As we grapple with the corollary of a global environmental crisis and try to define green standards for nations to follow, we should bear in mind the purpose behind the advent of the National Park system in America. While government leadership in the United States has been rather weak on the environment of late, the country was the first to stand up and legislate land protection. At the risk of being political, perhaps a proverbial return to the great National Parks and the spirit they embody would help the country find the way again and take charge on the issues that affect our planet.
With that being said, why not plan your next vacation with a National Park in mind? Going to Las Vegas? Why not pencil in the Grand Canyon on the way? Family vacation to Disney World? Check out the Florida Everglades while you still can.
If you need some guidance, read on as we describe some more of the Best National Parks in America.
Yosemite National Park, California
With the High Sierra Mountains, deep valleys, gorgeous waterfalls and titanic sequoias, Yosemite National Park draws almost 4 million visitors a year. The World Heritage Site with a Mediterranean climate supports five distinct vegetation zones and 20% of California’s plant life. With 95% of the Park pure wilderness, there is much to explore beyond the popular Yosemite Valley, where most visitors conglomerate.
To be sure, the valley, sculpted as it was by glacial activity millions of years ago, is a terrific sight to behold for nature lovers. But venture further within Yosemite and there are countless canyons and rocky grooves that reveal the great geological diversity of the Sierra Nevada.
The Longhorn State of Texas has some of the most sensational natural scenery in the United States and encompasses a wide range of geographical zones. Big Bend National Park in the southwest portion of the state is the best location to witness the beauty of the Rio Grande and the fauna and flora the great river supports. Most of the park has become a laboratory for paleontologists and archaeologists who have made some remarkable finds in recent years in the realm of Cretaceous and Tertiary fossils, as well as historical landmarks and artifacts.
As a result, we now better understand what life was like for inhabitants of the region between the Mexico and Texas border thousands of years ago. One of the notable features of the Park is extreme conditions in the areas of landscape and weather. With a foothold in the Chihuahuan Desert and the Chisos Mountains, temperatures fluctuate wildly from one season to the next but in return, there is a huge assortment of visual treats in store for Big Bend visitors.
Everglades National Park, Florida
Mickey Mouse and his Disney pals have squat on the Everglades. The subtropical wilderness of the Park is without peer in the United States in terms of size and biodiversity. A number of international appointments designate the Park as a precious ecological zone. A World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, the Everglades is one of the only places left to see beautiful animals such as the American crocodile, West Indian manatee and Florida panther up close.
The Park offers terrific trails and remote campsites to visitors as a viable way to enjoy the subtropical splendor. Of course, most locations are accessible solely by watercraft, which uniquely positions the Everglades among other National Parks in the country.
Check out some of these unbelievable hotel deals in Florida before you head to the Everglades.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina
With almost 10 million visitors a year, Great Smoky is the most popular National Park in the United States. Yes, that came as a surprise to us too. Great Smoky is unbelievably pristine and gorgeous however, and that is no surprise. With undisturbed vestiges of Southern Appalachian culture intact, the area holds a special place in American folklore. The Appalachian Trail runs through the center of the Park, which was once a homeland to the Cherokee Nation.
There are a myriad of ways to enjoy Great Smoky. From bicycle paths to trails that wind through the mountains, to waterfalls - found everywhere in Great Smoky by the way - and auto tours, Park rangers do a remarkable job to showcase the beauty of the wilderness and diverse wildlife to visitors. For history buffs, the Park also houses the best collection of log cabins and structures in the United States.
Death Valley National Park, California
Perhaps not the place you want to bring the baby and the grandparents but nonetheless, how cool a vacation story would a visit to Death Valley be to recount? Known as the most extreme, low and dry place in North America, Death Valley also has some impressive temperature records. Believe it or not, in terms of high temperature measurements in the world, the Valley ranks second. Incredible to think that within near proximity are mountains with snowy peaks. Which reveals just how unique an environment Death Valley National Park inhabits.
A land of desert with salt deposits, sand dunes, kaleidoscopic geologic formations and stony wilderness as far as the eyes can see, the severe harshenes of the Valley belies the life it supports. The Timbisha tribe still live in Death Valley and have been here for over a thousand years. In addition, Park guides can arrange tours of the wildlife resilient enough to withstand the rigors of Death Valley. Scorpions, rattlesnakes, bobcats and mountain lions all call the Valley home. Just watch our for the black widow spiders now.
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See also Best National Parks in America Part 1
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