Through National Parks

Transcription

1 THE OWNER S GUIDE SERIES VOLUME 10 Road Tri in' Through National Parks Prsntd by th National Park Foundation

2 trmndous trs happy hiking can't - miss kayaking astronomy and animals Road Tri in' Through National Parks ABOUT THE AUTHOR Klly Smith Trimbl writs about national parks from hr hom in Knoxvill, Tnnss, th gatway city to Grat Smoky Mountains National Park, Big South Fork National Rivr and Rcration Ara, and Cumbrland Gap National Historical Park, among othrs. Copyright 2017 National Park Foundation 1110 Vrmont Avnu NW, Suit 200 Washington. DC nationalparks.org historical highlights i

3 d Som national parks ar so grand that thy rquir a wk or mor to xprinc. Othrs ask only a fw hours of your tim. Ths 15 itinraris tak you to wll-known national parks, in addition to many historic sits, military parks, monumnts, and rsrvs that you may not rcogniz, painting you a fullr pictur of th typs of placs and points in history honord and prsrvd by th National Park Srvic. Many routs provid for a mix of intrsts and activity lvls, from battlfilds to bik trails to cav tours, all on th sam wknd. Th itinraris assum a 3-day wknd, but for som, tim will b tight; if you want a mor rlaxd schdul, add anothr day (or mor), or rduc th parks covrd. Sasonality is mntiond if thr s clarly a bst sason; othrwis, chck park wbsits for mor information about wathr and to dcid on th bst sason for you to visit. Us th driving dirctions as a gnral guid; b sur to chck th latst maps and travl info. Whn availabl, mak camping rsrvations wll in advanc, and for first-com, first-srvd aras, scur your sit arly in th day. If camping or lodging isn t availabl in th park, look for hotls and inns in narby gatway towns and gt a chanc to xprinc and support th park's surrounding communitis. Evry national park lovr has a buckt list. Aftr rading about all of ths lssr-known parks within a short driv from on anothr, your buckt list will a vacation day or armark an upcoming holiday, and plan a long wknd you won t soon forgt. 4 COVER: JASON MRACHINA/FLICKR; THE CUT/FLICKR; KATIE HAUGLAND BOWEN/FLICKR; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; WALLACE KECK; PATRICK EMERSON/FLICKR undoubtdly gt a bit longr. So go ahad, block off nationalparks.org 5

4 d Eby s Landing National Historical Rsrv Eby s Landing srvs as an xcllnt xampl of public-privat partnrships, with a mix of fdral, stat, county, and privat land making up th rsrv. Explor th arly Europan sttlmnt of th ara through historic farms (many still in opration), structurs, trails, and th town of Coupvill, whr th Island County Historical Socity and Musum givs a good ovrviw. Hik th Bluff Trail, with viws of Pugt Sound, th Olympic Mountains to th wst, and th Cascads, including Mount Bakr, to th ast. Stay th night in on of Coupvill s quaint inns and njoy th sunst ovr bautiful Pnn Cov; camp at Shor u Summit in Washington on of a fw campgrounds in th rsrv; or kp moving north toward Anacorts. North Cascads National Park Travl ast to a compltly diffrnt Washington, whr advntur lovrs will rvl in th alpin landscap rplt with rocky paks, mor than 300 glacirs, and as many laks. Th park offrs plnty of opportunitis for day hiking and San Juan Island National Historical Park backpacking, and cyclists will also njoy If you lik bach walking, you ll b in havn Cascads Highway that run through th hr, whr you can accss 6 mils of park, from th wildrnss offic to th unfttrd saltwatr shorlin. Many mor visitor cntr to th town of Winthrop in trails travrs th island. B sur to bring th ast. Camping opportunitis abound, binoculars for whal watching. Th park's including car camping ithr by rsrvation two units, English Camp and Amrican or on a first-com, first-srvd basis, as wll Camp (both with visitor cntrs), hint at as backpacking by prmit. If you hav mor th ara s mor rcnt history; in 1859, th tim, spnd anothr day and night hr to two countris almost wnt to war ovr gt a tast of what North Cascads offrs, possssion of th island and, bliv it or and mak nots for your nxt trip you ll rason: grat wathr and nsurd accssibility. Just b not, th th of a pig. Whil thr s no want to com back for mor. sur to mak camping or lodging rsrvations in advanc. lodging or camping within th park, th NORTH CASCADES NP WA at Pugt Sound to mor than 10,000 ft in th Cascad Mountains. Summr is th high sason, and with good riding th almost 100 mils of North EBEY 'S LAND ING NH RES From Sattl, driv 2 hours north to th cntr of Whidby Island, whr Eby s Landing introducs you to this coastal ara s wild story. From Eby s Landing, driv 45 minuts north to Anacorts, whr you ll catch an hour-long frry rid to San Juan Island. Aftr th frry back across to Anacorts, travl inland 1.5 hours to North Cascads. surrounding ara offrs options. From hr, it s about a 2-hour Go from sa lvl 6 ANDREW FLENNIKEN/FLICKR; EBEY'S LANDING NATIONAL HISTORICAL RESERVE/FLICKR; TIM DUSTRUDE/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE driv back to Sattl. nationalparks.org 7

5 d Spctacular Storis Wind Cav National Park of South Dakota Nstld in th famous Black Hills, thr s as much to xplor abov ground hr as blow. This plac, hld sacrd by many Nativ Amricans, includs on of th world s longst and most complx cavs, formd tns of millions of yars ago, as wll as almost 34,000 acrs of prim mixd-grass prairi, hom to bison, lk, mul dr, coyots, prairi dogs, and a Pondrosa pin forst. Camping is first-com, first-srvd at th lon Elk Mountain Campground, so claim your spot first. Had to th visitor cntr and join a rangr-guidd cav tour. Thn hik som of th mor than 30 mils of abov-ground Fast-forward now from gologic tim to If you r planning a visit rcnt history, whr vidnc of th Cold to Mount Rushmor, this War still fls warm. Hr, from 1963 to th dtour is not far off track, arly 1990s, 1,000 nuclar missils wr kpt but all sits at this junction on constant alrt bcaus of th thrat of of South Dakota, Nbraska, attack by th Sovit Union and its allis. and Wyoming ar far from This military prsnc with unprcdntd major airports. From Rapid powr stood in stark contrast to th small City, travl south an hour towns and pacful prairi surrounding it. to Wind Cav, thn had Immrs yourslf in this story starting at th ast an hour and a half to visitor cntr, thn at th Dlta-01 Launch Whit Rivr Visitor Cntr Control Facility (advanc rsrvations at Badlands National Park. rquird) and on to th Dlta-09 missil silo, Explor th lngth of Badlands whr you ll s up clos on of 150 such and xit th park at Bn silos onc sprad across wstrn South Rifl Visitor Cntr and th Dakota. Thr s no camping at Minutman, northast ntranc, whr but it s an asy driv back to Cdar Pass in you r just a fw mils away Badlands for th night. from Minutman Missil and Cratd narly 70 million yars ago and carvd into spctacular spirs and butts by rosion that continus today, Badlands is an iconic Amrican landscap: rich rock hus against bright blu sky. Entring from th southast at Whit Rivr Visitor Cntr, you ll driv out of and thn back into th park at Scnic Byway, thn join Sag Crk Road and may b rmot, but it s full of th Badlands Loop Road to hit all of th park s truly iconic Wstrn landscaps and storis, from many ovrlooks. Giv yourslf plnty of tim th ancint past to mor rcnt history, th Cold to xplor and larn from intrprtation about War. Visit from spring to fall for th bst wathr, th gologic story of th ara. Nar th nd of th loop, you can spnd th night at Cdar but b prpard for th occasional aftrnoon Intrstat 90, which hads Pass Campground and join rangr-ld night WIND CAVE NP back to Rapid City in th wst thundrshowr in th hat of summr. 8 lk and b transportd to an iconic vista of Badlands National Park This cornr of th stat Fstival, hld ach summr. Minutman Missil National Historic Sit SD trip around th Annual Badlands Astronomy trails, whr you r likly to spot bison and th Wstrn prairi. BADLANDS NP sky programs. Tru sky gazrs can plan thir and Sioux Falls in th ast. ERIK FREMSTAD; ISTOCK nationalparks.org 9

6 d Cav u Coast Lava Bds National Monumnt in California and Orgon Whthr you r nw to caving or mor xprincd, stop by th visitor cntr to gt a map of th park s hundrds of lava tub cavs, formd ovr thousands of yars of Mdicin Lak Shild Volcano ruptions, or join a guidd cav tour (summr only). Abov ground, svral short trails lad to historical and gologic faturs; for a panoramic viw, hit short-but-stp Schonchin Butt Trail to th fir lookout. Find a firstcom, first-srvd sit at Indian Wll Campground to stay th night. Orgon Cavs National Monumnt & Prsrv Cav tours hr ar guidd only and REDWOOD NP rsrvations ar rcommndd, but wll worth planning ahad for. B sur to also xplor th hiking trails through old growth forst in th Siskiyou Mountains. Whil th park and surrounding aras offr Th rmot cornr of th Cascads OR camping options, a stay in th historic Orgon Cavs Chatau, a clbratd whr California mts Orgon may b hard to rach, but onc you r thr, you won t want to lav. Com in summr, whn roads ar clar and CA national park lodg built in 1934, givs NV you a stp-back-in-tim xprinc; mak rsrvations wll bfor your trip. you can skip th crowds at othr, asir-accssd California parks. If you hav th tim, considr making Rdwood National and Stat Parks This 50-mil-long park along th coast strtchs on Highway 101 from th Orgon bordr and Crscnt City in th north to Rdwood Crk and Orick Th closst towns to Lava in th south, with svral information Bds ar Klamath Falls or cntrs for visitors along th way. Mrrill, Orgon, and Tullak Known for prsrving th world s or Alturas, California; tallst trs, th park is also hom whichvr dirction you to amazing land and marin spcis com from, b sur to fill up from gray whals to banana slugs to with gas, as srvics nar th Sitka spruc, so allow nough tim park ar minimal. From Lava to stop, xplor, and larn about all Bds, driv through Klamath that Rdwood offrs and protcts. Falls and Mdford, Orgon, a full loop to also xplor Cratr Lak National Park, Lassn pa 4 hours away, thn south 1.5 hours to th Rdwood Volcanic National Park, Whiskytown National Rcration Ara, Visitor Cntr. Explor and th Tul Lak unit of WWII Valor in th Pacific National Rdwood along Highway LAVA BEDS NM Monumnt, among many othr national and stat forsts. 10 to Orgon Cavs, about ISTOCK; LAVA BEDS NM; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE 101 from north to south. nationalparks.org 11

7 Travling Through Tim in Idaho d Hagrman Fossil Bds National Monumnt and Minidoka Historic Sit At Hagrman s visitor cntr, viw pr-ic Ag fossils, including th ancint horss that spurrd Congrss to prsrv th bds in th 1980s spcifically for palontological rsarch and ducation. Thr ar no outsid placs opn to fossil viwing, so catch som viws of th bautiful Snak Rivr, thn had to Minidoka. This mmorial stands as a rmindr to nvr rpat on of th darkst priods of Amrican history. Aftr Parl Harbor, Prsidnt Franklin Roosvlt signd ordrs that forcd 120,000 Japans Amricans to rlocat to facilitis throughout th Wst, including 9,000 to Cratrs of th Moon National Monumnt & Prsrv Discovr th ffcts of gologically rcnt (within th past 15,000 yars) volcanic activity Southrn Idaho rout, strtching from Bois on this high dsrt cosystm that looks so much lik th moon that, in 1969, NASA astronauts traind at th monumnt for thir moon landing. Explor th park via th 7-mil ID scnic loop driv and thn hik on of svral to th Utah bordr, xpands horizons. Visit trails into and around th ara s many cratrs, from spring to fall, and b sur to plan for In th lat 1800s, th rmarkabl granit 80 yars ago, th history uncovrd in this first-srvd) nar th visitor cntr. City of Rocks National Rsrv Falls for rflction and to stay th night. From th pr-ic Ag to just Camp at Lava Flow Campground (first-com, imagin th thousands of popl intrnd th narby towns of Edn, Jrom or Twin CRATERS OF THE MOON NM & PRES also ntr Buffalo Cavs along this rout. this sit. As you travrs th 1.6-mil trail, hr, thir livs and thir storis. Stop by CITY OF ROCK S N RES just 2,000 yars old; with a prmit, you can formations of City of Rocks wr a landmark for thos travling wstward to California. Today, it s on th must-do list Find Hagrman 1.5 hours for rock climbrs, but th park also offrs southast of Bois. From opportunitis for hiking, backpacking, and Hagrman, driv about an touring. Starting in Albion, driv th 49-mil hour ast to Minidoka, thn City of Rocks Back Country Byway to gt had north 2+ hours to th full xprinc. Allow plnty of tim, as Cratrs of th Moon. You ll you ll find many spots to snap th prfct backtrack a bit south and pic or tak a short hik. This is th only thn had southast an hour park on th itinrary with a campground, and a half of Minidoka to City and it s a bautiful on. Rsrvations of Rocks, just a fw mils ar rcommndd in th summr; if th from th Utah bordr. campground is full, chck availability at th stat park narby. cons, and flows. On Brokn Top Loop Trail, tmpratur swings. hik on cindrs to gt a full pictur of volcanic faturs hr and accss to th frshst lava, 12 SHUTTERSTOCK; WALLACE KECK/ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; HAGERMAN FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT nationalparks.org 13

8 d PICTURED ROCKS NL Apostl Islands National Lakshor At th northastrn tip of Bayfild Pninsula in northrnmost Wisconsin, this park ncompasss 21 islands plus a mainland portion. Start at th visitor cntr in Bayfild, whr you can gt tickts and dtails for a shuttl to th islands. Dpnding on your intrsts and activity lvl, you can hop on a Th closst city to Apostl lighthous tour, go day sailing on a Islands is Duluth, Minnsota, captaind boat, or join a guidd kayak lss than 2 hours away. trip to th famous sa cavs along th Whthr travling ast from rocky shor. Camping is availabl with Duluth or from citis to a rsrvation on th islands, or you th south, start at Bayfild, can find lodging in Bayfild, a lovly Wisconsin, gatway to coastal town with art gallris, shops, th park. Driv northast and rstaurants worth xploring. Kwnaw National Historical Park Suprior Scnry On this pninsula in Michigan, humans Suprior to Kwnaw. Picturd Rocks is anothr 3 hours ast along th coast in Picturd Rocks National Lakshor Michigan s Uppr Pninsula. hav mind coppr for mor than 7,000 In this 42-mil shorlin park, immrs yars, from arly nativ popls to th yourslf in th natural bauty of Lak Ojibwa, who informd Europans of th Suprior. Th park s 15 mils of sandston rsourc whn thy arrivd. Two park units, cliffs ar a major draw and th sourc of 12 mils apart, in th villags of Quincy its nam. S thm by hopping aboard a and Calumt, tll th story of Michigan s 3-hour narratd boat tour from Munising. Coppr Country. From Calumt Visitor Whn you gt back on land, walk th Cntr, join a rangr-guidd walking tour pavd trail to 50-foot Munising Falls, of th formr mins and th historic on of svral falls in th park. Laksid downtown; a guidd tour of surfac ruins camping is availabl first-com, first-srvd lavs from Quincy Visitor Cntr. Tak a at Twlvmil Bach Campground, and driv up US-41 to xprinc additional lodging is availabl in th gatway towns of th shorlins across Wisconsin and Michigan. historic sits and scnry. Th Kwnaw Munising and Grand Marais. Th parks ar opn yar-round, but summr provids Pninsula offrs many hotl, campground, in th Northrn Grat Laks MN largst and most unfttrd of th Grat Laks, in this itinrary that hugs WI MI th most comfortabl wathr. If you hav mor tim, add Isl Royal National Park to your plans. KEWE ENAW NHP From hr, it s 5 hours back to Duluth and 3+ hours to othr citis in Wisconsin, Minnsota, and Michigan. Not: To add Isl Royal to your itinrary, dtour from Kwnaw. From Calumt, it s a 40-minut driv to Coppr Harbor, whr you can tak a 3-hour frry to Isl Royal National Park, a rmot, carfr island wildrnss with plnty of campsits (frry and camping rsrvations and dining options. rcommndd). Rturn to th Exprinc Lak Suprior, th 14 about 3.5 hours along Lak ISTOCK; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; MICHAEL DEWITT mainland via th frry. nationalparks.org 15

9 d Circl t Big Island Hawai'i Volcanos National Park of Hawai'i Start at Kīlaua Visitor Cntr, thn tak Cratr Rim Driv to popular sits and ovrlooks that giv you spctacular viws and insight into th island s gologic faturs. B sur to gt out of th car and tak th short walks to Thurston Lava Tub, Dvastation Trail and Kanakāko'i Cratr. For a mor advnturous driv, dtour on Chain of Cratrs Road to th coastal rgion of th park, whr lava flows build nw acrs of island annually and somtims block th road; chck at th visitor cntr bforhand to b sur th driv is passabl. Book a night at historic Volcano Hous lodg, or gt rsrvations at on of two campgrounds at th park, Kulanaokuaiki or Nāmakanipaio (which also offrs rustic cabins), availabl through th lodg. HAWAI'I VOLCANOES NP to fully undrstand that th land truly is aliv. undrstanding of this plac, its popl and thir traditions prior to Europans arrival. Continu on to coastal Kaloko-Honokōhau, whr svral prsrvd fishponds show th popl, thir history and cultur, and visit som of industry of th Hawai'ian popl. Tak th th stat s most pristin bachs. If you hav xtra island s most popular rsorts, prsrvs intrprtation, and provids accss to bautiful bachs. Hik a short portion of th Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail to Mau'uama Bach or a fw mils furthr to Hapuna Bach. Bring your binoculars to look for whals, sharks, dolphins, and birds. St up camp and a picnic at countymanagd Spncr Bach Park, adjacnt to th national park. Hawai'i Volcanos is just a 30-minut driv from Hilo, which has an intrisland airport. From Hawai'i Volcanos, driv wstward 1.5 hours around th island dg to Pu'uhonua. From thr, Kaloko-Honokōhau is lss than an hour north. About 30 minuts furthr is Pu'ukoholā Hiau, nar th northrn tip of th island. It s just 1.5 hours back to Hilo. Ala Hl Ik Trail from th visitor cntr to tim, spnd additional days at Hawai'i Volcanos Honokōhau Bach to njoy th ocan and National Park. look for sa turtls and th lusiv Hawai'ian PU'U HONUA O HŌNAUNAU NHS 16 Pu'ukoholā Hiau National Historic Sit Hawai'ian cultur through ducation and th 1871 trail to Ki'ila Villag for a bttr At th othr historic sits, gt to know th Hawai'ian Pu'uhonua, maning plac of rfug, is Pu'uhonua and th Royal Grounds to tak HI closst to Kaloko is at Kohanaiki Bach Park. Big Island. At Hawai'i Volcanos, you ll com svral bachfront campgrounds; th This northrn island park, nar many of th guid at th visitor cntr, thn walk to th on th island of Hawai'i, also known as th ithr park, but Hawai'i County oprats Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau and KalokoHonokōhau National Historic Sits considrd a sacrd sit. Pick up a trail Visit 4 national parks monk sal. Camping isn t availabl in ISTOCK; PU'UKOHOLĀ HEIAU NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE nationalparks.org 17

10 d CUYAHOGA VALLEY NP Prry s Victory & Intrnational Pac Mmorial South Bass Island has bn a natural stop-off for boatrs for cnturis. From th docks at Put-in-Bay, tak a frry to th island. Climb to th mmorial s obsrvation dck, th tallst opn-air xampl in th National Park Srvic, to considr th victorious Battl of Lak Eri during th War of 1812 and also th nduring pac btwn th U.S., Canada, and Britain that continus today. Stay th night in Putin-Bay and xplor mor of th historic laksid community. Journy Through Ohio History From th U.S.'s struggl for claim during th War of 1812 to th industrious OH canals on which futur prsidnt Jams Garfild workd as a tnagr, Ohio playd a Jams A. Garfild National Historic Sit Cuyahoga Vally National Park Th 20th prsidnt of th Unitd Stats, If you r lucky nough to stay in th inn, Jams Garfild is known for hosting th you ll wak up nxt to on of th park s first "front porch" prsidntial campaign gratst natural faturs, Brandywin Falls; in which h litrally dlivrd spchs ithr way, had to th 65-foot watrfall and grtd th community from th front arly to (hopfully) njoy it minus th stps of his hom. Raisd humbly on an crowds. Hop on a bik (rntals availabl) Ohio farm, h famously srvd as a canal to cycl th 20 mils of th Towpath Trail, workr bfor going to school, srving in following th historic Ohio & Eri Canal th Union Army, and rising in th ranks of rout within th park. Th trail is fully stat and fdral govrnmnt. From th accssibl with rstrooms and picnic spots; visitor cntr, tak a guidd tour of th thr ar also train stops along th way, so hom and a walk around th proprty. Thn if on-way is nough for you, plan to rid th had to Cuyahoga for a night at on of th scnic train back. at Brandywin Falls), or stay at a narby and ths parks rcount thos storis. Whil hotl or campground. Victory is 2.5 hours southast along Lak Eri, passing through Toldo, on South Bass Island in Put-in-Bay. From Clvland, it s 2 hours wst, but you ll doubl back to gt to Garfild Hous in Mntor, just wst of two inns in th park (Stanford Hous or Inn crucial rol in Amrica s xpansion in th 1800s, Coming from Dtroit, Prry s Clvland. Cuyahoga Vally National Park is just 20 minuts south of Clvland. summr is a fin tim to visit, Cuyahoga Vally National Park is bst known for its spctacular 18 JAME S A. GARF IELD NHS colors in fall. ISTOCK; TIM EVANSON/FLICKR; SHUTTERSTOCK nationalparks.org 19

11 d Prsrving History s Ecology in Florida Canavral National Sashor Most Amricans rcogniz th nam Canavral as th hom to Knndy Spac Cntr and rockt launchs, but th ara on th Atlantic Ocan is also hom to sa turtls, bald agls, and manats. Explor som of th 24 mils of undvlopd bachs, thn gt on th watr. You can rnt a kayak outsid th park or a cano at Apollo Bach to paddl in lagoons and along th shor; you ll find a kayak/cano launch camping is availabl at Apollo Bach by Timucuan Ecological & Historic Prsrv rsrvation, or rturn to th mainland whr Just outsid of Jacksonvill, discovr on you ll find plnty of lodging options. of th last virgin wtlands of th Atlantic bhind Apollo Visitor Cntr. Primitiv Fort Matanzas and Castillo d San Marcos National Monumnts This coast holds vn mor significanc TIMU CUAN ECOLOGIC AL & HISTO RIC PRES ERVE CASTILLO DE SAN MARCOS NM historically than as a vacation dstination, and ths two monumnts nar St. Augustin, th oldst continuous Europan-sttld city in th country, prov it. Tour th fort, built in 1740, almost 200 Escap th crowds and plan a road trip along th Atlantic coast of Florida yars aftr St. Augustin s founding, to hlp dfnd Spanish-hld Florida from British FL thrat, thn walk th half-mil boardwalk btwn Orlando and Jacksonvill. Explor trail through maritim forst. Just 15 mils unspoild bachs and uncovr storis from arly north is th city and Castillo San Marcos, th fortrss built in 1672 to dfnd it. Tak Nativ Amricans, Europan sttlrs, and African coast, as wll as countlss storis of popl, from Nativ Amricans to Frnch xplorrs to African slavs, living and surviving whr land mts watr. Th prsrv ncompasss svral fdral, stat, and city sits, including Fort Carolin, which Accss th sashor, honors th brif 16th cntury priod of btwn Mlbourn and Frnch xploration in Florida. You can also Daytona Bach, from visit Kingsly Plantation to gain a bttr Apollo Bach in th north undrstanding of th livs of slavs in this or Playalinda Bach in ara, and Amrican Bach in th Amlia th south nar Titusvill, Island portion of th prsrv, whr during just outsid Orlando. sgrgation, African Amricans stablishd Fort Matanzas is an hour thir own bach rsort. Camping is availabl north on A1A nar historic within th prsrv at Littl Talbot Island St. Augustin. Anothr Stat Park and Hugunot Mmorial Park. hour north, just outsid of Jacksonvill, you ll find a slf-guidd tour and paus to watch Amricans that hlp us bttr undrstand our Timucuan and Fort Carolin. dmonstrations by r-nactors in priod complx history. drss. Stay th night in th historic Old City and xplor cnturis-old brick strts. 20 ISTOCK; RICK RASMUSSEN/ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE nationalparks.org 21

12 d RUSSELL CAVE NM claimd victory in Chickamauga, but All Amricans know th nam of Martin signaling th Dath Knll of th sn his hom and church in th hart of Atlanta. Start in th visitor cntr to xprinc prmannt and changing xhibits and to sign up for a rangr-ld tour of his birth hom. In undr 2 hours, you can visit th Intrnational World Pac Ros Gardn, Ebnzr Baptist Church, th King Cntr and his birth hom. Thn, for a brak from in Gorgia, Tnnss and Alabama th city, had to Cochran Shoals Park, an accss point to th Chattahooch Rivr ara just north of th I-285 primtr, whr you can xplor pavd trails, captur viws of th rivr and, if th watr is up, s tubrs Shooting th Hooch. Had wst for th last stop in mtro Atlanta, Knnsaw Battlfild, a roughly 3,000-acr park prsrving th sit of a Civil War battlground. Driv or tak TN This packd itinrary taks you to six parks, thr stats, and AL GA through th history of th South, Movmnt, with stops for rflction on th natural bauty of a multifactd rgion. in Novmbr, turning th tid in th Union's favor and opning up accss to th Dp South, Confdracy. Th park includs th battlfild at Chickamauga as wll as at Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, togthr ncompassing 10,000 prsrvd acrs with 80 mils of hiking trails. On popular trail is Signal Point in th Chattanooga portion, with viws of th Tnnss Rivr and Cumbrland Platau. Grab dinnr, a local brw and a good night s rst in downtown Chattanooga. Littl Rivr Canyon National Rcration Ara and Russll Cav National Monumnt At th Russll Cav ntranc, artifacts hav Start from downtown Atlanta, driv to Chatham Hill (th main battlfild) bn found dating to som of th arlist hom to th King sit, and and Kolb Farm. Aftr a full day xploring human inhabitants of North Amrica. Join a had 30 minuts north to th sits in and around Atlanta, you ll find plnty rangr-ld tour of th cav shltr ara; b Chattahooch ara. Thn of placs to at and rst th night in this sur to chck th park schdul for days and travl 30 minuts ast to populatd suburban ara. tims. At narby Littl Rivr Canyon, tak th Knnsaw, both still within 11-mil scnic driv along th rim, stopping mtro Atlanta. Travl up I-75 at Littl Rivr Falls and svral ovrlooks, and for 1.5 hours to Chickamauga hik Ebrhart Point Trail to th bottom of th on th Gorgia-Tnnss canyon. Whil thr s no camping in th park, bordr, thn Chattanooga. Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park Civil War to th Civil Rights continud fighting at Chattanooga a shuttl to th top of th mountain, thn from ancint popls to th Sptmbr 1863, Confdrats Martin Luthr King, Jr. National Historic Sit, Chattahooch Rivr National Rcration Ara and Knnsaw Mountain National Battlfild Luthr King Jr., but rlativly fw of us hav Civil Rights & Civil War Tnnss-Gorgia bordr. In you can find campsits at narby stat parks Russll Cav is an hour ast, Had north to continu your xploration and lodging and rstaurants around th just ovr th Tnnss lin in of this rgion s Civil War story along th quaint, historic town of Mnton. Alabama. Finally, had south an hour to Littl Rivr Canyon. 22 CHIC KAMAUGA NMP NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; ISTOCK; WALLY GOBETZ/FLICKR nationalparks.org 23

13 t Civil War on Union Soil in Maryland and Pnnsylvania d Monocacy National Battlfild In summr 1864, Confdrat troops, ordrd by Gnral L, attmptd to scur th Shnandoah Vally and tak Washington, D.C. Whil Confdrats won th battl of Monocacy, th fighting dlayd th advanc toward Washington nough to ultimatly scur th capital. Monocacy includs mor than 1,600 acrs and svral Civil War-ra farms. Driv th 6-mil slf-guidd auto tour rout and stop at structurs xhibiting architctural influncs ranging from Gorgia to th Caribban. Stay th night in Frdrick, a mcca for history buffs with svral musums, including th National Musum of Civil War Mdicin. fought on Union soil, in Start at th visitor cntr and join a rangr-ld talk or walk through th battlfild to pick up in 1863, but also to conduct in-dpth rsarch at th rsourc library about thos who fought hr, and lswhr. visit th David Wills Hous, whr Lincoln put th finishing touchs on his famous addrss. Round off th day by stopping for a quit momnt at Soldir s National Cmtry, whr th addrss was givn and whr th powr of Lincoln s words can still b flt today. MD From ithr downtown Washington, D.C. or Baltimor, driv an hour northast to Frdrick, Maryland, hom of Monocacy Battlfild. Antitam is just a half hour ast of Monocacy. Gttysburg is 1.5 hours furthr northast information about various monumnts in Pnnsylvania. along th battlfild driv. B sur to stop by th Pry Hous Fild Hospital, which undrstand this transformativ tim in srvd as Union hadquartrs during th Amrican history. Ths battlfilds north of battl and was visitd by Abraham Lincoln Washington, D.C. xhibit th war s tru turning two wks aftr. Had north towards points in favor of th Union. Gttysburg for th night. MON OCAC Y NB 24 that witnssd thr brutal days of battl anyon wanting to bttr th opportunity to visit hallowd ground history programs; driv th battlfild; and It was also th first battl of th Civil War for Civil War hobbyists and Civil War landmarks, provids not only Many Amricans rcogniz th nam Amrican history with 26,000 soldirs killd. Hr s an itinrary This sit, prhaps th most famous of Join on of many rangr-ld or living was th bloodist singl day of battl in PA Gttysburg National Military Park Antitam National Battlfild Antitam, but may not raliz that it GETTYSBURG NMP SHUTTERSTOCK; ISTOCK; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE nationalparks.org 25

14 d Wildrnss s History Fir Island National Sashor nar Nw York City A backcountry xprinc just mils from Nw York City? It s possibl hr in th Otis Pik Fir Island High Dun Wildrnss, th only fdrally dsignatd wildrnss in Nw York stat and, at 1,380 acrs, th smallst wildrnss ara managd by th National Park Srvic. Scur your backcountry camping prmit bfor you arriv. Stop at th Wildrnss Visitor Cntr first, thn hik th trails along Burma Road and look for a spot to st up camp. This is just on of many ways to xplor Fir Island, so if communitis on th island, whr you can Patrson Grat Falls National Historical Park and Wir Farm National Historic Sit find a hotl to stay th night. Th city of Patrson, Nw Jrsy, was th backcountry s not your thing, plan to visit th lighthous, bachs or th many Sagamor Hill National Historic Sit PATERSON GREAT FALLS NHP Spnd your morning xploring mor of Fir Island, thn had back to civilization, whr you can visit th hom of Thodor Roosvlt. Gt tickts in advanc to tour th hous, but also b sur to walk th paths through th marsh, woodland, and to larn som history of th bach cosystms that drw Tddy to this plac. Th narby villag of Oystr Bay NY offrs mor Tddy landmarks, including his CT rgion and xprinc th gravsit and an Audubon bird sanctuary baring his nam, among many othr landscap pr-pavmnt. Whil th parks ar opn yar-round, spring to fall is th optimal tim musums and historical sits. You can also NJ find rstaurants and hotls in Oystr Bay. to visit if you plan on backcountry camping at Fir Alxandr Hamilton, as th nation s first plannd industrial city. Cntral to th story is th Grat Falls of th Passaic Rivr, whos powr was harnssd by civil nginrs to support th growing mill industry as wll as a locomotiv and Colt rvolvr factory. Download th fr Mill Mil app to tak a slf-guidd tour of th park. Thn had to 60-acr Wir Farm, whr th focus shifts to Amrican arts. It was hom to a family of artists, including J. Aldn Wir, whos visits to Paris in th 1870s ld to his artistic volution that soon mad him th ladr of th Amrican Imprssionists. Tak a slf-guidd tour using th Painting Sits Guid to s ral placs dpictd in Wir paintings. Don't forgt to tak th park up Driv to Fir Island's Wildrnss Visitor Cntr on th ast nd of th island via William Floyd Parkway from Long Island. Not that you can accss ithr nd of th island by car, but thr ar no roads btwn. It s an hour driv to Sagamor Hill, back on Long Island, and anothr hour to Grat Falls in Nw Jrsy, northast of Manhattan. Wir Farm is anothr hour (or mor, dpnding on rout) ast in Conncticut. on its offr of art supplis to spnd som Island, and structurs at Wir Farm ar only opn May to tim crating your own imprssions. Octobr; arly fall is bst for tackling th whol itinrary. FIRE ISLAN D NS 26 foundd by thn Scrtary of Trasury, Stp outsid th city ISTOCK; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE nationalparks.org 27

15 d A World Away San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in Dp South Txas This park ncompasss four aras nar downtown San Antonio, ach a fw mils apart: Mission Concpción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. Th missions wr stablishd by Spanish colonists btwn th 17th and 19th cntury to sprad Catholicism Visit all four UNESCO World Hritag sits on bik via th Mission Hik and Bik Trail, which conncts to th city s famd Rivr Walk via Mission Portals, for a 16-mil round-trip journy asy nough for th kids and with plnty of opportunitis to stop for watr and lunch. Stay th night in San Antonio or hop in th car and had south to Padr Island. Padr Island National Sashor SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS NHP This island just off th coast of Corpus Christi is a natural paradis in th Gulf of Immrs yourslf in a bautiful, divrs part of Mxico. Whil th gulf sid is bautiful, th Laguna Madr sid btwn mainland TX and island offrs a hyprsalin (maning th country that s bn claimd saltir than th ocan) cosystm uniqu and disputd for cnturis, and still to only six known lagoons in th world. Laguna is popular for windsurfing, fishing, rmains undr scrutiny today. This itinrary birding, and boating, and th shallow starts in San Antonio, a vibrant town with a rich watrs ar grat for bginnrs. Worldwid history, thn hads to th bach and th Mxican Windsurfing, a privat company on th bordr in th Rio Grand Vally. Wintr is a good island, rnts stand up paddl boards, tim to travl this path and scap th cold tmps kayaks, and windsurfing boards, and offrs lssons for thos nw to th sport. furthr north. PADR E ISLAN D NS 28 Campsits ar abundant, but first-com, first-srvd, so chck availability at th visitor cntr arly to scur your spot. Palo Alto Battlfild National Historical Park On this sit in th Rio Grand Vally in May 1846, a skirmish btwn U.S. and Mxican troops launchd th 2-yar U.S.-Mxican War that ld to th bordrs w know today. From downtown San Antonio Th conflict had bn brwing ovr U.S. and th Missions, driv plans of Wstward Expansion, as Prsidnt I-37 southast 2.5 hours to Jams K. Polk claimd, to th Pacific. Padr Island. Palo Alto is Tour th visitor cntr to gt a grasp of anothr 2.5 hours south nar th complx rlationship btwn ths Harlingn, Brownsvill, and nighbors and undrstand th volving th Mxico bordr. From map in th 1800s; at th tim of Palo Alto, hr, it s 4+ hours back to Mxico still claimd th Txas Trritory San Antonio. (though Txas had claimd indpndnc a fw yars bfor) and aras of what w know today as Nw Mxico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Nvada, and California. Walk th half-mil trail to th battlfild ovrlook and th additional short walk to th U.S. and Mxican battl lins of yars past. and to stak claim in th Southwst. ISTOCK; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE nationalparks.org 29

16 d NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY Natchz Trac Parkway Start at th parkway s northrn trminus south of Nashvill off Hwy 100, or xit 192 on I-40. Tak your tim and stop at th many landmarks in this Tnnss sction, including th Tobacco Farm, Jackson Falls, and Fall Hollow Trail. At Mriwthr Lwis Monumnt, tour th xhibits and visit th gravsit of this famous xplorr south. Stop at Frdom Hills Ovrlook whos lif ndd arly on th Trac. Thr and Bar Crk Mound Cav Spring, ar rstrooms, a picnic ara, and first- bfor camping at Tishomingo Stat Park. com, first-srvd campsits hr, so plan to stay th night; if sits ar full, David R-Trac History Crocktt Stat Park is narby off Hwy 64 to th ast. from Tnnss to Mississippi Shiloh National Military Park Brics Cross Roads and Tuplo National Battlfilds Kp driving south toward Tuplo, dtouring for Brics Cross Roads just bfor milpost 280. Tak a slf-guidd Continu south on th Trac, thn tour of this on-acr sit to undrstand dtour to Shiloh. Not only dos th park its significanc to th Union army s march showcas a significant Civil War battlfild, south. Thn had to Tuplo, which, in it also prsrvs th Shiloh Indian addition to its Civil War significanc, is Mounds, whr mor than 800 yars ago, wll-known as th birthplac of Elvis. Th a Nativ Amrican town ovrlookd th on-acr war mmorial sit is locatd Tnnss Rivr. Th rsidnts, prhaps along Main Strt in downtown, a formr ancstors of th Choctaw, Chickasaw, battlfild that now xists as a small, or Crk Indians, wr farmrs, and modrn city. Stay th night in Tuplo, tradsmn, and soldirs from archaologists hav uncovrd vidnc or had back to th Trac and camp at Nashvill to Tuplo, and gt away from of thir homs and livs hr. In addition Tombigb Stat Park. TN Amricans, xplorrs, AL MS th hustl and bustl of highways for a slow driv. War Intrprtiv Cntr, also part of th natural and cultural stops along th way. park, thn driv back to th Trac, hading BRIC ES CROS S ROAD S NBS through Tnnss, Alabama, and Mississippi from just south of Nashvill to Natchz National Historical Park in Natchz, Mississippi. Th spd limit is 50 mph most of th way, and many accss/ xit points allow dtours to historically significant spots in th rgion. Exit at Hwy 64 nar Lawrncburg, Tnnss to visit Shiloh, and rturn to th Trac via th accss from Hwy 72 nar Chrok, Alabama. to Tuplo on Hwy 78, which south to Corinth, Mississippi, and th Civil Civil War battlfilds, it also offrs tons of worthy Parkway strtchs 444 mils Hwy 370, thn loop around about ths arlir inhabitants. Had Not only dos th Natchz Trac tak you to svral Th Natchz Trac Gt to Brics Cross Roads via to touring th battlfild, b sur to larn intrscts with th Trac. Rturn to Nashvill via th Trac, or pick up th spd on Follow a historic rout takn by Nativ 30 NATIONAL PARK SERVICE; MARK A. WILSON/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; DL DUNCAN /FLICKR a fastr Intrstat rout. nationalparks.org 31

17 d Jan Lafitt National Historical Park & Prsrv and Nw Orlans Jazz National Historical Park Th Lafitt collction of sits includs Barataria Prsrv in Marrro, Chalmtt Battlfild and National Cmtry in Chalmtt, Frnch Quartr Visitor Cntr in Nw Orlans, Acadian Cultural Cntr in Lafaytt, Prairi Acadian Cultural Cntr in Eunic, and Wtlands Acadian Cultural Cntr in Thibodaux. Start out in th city at Frnch Quartr Visitor Cntr to larn how Frnch nginrs drw plans for th original Easy Living boardwalks via slf-guidd or to th Jazz Park Visitor Cntr (stopping cllphon tour. Th Acadian sits wst of for bignts at famous Café Du Mond) to Nw Orlans ar too much to add to this discovr th story of Nw Orlans jazz and trip, but if you d rathr larn about Acadians har liv music. You can also tak a slf- than alligators, or if you hav mor tim, guidd tour of sits throughout th city that ask a rangr at th main visitor cntr for ar significant to jazz history. Plan for a full information on visiting thos sits. night of dinnr and music in Nw Orlans. in Louisiana and Mississippi JEAN LAFITTE NHP & PRES From th Frnch Quartr Gulf Islands National Sashor Jan Lafitt National Historical Park & Prsrv This park includs a collction of bachs Whil it s asy to xplor Th Big Easy for Gulf of Mxico. From Nw Orlans, had days, Lafitt prsrvs natural and cultural to th Mississippi coast and catch a frry jwls byond th city. Had to Chalmtt from Gulfport to Wst Ship Island (May to parads and cocktails. It s a culturally and Battlfild by car, or tak th Crol Qun Octobr), on of many pristin barrir islands. historically rich city surroundd by rmarkabl paddlwhlr (info at th main park visitor Tour Fort Massachustts, swim, and njoy a cntr in th Quartr). Larn about th picnic. Frry back to mainland and had to War of 1812 and Battl of Nw Orlans. Davis Bayou Ara nar Ocan Springs. You GULF ISLAN DS NS Nw Orlans is about mor than natur whr watr bcoms land. Explor a MS LA fw of th parks in this ara, and you ll start in both Mississippi and Florida along th Thn scap to th natural sid of south planning a rturn visit. Not: It can b swltringly can walk a 2-mil trail that winds through th Louisiana at Barataria Prsrv, south of th forst and bayous, thn camp for th night hot hr in th summr, but frris only run to Ship city. Explor th 23,000 acrs of prsrvd (rsrvations highly rcommndd). sits, Chalmtt Battlfild is about 6 mils ast along th Mississippi Rivr. Barataria Prsrv is a 30-minut driv south from downtown. From Nw Orlans, tak I-10 an hour northast to Mississippi and that stat s sction of th Gulf Islands nar Gulfport and Ocan Springs. wild wtlands on a ntwork of trails and nd of that tim span. Island from May to Octobr try th arlir or latr 32 city in th arly 1700s. Thn mak your way ISTOCK; BIGSTOCK; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE nationalparks.org 33

18 d TALLGRASS PRAIRIE N PRES Fort Scott National Historic Sit Establishd in 1842 as a frontir military post, Fort Scott rminds us today that Amrica was a young and growing country in th mid-1800s. Soldirs at th fort wr calld on to ngotiat with Nativ Amrican tribs and btwn thos tribs and whit sttlrs bnt on moving wstward. During th Civil War, th fort srvd as a supply unit for th Union. Tour th visitor cntr, 11 historic structurs, and thr musums, including th infantry and dragoon barracks. Th park also manags 5 acrs of rstord tallgrass prairi; walk th ¼-mil Tallgrass Prairi Trail to larn mor about this vibrant nativ Prairi s nar Kansas City cosystm. Book th night in a hotl or bd Prsidnts and brakfast in th Fort Scott community. Suprm Court dcision in 1954 to nd th practic in public schools. Find plnty of dining and lodging options in Topka. Harry S. Truman National Historic Sit Th 33rd prsidnt, Harry S. Truman is crditd with taking th country from a priod of isolationism into an intrnational Tallgrass Prairi National Prsrv and Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Sit ag. Th Truman ra saw World War II nd Onc a vast cosystm covring th middl bfor h bcam th nation s ladr. Start of th country, most tallgrass prairi was at th visitor cntr in Indpndnc, thn plowd undr for agricultur, but ths tour th Truman Hom, a Victorian hous almost 11,000 acrs rmain in th Flint Hills. originally built by th family of Truman s Larn about th prairi s divrsity of flora wif, Bss, in This was th primary and fauna at th visitor cntr, thn grab hom of th prsidnt from 1919, whn a trail map and xplor th prairi on foot. h and Bss marrid, until h did in Tak th 3.2-mil (on way) Scnic Ovrlook To undrstand Harry Truman, though, it s Trail that lavs from th visitor cntr, important to also visit th Truman Family kping a saf distanc from th prsrv s Farm and Hom, whr Harry workd Explor natural and cultural boundaris through bison hrd grazing in Windmill Pastur. Thn alongsid his family in his 20s. Tak a th sits consrvd hr. For th bst wathr and had to Topka to visit Brown v. Board of slf-guidd tour of th farmhous and 10 Education, which intrprts th history of surrounding acrs whr this prsidnt sgrgation in Amrica and th landmark spnt his formativ yars. For many yars, KS Kansas was th frontir, MO th dg of th U.S. bfor ntring th Wild Wst. It has srvd not only as a physical frontir, but also as a dividing lin for th ils of north and south, ast and wst. accss, visit btwn April and Octobr. and th Cold War bgin, but hr, you ll gt to know mor about th Missouri farm boy This itinrary forms a loop southwst of Kansas City. Start at Fort Scott, 1.5 hours south of th city. Thn had northwst 2+ hours to Tallgrass Prairi. Th Brown v. Board of Education sit is an hour northast in Topka. Had back an hour or so ast through Kansas City to rach th Truman Hom in Indpndnc and Truman Farm Hom in Grandviw, both in Missouri. HARRY S. TRUM AN NHS 34 PATRICK EMERSON/FLICKR; MATT TURNER/ FLICKR; NATIONAL PARK SERVICE nationalparks.org 35

19 Park Dirctory Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail Kailua-Kona, HI x101 Antitam National Battlfild Sharpsburg, MD Apostl Islands National Lakshor Bayfild, WI Badlands National Park Intrior, SD Brics Cross Roads National Battlfild Sit Tuplo, MS Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Sit Topka, KS Canavral National Sashor Titusvill, FL Castillo d San Marcos National Monumnt St. Augustin, FL Chattahooch Rivr National Rcration Ara Sandy Springs, GA Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park Fort Oglthorp, GA City of Rocks National Rsrv Almo, ID Cratrs of th Moon National Monumnt & Prsrv Arco, ID Cuyahoga Vally National Park Brcksvill, OH Eby s Landing National Historical Rsrv Coupvill, WA Fir Island National Sashor Patchogu, NY Fort Matanzas National Monumnt St. Augustin, FL Fort Scott National Historic Sit Fort Scott, KS Gttysburg National Military Park Gttysburg, PA Gulf Islands National Sashor Gulf Brz, FL Hagrman Fossil Bds National Monumnt Hagrman, ID Harry S. Truman National Historic Sit Indpndnc, MO Hawai'i Volcanos National Park Hawai'i National Park, HI Isl Royal National Park Houghton, MI Jams A. Garfild National Historic Sit Mntor, OH Jan Lafitt National Historical Park and Prsrv Nw Orlans, LA Kaloko-Honokōhau National Historic Sit Kailua-Kona, HI x Knnsaw Mountain National Battlfild Knnsaw, GA x0 Kwnaw National Historical Park Calumt, MI Lava Bds National Monumnt Tullak, CA Littl Rivr Canyon National Rcration Ara Fort Payn, AL x201 Martin Luthr King Jr. National Historic Sit Atlanta, GA x Minidoka Historic Sit Hagrman, ID Minutman Missil National Historic Sit Philip, SD Monocacy National Battlfild Frdrick, MD Natchz Trac Parkway Tuplo, MS Nw Orlans Jazz National Historical Park Nw Orlans, LA North Cascads National Park Sdro-Woolly, WA Orgon Cavs National Monumnt & Prsrv Cav Junction, OR Padr Island National Sashor Corpus Christi, TX Palo Alto Battlfild National Historical Park Brownsvill, TX x333 Patrson Grat Falls National Historical Park Patrson, NJ Prry s Victory & Intrnational Pac Mmorial Put-in-Bay, OH / Picturd Rocks National Lakshor Munising, MI Pu'uhonua O Hōnaunau National Historic Sit Honaunau, HI Pu'ukoholā Hiau National Historic Sit Kawaiha, HI x0 Rdwoods National and Stat Parks Crscnt City, CA Russll Cav National Monumnt Bridgport, AL x113 Sagamor Hill National Historic Sit Oystr Bay, NY San Antonio Missions National Historical Park San Antonio, TX San Juan Island National Historical Park Friday Harbor, WA Shiloh National Military Park Shiloh, TN Tallgrass Prairi National Prsrv Strong City, KS x0 Timucuan Ecological & Historic Prsrv Jacksonvill, FL Tuplo National Battlfild Tuplo, MS Wir Farm National Historic Sit Wilton, CT x0 Wind Cav National Park Hot Springs, SD *For information on national park lodging, camping, and tour rsrvations plas visit SHUTTERSTOCK; ISTOCK 36 nationalparks.org 37

20 W ar all ownrs of 84 million acrs of th world s most trasurd placs all protctd in Amrica s mor than 400 national parks. Chartrd by Congrss, th National Park Foundation is th official charity of Amrica s national parks and nonprofit partnr of th National Park Srvic. Ddicatd to nriching Amrica s national parks and programs through privat support, th National Park Foundation hlps to PROTECT Amrica s national parks through critical consrvation and prsrvation fforts, CONNECT all Amricans with thir incomparabl natural landscaps, vibrant cultur and rich history, and INSPIRE th nxt gnration of park stwards. Togthr, w can mak a diffrnc. Larn mor at nationalparks.org. historical highlights magnificnt mountains J Th National Park Srvic and th National Park Foundation ar inviting popl vrywhr to discovr thir own prsonal connctions to parks. So much mor than vast landscaps, thr ar urban parks, cultural trasurs, and historical placs all within th National Park Systm. A park can vn b a fling or a stat of mind. You may also find that a National Park Srvic program hlpd prsrv a spcial plac in your community. With mor than 400 national parks and thousands of historic and rcrational lands across th country, thr ar ndlss ways for you to find your uniqu connction. If you v alrady found your park, plas shar your story with us using #findyourpark. If you havn t found your park just yt, visit findyourpark.com for mor is and inspiration. cratrs, craturs, and camping bach & boardwalk

21 1110 Vrmont Avnu, NW Suit 200 Washington, DC nationalparks.org