The United States has so many majestic treasures waiting to be explored. Towering waterfalls, verdant forests, stunning planes, and beautiful mountains fill America’s national parks.
Plan a trip to one of the nation’s great national parks and enjoy the spectre of wildlife and the many intricate ecosystems. Thanks to careful preservation, there are a lot of parks to choose from when planning your trip. The parks listed below are some of the top national parks. This article will help you narrow down your list to the best of what the national parks of the US have to offer.
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
In the heart of the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico lies a vast system of underground caves and chambers called the Carlsbad Caverns. You will be amazed at the intricate cave decorations and the massive bat colonies. This maze of caves and caverns stretches out for 23 miles.
Explore the ‘Big Room’, a sprawling chamber that covers 14 acres. The underground lake is unique in that the water does not give any support to any life forms.
Altogether the Carlsbad Caverns National Park covers 46,766 acres. Get a first-hand look at limestone formations, stalactites, stalagmites, soda straws, cave pearls, and epsomite needles. Try to find all eleven species of bats that call the caverns home. This is truly a backpacker’s paradise.
Everglades National Park, Florida
For something above ground, try the Everglades National Park in the Florida peninsula. Â Located south of Lake Okeechobee, this subtropical park covers over 5,000 square miles.
The park mostly consists of sawgrass savannah, small wooded islands, freshwater pools, mangrove swamps and pine forests. Discover beautiful orchids, bromeliads, and ferns or keep an eye out for the abundant wildlife. Brown pelicans, roseate spoonbills, fish eagles, sea turtles, herons, porpoises, and alligators all co-habituate in the Florida everglades.
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
If you want to stay by the west coast, head out to Crater Lake National Park in beautiful Oregon. Crater Lake sits at the lofty altitude of 6,165 feet in the volcanic crater of Mount Mazama. Crater Lake has a rich, deep blue colour and has an area of 12,800 acres. The Lake stretches six miles wide and has a depth of almost 2,000 feet.
Venture out to Wizard Island, a small outcrop of the volcano that rises 763 feet above the lake on the western shore of Crater Lake.
Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
The Grand Canyon is probably one of the most famous US national parks and has become iconic. Americans have fallen in love with the Grand Canyon because of it ancient rocks, and stunning landscape. The widest span of the canyon is 18 miles, and runs a mile deep at Granite Gorge.
Mooney Falls should not be overlooked while visiting the Grand Canyon. The falls drop for about 200 feet and are one of three falls on Havasu Creek.
The Grand Canyon National Park is a glimmering diamond among the vast expanse of the Arizona Desert.
Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado
Mesa Verde National Park covers an area of 52,074 acres. It is varied with wooded plains and deep canyons. Explore the cliff dwellings of the Puebloans who lived in this part of the country during the 6th century. You will be swept away by the history of Cliff Palace – a place where religious rituals took place and which also housed up to a hundred people.
An Embarrassment of Riches
This article hardly gives justice to the splendour of these places, but hopefully your appetite for adventure has been wetted. America has an embarrassment of riches when it comes to US national parks. You probably won’t have to travel too far to see some of America’s most beautiful vistas.
Guest author Mary Tejada is a Clearwater florist at http://floristclearwater.net. Whenever she goes on vacation, she looks for the place with the most beautiful natural wonders. She loves to spend as much time as possible outside, enjoying nature.
I have been to every one of the parks listed and it is definitely true that there are many more. Most of them are closer than you think and so much better for families.