America's National Parks
An Introduction to our country's natural and historical wonders
Three hundred and ninety-one units currently managed by the National Park Service are scattered throughout the United States, with only 58 of these areas officially designated as national parks. Other units are authorized as national monuments, national seashores, national historic sites, national lakeshores, national battlefields, national historical parks, etc. Regardless of classification, each unit offers something special that makes a visit worthwhile.
An Overview of America's National Parks
In general, national parks such as Yellowstone,
Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Glacier, Sequoia, Great Smoky Mountains, Everglades,
and Olympic are large, diverse areas that offer a variety of natural features
and activities. Each of these units is a destination park where a visitor could
easily spend a week or more. National Park Service areas designated as other
than national parks tend to be somewhat more limited in both size and scope.
Still, don't overlook these other areas because they each enjoy their own
special features and are often less crowded compared to the better known
national parks. For example, Yellowstone, our first national park, welcomed
slightly over 3 million visitors in 2008, while Devils Tower National Monument,
our first national monument and located in the same state of Wyoming, had only a
tenth as many visitors. We consider Fort Laramie National Historic Site in
southeast Wyoming one of our favorite stops when we travel to the West from our
home in South Georgia. Likewise, if you are driving west to Yellowstone National
Park, be certain to take time to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial,
Badlands National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, and Wind Cave National
Park that are located nearby in western South Dakota. Each of these units is
administered by the National Park Service and certainly worth a visit. Big Bend
National Park in southern Texas is in an out-of-the-way location, but the
isolation is one the attributes that makes a trip to this park worth the effort.
This large, scenic national park had fewer than 400,000 visitors during 2008.
National Park units with the largest 2008
visitation
Themes of the National Park Units
Most individuals hear the words "national park" and immediately
visualize a natural wonder such as Yellowstone's Old
Faithful geyser, Glacier's towering mountains, or
the barren and sun-baked land of Death Valley.
The national park system is more than this, however.
Many areas managed by the National Park Service emphasize historical themes. For example, the homes of former U.S. presidents Hoover, Lincoln, Kennedy, Taft, Truman, Van Buren, Franklin Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, and Carter are all managed by the National Park Service. Likewise, many battlefields of the Revolutionary War and the Civil War are preserved and managed by the National Park Service. In the Plains and western United States, the National Park Service welcomes visitors to a number of historic forts including Fort Davis, Fort Laramie, Fort Scott, Fort Larned, and Bent's Old Fort. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site in western North Dakota offers a living history program to help interpret this important fur trading post on the upper Missouri River that operated from 1828 to 1867. Scotts Bluff National Monument (photo lower right) interprets an important landmark on the Oregon Trail. The National Park Service manages all of these units and many more. In general, the large, well-known natural areas are in the western United States, while the eastern United States serves as home for many of the smaller, historical units.
Other national park units are primarily for recreation. This is particularly true of large urban units such as California's Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Gateway National Recreation Area that is spread over New York and New Jersey. Other units devoted primarily to recreation such as Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Mead National Recreation Area are in the West.
Many areas managed by the National Park Service emphasize historical themes. For example, the homes of former U.S. presidents Hoover, Lincoln, Kennedy, Taft, Truman, Van Buren, Franklin Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson, and Carter are all managed by the National Park Service. Likewise, many battlefields of the Revolutionary War and the Civil War are preserved and managed by the National Park Service. In the Plains and western United States, the National Park Service welcomes visitors to a number of historic forts including Fort Davis, Fort Laramie, Fort Scott, Fort Larned, and Bent's Old Fort. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site in western North Dakota offers a living history program to help interpret this important fur trading post on the upper Missouri River that operated from 1828 to 1867. Scotts Bluff National Monument (photo lower right) interprets an important landmark on the Oregon Trail. The National Park Service manages all of these units and many more. In general, the large, well-known natural areas are in the western United States, while the eastern United States serves as home for many of the smaller, historical units.
Other national park units are primarily for recreation. This is particularly true of large urban units such as California's Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Gateway National Recreation Area that is spread over New York and New Jersey. Other units devoted primarily to recreation such as Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Mead National Recreation Area are in the West.
Entrance and Activity Fees
Most national park units charge an entrance fee. Some parks
charge by the vehicle while others charge by the person. If you expect to visit
several park units within a period of months consider buying an America the Beautiful Pass
that permits a year of unlimited visits to all the parks and other federal
lands. The year begins on the day the pass is purchased. Special lifetime passes
are available for seniors (62 years and older) and
the disabled. Inquire about these passes at any park entrance station or
visitor center. The America the Beautiful Pass is available to anyone and can be
purchased by mail but a lifetime pass for seniors or the disabled must be
acquired in person. Additional information about
national park fees
Lodging and Camping
Some units managed by the National Park Service offer lodging
facilities, campgrounds, or both. Yellowstone National Park, a large and heavily visited
national park has nine lodges and numerous campgrounds. Likewise, Yosemite
National Park offers seven lodging facilities and many campgrounds. Devils Tower
National Monument provides no overnight accommodations but has one of our
favorite campgrounds. Other areas managed by the National Park Service offer
neither camping or lodging. Andersonville National Historic Site, the site of a
famous Civil War prison and P.O.W. museum, is a wonderful yet somber place to
visit if you are driving through Georgia. Neither lodging or camping is
available at the site, although both can be found a short distance outside the
park. Likewise, Jimmy Carter National Historic Site in nearby Plains, Georgia,
does not offer lodging or camping. In general, units designated national
parks nearly always have campgrounds
and often offer lodging.
Additional
information about national park
campgrounds
Additional information about national park lodges
Additional information about national park lodges
What to Do When You Arrive
at a Park
A park brochure or newspaper is generally available at
entrance stations where fees are collected. Entrance station rangers will also
be able to provide information about scheduled activities and campground
availability. If the park does not collect an entrance fee or have an entrance
station, the first order of business should be to locate the visitor center
where information on guided walks, trails, museums, and activities is available.
In fact, this should be
your first stop even if
you have picked up a
brochure at the entrance
station. Most visitor centers offer exhibits and audio-visual presentations that provide
an overview of the park's history. This is nearly always a good way to gain
an overview of what to
see and do during your
visit. Check the
park schedule or talk to
a ranger and determine
if any presentations or
guided walks are
available. These
are nearly always
worthwhile so take
advantage of them.
Some of Our
Favorites
Everyone who has
spent years
traveling to and
through the
national parks
can generally
list some
favorites.
Keep in mind
that experienced
travelers will
often disagree
about the parks
that appear on
such a list.
Even the two of
us can't agree.
One of us
chooses Glacier
as the favorite
while the other
chooses
Yellowstone.
We have a good
friend who
believes
Yellowstone is
way overrated in
the list of best
parks. We have found
central and southern Utah and northern Arizona to be
a particularly attractive region to visit because so many beautiful national
park units are in close proximity. Arches National Park, Canyonlands National
Park, Capitol
Reef National
Park, Zion
National Park,
Bryce Canyon
National Park,
Glen Canyon
National
Recreation Area,
Natural Bridges
National
Monument, and,
of course, Grand
Canyon National
Park include
some of the most
spectacular
landscapes found
anywhere in the
United States.
Nearby are
Colorado
National
Monument just
outside Grand
Junction,
Colorado, and
the North Rim of
the Grand Canyon
in northern
Arizona. Even if
you have visited
the South Rim of
the Grand
Canyon, take
time to enjoy the entirely different experience of
a stay at the North Rim. Fall and spring
are probably the best seasons to visit southern Utah that often experiences
relatively high summer temperatures.
About the
Two of Us
We have spent most of thirty-five summers
traveling to and through America's national parks. Five of these summers
were devoted
to visiting and staying in national park lodges. We have visited nearly
all of the units managed by the National Park Service, most of them many times.
We have driven up and down the West Coast, up and down the East Coast, and back
and forth across the United States, both across U.S. 2 in the north and U.S. 90
in the
south. We have hiked the Freedom Trail in Boston
National Historical Park, walked the beautiful beach at Cumberland Island
National Seashore, sweltered in the Needles area of Canyonlands National Park, and celebrated a Fourth of July at Death Valley National Park
in 125-degree heat. We hope that our experiences and the resulting advice
will benefit your own travels.