US National Parks That’ll Blow your Mind
By Mike Selvon
No matter which of the US national parks you choose to visit, you will discover intriguing wildlife and breathtaking scenery.
There are a handful of parks, however, that offer things that you won’t find anywhere else.
From the Grand Canyon in Arizona to the stunning gorges of northern New York, the United states offers some spectacular natural scenery. Enjoy this brief journey through those parks.
Everything about California’s Yosemite National Park is big. The park itself is roughly the size of Rhode Island. The Sequoia trees are absolutely humongous, while the El Capitan is the world’s largest granite monolith, standing 3,593 feet tall.
If you really want to see Yosemite in all of its glory, make your way to Glacier Point. You will see the incredible Half Dome, as well as the grand Yosemite Valley. Everything about the park makes it one of our national treasures, a gem of our US national parks system.
Yellowstone National Park was the very first US national parks and the prototype of many future parks. Home to nearly 300 geysers including the infamous Old Faithful Geyser, Yellowstone sits atop an active volcano bed centered over Yellowstone Lake which has been theorized to erupt only a few times over the past two million years.
Hot springs, steam vents, and waterfalls heated by the lava flows just beneath the surface provide extraordinary scenery for any visitor of the US national park. Life still teems in every corner of this hostile environment.
From the colorful micro-organisms found at Mammoth Hot Springs to the bald eagles soaring overhead, Yellowstone proves that life can propagate anywhere.
Upon first glance, the Grand Canyon National Park seems to be the ripped off of an alien planet and dropped in northern Arizona. The canyon itself is a wonder to behold unmatched by anything else in the national parks system.
Carved out by the winding Colorado River, some parts of the canyon are a mile deep and eighteen miles wide creating multi-colored vistas revealing the Earth’s prehistoric past.
The south rim is where most of the more popular scenery can be found because it is the most easily accessible. The north rim is a much longer drive but has been touted by many explorers to have the best views of the canyon inside this beauty of US national parks.
The canyon is the main event for this park but there are plenty of side shows to explore: ride the rapids down the Colorado River, explore the Hermits Rest history landmark, or hike in the backcountry to discover your own secret part of the Grand Canyon. Whatever you do here, you will leave with new respect of the grandeur of nature.
These US national parks are but a select few from the national parks system that defy the definition of what is a national park and treads into a territory of wonder.
There are many spectacular parks to visit, each with its own beauty and wonder. Exploring nature and parks around the country is a wonderful way to learn of history and respect for the environment.
About the Author
National Parks can be an intriguing and beautiful experience for anyone. Learn more about the US national parks at Mike Selvon portal. While you are there leave is a comment at our National Park blog, and receive your FREE gift.