The USA is rich in nature reserves and national parks. Each of them is attractive in its own way.
Every year, streams of tourists from all over the world come to America to admire the unearthly beauties of the nature of this region.
On the map of the country, in almost every state, you can find if not the largest reserve, then a small national park, of course. In the article we will consider the most famous and visited places.
The most famous national parks and reserves in the USA
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| Mountain trekking United States |
The mountains:
Great Smoky Mountains
This is the most famous natural reserve, which is located simultaneously on the territory of two states (North Carolina and Tennessee). The park was founded on June 15, 1934. Different types of broad-leaved and relict forests grow in it, which occupy about 95% of the total area. There are as many species of trees collected here as no other reserve in North America.
This protected area is very popular among tourists. The park has 150 trails of different lengths and degrees of difficulty, many of them go beyond the boundaries of the reserve. The most visited are the Appalachian Trail and the Mountains Too Sea. The length of the first route is the longest and is about 3,500 kilometer, 114 of which are located on the territory of the reserve. The second route of the Appalachian Trail starts from the highest point of the park and ends on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean (North Carolina).
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| Grate smoky mountains |
The tourist highlight of the park are the ruins of ancient Indian settlements. The infrastructure of the park is organized at a weak level - there is only one hotel on Mount LeConte. It is possible to stay in campsites, however, many of them are not equipped with electricity or running water.
Fog often forms on the mountain ranges, due to which the natural park is called the "Smoky Mountains". An interesting fact is that, compared to most other conservation areas in the United States, the Smoky Mountains can be visited for free.
"Grand Canyon"- Arizona, USA
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| Grand canyon |
Approximately 5,000 sq. km. national parks are located in Arizona. The park received its status of "national" in 1919. Until 1540, Indians lived in this territory. The canyon gained its fame thanks to Roosevelt, as an excellent place for hunting and fishing, later these lands became reserved. The Grand Canyon got its name for its huge size, which surpasses similar places in the world. Nature has been creating a unique canyon for 10 million years.
There are many trails and routes of varying difficulty around the Colorado River Canyon. Interestingly, archaeological research on the territory of the canyon is still being carried out today. Among the inhabitants of this place there are many birds, reptiles, and also mammals.
Helicopter tours are organized over the Grand Canyon. For walking around the territory, various types of transport are provided (train, plane, horseback riding, bicycle, balloon and, of course, hiking trails).
The infrastructure of one of the main reserves is well developed. In winter, some areas of the park are closed for tours, however, the southern part is always in demand among travelers from all over the world.
Glacier (Montana)
In the state of Montana, which is adjacent to Canada, there is a park of unique beauty, which was founded in 1910. Its main attraction is considered to be glaciers, which, perhaps, will completely disappear in the foreseeable future. Tourists can watch how ice blocks break off from the glacier and fall into the water. In addition to the glacier, there are mountain ranges, forests, as well as water bodies (rivers and lakes) on the territory.
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| Glacier mountain |
The park organises various types of excursions (walking, water and car), you can see the natural beauties from a helicopter. One of the popular routes is the “Road to the Sun”, its duration is two hours, and it ends at an altitude of 2,000 meters. Hikers will also enjoy the incredibly beautiful views.
Parks:
Death Valley (between California and Nevada)
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| Death Valley |
Death Valley is an American desert, in which tourist routes are laid on bicycles or on foot. The national park includes two large valleys (Panamint and Death Valley, as well as the mountains surrounding them). Interestingly, the valleys tend to sink relative to the mountain systems (which is happening today). It is especially interesting to visit this reserve at the beginning of spring, when the desert, thanks to the large amount of winter precipitation, is an amazing garden with a variety of plants (over 1,000 species).
Arches National park, UT
This park is located near the city of Moab and was formed in 1929. Filmmakers love this place. A feature of the park are amazing arches formed from sandstone under the influence of moisture and wind. In total, more than 2,000 arches are located on this territory. In addition to arches, here you can see towers, stones fixed on thin foundations, as well as bridges. There are very popular routes leading to attractions such as the Elephant Parade, the Graceful Arch, and the Courthouse.
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| Arches National park |
Yosemite National park, CA
The Yosemite Reserve is located in an area of over 3,000 kilometer and is located in the west of the Sierra Nevada. It was founded in 1890, and since 1984 it has been added to the World Heritage List.
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| Yosemite National park |
Among the attractions of the park, one should highlight the world's highest waterfall and a huge granite monolith (El Capitan). The territory includes several types of landscapes: shrub thickets, ancient oaks located in the foothills, mountain forests (lower and upper forest), alpine meadows, as well as a subalpine zone. This combination of natural areas contributes to the habitat of a wide variety of representatives of the animal world (over 400 species) in this corner of the wild. The park is located 300 kilometer from the city of San Francisco - this is one of the first national parks in the United States.
Olympic National park, WA
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| Olympic National park |
The Olympic national park was founded in 1938 and entered the World Heritage List in 1981. This park is notable for the fact that it combines mountains and the ocean, impenetrable forests and transparent rivers, harsh snowy peaks and beautiful alpine flowers. The territory of the park is located on the Olympic Peninsula (Washington State) and stretches to the border with Canada. The park consists of two zones: western and eastern. Among the inhabitants of the animal world there are martens, black bears, cougars, black-tailed deer.
Yellowstone (unruly land)
The nature of this piece of land remains in its original form. The Yellowstone Volcano, whose parameters are 55 by 72 kilometer, contributes to the emergence of constant fluctuations in the earth's crust, barely perceptible and not posing a danger to tourists. Today, it is an active volcano, the last earthquake was recorded in 1959, as a result of which a new lake appeared.
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| Yellowstone National park |
This is one of the most visited national parks in America. It captures the lands of three states (Wyoming, Idaho and Montana). Yellowstone is known for its large number of geysers, waterfalls, scenic natural landscapes, lakes and hot springs.
Sequoia National park, CA
This reserve is located in the southern part of the Sierra Nevada mountains, almost next to the Kings Canyon National Park, which was founded in 1940 by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Sequoia Reserve was formed in September 1890. The lands of these two parks have been considered a World Heritage Biosphere Reserve since 1976.
The park is equally (400 kilometer) distant from the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco.
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| Sequoia National park |
Among the plants in the park, you can find giant trees, for example, the famous Sherman sequoia (the tallest tree on earth).
Zion National park, UT
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| Zion National park |
Zion National Park is considered one of the most beautiful and visited places in the American Southwest and West. It was founded in 1909 and was named "Mukuntuweap National Monument", and 9 years later it was renamed Zion.
There are beautiful waterfalls and amazing rocks, well-organized infrastructure. The park is especially attractive after heavy rains, when waterfalls overthrow streams of water from the rocks into the Emerald Ponds.
The main attraction of the park is the Zion Canyon. Its length is 24 kilometer, and the depth reaches 800 meters. The highlight of the park is weeping Rock (Weeping Mountain): from a spring, which is located high on a mountain slope, water rushes along the rock and drips like tears from its ledges.
"Acadia" National park
This national park may not be one of the busiest, however, it is one of the ten most popular in the country. It is located on Mount Desert Island and the archipelagos of the small islands of Maine.
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| Acadia National park |
There are many coniferous forests in the north of the reserve, which are replaced by broad-leaved forests to the south. In 1947, a huge area of the forest was damaged by a fire, for 50 years the flora continues to recover. Among the representatives of the animal world, here you can meet the virgin deer, long-tailed porcupine, coyote, etc.
More than two million tourists come here every year. The park has many beautiful transparent lakes, forests, mountain ranges, as well as the ocean coast.
Conclusion
All US national parks are managed and controlled by the US National Park Service. In addition, this structure monitors the preservation of the environment in the territories that are a national treasure.
US national parks are the pride of the country and the heritage of the whole world. From 2010 to 2022, the US Mint is issuing 25 cent coins (US quarters). Each year, five versions of coins are minted with the image of the National Parks of the United States.
