USA National Parks

From haunting red buttes to endless caves, the national parks of the United States protect some of the most phenomenal natural scenery in the world. While much of the land’s beauty can be seen along the byways, the truly miraculous works of nature are cared for by the National Park Service. The easternmost park in the US, Acadia National Park, ME , features unspoiled rocky beaches and dense pine forests. Shenandoah National Park, VA , made its way into history as America’s first land reclamation project, and today lures travelers with its mountain vistas. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN (p. 318), the largest national park east of the Mississippi, also contains the International Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. Farther west lie America’s larger, better-known parks. Arguably the most famous (and most crowded) of these is Yellowstone National Park, WY , home to the geyser called Old Faithful. Grand Canyon National Park, AZ , wows visitors with..well, the Grand Canyon, while Yosemite National Park, CA , draws hordes of trekkers, trailers, and tourists with steep mountains and stunning waterfalls. Smaller—but no less breathtaking—are the otherworldly hoodoos (pillar-like rock formations) of Bryce Canyon National Park, UT , the varied and dramatic terrain of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, MT , and the awe-inspiring mountains of Grand Teton National Park, WY .

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