Stories of America’s National Parks

Venture back in time to witness the birth of the National Park System. Here, you’ll meet Ferdinand Hayden, a scientist who lobbied to explore Yellowstone in the 1870s. Once he recognized what a treasure this region was—including forests, geysers, and other natural wonders—he convinced the federal government to protect the land for posterity.

Travel to California’s Sierra Nevada mountains to stand among the world’s largest trees. More than a century ago, conservationists recognized not only the great beauty of this unusual forest, but also the threat posed by loggers and economic development—resulting in the creation of Sequoia National Park.

Mesa Verde National Park offers an astonishing combination of environmental beauty and cultural heritage. Dr. Nelson takes you on a journey through the American southwest, where ancient cliff dwellings offer archaeological insight into Pueblo history.

Shift your attention from the American West to the Pacific Ocean, where the fiery spectacle of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park captures the imagination. Central to the geologic story of Hawai‘i’s Big Island is Pele, the goddess of creation and destruction, who is central to this park’s cultural heritage.

Bundle up as you ascend the heights of Denali National Park, the tallest peak in North America. The park’s rich cultural history includes Indigenous groups who have called Alaska home for thousands of years. These groups—along with gold miners, big-game hunters, and mountaineers—all played a role in preserving this awe-inspiring wilderness.

Many of us have fond memories of visiting the Grand Canyon with our families, but what is the story behind Grand Canyon National Park? What do the geological formations tell us about millions of years of Earth’s history? And how did one of the nation’s foremost architects work to shape visitor experiences at the Grand Canyon? Deepen your understanding of one of America’s most famous landscapes.

Discover the rugged beauty of coastal Maine. Here, you’ll see how wealthy vacationers, the philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, the preservationist George Bucknam Dorr, and many others worked to create Acadia National Park, which today is a striking symbol of cultural preservation and innovative landscape architecture.

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, Shenandoah National Park is a significant testament to America’s natural beauty and complex history. From the native Monacan people to “hollow” residents to activists working for integration during the civil rights era, those who have lived in and loved the Shenandoah region are all part of this captivating story.

Head south to the tropics of Florida, where conservationists like Marjory Stoneman Douglas battled to protect the fragile ecosystem of the Everglades. Along with examining the park’s biodiversity, Dr. Nelson walks you through the region’s history of exploitation and preservation.

Not all national parks can be viewed from the surface. Head underground with Dr. Nelson to travel through Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park, the world’s longest cave system. Learn about the history of mining and exploration in the caves—including the life of Stephen Bishop, an enslaved man who became a pioneering cave guide in the 19th century.

Return above ground to the harsh deserts of Death Valley National Park, which at 3.4 million acres is the largest national park in the continental United States. In addition to its size, the park is known for its extreme weather conditions and its dark sky views at night. Delve into this wonder of contradictions.

Your course wraps up with a look at White Sands National Park. Located amid desert dunes in New Mexico, the history of White Sands ranges from Indigenous hunting and gathering to the US military’s atomic bomb tests in the 1940s—a testament to the complexity of interaction between human and natural worlds.