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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Great Sand Dunes National Park
Dunes meet mountains in Colorado’s newest national park. Escape into montane forest,
sand board the great dunes by day. Stroll across these sandy hills by moonlight
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Location: North of Alamosa, Colorado. Located on land native to the Jicarilla Apache, Cheyenne, and Ute Nations.
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Fun Facts:​
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The Great Sand Dunes have the tallest dunes in North America. Star Dune is 755 feet high. ​
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The traditional Ute name for the sand dunes are “Saa waap maa nache” which means “sand that moves”.​
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The lunar-like dune surfaces were used by NASA scientists to test their land rovers that were sent to Mars. Every April, the park hosts the Colorado Space Grant Robotics Challenge, where the public can watch these space voyagers in action.
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Not So Fun Fact:​
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Hot sands are a real danger in the park. Sand temperatures in the summer can reach 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The sands can cause second degree burns to any exposed skin, including bare feet or the top of feet in open sandals.
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It may be deceiving, but sand is exceptionally heavy. Don't dig into the base of a dune because the sand structures can collapse. Serious injury or death can occur.
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Trail to hike: High Dune
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Hike out onto one of the five dunes over 700 feet tall. Distances are deceiving on the dunes. A 2.5 mile round trip will take about 2 hours to walk. If you are really feeling ambitious, hike the 6-hour round trip to the highest dune in North America, Star Dune. Be sure to bring adequate water supply with you and be prepared for the altitude.
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Want to learn more?
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Sea of Sand: A History of Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
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Being and Becoming Ute: The Story of an American Indian People
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Rolling ridges and lush green valleys define American’s most visited National Park. Its smoky nickname comes from the regular mist that shroud its mountain tops and river valleys.
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Location: Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Cherokee, North Carolina. Located on land native to the S’atsoyaha, Cherokee, and Catawba Nations.
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Fun Facts:​
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The Smokies are known as the salamander capital of the world. There are at least 32 species of this amphibian located within the park. The humid valley water ways are excellent salamander habitat and the tall ridges create barriers to movement. These salamanders have evolved over time in their own little valleys. Several of them are endemic (only found in one place in the entire world). ​
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More than 10,000 species of flora and fauna have been identified within park boundaries. Some scientists estimate that there may be many times that number of species yet to be documented.​
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Not So Fun Fact:​
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The Cherokee Nation lived from Northern Georgia through Tennessee and North Carolina, including the lands of Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Andrew Jackson’s Indian Removal Act led to the American policy of ethnic cleansing and the Trail of Tears. 7,000 American soldiers were sent to forcibly move the Cherokee Nation under the leadership of General Winfield Scott. Over 4,000 of the 15,000 Cherokee died during this forced relocation, more than a quarter of the entire Cherokee Nation.
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The Cherokee leader, Tsali, resisted forced relocation in the late 1830s. He killed a soldier who was prodding his wife with a bayonet. He escaped with several renegade bands of Cherokee Indians to the lands that would later be designated as the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, where he evaded capture for over a year. Eventually General Scott presented an offer, "If Tsali and his sons gave themselves up, then he would abandon the search for other rebel Cherokees. Tsali and his sons surrendered peacefully. They were executed by firing squad, but General Scott did honor his word. Many Cherokees who remain on reservation land adjoining the National Park today are ancestors of these groups.
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Trail to hike: Charlie's Bunion.
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This well-known favorite gives one a little slice of the Appalachian Trail, mixed forest, and mountain views. The 8 mile round trip encompasses a moderate gain in elevation before arriving at a rocky outcropping with a panoramic view.
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Want to learn more?
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Hike, Camp, Scenic Drives
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Bear in the Back Seat: Adventures of a Wildlife Ranger in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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The Great Smoky Mountains National Park - A Panoramic Perspective Great Smokies Myths and Legends
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Walking on the Wind: Cherokee Teachings for Harmony and Balance
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Guadalupe National Park
Several limestone outcroppings remain from a prehistoric, seafloor coral reef. Today they rise as the Guadalupe Mountains – a high altitude forest, sheltered from a rugged desert below.
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Location: West Texas, south of Carlsbad, New Mexico. Located on land native to the Kiikaapoi, Jumanos, Nde Konitsaaii Gokiyaa (Lipan Apache), Coahuiltecan), and Comanche Nations.
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Fun Facts: ​
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There have been artifacts found in the national park dating back at least 10,000 years.
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There are 16 species of bats and 5 species of rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes (and all pit vipers) possess a superpower 6th sense – in the form of two heat-sensing pits (termed, fossa) near their nose. They can accurately strike their target, by using infrared body heat, even when deprived of sight and sound! Rattlesnakes also share morphological characteristics of a diamond-shaped head, as well as long-hinged fangs and interior muscle that helps to inject venom. Their rattle is composed of keratin segments that fit loosely together. When the snake holds its tail erect and vibrates the rattle, these segments knock against each other to produce their trademark sound.
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These mountains may seem immense and immortal to the human eye, but they are perhaps more accurately described in a living, flowing, system in deep time. If we were to find them eons before, they would be living coral reefs beneath a great sea. While they are now hardened and resolute above the desert floor, they will eventually erode away. These minerals may be used by other crustaceans in the future to build their shells and fortify their bodies. On the seafloor they will die and sea levels will change, meaning that someday many eons from now - the limestone of Guadalupe Mountains may be swimming in a sea or forming a new mountain chain of their own.
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Not So Fun Fact:
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Limestone creates beautiful topography, but it is not the easiest substance on which to walk a lot of miles. There are no roads in the park. So if you are going far beyond the parking lot, plan to temper your distance expectations. Sore feet are a real thing here.
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Trail to Hike: Guadalupe Peak
Hike the highest mountain in Texas (8,751 feet). Be sure to sign your name into the summit log book. You can hike it as a long day hike (8.4 miles) or you can camp at Guadalupe Peak campsite near the summit. I highly suggest staying overnight for a sunset. You can see for miles over the flat desertscape. Land and sky hold the colors for longer than anywhere else that I can remember.
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Want to learn more? Book Recommendations:
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Best Easy Day Hikes Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks
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Guadalupe Mountains National Park: An Environmental History of the Southwest Borderlands
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Apache Legends & Lore of Southern New Mexico: From the Sacred Mountain
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Haleakala National Park
The “house of the sun” parallels a Martian terrain. Red and black sands
cover the highest hills. These barren summits contrast with the lush,
green mountain slopes that plunge directly into the Pacific Ocean.
Location: On the southern lobe of the island of Maui, Hawaii. Located on land native to the Ko Hawaii Pae'aina (Hawaiian Kingdom) Nation.
Fun Facts:​​
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Haleakala means “House of the Sun” in native Hawaiian.
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When measured from base to summit, Haleakala is 29,704 feet. This is taller than Mt. Everest from base to summit. However, nearly 20,000 of its feet lies beneath the ocean surface.
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Haleakala is a shield volcano. It was formed from highly fluid lava flows that range long distances. The Haleakala volcano composes 75% of the island of Maui.
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Not So Fun Fact:​​
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The national park has two of the most infamous roads on the Hawaiian Islands. The Road to Hana is well known for its scenic beauty, but also as one of the most dangerous in the United States. It traverses from Maui's eastern coast, including a small portion of low elevation Haleakala. Driver's will encounter blind curves, hairpin turns, and at times the road is one lane. There is also the Haleakala Highway, a completely separate road that takes you to the lunar landscapes of the volcano's summit. The road is not quite as narrow as the Road to Hana, but it still features plenty of steep drop-offs, hairpin turns, and switchbacks of its own.
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Trail to Hike: Sliding Sands Trail
This unique trail starts high and goes low. Take the long, winding road up to near the summit of Haleakala. Your hike descends down the Martian scape of barren hills. The views of Haleakala and volcanic features are spectacular. It is an out and back, so at maximum, you hike 11 miles. Expect winds at the top and heat towards the bottom.
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Want to learn more? Book Recommendations:
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Lost Kingdom: Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America's First Imperial Venture
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Medicine at Your Feet: Healing Plants of the Hawaiian Kingdom
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Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park
Red hot lava erupts, spilling across recently hardened basalt. You can explore all sorts of
volcanic features – from summits and calderas to lava tubes and craters. The park contains
some of the newest land formed and forming anywhere on planet earth.
Location: Southern end of the Big Island of Hawaii. Located on land native to the Ko Hawaii Pae'aina (Hawaiian Kingdom) Nation.
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Fun Facts:
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There are two common types of lava in the national park: pahoehoe and aa. Pahoehoe is fast-flowing, ropey lava, while aa lava moves slowly. It is thick and blocky in comparison.
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There are many unique animal species in the park. The nene bird is a goose endemic to the islands, but you may find even stranger, smaller creatures. There is a species of carnivorous caterpillar (Eupithecia) and a spider (theridion grallator) with natural markings that look like a happy face on its abdomen.​
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Not so Fun Facts:
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Every year people are injured or die in Hawaii Volcano National Park. People used to walk on active hardening lava in the park, stepping on some of the newest crust on planet earth. If you find yourself walking near new lava, here are a few tips: 1) Never step on lava that has not solidified and avoid any active flows. 2) Don't wear sandals or sneakers, neither of these will withstand the heat from the cooling rock. Steel toed hiking boots can also be a problem because they can conduct heat. 3) Hardened lava can be sharp, use proper footwear and watch where you step so you don't fall.
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Trail to Hike: Kilauea Iki Day Hike
This headliner trail takes you through tropical rain forest on the way to a volcanic crater. The floor of the crater has long solidified from an eruption of lava in 1959. Note: parking from the Kilauea Overlook is extremely limited. Arrive early or hike from farther locations with more parking - options are from Devastation Trailhead (a 6 mile round trip) or from Puʻu Puaʻi (a 7 mile round trip).
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Big Island of Hawaii: Including Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
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Lost Kingdom: Hawaii's Last Queen, the Sugar Kings, and America's First Imperial Venture
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Medicine at Your Feet: Healing Plants of the Hawaiian Kingdom
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Hot Springs National Park
This park preserves 5,500 acres of Ouachita Mountain Forest, but its main attraction is the mineral baths that its name implies. The National Park preserves historic buildings and still operates the warm baths today
Location: Hot Springs, Arkansas. Located on land native to the O-ga-xpa and Caddo Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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The water from Hot Springs emerges from the ground with an average temperature of 143 degrees Fahrenheit. Over one million gallons of hot water flow from these springs every day. Much of it is pumped to the historical bathhouses.
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Thermal water from Hot Springs comes from water that fell as rainwater in the Ouachita Mountains around 4,000 years ago. This surface water seeps nearly a mile below ground where it is heated by rock in the earth's interior. It then rises back to the earth's surface via a fault line.
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Not So Fun Facts:
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Organized crime was rampant in Hot Springs, Arkansas in the 1930s. Several infamous mobsters (Al Capone, Bugsy Segel, Frank Costello, Bugs Moran, and Lucky Luciano) frequented the town because of its decades-long reputation for illegal gambling. Arkansas authorities finally shut it down...in the 1960s.
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Trail to Hike: Fordyth Bathhouse
Take a very short Ranger tour through the Fordyth Bathhouse Visitor Center or enjoy a thermal bath. You can make this park all about the relaxation.
Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Indiana Dunes National Park
An endless crash of waves on sandy shoreline day after day, year after year, the grains build into growing, blowing landforms we call dunes. Like the waves, these dunes will rise and fall with time for as long as the Great Lake will be.
This national park preserves a small section of Lake Michigan’s sandy beaches and deciduous forest.
Location: Michigan City, Indiana. Located on land native to the Sioux, Myaamia, Potawatomi, Kaskaskia, Peoria, and Kiikaapoi Nations
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Fun Facts:
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There are 4,530 miles of U.S. coastline for the five Great Lakes. That's longer than the coastline for the 14 states on the Atlantic Ocean, and the west coast combined (not including Alaska). Lake Michigan is the third largest Great Lake, but the sixth largest fresh water lake in the world (by surface area).
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There are 1,100 species of flowering plants in this National Park. ​
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Not so Fun Fact:
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Michigan City and Gary, Indiana bookend this park. Industrial plants can be seen from its beaches. If you want more pristine beaches and larger sand dunes on Lake Michigan, follow the coastline north into the states of Wisconsin or Michigan.
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Trail to Hike: The 3 Dunes Challenge
This trail is the toughest in Indiana Dunes National or State Park. Hike 1.5 miles up three of the tallest sand dunes (552 feet) in this stretch of lakeshore.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Isle Royale National Park
The rugged shores of Isle Royale rise from the cool, blue waters of Lake Superior. Dense northern forests dominate the island's interior where you can still hear the haunting melody of loons and the wild howl of a wolf.
Location: Lake Superior (nearest to Copper Harbor, Michigan or Grand Portage, Minnesota. Located on land native to the Anishinabewaki Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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The world’s longest running predator-prey study has been conducted on Isle Royal since 1959 on the wolf and moose population. However, warmer winters have shifted the dynamics. The lake surface no longer freezes as frequently between the island and the nearby shore as in past decades. Wolves that would have traditionally crossed this ice bridge can no longer replenish the gene pool of the island’s population. Isle Royal’s wolves dropped down to just two individuals in 2018. The moose population exploded without any natural predators. Humans reintroduced 19 wolves in 2019. The population study has recently revealed that several of these animals have established territorial packs and the moose population has now stabilized.
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You can only reach Isle Royale by boat or sea plane. The Isle Royale Queen IV offers round trip service from Copper Harbor. The boat ride takes about 3 hours. A sea plane takes about 45 minutes. From Minnesota’s Grand Portage, the boat ride takes about 2 hours. There are no motorized vehicles allowed on the island. ​
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Lake Superior is technically classified as an inland sea. It is the largest fresh water lake in the world by surface area and third largest by volume. It has more water than all the other great lakes combined.
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The Native Ojibwe name for Lake Superior is Gitchigumi, which means "big water". The Native name for Isle Royale is Minong.
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Not so Fun Fact:
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Be wary of travel to the island in late June or early July. Both black flies and mosquitos peak at this time. These swarms are nearly unbearable at their worst - come prepared with repellant and head nets.
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The waves of Lake Superior have been recorded as high as 29 feet. These waves are large enough to sink full-size ocean freighters that traverse the great lakes. The Edmund Fitzgerald is perhaps the most infamous ship wrecks - 29 sailors died. And this Great Lake has entombed hundreds of more ships as well. Be sure to listen to the Gordon Lightfoot song that memorializes the SS Edmund Fitzgerald before visiting.
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Trail to Hike: Rock Harbor to Windigo
Hike 38 miles on a multi-night backcountry excursion between the island’s two visitor centers at Rock Harbor and Windigo. The trails will take you through a wild interior and along the island’s rocky northern shoreline. At dawn and dusk, listen for the lingering calls of the wolf or the loon. Neither will fail to send a shiver down your spine.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Joshua Tree National Park
Desert meets exposed rock – a place of abstract and minimalist beauty. From the California Quail to the Desert Tortoise, many wild and wonderful animals share the landscape with the park's namesake, Dr. Seuss-like Joshua Trees.
Location: Palm Springs, California. Located on lands native to the Yuhaviatam/Maarenga'yam (Serrano) and Newe (Western Shoshone) Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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A Joshua Tree is not actually a tree – they are succulents, meaning they are a type of plant that stores water. They are an endemic plant native to the Mojave Desert. The average Joshua Tree lives about 150 years, but at least one tree within the park is thought to be 1,000 years old.
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Joshua Tree contains the meeting point of two great American deserts, the Mojave and the Colorado. ​
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Not so Fun Facts:
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Climate change will bring warmer average temperatures to this region, many scientists predict the eventual extinction of the Joshua Trees. The plants need freezing temperatures in order to flower. Warmer temperatures mean that the ecosystem will spend less days below freezing every year, meaning less opportunities for animals to pollinate the flowers and allow this plant to reproduce.
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Trail to Hike: Skull Rock Trail
Hike the 1.7 mile rocky terrain out to one of the park’s more bizarre natural sculptures. Over time, rain pooled into a massive granite boulder. It appears as if there is now a face on Skull Rock. In addition to its defining feature, the trail will enable you to explore the region’s many boulders on hand and foot.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
Katmai National Park
The Valley of 10,000 Smokes is known for more than just its volcanic past. One of the world’s greatest salmon runs and brown bear populations present photo opportunities that made this park famous.
Location: On the Southern pennisula of Alaska, near King Salmon. Located on land native to the Denendeh and Denaina Elnena Nations.
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Fun Facts:
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The Valley of 10,000 Smokes was created in 1912 by the eruption of the Novarupta and Katmai volcanoes. It was the largest volcanic eruption in the 20th century. Hot ash covered the newly formed valley and took decades to cool. Water was buried below ash from the eruption. The hot rock heats these water pockets and causes the water to evaporate as steam. This is how the valley of 10,000 Smokes got its name.
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An Alaska brown bear is the largest subspecies of Grizzly bear (Ursus Arctos). They can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and can stand 10’ tall on their hind legs. A dominant bear can catch and eat up to 30 salmon in a day (these fish weigh 5-7 pounds each – meaning that bear could eat well over 150 pounds). ​There are over 2,200 brown bears in Katmai, one of the densest populations of brown bear in all of North America.
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On average, Sockeye salmon spend a little over half their life in the ocean. At around 5 years, they reach sexual maturity and return to the mouth of the river from which they spawned. Thousands congregate in late June and begin their salmon run en masse. When they enter fresh water, the salmon stop eating. The lucky ones that make it to their spawning grounds will fertilize the new eggs and then the adults will die.
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Not So Fun Fact:
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Although grizzly bears rarely kill people, there was an especially infamous incident in recent years. The documentary, Grizzly Man, followed the eccentric life of Timothy Treadwell, who lived 13 years with the brown bears in Katmai. He filmed the experience, which includes outrageous footage of himself surrounded by wild grizzly bears (of which he knew by name). In 2003, he was killed and eaten by a 28-year old bear.
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Trail to Hike: Brooks Falls Trail
This short trail leads through boreal forest to a pair of platform overlooks above the Brooks River. During the month of July, visitors can watch one of nature’s most awe-inspiring spectacles. Brown bears congregate to the white water rapids where Sockeye salmon must jump over Brooks Falls on their upstream journey.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Kenai Fjords National Park
Welcome to a land of rugged topography and beautiful extremes. 40 glaciers descend from the Harding Icefield into narrow fjords and ocean waters. This park is the highlight of the Kenai Peninsula.
Location: Northwest of . Located on land native to the Alutiiq (Sugpiaq) Nation.
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Fun Facts: ​
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The 700 square mile Harding Ice Field is the most salient feature of the park. Many of these glaciers possess a striking blue tint found only in glaciers. Glacial blue occurs because layers of snow compact onto of each other. This immense weight of the glacier squeezes out any imperfections like air bubbles. Glacial blue ice crystals form beneath this immense pressure. These ice crystals absorb red wavelengths, but scatter blue wavelengths. It results in the human eye seeing the color blue.
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Kenai Fjords has a fjord estuary ecosystem that is similarly defined in only five other locations on the planet (Chile, Norway, New Zealand, Greenland, Antarctica, and here in Alaska). This ecosystem is defined by especially nutrient rich waters that support plankton, and in turn, many large aquatic species. Glacial rock debris are rich in calcium, iron, and other nutrients - they are carried by the meltwater into the ocean. This nutrient rich mixture provides ideal conditions for many animal species.
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Celebrate the oversized osos of fat bear week, which is perhaps the world's greatest and only combination of social media, a March Madness style bracket, and wildlife photography. Every end of September, online users from across the globe vote on photos of their favorite fat bear. Otis-480 celebrated a fourth championship in 2021 and it is worth voting on your favorite bear each year.
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Not So Fun Facts
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In recent centuries, much of the National Park land was used for mining. There are numerous remnant mine shafts and infrastructure​ left in the park. These structures may be dangerous and may still contain toxic chemicals or explosives Be careful to avoid these sites.
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Exit Glacier, is one of the most famous features in the park. Due to climate change, it has retreated about one mile since the 1900s. Photographs and scientific evidence have documented the slow decline of this massive glacier. Since 2010, scientists recorded that Exit Glacier has retreated by around 162 feet per year. Exit Glacier is not alone, many of the park's glaciers are also retreating due to warmer temperatures.
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Trail to Hike: Harding Ice Trail
This strenuous trail is 8.2 miles round trip (4.1 miles one way). The miles and elevation are worth it for expansive views of the Harding Ice Field. Along the way, hikers will also enjoy views of Exit Glacier and its connection to the greater field. Be aware that at no point should hikers leave the trail to walk directly on the glacier. There are significant risks of ice fall hazards. Check with a ranger before hiking as there is sometimes significant snow even through July.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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Kings Canyon National Park
Towering granite peaks rise above quiet valleys. Ancient forests, alpine meadows,
and everything in between exist in a backcountry lover’s paradise.
Location: East of Fresno, California. Located on land native to the Western Mono/Monache Nations.
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Fun Facts: ​
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The world’s largest remaining Sequoia stand, Redwood Mountain Grove, is located within this park..
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The 220 mile John Muir Trail (JMT) connects Yosemite Valley (Yosemite NP) with Mt. Whitney (Sequoia NP). The 2,650 mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) travels from the Mexican to the Canadian border. It passes through the desert, the Sierra Nevadas, and the Cascade Range. Both of these trails overlap in Kings Canyon. No other national parks contain more JMT or PCT trail miles.
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John Muir was the ideological leader of national parks preservation in the Sierra Nevadas. He founded the Sierra Club and lived much of his life on foot, exploring the Sierras. Once a machinist in an Indiana factory, he walked his way to the Gulf of Mexico by the wildest means possible. He would only then immigrate to California where he deeply influenced the U.S. conservation movement. He once climbed a Douglas fir in a storm so that he could feel the full force of the wind like a tree did.
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Not So Fun Facts:
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John Muir's racist views have alienated minority groups. He often spoke negatively about Native American and African American populations. In Yosemite, he felt that Native American Tribes were a "blemish" on the landscape. This separation of human from wilderness was a core tenet of Muir's beliefs in preservation and had a deep impact on the U.S. National Park System.
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Trail to Hike: John Muir Trail / Pacific Crest Trail
The JMT and PCT perfectly overlap for 77+ miles in Kings Canyon National Park. This remote backcountry trail sticks to the High Sierras, passing beneath an array of rocky summits, glacial lakes, and wildflower meadows.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
Kobuk Valley National Park
This ancient valley is a relic of time, a key place for transportation and food harvest for thousands of years.
Nearly half a million caribou still migrate annually through the valley and
native Alaskans depend on their hunts for sustenance, fur, bones, and more.
Location: Kotzebue, Alaska. Located on land native to the Inupiat Nation.
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Fun Facts:
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The only commercial way to reach this park is by air taxi, snowmobile, or dogsled. Though theoretically you could walk or boat your way in after navigating rough, isolated terrain. It is consistently one of the least visited National Parks in the entire United States.
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This is one of two National Parks within the Artic Circle. The weather here reaches an average of minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter. The sun is only visible for a few hours in winter and receives little darkness in summer.
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Caribou migrate through Kobuk Valley from northern calving grounds to more southern wintering grounds. Because caribou have to survive in such extreme winter darkness, their eyes turn from golden to blue for better vision with the winter seasons. Caribou knees make a clicking sound – scientists have determined this noise helps the herd stay together in whiteout blizzards. An extreme survivor!
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Not So Fun Facts:
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Climate change is sure to impact caribou herds. In the immediate future warmer temperatures means more insects and parasites will disrupt caribou behavior and productivity. It also could mean earlier earlier access to food (a positive) or drier vegetation in the late summer (a negative). In future decades and centuries, warmer temperatures will allow for the expansion of boreal forest, the changing landscape of artic tundra may make render millennia old migration routes obsolete.
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The mouth of the Alsek river is expected to move by 20 miles due to its source, the Grand Plateau Glacier, receding at a rapid rate. It is one of many landscapes to be impacted by climate change.
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Trail to Hike: Near the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes
It is rare to find sand dunes within the Artic Circle. There are no real trails in the park – you must be capable of orienting yourself on the landscape. While crossing the sand dunes, look for caribou tracks in the sand.
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Want to learn more? Book / Movie Recommendation:
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