Hello, and welcome to our look at the 10 best national parks. I'm your host.
Allison Moses. National parks are an American invention.
The first was Yellowstone established in 1872 by president Ulysses S.
Grant. Today,
there are national parks all over the world and the 63 in the U.S. attract
more than 300 million visitors in a typical year. If you love nature,
you've got your pick in our national parks as there's something for everyone.
But in partnership with USAToday's "10 Best," here are three
quintessential parks you won't want to miss.
If you're looking for a park that combines all the elements of a quintessential
national park, you need look no further than Acadia National Park in Maine.
Primarily located on Mount Desert Island,
the second-largest island off the eastern seaboard,
Acadia is regarded as the crown jewel of the north Atlantic coast.
The park attracts some 3.5 million visitors a year,
which makes it among the 10 most popular parks in the U.S. But if you're worried
about crowds, don't be.
There's plenty of room to spread out as the park spans 49,000 acres
and includes 27 miles of historic motor roads,
158 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of stone roads restricted to
pedestrians and cyclists. For the classic national park experience.
Acadia's hiking trails are hard to beat, but a word to the wise,
some of them can be challenging.
The rugged granite terrain has resulted in several narrow and nerve wracking
trails along sheer rock faces that require ladders and metal rungs to
negotiate. So you are somewhat living on the edge. However,
for the less adventurous,
there are also gentle scenic routes that offer breathtaking views of the park.
The Everglades National Park in Florida is the largest subtropical wilderness in
the United States. It's also a world heritage site,
international biosphere reserve and wetland of international importance.
The park is a nature lover's paradise with some 780 species of
mammals, reptiles, fish, and birds,
making their home among the waterways and lush vegetation of this one and a half
million acre site. A trip to the Everglades is a true walk on the wildside.
Those with an adventurous nature can channel their inner Indiana Jones into
various daring activities.
Here we go.
You can canoe or kayak along hundreds of miles of water trails like through
Rocky Pinelands or join a ranger lead hike,
which includes waiting waste deep in the Florida swamp. Of course,
if you want your visit to be less demanding,
the park offers a wealth of opportunities to see nature in action.
There are short walks, such as Anhinga trail,
where you're almost guaranteed a glimpse of turtles, herrings and alligators.
Alternatively glide on a tour boat across Florida Bay,
maybe catch a sight of a crocodile manity or dolphin.
The Everglades is a unique ecosystem and a tourist destination for some 1
million people every year. Located
in the Southwestern corner of Utah near the Nevada and Arizona borders,
Zion National Park is ideal with those looking to escape the hassle and bustle
of neighboring Salt Lake City or Las Vegas.
The park is in canyon country and the massive sandstone cliffs of cream,
pink and white are well worth the price of admission.
The highlight is the 2000 feet deep Zion Canyon,
which is a Mecca for hikers at its narrowest point,
literally called the narrows,
the gorge is around 20 feet wide and flanked by walls,
a thousand feet tall, but it's a comfortable hike.
For the more Intrepid there's the subway, a unique curved hollowed out canyon,
along which hikers climb, wade and swim in sometimes frigid waters.
However, like most national parks,
you don't have to be a thrill seeker to enjoy Zion. It caters to everyone.
The best time to visit is between April and November,
when the park offers a free shuttle service and the weather is comfortable.
A favorite among hikers is Glacier National Park in Montana set in the Rocky
Mountains. Established in 1910,
the million acre site is part of the world's first international peace park,
which celebrates the friendship between the U.S. and Canada.
Deep in the Heartland of Montana sits one of America's majestic treasures.
Glacier
National Park is breathing with life.
Named after massive ice fields that formed in the ice age,
the park once had 80 of them. By 2015,
it was down to only 26 and they are ever changing.
There are more than 700 lakes,
at least 150 mountains on over 1 million acres of land.
Some of the most pristine rivers and lakes in the country and the ruggedness of
Glacier National Park is what makes people want to come here.
On average,
nearly 3 million visitors a year pack into the park to witness its present,
but also learn about the parks very important past.
Gina Kerzman joined Glacier a few years ago,
but it has spent her entire life working to protect the land of her ancestors.
She's a member of the Black Feet Indian Nation,
which historically calls parts of Glacier their home.
This is a very sacred place for the Black Feet people.
The area that's now known as Glacier National Park was used traditionally by
Indian tribes who used it for hunting, fishing, gathering.
As resources became depleted,
the tribes eventually signed treaties that would increasingly confine native
people to reservations. In 1895.
The Black Feet people agreed to sell their lands to the United States
government. And 15 years later,
president William Taft signed a bill establishing Glacier as the
country's 10th national park. Today, the Black Feet Indian Reservation,
which shares Glacier's eastern border is home to more than 17,000 tribal members
that see Glacier
for more than just its sites and sound.
To me, Glacier National Park is medicine.
And what I mean by that is it feeds not only the plants
that are medicine to us internally, but it feeds our soul.
About 350 different species of wildlife call this land home.
This is the wilderness and they do what they like. And this is their territory.
From grazing bighorn sheep at the Goat Lick overlook to wandering bears by the
river. Kerzman says there's always something lurking around every corner.
Here.
If you really want to see Glacier,
you have to get outta your car and hike and that's where you find solitude.
By foot visitors can explore 700 miles worth of trails.
And if you're ready to rest your feet, you'll like what's in store next.
You can take a horseback guided tour, boat tours on a few of our lakes here.
It's just pick your own adventure at your speed.
No rush. But Kerzman says when you arrive,
you'll know exactly why this place leaves the mark on every adventurer.
There is a sense of awe. There's this feeling that you get it,
that you can't quite explain,
that it makes you feel like there has been a part of you missing that you have
finally found when you enter Glacier National Park.
Okay. Planning a weekend road trip. Well, after the break,
we'll check out three parks within easy reach for you and your wheels.
USA today is 10 best can help you find the best places to travel for your next
vacation. Check out our travel guides t tenbest.com.
If your vacation means a long weekend and road trip,
you can make the national parks. Part of your itinerary.
Here are three parks within driving distance of each other in the Southeastern
U.S.
Start off by visiting the great Smokey Mountains National Park,
which straddles the border of Tennessee and North Carolina. Waterfalls,
old growth forests and historic buildings are all things you'll find in this
park. But one thing it's especially known for,
is its large population of black bears. About 1500 of them,
according to the Park Service.
The park is one of the largest protected areas in the Eastern U.S.
Where black bears can live in wild surroundings. After
you've had your fill of wildlife and mountain vistas,
head to Congree National Park, just outside of Columbia, South Carolina. Waters
from two rivers, the Congree and Wateree sweep through this park,
supporting an amazing, bold growth forest.
One of the best ways to see this park is on the water.
Canoeing and kayaking are popular at Congree, but you can also explore on foot.
Keep heading south about four hours and end your long weekend
road trip at Cumberland Island, Georgia. It's a National Seashore.
The only way to get to the island is by ferry from St. Mary's, Georgia.
No cars are allowed and you should call weeks ahead to make sure you reserve a
spot on the ferry, but it'll be worth it.
The island is home to more than 9,000 acres of Congressionally,
designated wilderness. It has maritime forests,
marshes and undeveloped beaches,
as well as the rich history that goes back hundreds of years.
Camping is permitted, but again, you need to book that in advance.
Though, national parks are best known for breathtaking scenery,
the National Park System also contains numerous historic sites.
So if history is your thing, here's a trio of hidden gems.
Mammoth Cave National park in south central Kentucky was established as a
national park in 1941,
but it's human history dates back 12,000 years.
Prehistoric people were drawn to the area's fertile river valleys
where the abundance of animals and plants sustained their hunter gatherer
lifestyle.
Indigenous people are said to have used Mammoth Cave itself for shelter and as a
sacred burial ground. The
land we now know as a national park is the ancestral home of the Cherokee,
Shawnee and Chickasaw people.
And many descendants of these early Native Americans still live close by
inside the park.
Historic cave tours through passages and cabins dating back thousands of
years offer tourists a glimpse of the area's rich native culture and storied
past.
Lassen Volcanic National Park in northeastern California is one of the few
places in the world that plays host to four different types of volcano.
Historically it was also the spring and summer home for four Native American
tribes. Though the area was too high and wintry to live in permanently,
the Atsugewi, Yana, Yahi and Maidu hunted,
fished and foraged in the region during the warm weather.
And Native American culture is still celebrated in the park.
Tribal members have worked with park authorities to identify and document
artifacts in the park's museum.
Demonstrations of Native American traditions are also on offer,
bringing to life thier past and present for a modern audience.
Voyageurs National Park in northeastern Minnesota near the Canadian border is
named after the French word for travelers.
French Canadian fur traders with the first European settlers to make regular
trips to the area some 250 years ago. However,
their arrival came 10,000 years or so after humans first settled in the area
toward the end of the last ice age.
The Chippewa were the main Native American tribe in the region where they
gathered plants and fished in the waters of the glacial lakes.
In addition to its scenic beauty,
a visit to Voyageurs National Park is an education.
It's home to more than 400 archeological sites,
many listed on a national register of historic places.
And staff work closely with native American groups to preserve the parks
cultural integrity, which helps provide tourists with an authentic experience.
And that's our look at America's national parks,
which are among the most treasured areas of natural beauty in the world.
Long may it continue. I'm Allison Moses see you next time.