:
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Crater Lake National Park
Crystal blue water, seen only from above the rim of a great crater. The United States' deepest lake
is also one of its most stunning.
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Location: Northwest of Klamath Falls, Oregon. Located on land native to the Klamath Nations [DOUBLE CHECK SITE]
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Fun Facts:​
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Crater Lake was formed 7,700 years ago when Mount Mazama exploded and the mountain top collapsed into the former magma chamber. Snow and rain filled the crater ever since. It took about 250 years for enough water to accumulate to create Crater Lake. At 1,943 feet, it is the deepest lake in the United States and the ninth deepest lake in the world.
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The lake is exceptionally clear because most of the lake water derives from precipitation. The precipitation rate is two times the evaporation rate there. The lake’s surface fluctuates in elevation. There is over 2 million gallons an hour of seepage, but scientists are unsure where all that water goes.
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Not So Fun Fact:​
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There are no fish native to Crater Lake. From 1888-1941, Americans stocked six different species of fish into the lake. Only two of those species survive today, the Rainbow Trout and Kokanee Salmon. Fishing is encouraged in order to remove them out of the lake (artificial bait must be used so not to further introduce any other species).
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Trail to hike: Cleetwood Cove Trail
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This hike drops 700 feet from rim to lake. It is the only trail that allows visitors to reach the surface of Crater Lake. Enjoy a swim or a boat ride around Wizard Island, before the strenuous uphill hike back to the rim.
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Want to learn more?
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Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Cuyahoga valley contains remnant, deciduous forest within the heartland of Ohio. Streams and waterfalls have carved the exposed layers of stone. The park also showcases centuries of human existence on the landscape.
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Location: South of Cleveland, Ohio. Located on land native to the Kaskaskia and Erie Nations.
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Fun Facts:​
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The word, Cuyahoga, comes from the Nations of the Haudenosaunee council (the Iroquois Confederacy). The name translates to “crooked water." ​
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Cuyahoga Valley originated as a national recreation area in 1974. It was redesignated as a national park in 2000. It is the only national park that began as a national recreation area.
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Not So Fun Fact:​
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Don't swim in the national park's Cuyahoga River. Park officials cannot accurately predict when bacteria growths will reach dangerous levels. However, these pollution levels aren't as bad as they once were. Just a few dozen miles down stream, the Cuyahoga River once caught fire outside of Cleveland. That's right, there were so many chemicals in a river, that it could and did catch river.
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Trail to hike: Towpath Trail
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The Towpath Trail traces the former Ohio and Erie Canal through the Cuyahoga valley. The Towpath Trail was finished in 1832. Euro American settlers wanted to connect trade routes between the Great Lakes and the Ohio River (witch connected to the eastern seaboard). It became part of an important network for invasion of the Ohio country.
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Want to learn more?
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Death Valley National Park
This vast park covers 5,270 square miles of desert, badlands, oasis, and more. The northern reaches of the Mohave Desert cling to Death Valley, but the park also has portions of five mountain ranges inside of it. Come for the surreal landscape, stay for the wildlife and other hidden surprises.
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Location: Furnace Creek, California. Located on Native xxxxxx territory.
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Fun Facts:
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Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the United States at 282 feet below sea level. It is also the hottest place on record in the United States where temperatures once reached 134 degrees Fahrenheit.
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There are “sliding rocks” with a mind of their own that travel across Racetrack Playa. No, the rocks do not move of their own accord. And no, you will not see them moving. What you will see is the path that the rocks have traveled over time. The desert floor will sometimes freeze. As the ice begins to thaw, the rocks may move in minute amounts. Scientists also think that wind plays a factor in moving these rocks along the icy or wet surfaces.
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Not So Fun Fact:
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Despite being exceptionally hot and without much shade, most fatalities occur from single car accidents. Drivers are notorious for ignoring speed limits, as well as not shifting into lower gears on steep mountain roads.
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Trail to Hike: Artist Palette
This short out and back can be hiked in any season. The hike ends at a colorful array of sandy rock formations. The hues deepen at sunset, when you can differentiate the greens from the reds and whites.
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Want to learn more? Book Recommendations:
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Denali National Park
The High One reigns over an impressive kingdom of enormous mountains and glacial valleys. Wildlife abounds – including northern species such as caribou, grizzly bear, wolverine, moose, snowy owl, ptarmigan and more. There are no parallels to Denali.
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Location: North of Anchorage, Alaska. Located on Native xxxxxx territory.
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Fun Facts:​​
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Denali is the tallest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet. Its name means "The High One" in the Koyukon language.
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Denali is over six million acres, which is bigger than the states of Connecticut, Delaware, and Rhode Island combined.
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The Deep Freeze: Glaciers cover one sixth of Denali's landscape and animals have developed pretty spectacular ways to cope with Denali’s winter freezes. The park’s only native amphibian, the wood frog, developed a biological antifreeze in their blood to keep them from freezing during hibernation. Despite their heart and lungs stopping – the wood frog awakes every spring to resume its normal life.
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Not So Fun Fact:​​
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Denali is an exceptionally difficult mountain to climb. Climbers die almost every year on summit attempts. Unpredictable weather and falls are two of the biggest culprits behind these fatalities.
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And in bizarre facts - the Smithsonian predicts over 66 tons of human excrement will release from Denali's glaciers due to climate change.
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Trail to Hike: Mount Healy Overlook Trail
This out and back trail rises out of forest and into the open alpine. The trail gets steep, but views from the top are worth the climb. On a clear day, you can see Denali in the distance. It is 5.4 miles round trip.
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Want to learn more? Book Recommendations:
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Dry Tortugas National Park
Since 99% of Dry Tortugas is underwater, there is plenty of marine life. But don't forget about the 1% of dry land, seven small islands provide important nesting habitat for marine animals, and even contain a former, high security prison.
Location: 70 miles west of Key West, Florida (the southernmost point in the continental United States). Located on Native Seminole and Taino territory.
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Fun Facts:
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The ironic “dry” name for this mostly marine park refers to the fact that there is no fresh water on its islands. Historically, sailors needed to know where drinking water could be obtained.
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For at least 14 years, a crocodile named Cleatus was a regular resident in the national park. It was an extremely rare behavior for a crocodile to swim across 70 miles of open water from the mainland.
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Fort Jefferson is located on an island within the park boundaries. It formerly held prisoners, including Union deserters. Its most infamous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd. The good doctor was imprisoned for setting John Wilkes Booth’s leg after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Mudd was imprisoned for providing aid to a fugitive, despite his protestations that he didn’t know the identity of his patient.
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Not so Fun Facts:
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Fort Jefferson is located on an island within the park boundaries. It formerly held prisoners, including Union deserters. Its most infamous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd. The good doctor was imprisoned for setting John Wilkes Booth’s leg after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Mudd was imprisoned for providing aid to a fugitive, despite his protestations that he didn’t know the identity of his patient.
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Trail to Hike:
Make it an underwater excursion. The snorkeling here is some of the best in the Florida Keys.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation: Biography – Key West Hemingway, Old Man and the Sea, Taino: A Novel by Jose Barreiro
[NOTE ALSO LOOK AT ADDING THAT LAST BOOK INTO BISCAYNE NP]
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Everglades National Park
The River of Grass flows endlessly green. Miles of wetlands and mangroves stretch
between where land ends and sea begins.
Location: Homestead, Florida. Located on land native to the Seminole, Taino, and Calusa Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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The Everglades is the most biodiverse national park in the United States. More than 13,000 individual flora species live inside the Everglades. There are terrestrial, saltwater, and fresh water ecosystems that include mangrove, pinelands, hardwood hammocks, and more.
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It is one of the only areas on earth where both alligators and crocodiles co-exist.
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Not So Fun Facts:
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The Seminole Nation resisted U.S. subjugation in the early 1800s. There were three Seminole wards. The third, between 1835 and 1842, was one of the U.S. Government’s longest, costliest, and least successful. It cost the army 1,500 lives and 15-60 million dollars. More than 4,000 Seminoles were captured and sent west, but ultimately the government conceded to the remaining bands of Seminoles and Mikasukis, fighting from within the refuge of the Everglades. Tragically, the U.S. committed one of many despicable acts by capturing Osceola, the most competent Seminole leader, under a truce flag. The great leader died a year later in a U.S. military prison.
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There are somewhere between 10,000 to 30,000 Burmese pythons in the Everglades. These predators are a deeply concerning invasive species that out competes native animals for prey.
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Trail to Hike:
Instead of a foot path, try a front country or back country canoe trail. Take the Everglades Wilderness Waterway to the Watson River Chickee, where one can stay overnight. These chickees are raised platforms above the water surface, modeled after traditional Seminole construction. If you decide to go backcountry, bring a good nautical map and orientation gear, as it is easy to become lost.
Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation: TBD Everglades: River of Grass by Marjorie...., Unconquered People: Florida's Seminole and Miccosukee Indians , research other Seminole books?
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Gates of the Artic National Park
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Location: Need content here from Joe/Ben's work to fix this! of Montrose, Colorado. Located on land native to the Ute Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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On average, the Gunnison River drops six times more steeply through Black Canyon than the Colorado River drops through the Grand Canyon. It drops an average of 43 feet per mile.
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The Utes feared the Gunnison River and gave it a name which means “much rocks, big water".
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The Painted Wall in Black Canyon is the third highest cliff in the lower 48 states. It measures 2,250 feet from river to rim (El Capitan, Yosemite is #1; Notch Peak, Utah is #2).
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Some rock at the bottom of the canyon is among the oldest exposed rock on earth. These rocks are 2.2 billion years old.
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Not so Fun Fact:
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The Ute Treaty of1868 confined the Utes to 16.5 million acres of western Colorado (including Black Canyon of the Gunnison). The U.S. government failed to fulfill treaty obligations and Indian agent, Nathan Meeker, led a force-able campaign of assimilation. Furthermore, Meeker built his new Indian post directly on the Ute's best pony racing grounds. In 1879, tensions exploded after a standoff between Ute warriors and the U.S. army. It was the only violent episode in a long history with the Utes. But it was enough for newspapers to spread unpopular opinion. Colorado's governor, Fred Pitkin, further exploited the incident to completely remove the Utes from Colorado territory.
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Trail to Hike: North Vista to Green Mountain Trail
This hike is one of the best of the north rim. It includes Exclamation Point, views of the inner canyon walls, birding observation, and panoramic vistas of the San Juan Mountains.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (Chapter 16).
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Gateway Arch National Park
The shining, silver monument of Gateway Arch headlines Missouri’s only National Park. It was constructed to symbolize U.S. expansion west across North America.
Location: St. Louis, Missouri. Located on land native to the O-ga-xpa, Myaamia, Kaskaskia, and Kiikaapoi Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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It is our only completely urban national park. It is also our smallest one.
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The arch is equally tall as it is wide (630 feet).
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Just 8 miles from the Gateway Arch existed the great, native American city of Cahokia. It was inhabited from 700 CE to 1400 CE. It was bigger than most European cities at that time and contained great urban mounds. These remains can still be visited today, but they sadly, they are not a national park.
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Not so Fun Fact:
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Officials first proposed building the arch during the Great Depression. The people of St. Louis were largely opposed to its construction. When a city-wide vote was investigated by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, reporters discovered evidence of fraud. However, a circuit court judge ruled that evidence found from opening ballots was only admissible in disputes about political candidates. Therefore, the 7.5 million dollar project forged on.
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Trail to Hike:
Walk into the Gateway Arch Visitor Center and buy a ticket for the elevator to carry you to the very top where you’ll enjoy expansive views of the Mississippi River and St. Louis.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation: TBD Gateway Arch, 1491 (chapter 8), Jefferson Biography, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee to understand some of the impacts of western expansion. Also, a book on the city itself.
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Glacier Bay National Park
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Location: Need content here! near Moab, Utah. Located on lands native to the Ute Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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The hideout of Butch Cassidy's Wild Bunch gang is near the Maze district.
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Canyonlands was one of the last mapped sections of the lower United States, due to the difficulties with navigating its complex topography.
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Not so Fun Facts:
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The movie, 127 Hours, tells the true, survival story of Aron Ralston. While exploring Canyonlands backcountry, he became pinned between a boulder and a rock wall deep within Canyonland's backcountry. Spoiler Alert. Alone and trapped, he was forced to sever his arm with the only tool at his disposal (a pocket knife). His ingenuity and will to live was immortalized in the 2010 film.
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Trail to Hike: Grand View Point Trail
Ultimately, I’d suggest a multi-night backcountry excursion. But if you are short on time, check out the Grand View Point Trail, where you can find expansive views of the maze district. Sunset is particularly nice here.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation: 127 Hours
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Glacier National Park
The nation’s Crown of the Continent is full of chiseled granite peaks and yes, glaciers. The park’s immense backcountry is home to many rare animals like the grizzly bear and wolverine. The Going to the Sun road is consistently rated among the world’s most scenic roads – it traverses around glacial lakes, boreal forest, alpine meadows, and mountain passes.
Location: Kalispell, Montana. Located on land native to the Blackfoot Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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The Blackfoot Nation negotiated a treaty with the United States to sell the land that would become Glacier National Park. In this treaty the Blackfoot was granted hunting and gathering rights within the park. The Blackfoot still retain the legal standing to hunt in the park today, though park officials have not always supported these freedoms.
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Glacier National Park was part of the first International Peace Park. Waterton National Park connects to Glacier on the Canadian side of the border. ​
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Trail to Hike: The Highline Trail
The scenic trail begins at Logan Pass (the highest point of the Going to the Sun road at 6,646 feet). It parallels the continental divide and provides expansive views above tree line. You may also find alpine wildlife like mountain goats, big horn sheep, and grizzly bears.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon is far more than a single canyon. It is thousands of intersecting canyons, layered on top of each other – all cut by the Colorado River over millions of years. It is truly one of the most spectacular places in North America.
Location: Northwest of Flagstaff, Arizona. Located on land native to the Hopitutskwa, Havasu Baaja (Havasupai), Pueblos, and Hualapa Nations.
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Fun Facts: ​
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There were 5.97 million visitors to the Grand Canyon National Park in 2019. Only 10% of visitors to the Grand Canyon actually go beyond the South Rim overlooks. Only 1.5% of visitors choose to stay in its backcountry.
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Phantom Ranch is a lodge at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. You must enter a lottery several years in advance just to have a chance of staying here. Anyone can mail a postcard from the ranch, you just have to travel to the bottom of the canyon first!
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The Grand Canyon is 6001 feet deep (more than a mile). It took at least 6 million years to form, though a 2012 study found evidence that the canyon first began to form around 70 million years ago.
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Not So Fun Facts:
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Grand Canyon consistently has some of the most deaths per year across all National Parks. Though the likelihood of dying in Grand Canyon National Park is low, the high quantity of visitors per year, precarious overlooks, and intense summer heat contribute to many accidental deaths. On the whole, 81% of deaths in National Park lands are male. Don’t try to hike to the Colorado River and back in one day!
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The Grand Canyon does not erode as fast or significantly as in the past. This is due to the Glen Canyon dam that blocks the Colorado River upstream. The dam regulates water levels in the Colorado River, which inhibit the river’s wild and powerful currents.
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Trail to Hike: South Kaibab
Hike the South Kaibab Trail as you descend among the Grand Canyon’s geologic layers. The hike takes you down a shoulder, which means there are expansive views on all sides. Even if you aren’t going all the way to the Colorado River and Phantom Ranch, the hike is well worth a few hours to get below the South Rim.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Grand Tetons National Park
This park’s jagged, granite summits are some of the most iconic in North America. From the snow and ice of the mountain tops to the wildlife of Jackson Hole, Grand Teton can satisfy every visitor.
Location: Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Located on land native to the Shoshone and Cheyne Nations.
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Fun Facts: ​
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Need to fix content in this section...The Tetons are known as the Tewahnaw in native Shoshone language (see Excel list of captions)
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The Teewinots rise almost 7000 feet straight from the flat plains of Jackson Hole. In the Shoshone language Teewinot meant many pinnacles in reference to the mountain range many Americans know as the Tetons. From time in memorial the Shoshone tribe has lived within the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. While the snowy peaks are beautiful, the valley below is far more productive hunting land. Enormous herds of elk, bison, mule deer, and their predators migrate from Yellowstone National Park through this crucial habitat every year.
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The Grand Teton (xxxxx ft) itself rises more than 7,000 above the grassy plains of Jackson Hole.
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The initial formation of Grand Teton National Park involved some very shady business tales. To learn more click here.
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Trail to Hike: Cascade Canyon Trail
Cascade Canyon Trail gives you a representative sample of what the park has to offer. The drive takes you across Jackson Hole and through some high-altitude forest. You then have the opportunity to travel by boat or walk around famous blue waters of Jenny Lake. Cascade Canyon Trailhead begins at the far side of Jenny Lake. Hikers will ascend the many switchbacks into an awe-inspiring canyon. The highest Tetons dominate the horizon and contrast with the Alpine foliage and scree that you’ll cross along the way.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Great Basin National Park
Need content here! This large tract of shadowy hardwood swamp joined our list of National Parks in the 1990s. Waters from the Congaree and Wateree rivers ebb and flow throughout the year which supports the park’s biodiverse ecosystem.
Location: Southeast of Columbia, South Carolina. Located on land native to the Congaree, Wateree, and Cherokee Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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This park protects the largest remaining patch of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the eastern United States.
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It has one of the highest canopies of any temperate forest in the world.
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Not So Fun Facts:
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Feral hogs are an invasive species in Congaree National Park. They are a problem because they eat almost anything, are destructive to river banks, make mud wallows and trails, as well as reproduce quickly.
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Golden Orb Spiders are another invasive species in the park. These tropical spiders spin massive webs and produce thousands of eggs each year.
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Trail to Hike: Boardwalk Trail
An easy 2 mile loop and well worth the immersive experience of walking between the massive hardwood trunks. Search for some of the 27 (at least) species of snake found in the park.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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