Biscayne National Park in Florida

Six miles off the coast of Florida lay Biscayne National Park the largest marine park in the National Park System. Located about 50 miles north of Key Largo and comprised of 172,000 acres, 95% of which is covered by water, the park is an adventure you will not forget.

Biscayne offers a wide variety of activities for visitors, both on the mainland and in the water, as well as outdoor and indoor. The Dante Fascell Visitor Center houses a museum that focuses on the four main ecosystems of the park. There is local artwork displayed, the Touch Table for learning and immersing yourself in “hands-on” discovery, films and a chance for kids to earn the Junior Ranger Badge.

Big Bend, Texas

One of the most interesting and varied National Parks in the United States is Big Bend National Park, located in southwest Texas. It is like having three different parks in one. The reason for this is due to the topography and how it includes rivers, dessert, and mountains into it. This park has 800,000 acres of natural beauty. Part of it is located in the Republic of Mexico; part of the Rio Grande River serves as the boundary between the two countries. Management of the park abides by these boundaries as well.

The climate in this park has extreme changes and contrasts. Hot temperatures of over 100 degrees, freezing temperatures, or mild winters, can be found depending on the area and season. This is one reason why the plant and animal variety is such in Big Bend. This landscape also has valuable historical and cultural significance from the prehistoric period until the settlers. Today, visitors enjoy the park for its natural beauty and the variety of activities that they can do. Such activities include hiking, fishing, river floating, driving, climbing, bird watching, and bicycle riding. You can visit for one day or longer, and enjoy the beauty of Big Bend.

North Dakota’s Badlands

The Badlands are located in west central North Dakota, near Medora, in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a 70,446 acre area separated into three units: the North, South and Elkhorn Ranch Units. The landscape is beautiful but treacherous, containing steep slopes, loose soil, slippery clay and deep sinking sand. Despite the harshness of the land, there is plenty to do and see here.

A 36 mile scenic drive through the South Unit takes you by the old west town of Medora where visitors can play golf, enter the mansion of Chateau de Mores or visit Teddy Roosevelt’s cabin, among a myriad of others activities and sights. The North Unit will show you a panoramic view of the River Bend Overlook while on a 15 mile scenic drive that houses many turnouts and interpretive signs along the way. Between these two units is the Elkhorn Ranch Unit where Teddy Roosevelt established two cattle ranches after visiting the Badlands in 1883 on a big game hunting expedition.

Arches National Park in Utah

In a region of 73,000 acres, resides the red desert land of Arches National Park in Utah, home of over 2,000 natural stone arches. Arches, fins, balanced rocks, pinnacles and spires made of sandstone and in some areas, millions of years old, wait to greet you.

The number one destination in Arches National Park is Delicate Arch and is a terrific family hiking experience that can be done practically year round. Spring and fall are the best times for hiking but mild winter days and early mornings or evenings of summer are also pleasant. The trail takes you past Wolfe Ranch, across the bridge over Salt Wash and by the Frame Arch, as well as by the slickrock for which the Moab area is well known. The difficulty level is “moderate” with rugged, steep sections and is a 3 mile round trip. Delicate Arch is located over 480 feet above the trailhead, in a bowl at the top of one of the park’s most famous sandstone fins.

Acadia National Park, Maine

During the last two years, there has been a renewed interest in the United States National Park Service and parks. Many people have decided to forgo their lavish vacations due to the down turn in the economy and re-introduce their families and self into what the natural wonder and beauty of the United States has to offer. Like so many others, Acadia National Park is located off the beaten path but allows its visitors to see mountains bordering the Atlantic Coast, which is possible no where in the US but the state of Maine. Acadia National Park has activities that are fun for everyone in the family such as hiking, fishing, bird watching, kayaking, and other outdoor activities.

History
Acadia National Park territory was home to the Wabanaki people, a Native American tribe that used the area for their livelihood. These people used this land until progress began to move Europeans up the eastern seaboard. The park was commissioned by the National Park Service for monument status of the structure Sieur de Monts and would eventually become a national park in the year of 1919. Over the years, the park has seen millions of visitors and is considered one of the most beautiful parks on the East Coast. Although it has had many visitors since its national park status, proper resource management has Acadia National Park touted as one of the most well preserved pieces of public property in America. With the help of one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the United States by the name of John Rockefeller Jr., the park got funding to create a number of trails through the park, which gave access to some of the most secluded areas of this land. These trails would eventually lead to bridges, side trails, and two lodges most of which are all still functional of the present. In the late 1940′s the park underwent some physical changes due to a forest fire that swept through the park. During a year of little rain, fires took to the forests of Maine where they would eventually set their sites on Acadia National Park. The fires were eventually managed and once more the Rockefeller family would assist in the park’s comeback. Some have even suggested that this natural fire created even more diversification in the park, further enhancing its natural beauty.
Visiting the Park
There are many places where the average person can visit Acadia National Park, one being the ever famous Thunder Hole. Thunder Hole is a hole in cliff rock created by the upward pressure of the ocean. During high tide, water will force its way under the cliff and upwards through the hole in the rocks, which creates an explosion of water through the hole. New restrictions have been placed on the proximity of visitors to Thunder Hole due to an accident in 2009 where some visitors were swept away by excessive tides from a lingering hurricane far off the coast. With such extensive trails throughout the park, almost every place is accessible to those whom have no restrictions. There are a number of handicapped friendly trails and areas, and many people are simply content to embark on a leisurely drive through the park itself.
Area
The park consists of a number of different habitats such as woodlands, lakes, the Atlantic Ocean, and a series of islands that make up a small island chain. These islands, mainland, and woodlands encompass over 47000 acres of prime habitat for thousands of animal species. Visitors can expect to see all types of small wildlife such as otter, squirrel, and other vermin along with the possibility of moose, deer, and even the elusive black bear. Along with its extensive wildlife and island chains, it is also said that Acadia National Park has the only fjord in the United States.