National Parks
Nations, Nature, & People
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 parks MAP
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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.
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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. It is the deepest lake in the United States at 1,943 feet and the ninth deepest lake in the world. ​
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The lake is exceptionally clear because most of its water derives from precipitation. Crater Lake's water level fluctuates, this change depends on: 1) precipitation rate; 2) evaporation rate; 3) seepage rate. The precipitation rate of Crater Like is nearly two times its evaporation rate. This mean there is over 2 million gallons each hour of seepage, although 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 uphill hike back to the rim.
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Want to learn more?
Oregon Off the Beaten Path®: Discover Your Fun
Hiking Southern Oregon: A Guide to the Area's Greatest Hiking Adventures
Klamath Heartlands: A Guide to the Klamath Reservation Forest Plan
The Klamath Knot: Explorations of Myth and Evolution
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
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Cuyahoga Valley National Park
As water shapes the valley, so do the people follow. Streams, waterfalls, and the rushing Cuyahoga river carve the exposed rock. Its forests are some of the oldest remaining in the heartlands of Ohio
and the national park preserves millennia 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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There have been many reintroductions of animals once extirpated from the lands that are now Cuyahoga National Park. This list includes the sturgeon, fresh water mussels, along with plenty of naturally recolonizing species like the beaver and bald eagle. One powerful example of wildlife impact on the landscape is at Cuyahoga's Beaver Marsh. The original wetland was drained in the 1800s and the Ohio & Erie Canal built later. A dairy farm was then constructed and eventually an auto repair shop followed. In the 1980s, the Sierra Club organized a clean up of the site, which happened to coincide with the natural return of beavers to the area (whom were hunted to extinction in Ohio over 100 years ago). The beavers engineered a system of dams that flooded the area, quickly altering the environment back to its original wetland. Today, you can find beavers and many other aquatic species in this ecosystem - a reminder to why it is so important to co-exist with these critters.
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Cuyahoga Valley originated as a national recreation area in 1974, due in large part to the efforts of WWII veteran and congressman John F. Seiberling. First as a private citizen, then as an elected public official, Seiberling was concerned about the rapid urbanization from Cleveland and Akron into the rural Cuyahoga Valley. He fought for land protections to preserve natural areas within reach of the city. It was re-designated as a national park in 2000. ​
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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 the river that it could and did catch fire. (Fun Fact within a Not So Fun Fact: As of 2021, the Cuyahoga River was removed from the lists of environmental areas of concern. It is an example of how strong measures and conservation efforts can make a difference).
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Cuyahoga Valley National Park is an oblong and irregular 60 square miles, which in the schematics of our national parks is not very big. Furthermore, much of the national park is punctuated by roads and private development. It makes for an interesting study in socio-ecological habitat of whether humans can share the landscape with other species. In some cases, there are positive results - beavers, otters, eagles once extirpated have returned. However, larger mammals like black bears or even wolves have not. These animals need core areas or forest that this park cannot currently offer. Roads and houses fragment interior park areas so that only species that tolerate edge habitat and buffer zones thrive here. This park is a welcome beginning, but to achieve more large scale conservation goals, more interior core habitat away from human development would need to be preserved.
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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 (which connected to the eastern seaboard). It became part of an important network for U.S. settlement of the Ohio country and wars against its native people.
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Want to learn more?
Trail Guide Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park Handbook
Cuyahoga Valley (OH) (Images of America)
Wedding of the Waters: The Erie Canal and the Making of a Great Nation
The Erie: The History and Legacy of the Native American Group
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Death Valley National Park
Scorching sand filled basins, soaring snowcapped peaks - some seen only in the surreal works of Salvador Dali.
Come for the stark contrasts, stay to discover its secrets. There is great beauty,
as well as much life, hiding within this valley of death.
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Location: Furnace Creek, California. Located on Native Newe (Western Shoshone) 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 the hottest place in the world where reliable recorded air temperatures once reached 130 degrees Fahrenheit. As far as rain? Death Valley receives less than 2 inches each year.
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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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Death Valley is the largest National Park in the lower 48 states. It is 5,270 square miles of desert, badlands, oasis, volcanic field, salt flats and more. The northern reaches of the Mohave Desert cling to Death Valley and the park has portions of five mountain ranges inside it.
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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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Death Valley was named by its United States' colonizers when they first traveled across the area. People still die every year due to heat related injuries or illness. Remember, temperatures here are among the hottest on record. Always remember to bring water no matter how short or simple the hike may be.
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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:
Desert: The Mojave and Death Valley
Hiking Death Valley National Park: A Guide to the Park's Greatest Hiking Adventures
Death Valley National Park: A History
Death Valley - Thriving Land of Extremes
Geology of Death Valley: Landforms, Crustal Extension, Geologic History, Road Guides
Death Valley in '49: An Autobiography of a Pioneer Who Survived the California Desert
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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.
Location: North of Anchorage, Alaska. Located on land native to the Tanana and Denendeh Nations.
Fun Facts:​​
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Denali is the tallest mountain in North America at 20,310 feet and can be seen from over 200 miles away. 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 largest moose recorded to date weighed 1,806 pounds and stood 7 1/2 feet at its shoulder (an average Alaskan moose weighs 1,400 pounds). They are one of those animals that is bigger than you remember every time you see it! Moose. Male moose have antlers that are are almost six feet wide on average. They shed their antlers every season and regrow larger racks over time. Be careful not to approach these creatures because they are notoriously temperamental, however, moose are herbivorous grazers. If left only, they will happily continue munching on twigs grasses, and leaves.
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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. 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:
Historic Denali National Park and Preserve: The Stories Behind One of America's Great Treasures
Alaska's Savage River: Inside Denali National Park and Preserve
Denali's Howl: The Deadliest Climbing Disaster on America's Wildest Peak
The People of Denendeh: Ethnohistory of the Indians of Canada's Northwest
Dry Tortugas National Park
Colorful coral reefs, local marine residents and free ranging wildlife of the deep ocean converge beneath the water's surface. Only 1% of the entire park rises above the ocean - seven small islands provide important nesting habitat for marine animals and once contained 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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The park estimates that around 40 different species of shark pass through Dry Tortugas each year. The vast majority of sharks are not dangerous to humans unless provoked. A prime example is the 7 to 8 foot, 200 pound, Nurse Shark. These sharks are relatively slow moving and docile. They live at depths no deeper than 40 feet, so the coral reef ecosystems of the park are ideal habitat. People sometimes will swim with these sharks - though if you choose to do so be careful not to antagonize these carnivores.
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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 from the U.S. Civil War. Its most infamous prisoner was Dr. Samuel Mudd. The 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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Sea turtles have always been a part of life for sea faring humans in the Caribbean. However, not all passer-byers have treated turtles with the same respect. Early European sailors used sea turtles as both currency and food. These sailors would collect massive turtles from the islands of Dry Tortugas. A turtle would be flipped onto its back so that it could not move, then kept alive for days so the sailors could eat fresh meat when out on the open sea.
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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:
America's Fortress: A History of Fort Jefferson, Dry Tortugas, Florida​
Dr. Samuel A. Mudd at Fort Jefferson
Natural Laboratories: Scientists in National Parks Dry Tortugas
The Blue Fold: Explorations at Loggerhead Key Dry Tortugas National Park
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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 grow 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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The Everglades protects the largest single stand of mangroves in the western hemisphere. Mangroves are composed of a number of tree or shrub species that grow in close proximity - they often have densely tangled above ground root systems. This ecosystem is only found in tropical and sub-tropical latitudes often in areas that receive significant tides. The dense root systems provide shelter to salt-water marine species in need of protection. In the dry season, wading birds and other wildlife gather here to hunt and reproduce. However, the mangroves are also one of the most significant natural barriers to erosion - their dense wall of vegetation mitigates flooding during the rainy season and a steadily rising sea level.
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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 wars. 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 Miccosukee, fighting from within the refuge of the Everglades. Tragically, the U.S. committed one of its more 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:
The Everglades: River of Grass
An Ecotourist's Guide to the Everglades and the Florida Keys
Unconquered People: Florida's Seminole and Miccosukee Indians
OSCEOLA The Unconquered Indian
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Gates of the Artic National Park
Pass through the gates into a land of the midnight sun. This enchanting summer landscape supports unique biodiversity, like muskox, caribou, and wolves. Winter comes hard and heavy to the Arctic circle,
a place where the sun barely crosses the horizon for months at a time.
Location: In the Artic circle, south of Anaktuvuk Pass. Located on land native to the Kuuvuan KaNianiq, Dënéndeh, and Inupiat Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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Gates of the Arctic is the northernmost national park. The entire park lies within the Arctic Circle. Gates of the Arctic was named for two mountains from the Brooks Range at the eastern entrance to the park: Frigid Crags and Boreal Mountain.
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Ten subsistence communities of Alaska natives live within our second largest national park. They still follow many traditional practices and hunt within the park.
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Musk Ox are one of the most unique native residents to Gates of the Artic National Park. The evolutionary ancestors of the Musk Ox crossed the ice covered land bridge that once spanned the Bering Sea from Asia between 100,000 and 150,000 years ago. In North America, they live only in the most northern latitudes of the United States and Canada. Musk Ox can survive in temperatures as low as -94 degrees Fahrenheit (-70 degrees Celsius). They actually prefer to winter in some of the coldest windswept plains due to food preferences and protection from predators.
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Not so Fun Fact:
The northern latitudes of this national park have seen dramatic changes in recent decades. Warmer temperatures mean less sea ice. The sun’s rays are no longer reflected from the white ice in increasingly larger areas. This means that the ocean absorbs more heat. In turn, the warmer waters then melt sea ice at a faster rate. Warmer climate also means melting permafrost. The drastic change in soil composition gradually will change the ecosystems, as well as release gases that have been frozen in the ice. Methane gases will only further trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere, making the arctic a critical location affected by climate change.
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Trail to Hike: None (Congress designated this park as a trail-less wilderness area).
The names of many landmarks are not widely known – consider traveling with a local outfitter or Alaskan native. When you are on the ground, stick to established game trails to minimize your impact.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
Gates of the Arctic National Park: Twelve Years of Wilderness Exploration
Natural Laboratories: Scientists in National Parks Gates of the Arctic
Inhabited Wilderness: Indians, Eskimos, and National Parks in Alaska
A Canoe Trip on the North Fork of the Koyukuk River: Gates of the Arctic National Park Alaska
Whale Snow: Iñupiat, Climate Change, and Multispecies Resilience in Arctic Alaska
Not All Spirits Are Of God: An Arctic Adventure of the Inupiat Whaling People of Northwest Alaska
A Thousand Trails Home: Living with Caribou
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Gateway Arch National Park
The shining, silver monument of Gateway Arch dominates 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 Osage, Miami, Sioux, and Iroquis 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. The arch is equally tall as it is wide (630 feet).
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Gateway Arch is the only National Park on the Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is the third-largest river basin in the World and the river is 11 miles across at its widest point. It begins in Lake Itasca Minnesota, flows through 10 different states on its way to emptying in Louisiana's Gulf of Mexico. It takes water about 3 months to travel the 2,340 mile length of the Mississippi River. 25% of all North American fish species exist in the Mississippi River.
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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 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:
1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus (chapter 8)
The Native Ground: Indians and Colonists in the Heart of the Continent
Lions of the West: Heroes and Villains of the Westward Expansion
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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Glacier Bay National Park
From summit to sea, Glacier Bay is a highlight of Alaska’s Inside Passage.
These snow-capped peaks and steep fjords are just the beginning of a vast interior wilderness.
Location: Near Gustavus, Alaska. Located on lands native to the Lingít Aaní (Tlingit) and Dënéndeh Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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Glacier Bay is one of the world’s largest international protected areas. Kluane National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Glacier Bay, and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park jointly protect over 24 million acres between the United States and Canada. The four parks also compose a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Glacier Bay alone is larger than the state of Connecticut. But it composes less than 1% of Alaska’s total land mass.
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Glacier Bay has up to 25 foot tides. This range between high tide and low tide is among the largest height difference in the United States.
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Not so Fun Facts:
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In 2018, former President Trump announced plans to open up 90% of the United States coastline to offshore drilling. Glacier Bay’s enormous marine sanctuary may face new threats of an oil spill from both oil tankers and offshore drilling sites.
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Trail to Hike: Point Gustavus Trail
The Point Gustavus Trail is an out and back trail along the coast of Bartlett Cove, near Glacier Bay Lodge. The trail is 12 miles maximum distance, but hikers can turn around at any point. The trail features ocean views, with common sightings of whales, eagles, and sea lions. But don’t forget to look inland towards fields that bloom with wildflowers in the summer. Be careful because you share these forests and tidal zones with native bears.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
Alaska: Illustrated Guide for the Curious
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve: A Folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Plants & Animals
The Nature of Alaska: An Introduction to Familiar Plants, Animals & Outstanding Natural Attractions
The People of Denendeh: Ethnohistory of the Indians of Canada's Northwest Territories
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Glacier National Park
Chiseled granite peaks and dramatic glaciers adorn our nation’s "Crown of the Continent". 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, though park officials have not always supported these freedoms.
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Glacier National Park was part of the world's first International Peace Park. Canada's Waterton Lakes National Park forms Glacier's counterpart across the border. ​
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The continental divide runs through Glacier. All water that falls or flows on our planet exists within a watershed. The continental divide delineates that all water to the east will travel to the Atlantic Ocean, meanwhile all water west of this line will meander across the landscape to the Pacific Ocean. A further fun fact recognizes the temperamental weather systems associated with these high elevations. Artic airs meet other warmer coastal and terrestrial air masses at the continental divide, which can lead to drastic changes in weather. In one of the most extreme incidents, the temperature dropped 100 degrees Fahrenheit within 24 hours just outside of Glacier's eastern boundary.
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Not So Fun Fact:
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Ironically, Glacier National Park will soon have no glaciers.​ When the park was created in 1910, there were over 100 glaciers. Some of these glaciers have lost 80% of their mass in the last 50 years. Others have completely disappeared. Park officials estimate that the remaining glaciers will melt before the end of this century due to climate change.
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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 the 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:
Moon Glacier National Park: Hiking, Camping, Lakes & Peaks
National Parks Exploration Series: Glacier Park - Crown of the Continent
Wildflowers of Glacier National Park: and Surrounding Areas
Siksikaitsitapi: Stories of the Blackfoot People (Spirit of Nature)
The Story of the Blackfoot People: Niitsitapiisinni
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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 at its deepest point - 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. Not only does the canyon erode differently but there are drastic changes in water temperature which impact a number of native fish species. Furthermore, the Colorado River is currently experiencing and is predicted to continue in reduction of its water levels due to decreasing precipitation associated with climate change. Dams and human development exacerbate the already low water flows of the Colorado River and will continue to be a challenge in the 21st century.
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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:
Best Easy Day Hikes Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon: The Complete Guide: Grand Canyon National Park
What I Saw in Grand Canyon: A Kid's Guide to the National Park
The Mighty Colorado River: From the Glaciers to the Gulf
I Am the Grand Canyon: The Story of the Havasupai People
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Grand Tetons National Park
Jagged, granite summits rise in spectacular fashion from the sagebrush below. They 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 Cheyenne Nations.
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Fun Facts: ​
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The Tetons are known as the Tewahnaw in native Shoshone language. 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.
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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. The park was designed with aesthetics, not wildlife in mind, so traditional migration corridors are not protected by the park. Many animals pass through the park, but find traditional routes challenging to navigate with barriers such as fencing and development. ​
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The Tetons are the youngest peaks in the Rocky Mountain range. Due to its relative youth, very little erosion has taken place. This contributes to the dramatic scenery of the region.
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Not So Fun Facts:
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The Tetons are one of the deadliest mountain ranges in the lower 48 states due to their popularity, extreme weather, and vertical terrain. There are serious accidents every year - from climbing to skiing, and even hiking. The Jenny Lake Rangers are the famous technical rope rescue team, based out of the Jenny Lake Visitor Center at the foot of the highest Tetons. The team handles about 75 rescues every year.
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The federal government was in the new business of creating national parks in the early 1900's. Many conservationists wanted the spectacular Teton range and Jackson Hole Valley to be preserved. However, most of Jackson Hole Valley was privately owned by local ranchers who did not want a park there. A national park service official covertly approached one of the country's richest men, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., about secretly purchasing private lands. Under the guise of the Snake River Land Company, he purchased enough lands for the park. Many Wyoming land owners were furious when they discovered that their land had been purchased for this purpose. For 14 years, the 33,000+ acres purchased by Rockefeller sat idle. In 1942, Rockefeller made veiled threats that he might sell these lands if a national park was not created. President Franklin Roosevelt used the Antiquities Act to create the national park as we know it today.
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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:
Lonely Planet Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks
Best Climbs Grand Teton National Park: A Guide to the Area's Greatest Climbing Adventures