Yellowstone National Park
Amazing U.S. National Parks
This park became more widely known when cartoon character, Yogi Bear, parodied it as “Jellystone” and declared it home turf. But there’s nothing soft or wobbly about the rock formations in this Wyoming park. It opened in 1872 and has since been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site; it sits in the south-central Rocky Mountains and is home to bison, grizzly bears and elk. Recently, wolves were reintroduced to the park, rebalancing an ecosystem that had run amok without them.
The world’s largest active geyser — Steamboat Geyser — explodes in Yellowstone, but it is Old Faithful, with its blast every 90 minutes that has captured the imagination and drawn visitors; the park is littered with geysers of many sizes and frequencies. Also dotted with lakes, rivers, canyons and mountains, rugged, beautiful Yellowstone sits among volcanoes, some dead, some still geologically active.
Fires, as well as volcanoes, threaten Yellowstone; the last major burn occurred in 1988 and destroyed about one-third of the park. But the trees and vegetation are growing back.
The park is open year round, but the sub-alpine climate makes winters a tough time to visit. There are, besides camping facilities, numerous lodges and cabins, which make for a wonderful getaway any time of year.
Amazing U.S. National Parks
Yosemite National Park
Situated in the state of California, Yosemite National Park is the 3rd such designated area in the country. It is set in the High Sierras...
Yellowstone National Park
This park became more widely known when cartoon character, Yogi Bear, parodied it as “Jellystone” and declared it home turf. But there’s nothing soft...
Grand Canyon National Park
Everybody has heard of the Grand Canyon, and they all think they know what it’s like because if they haven’t been, they’ve...
Bryce Canyon National Park
Less well known than its neighbour, the Grand Canyon, Bryce Canon National Park, one of five in the state of Utah, nonetheless is canyon-worthy. Opened...
Arches National Park
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Acadia National Park
One of the most popular national parks on the east coat of the USA, Acadia is exceptional not just for its Atlantic Ocean seascape, but...
Denali National Park
This place is not for the faint of heart or the feeble of body. This is Alaska wilderness — six million acres of it (in metric...
Zion National Park
Here lie deep canyons, silent about the secrets they may hold, in the depths of land that was inhabited 11,000 years ago by indigenous peoples. Staggering...
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Covering territory that lies within the states of North Carolina and Tennessee, 2,114 square metres (522,419 acres) measures Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Despite being known as...
Everglades National Park
Southeast Florida visitors expect to see manatees, American crocodiles and alligators, and even the Florida panther (no, not a sports team) moving about in Everglades...
U.S. National Parks
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