America's National Parks

Old Faithful, and the majority of the world's geysers, are preserved here. They are the main reason the park was established in 1872 as America's first national park, an idea that spread worldwide. The park is one of the last, nearly intact, natural ecosystems in the Earth's temperate zone.

This landscape testifies to nature's size, beauty, and diversity - huge mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, and the world's largest trees.

First protected in 1864, Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls, but within its nearly 1,200 square miles, you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.

Ascending to 14,410 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier stands as an icon in the Washington landscape. An active volcano, Mount Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the contiguous U.S.A., spawning six major rivers.

Located in southern Oregon, Crater Lake National Park is the fifth oldest national park in the United States. Crater Lake's Earth-blue waters, with islands that appear to float upon the lake itself, add to the Park's supernatural energy.

Swaying prairie grasses, forested hillsides, and an array of wildlife such as bison, elk, and prairie dogs welcome visitors to one of our country's oldest national parks and one of its few remaining intact prairies. Secreted beneath is one of the world's longest caves, Wind Cave.

Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to 1300. Today the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites.

Glacier National Park is located in the U.S. state of Montana, south of the borders with the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. The park inhabits more than 1,000 different species of plants and hundreds of species of animals.

Rocky Mountain National Park's 415 square miles encompass and protect spectacular mountain environments. Enjoy Trail Ridge Road - which crests over 12,000 feet including many overlooks to experience the subalpine and alpine worlds - along with over 300 miles of hiking trails.

Haleakala is a special place that resonates with both ancient and modern Hawaiian culture, and it protects the bond between the land and its people. Haleakala also cares for endangered species, some of which exist nowhere else on Earth.

Volcanoes are monuments to Earth's origin, evidence that its primordial forces are still at work. During a volcanic eruption, we are reminded that our planet is an ever-changing environment whose basic processes are beyond human control.

Lassen Volcanic National Park is home to smoking fumaroles, meadows freckled with wildflowers, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. Jagged peaks tell the story of its eruptive past while hot water continues to mold the land.

Denali National Park and Preserve is 6 million acres of pristine wilderness located in interior Alaska. The park's centerpiece, Denali, the highest peak in North America. The land preserves one of America's most remote lands, helping to keep the code of the wild intact.

Acadia National Park is a National Park located in the U.S. state of Maine. It reserves much of Mount Desert Island, and associated smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast. Originally created as Lafayette National Park in 1919, the oldest National Park east of the Mississippi River, it was renamed.

Beloved around the globe as an iconic symbol of America, the sights and sounds of the Grand Canyon dazzle like nothing else on Earth, and opportunities for outdoor activities are extensive. Mother Nature used her special paintbrush here.

Follow the paths where ancient native people and pioneers walked. Gaze up at massive sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red that soar into a brilliant blue sky. Challenge your courage in a narrow slot canyon. Zion's unique array of plants and animals will enchant you as you absorb the rich history

Water. That's what first attracted people, and they have been coming here ever since to use these soothing thermal waters to heal and relax. Rich and poor alike came for the baths, and a thriving city built up around the hot springs.

Bryce Canyon, the boundaries of which form the National Park in southwestern Utah, features naturally carved amphitheaters of epic proportion. The bold, natural hues and color of sand and stone dazzle in the sun and are an artist?s dream.

Nestled in the northwestern corner of Wyoming, approximately 310,000 acres are dedicated to Grand Teton National Park. The park includes all major peaks of the 40-mile-long Teton Range, and overall, this pristine ecosystem contains flora and fauna that have existed here since prehistoric times.

The wonders of cavernous exploration come to life in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, located in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The primary attraction of the park is its' spectacular namesake, Carlsbad Cavern.

Everglades National Park offers visitors an exciting journey into one of the wettest and wildest parts of the United States- the Everglades. Representing 20% of the original everglade landmass, the national park protects a wide range of indigenous plants and animals.

Ridge upon ridge of forest straddles the border between North Carolina and Tennessee in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, help attract many.

75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is your escape to cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, and quiet wooded hollows. Take a hike, meander along Skyline Drive, or picnic with the family. 200,000 acres of land are haven to deer, songbirds... and you.

Olympic National Park is a land of beauty and variety. A day's exploration can take you from mountain vistas with meadows of wildflowers to colorful ocean tide pools. Nestled in valleys are remnants of large, ancient forests. Olympic is like three magical parks in one.