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Yellowstone Volcano: Frequently Asked Questions - Yellowstone National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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Answers to frequently asked questions about the Yellowstone Volcano.

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Carnivore King Bear (National Geographic)

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King Bear HD (National Geographic) Documentary Wild King Bear HD (National Geographic) Documentary Wild King Bear National Geographic Carnivore King . National Geographic Documentary 2015 Planet Carnivore King Bear Full Documentary HD ℗ Youtube National Geographic Documentary 2015 Planet . Planet Carnivore King Bear I hope, you like and subscribe) For more documentary you click here: ** Like ==============Share=============Subscribe .

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At the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, visitors can explore 15,000 acres of natural terrain including hiking through forests.

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Yellowstone Grizzly Bears: A Success Story

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A federal court decides grizzly bears in the Yellowstone area still deserve protection under the Endangered Species Act, citing food shortages aggravated by climate change.

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grand canyon

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Grand Canyon National Park, in Northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world-unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors from the rims. The South Rim is open. The North Rim is open for day use only. Read More

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Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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Grand Canyon National Park, in Northern Arizona, encompasses 278 miles (447 km) of the Colorado River and adjacent uplands. Located on ancestral homeland of 11 Associated Tribes, Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world-unmatched in the incomparable vistas it offers visitors from the rims. The South Rim is open.

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Exotic and Invasive Animals - Redwood National and State Parks (U.S. National Park Service)

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Freshwater lakes, rivers and streams around the world, including those found in Redwood National and State Parks, are highly susceptible to invasive species. The Redwood Creek estuary was colonized by highly invasive New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) in 2009. Nearby Big and Stone Lagoon in Humboldt Lagoons State Parks and the Klamath and Smith River estuaries have also been invaded.

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Rocky Mountain National Park's 415 square miles (265,807 acres) encompasses a spectacular range of mountain environments. From meadows found in the montane life zone to glistening alpine lakes and up to the towering mountain peaks, there is something for everyone to discover. Along the way explore over 300 miles of hiking trails and incredible wildlife viewing.

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Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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Rocky Mountain National Park's 415 square miles (265,807 acres) encompasses a spectacular range of mountain environments. From meadows found in the montane life zone to glistening alpine lakes and up to the towering mountain peaks, there is something for everyone to discover. Along the way explore over 300 miles of hiking trails and incredible wildlife viewing.

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National Geographic Channel | HD Documentary

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National Geographic Documentary ~ Worlds Worst Venom

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National Geographic  - Coywolf  : Wild Hybrid Animals  ( Coywolf  Documentary )

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National Geographic - Coywolf : Wild Hybrid Animals ( Coywolf Documentary )

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Grizzly Bears and Wolves Fighting for Dominance in Yellowstone

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Wolves of Yellowstone Documentary HD 720p

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Wolves of Yellowstone Documentary HD 720p.

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BBC Documentary 2015 - Yellowstone Battleground -National Geographic  HD - HD Documentary 2015

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BBC Documentary 2015 - Yellowstone Battleground -National Geographic HD - HD Documentary 2015

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SEE THE 2015 Video too https://youtu.be/6fB3w3QuG3E WARNING - THIS VIDEO CONTAINS NATURAL SCENES OF THE CIRCLE OF LIFE - BIRTH AND DEATH. Our annual trip to Yellowstone National Park's Lamar Valley, Slough Creek and BlackTail Plateau, Confluence and Little America. Because it contains copyrighted songs - google prevents it from being played on mobile.

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All pictures and videos were captured during our stay in Yellowstone National Park. Všechny obrázky i videa byly pořízeny během našeho pobytu v Yellowstonském národním parku.

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Outside Science (inside parks): Blue Skies and Dragonflies

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Episode 2: Blue Skies and Dragonflies Filmed by Ron Bend and edited by Weston Dockter.

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Native American History & Culture

National parks help preserve and connect people to Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Indigenous heritage - past and present. Learn more about NPF's commitment to helping to expand the stories and perspectives shared through parks, including past and current generations of Indigenous peoples.

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The Official Charitable Partner of the National Park Service

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As the official charitable partner of the National Park Service, we provide resources for the national parks. Support this uniquely American idea.

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Untold Stories
The term "national park" conjures up thoughts of big, natural landscapes like Grand Canyon and Yosemite. But two-thirds of the National Park Service's 392 areas were created to protect historic or cultural resources, from colonial Boston to New Mexico's Chaco Canyon. And many of those parks lack the money and staff to use those resources to their fullest."We have an incredible collection of museum artifacts, and 45 percent of the Park Service collections have not even been catalogued," says James Nations of the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). "We've got stuff, and we don't even know what we've got, and we don't have places to store it. We're missing opportunities to tell the story of America through our national parks."

Crumbling History
National parks protect the historic buildings in which America's history was made, places like Independence Hall, Ellis Island, and the San Antonio Missions. But some of these hallowed edifices are crumbling and in desperate need of repair. They're a big part of a $9.5 billion maintenance backlog that plagues the park system."We need to preserve and maintain those buildings because the stories are written in the stone and the bricks," NPCA's Nations says.

Wildlife Management
No park exists in isolation, and that fact is becoming increasingly clear as the areas surrounding parks are developed for living space, agriculture, mining, forestry, and more. The iconic species protected inside the parks don't recognize boundaries and must often move in and out of the parks to feed, mate, or migrate. If larger ecological wildlife corridors can't be maintained to include the lands outside of parks, many species may not survive within them either.

Foreign Invaders
National parks are inviting places, especially for non-native species that can cause havoc once they move in. Plants and insects often hitchhike to our shores on boats or airplanes while other species, like snakes, are intentionally imported for the exotic pet trade. When turned loose with no competition, invasive species can run amok in an ecosystem and send a park's native residents toward extinction.More than 6,500 non-native invasive species have been found in U.S. national parks. Seventy percent of them are plants, which encroach on a staggering seven million acres (2.8 million hectares) of our national parklands.

Adjacent Development
A Canadian company hopes to site North America's largest open-pit gold and copper mine right next to Alaska's remote Lake Clark National Park. Uranium prospecting is currently under way on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Sugar producers have long fouled waters with phosphorus pollution and disrupted critical flows to the Everglades.What happens on a park's borders can dramatically impact the environment inside the park itself. Mining, petroleum prospecting, clear-cut lumbering, and other developments are generally prohibited inside parks-but they still pose serious threats to water quality, clean air, and other vital aspects of the park environment.

Climate Change
If Earth's climate continues to change as scientists predict it will, the national parks will be impacted like the rest of the planet. Glaciers may melt away, as indeed they are at Glacier National Park in Montana. Fire seasons may grow in length and severity, and the landscape may shift under the feet of the parks' wild residents."Changes in temperature and precipitation can push species out of their previous ranges towards softer temperatures, either upwards in elevation or northward," says Nations. "But they don't recognize where the boundary is and in many cases that land is owned by someone else."

Water Issues
Some parks are already feeling drier these days, as increasing human demand shrinks supplies on which aquatic species depend. In Florida's Biscayne National Park, where freshwater arrives from the highly compromised Everglades ecosystem upstream, a freshwater shortage is becoming an issue even though 95 percent of the park remains covered with seawater.Ten parks are touched by the Colorado River and its tributaries, which are being drained of water by the growing cities and farmlands of an increasingly thirsty West. Less reliable precipitation on a warmer, drier Earth would make this growing problem worse.

Air Pollution
Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the Southeast wasn't named for its smog, but it is one of many parks seriously affected by the problem. Air quality issues originate outside the parks. At Great Smoky, power plant and industrial emissions are blown by winds to the southern Appalachians and trapped there by the mountains.Air quality problems choke off views, poison plants, and even foul water. Recent air quality data show a glimmer of hope-visibility and ozone concentrations are stable or improving in most parks. However, in too many cases, stable means simply preserving a subpar status quo.

Transportation Troubles
National parks are the destination of many a great American road trip. But too many roads within the parks themselves are in disrepair and some pose a real danger to drivers. The same goes for many parts of the parks' transportation infrastructure, from shuttle buses to hiking trails.Repairs are always under way but it will take time and money to truly set things right. More than half of the Park Service's $9.5 billion maintenance backlog is earmarked for the transportation infrastructure that enables people to actually visit the parks.

Visitor Experience
Popular parks like Yosemite face overcrowding issues that would have amazed John Muir. Managers must balance open access with negative impacts on visitor experience and on park environments.Today's visitors also use parks in new ways. Snowmobilers prowl Yellowstone and pilots fly visitors over the Grand Canyon. Mountain bikers, motorboaters and many others all hope to enjoy their favorite pastimes in their favorite parks.Does allowing such activities enhance the park experience or detract from it? Managing preferences and park usage conflicts is a growing challenge for administrators-but NPS Chief of Public Affairs David Barna says the top priority is clear."When we have to make a choice between recreation and preservation, we will always choose preservation," he says, "and our decision will be based on our mandate, policies, and good science."

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Top Ten Issues Facing the National Parks -- National Geographic

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Untold Stories The term "national park" conjures up thoughts of big, natural landscapes like Grand Canyon and Yosemite. But two-thirds of the National Park Service's 392 areas were created to protect historic or cultural resources, from colonial Boston to New Mexico's Chaco Canyon.

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In honor of the 9th annual Endangered Species Day, meet 9 endangered animals that make their homes in national parks.

The news is grim for many threatened plants and animals struggling to adapt to habitat loss, changing climate patterns, development, and other dangers. Fortunately, national parks provide habitat for many species with fewer and fewer places to go. National parks have also been the settings for success stories putting previously endangered animals on the road to recovery, such as the Channel Island fox and island night lizard at Channel Islands National Park and the gray wolf at Yellowstone National Park.

In honor of the ninth annual Endangered Species Day today, here are nine critically endangered animals that currently make their homes in national parks around the country.

The black-footed ferret. Once considered the rarest mammal in the world, about a thousand of these ferrets now live in the wild. National Park Service staff in partnership with the Fish and Wildlife Service and other conservation organizations have helped to reintroduce these two-foot-long members of the weasel family into South Dakota's Badlands and Wind Cave National Parks.

The Kemps-ridley sea turtle. This olive-gray reptile is the most endangered sea turtle in the world, though the good news is that its population has grown since hitting an all-time low in 1985. This increase is partly due to a successful multiagency effort to expand the turtle's nesting grounds-including reintroducing the animals to Padre Island National Seashore on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Park staff and volunteers participate in annual nest detection and protection efforts to help the turtles survive.

The Ozark hellbender. This creature's unusual appearance has inspired such colorful nicknames as "mud devil," "water dog," "snot otter," and "old lasagna sides." The curious, prehistoric amphibian is North America's oldest and largest salamander, growing up to two feet long. Hellbenders rely on clear, clean water to survive, and only live in a small part of southeast Missouri and northeast Arkansas, including the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Fewer than 600 Ozark hellbenders still exist in the wild.

The sawfish. A relative of the shark, this odd-looking fish with its distinctive rostrum, or toothy snout, is particularly susceptible to getting unintentionally caught in fishing nets-though habitat degradation and illegal hunting for its valuable "saw," fins, and teeth have also led to the animal's decline. The sawfish was once common in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, it now survives primarily in waters near Australia and parts of Florida, including Biscayne and Everglades National Parks.

The mist forest stonefly. The disappearing glaciers at Glacier National Park in Montana have long been a concern of scientists studying climate change. A relatively recent discovery, however, is the accompanying threat to the small mist forest stonefly which lives in streams fed by these melting glaciers. As the climate warms, the stonefly's ability to survive in its natural habitat of this coldest of cold water is increasingly in danger. The animal was denied official endangered species protections in 2011. If listed, it would have been the first animal added to the federal Endangered Species List due to climate change.

The Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog. Once the most common amphibian in the lakes of the Sierra Nevada region of California, this brightly speckled frog has become prey to animals its ancestors never anticipated: non-native fish. Invasive trout feed on the animal's eggs, tadpoles, and juveniles, resulting in a 95% decline in the frog's population. Staff at Yosemite National Park are conducting ongoing experiments to introduce the frog into fishless lakes in an attempt to save them from extinction.

The desert pupfish. This small, shiny resident of Death Valley, Capitol Reef, and other southwestern parks may look like just another aquatic species, but it is the most extreme survivor of any animal on Earth. It can withstand very cold and hot water, extremely salty water, and even acidic water. The three-inch-long fish also has a historic connection to water rights in the United States: It was the star of a landmark 1976 Supreme Court ruling that curtailed groundwater pumping by a private development that could have destroyed the pupfish's habitat. Despite its ability to survive extreme conditions, the desert pupfish has been on the Endangered Species List since 1986.

The American pika. This tiny, tail-less relative of the rabbit lives among the high-altitude rock fields of parks such as Grand Teton in Wyoming and Rocky Mountain in Colorado and is severely threatened by climate change. The pika is so sensitive to heat, it can die when the temperature rises above 75°F, and whole communities have already disappeared. The National Park Service Climate Change Response Program designed a program specifically to address pika recovery-though, like the mist forest stonefly, the pika has been denied official federal endangered species protections. If listed, it also would have been the first animal listed as endangered due to climate change.

The Pacific fisher. These eight- to ten-pound cat-like animals once roamed the Northwest and California, building dens and raising kits in mature forests. Now, after decades of trapping and logging, the animals are all but gone from Washington State and are considered rare in the rest of its historic range, making it a candidate for federal endangered species protection. Olympic National Park in Washington has participated in successful reintroduction efforts, Yosemite National Park in California has conducted extensive fisher monitoring programs, and park staff are considering reintroduction efforts in Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks in Washington.

Learn more about Endangered Species Day on the Endangered Species Coalition website.

Learn more about national park wildlife on NPCA's website and see our recent feature on 11 of the quirkiest national park animals.

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In honor of the 9th annual Endangered Species Day, meet 9 endangered animals that make their homes in national parks. The news is grim for many threatened plants and animals struggling to adapt to habitat loss, changing climate patterns, development, and other dangers.

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Untold Stories
The term "national park" conjures up thoughts of big, natural landscapes like Grand Canyon and Yosemite. But two-thirds of the National Park Service's 392 areas were created to protect historic or cultural resources, from colonial Boston to New Mexico's Chaco Canyon. And many of those parks lack the money and staff to use those resources to their fullest."We have an incredible collection of museum artifacts, and 45 percent of the Park Service collections have not even been catalogued," says James Nations of the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA). "We've got stuff, and we don't even know what we've got, and we don't have places to store it. We're missing opportunities to tell the story of America through our national parks."

Crumbling History
National parks protect the historic buildings in which America's history was made, places like Independence Hall, Ellis Island, and the San Antonio Missions. But some of these hallowed edifices are crumbling and in desperate need of repair. They're a big part of a $9.5 billion maintenance backlog that plagues the park system."We need to preserve and maintain those buildings because the stories are written in the stone and the bricks," NPCA's Nations says.

Wildlife Management
No park exists in isolation, and that fact is becoming increasingly clear as the areas surrounding parks are developed for living space, agriculture, mining, forestry, and more. The iconic species protected inside the parks don't recognize boundaries and must often move in and out of the parks to feed, mate, or migrate. If larger ecological wildlife corridors can't be maintained to include the lands outside of parks, many species may not survive within them either.

Foreign Invaders
National parks are inviting places, especially for non-native species that can cause havoc once they move in. Plants and insects often hitchhike to our shores on boats or airplanes while other species, like snakes, are intentionally imported for the exotic pet trade. When turned loose with no competition, invasive species can run amok in an ecosystem and send a park's native residents toward extinction.More than 6,500 non-native invasive species have been found in U.S. national parks. Seventy percent of them are plants, which encroach on a staggering seven million acres (2.8 million hectares) of our national parklands.

Adjacent Development
A Canadian company hopes to site North America's largest open-pit gold and copper mine right next to Alaska's remote Lake Clark National Park. Uranium prospecting is currently under way on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Sugar producers have long fouled waters with phosphorus pollution and disrupted critical flows to the Everglades.What happens on a park's borders can dramatically impact the environment inside the park itself. Mining, petroleum prospecting, clear-cut lumbering, and other developments are generally prohibited inside parks-but they still pose serious threats to water quality, clean air, and other vital aspects of the park environment.

Climate Change
If Earth's climate continues to change as scientists predict it will, the national parks will be impacted like the rest of the planet. Glaciers may melt away, as indeed they are at Glacier National Park in Montana. Fire seasons may grow in length and severity, and the landscape may shift under the feet of the parks' wild residents."Changes in temperature and precipitation can push species out of their previous ranges towards softer temperatures, either upwards in elevation or northward," says Nations. "But they don't recognize where the boundary is and in many cases that land is owned by someone else."

Water Issues
Some parks are already feeling drier these days, as increasing human demand shrinks supplies on which aquatic species depend. In Florida's Biscayne National Park, where freshwater arrives from the highly compromised Everglades ecosystem upstream, a freshwater shortage is becoming an issue even though 95 percent of the park remains covered with seawater.Ten parks are touched by the Colorado River and its tributaries, which are being drained of water by the growing cities and farmlands of an increasingly thirsty West. Less reliable precipitation on a warmer, drier Earth would make this growing problem worse.

Air Pollution
Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the Southeast wasn't named for its smog, but it is one of many parks seriously affected by the problem. Air quality issues originate outside the parks. At Great Smoky, power plant and industrial emissions are blown by winds to the southern Appalachians and trapped there by the mountains.Air quality problems choke off views, poison plants, and even foul water. Recent air quality data show a glimmer of hope-visibility and ozone concentrations are stable or improving in most parks. However, in too many cases, stable means simply preserving a subpar status quo.

Transportation Troubles
National parks are the destination of many a great American road trip. But too many roads within the parks themselves are in disrepair and some pose a real danger to drivers. The same goes for many parts of the parks' transportation infrastructure, from shuttle buses to hiking trails.Repairs are always under way but it will take time and money to truly set things right. More than half of the Park Service's $9.5 billion maintenance backlog is earmarked for the transportation infrastructure that enables people to actually visit the parks.

Visitor Experience
Popular parks like Yosemite face overcrowding issues that would have amazed John Muir. Managers must balance open access with negative impacts on visitor experience and on park environments.Today's visitors also use parks in new ways. Snowmobilers prowl Yellowstone and pilots fly visitors over the Grand Canyon. Mountain bikers, motorboaters and many others all hope to enjoy their favorite pastimes in their favorite parks.Does allowing such activities enhance the park experience or detract from it? Managing preferences and park usage conflicts is a growing challenge for administrators-but NPS Chief of Public Affairs David Barna says the top priority is clear."When we have to make a choice between recreation and preservation, we will always choose preservation," he says, "and our decision will be based on our mandate, policies, and good science."

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Top Ten Issues Facing the National Parks -- National Geographic

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Untold Stories The term "national park" conjures up thoughts of big, natural landscapes like Grand Canyon and Yosemite. But two-thirds of the National Park Service's 392 areas were created to protect historic or cultural resources, from colonial Boston to New Mexico's Chaco Canyon.

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Everglades National Park protects an unparalleled landscape that provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther.

An international treasure as well - a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, and a specially protected area under the Cartagena Treaty. Read More

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Everglades National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

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Everglades National Park protects an unparalleled landscape that provides important habitat for numerous rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and the elusive Florida panther. An international treasure as well - a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve, a Wetland of International Importance, and a specially protected area under the Cartagena Treaty.

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Newsela is an Instructional Content Platform that supercharges reading engagement and learning in every subject.

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Newsela | Beavers to the California drought rescue

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The California beavers are back. The little ecosystem engineers that were nearly wiped out in the 1800s may use their dam-building skills to help the parched state redirect water in streams.

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Newsela | Alaska villagers face dual threat of hungry polar bears, warmer weather

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Melting sea ice forcing polar bears to hunt for food in Alaskan villages

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Clean air and clear views draw people to national parks each year and are an important part of what makes parks special places. Air pollution and development can affect views. Watch this video to learn more about clean air and clear views as valued community resources at Shenandoah National Park.

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National Park Health

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Environmental Quality Division (U.S. National Park Service)

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The Environmental Quality Division supports the nearly 400 units of the National Park System, which include national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, and scenic rivers and trails.

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Lists of the National Parks by Number of Visitors

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There are few better traditions in the United States than taking to the road and pulling into a national park campground for a few nights of adventure. Of course, the parks can be crowded, so the best spots to pitch a tent are off the beaten trail, where they immerse you a bit deeper into the landscape and unique history that make these parks national treasures.

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National Park Service Logo National Park Service

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The National Parks: America's Best Idea: | PBS

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THE NATIONAL PARKS: AMERICA'S BEST IDEA is a six-episode series on the history of the national parks, directed by Ken Burns and written and co-produced by Dayton Duncan.

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Photographer Blaine Harrington III has worked around the world, but some of his favorite vistas are closer to home. Many of the country's most recognizable monuments and landmarks can be easily visited - and enjoyed without crowds, he says. "If you get out first thing in the morning, it's the most beautiful time of day, and there's almost no one else around." Harrington, who just opened an exhibit at The Wildlife Experience museum in Parker, Colo., shares some of his favorite monuments and landmarks with Larry Bleiberg for USA TODAY.
Badlands National Park, S.D.
If it weren't for the brown signs alerting Interstate 90 travelers, it would be easy to drive right by the park, missing the otherworldly landscape of eroded buttes and pinnacles that lies just a few miles away. "You get off the road and very quickly you're into the rock formations," Harrington says. "It's kind of trippy, like being on the moon." He suggests visiting at different times of the day to see how the light transforms the scenery. There are hiking trails, but this is mainly a drive-through park - with an abundance of scenic overlooks.

Bucket list tip: More than most other parks, this is a place to camp, which will allow you to see the formations early in the day, and without traffic. Be sure to stop at Roberts Prairie Dog Town to see the fascinating social mammals.
THE BUCKET LIST: Kentucky horse country, Lexington More must-see destinations
While the region's famed bluegrass isn't exactly blue, it still makes for unforgettable scenery, Harrington says. "In spring it's very green and you contrast that with the horses in the fields, and the fence lines going hill and dale. It's beautiful country and (has) such a deep heritage." The limestone-rich soil is said to be responsible for the distinctive taste of Kentucky bourbon and for the speed and strength of its thoroughbred racehorses. You can see farms by driving country roads outside the city. Guided tours are also available.
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Bucket list tip: Time a spring or fall visit to see thoroughbreds in action at Keeneland Race Course, a National Historic Landmark.

A big part of the appeal of this West Texas park on the Mexico border is its isolation. "It's remarkably far from anywhere, and it's very, very underused," Harrington says. "It's something completely different from what you'll see anywhere else in the U.S." Hiking trails lead to even more remote areas of the Chihuahuan Desert landscape, home to more than 450 species of birds, and 1,200 plants. The Rio Grande forms part of the park's boundary as it passes through Santa Elena Canyon.
Devils Tower, Wyo.
Bucket list tip: The scenery is just as stunning at night. "It's one of the darkest places in the U.S. You can see the Milky Way really well out there."

This spot has been sacred to Native Americans for centuries, but it was Steven Spielberg's science fiction film Close Encounters of the Third Kind that put it on the map. (Spoiler alert: The distinctive rock formation proved to be a UFO landing site.) The monument has an undeniable attraction, Harrington says. "You see it in the distance, it's huge." Up close, the appearance changes. "It's all that cragginess in the rock, and you realize it's surrounded by boulder fields."
Acadia National Park, Maine
Bucket list tip: While climbing the tower requires technical skills, it's easy to walk around it on a 1.3-mile, mostly flat, oval path.

Travelers could spend years exploring the windswept shoreline of Maine, or they can go to Acadia, which offers the best of the region's distinctive topography. From popular spots like Thunder Hole and Jordan Pond to the carriage roads that lace through the forest, it's easy to get out and experience the scenery. A shuttle system circulates by the park's top sites. "It's different from the Western national parks and it goes way back," Harrington says.
Glenwood Canyon, Colo.
Bucket list tip: Get up early and watch the sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the north Atlantic Coast.

This is one of the few natural landmarks that can be enjoyed at 50 mph. A carefully-engineered stretch of Interstate 70 twists through the 12 1/2-mile canyon high above the rushing Colorado River. "I'm just stunned every time I drive through it. The combination of the big rock faces, the mountains and the power of the river, and the way they seamlessly put the road in is spectacular," Harrington says. Visitors can hike and bike along the river, and even take an Amtrak train through the passage.
Niagara Falls, N.Y. and Ontario
Bucket list tip: After visiting the canyon, stop in the town of Glenwood Springs for a soak in the world's largest hot spring pool, which circulates with 3.5 million gallons of naturally-heated spring water.

Sure, the area is crowded with tourists, casinos and gift shops, but there's still no denying the power and majesty of the famed falls. "It's a marvel of nature, and man's tackiness can't even ruin it," Harrington says. The falls consist of three sections, Horseshoe, Bridal Veil and American falls. Visitors can don yellow rain slickers to see the cascade from the bottom on the famed Maid of the Mist excursion tour boats.
Goblin Valley State Park, Utah
Bucket list tip: Try the region's famed ice wine, developed from grapes harvested in subzero temperatures.

This desert park, little-known outside the West, is named for its otherworldly hoodoos - toadstool-shaped rock formations. "They're monoliths. It's like being in Alice in Wonderland," Harrington says. The area was in the spotlight last year when three men toppled one of the formations and posted a video online. The remote location makes it an ideal spot for camping, allowing a chance to see the park during the evening and early morning.
Prince William Sound, Alaska
Bucket list tip: Don't limit your explorations to the flat rock fields. Climb the buttes overlooking the park for a completely different perspective.

Harrington recommends seeing this glacier-rimmed ocean inlet from a kayak. "It gives me goose bumps just to think about it," he says. "It's just pristine." Visitors can explore fjords by water, or see the sound from the surrounding Chugach National Forest. The area has had a remarkable recovery since the Exxon Valdez oil tanker ran aground here 25 years ago. "This is where the disaster happened. They almost ruined one of the most fabulous places on the planet."
Monument Valley, Ariz.
Bucket list tip: Take a boat tour to see Columbia Glacier, which covers 400 square miles, and is the state's largest tidewater ice field.

This Navajo tribal park with its iconic sandstone towers and buttes has been featured in countless films and commercials, but is still an overwhelming sight. "We've all seen it one way or another. It really is the quintessential Old West background," Harrington says. "There's really nothing else like it." The valley, located on Navajo Tribal land, can by visited on self-guided drives, on jeep tours and on guided hikes.

Bucket list tip: Take a spur road to visit John Ford's Point, an overlook displaying the landscape featured in many of the Hollywood director's movies.

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10 best bucket-list U.S. monuments and landmarks

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Photographer Blaine Harrington III has worked around the world, but some of his favorite vistas are closer to home. Many of the country's most recognizable monuments and landmarks can be easily visited - and enjoyed without crowds, he says.

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Can You Guess These National Parks From Space?

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These incredible images from NASA will have you stumped.

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Earlier this year, the National Park Service turned 100 and on Halloween, Mount Rushmore National Memorial turns 75. The mountain's carved sculptures of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt attract nearly 3 million visitors every year. In celebration of Mount Rushmore's 75th birthday, here are a few facts about South Dakota 's biggest tourist attraction.
Why was it made?
In the early 1920s, area historians were brainstorming ideas to attract visitors to South Dakota. One suggested sculpting figures of historic people from the West out of natural granite pillars. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum suggested that four presidents whose legacies involved important events in U.S. history would draw more national attention. Borglum was right-it's now known as the "Shrine of Democracy" and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations.
How was it carved?
It took 400 men more than a decade to build Mount Rushmore. Many of them were miners who came to the Black Hills of South Dakota in search of gold. When their searches failed, they found work for $8 per day constructing and carving the mountain. Luckily, no artistic skills were required because 90 percent of the mountain was carved using dynamite and jackhammers. The men helped to remove nearly 450,000 tons of rock. The resulting faces of Mount Rushmore stand 60 feet tall; Washington's nose is 21 feet long. The project took 14 years to complete, but would have taken longer if funding hadn't run out. Initially, Borglum wanted the carvings to represent the presidents from the waist up but was forced to stop at only their heads.
Why these four presidents?
Borglum believed that each president selected should represent historically significant events in U.S. history, which is why he chose Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. When the monument was four years away from completion, Congress introduced a bill proposing that women's rights advocate Susan B. Anthony be included in Mount Rushmore. Unfortunately, it was dismissed because funding was only approved for the carvings that had already been started.

If you'd like to take part in celebrating the anniversary of Mount Rushmore, on October 22, the Black Hills Symphony, Dakota Choral Union, and the Black Hills State University Chorus will be performing at Rushmore Plaza Civic Center.

>>>Next: 10 Crowd-Free National Parks You Should Visit Instead

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Earlier this year, the National Park Service turned 100 and on Halloween, Mount Rushmore National Memorial turns 75. The mountain's carved sculptures of presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt attract nearly 3 million visitors every year. In celebration of Mount Rushmore's 75th birthday, here are a few facts about South Dakota 's biggest tourist attraction.

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Spanning vast deserts, expansive coastlines, rugged mountains and lush forests, America is full of stunning parks that are brimming with awe-inspiring natural wonders. While national parks, like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, might be the most famous for their natural beauty, there are nearly 8,000 state parks that are equally as impressive, featuring miles of quality hiking trails, incredible geological formations, and stunning views. Best yet, they are often uncrowded.

There are many impressive geological formations that can be found in state-level nature areas, such as the dry waterfall at Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park in Washington. Dry Falls is considered one of the great geological wonders of North America, according to Washington State Parks. As a former waterfall carved by Ice Age floods long ago, it was four times the size of Niagara Falls in its heyday.

Other stunning geological formations can be found in the New Mexico's City of Rocks State Park. Here, the large rock pinnacles were created 34.9 million years ago by a large volcanic eruption, then slowly sculpted into the odd shapes they are today by erosion over time.
(MORE: 25 Incredible Landscapes Shaped by Volcanoes)
With the world's largest single mineral hot spring, one state-level park not to miss is Wyoming's Hot Springs State Park. More than 8,000 gallons of 135 degree mineral water flows from the spring every 24 hours, according to the Wyoming State Parks website, and visitors can enjoy this therapeutic water at the park's free bath house. The park is also home to a herd of bison, and during the late fall and winter months, the park feeds the animals a daily supplement to ensure their good health. Off-season visitors have the opportunity to observe the feeding - usually held around 8:30 a.m. - and get a closer look at these magnificent creatures. Bison can also be seen at Custer State Park in South Dakota.
(MORE: 20 Amazing Hot Springs To Visit Around the World)
With beaches, rivers, waterfalls, forests and rare wildlife, state parks can offer visitors an exciting getaway without ever leaving your home state. Click on the slideshow above to see 50 of the best state parks this country has to offer.

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The Best State Park to See In Every State (PHOTOS) | The Weather Channel

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Spanning vast deserts, expansive coastlines, rugged mountains and lush forests, America is full of stunning parks that are brimming with awe-inspiring natural wonders. While national parks, like Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, might be the most famous for their natural beauty, there are nearly 8,000 state parks that are equally as impressive, featuring miles of quality hiking trails, incredible geological formations, and stunning views.

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While the spotlight burns bright on America's most famous national parks, many lesser known beauties are quietly doing what they do best: protecting some of the world's most unspoiled scenery. For those who enjoy the road less traveled, this is terrific news. If you're willing to give these overlooked Cinderellas a chance, you'll discover some of America's most gorgeous-and least crowded-places.

Located entirely above the Arctic Circle, Gates of the Arctic is one of America's least visited national parks. Just 10,000-some adventurous souls journey here each year. Those who do enjoy a pristine wilderness with no roads or trails-just vast backcountry filled with jagged peaks, sweeping tundra, and abundant wildlife such as caribou, musk ox, Dall sheep, and grizzlies. This untamed park is not for everyone, which is exactly what makes it so special.

Each year more than two million visitors flock to Montana's Glacier National Park to see its 25 remaining glaciers. Meanwhile, fewer than 25,000 people visit North Cascades National Park, which contains over 300 glaciers-roughly a third of all glaciers in the lower 48! How do you get to this nearly deserted alpine wonderland? Simply drive three hours from downtown Seattle.

This remote archipelago, tucked away in northwest Lake Superior, is the least visited national park in the lower 48 states. Accessible only by boat or seaplane, it welcomes fewer than 20,000 people each year. Highlights include spending the night at Rock Harbor Lodge, paddling the rocky coast, hiking to remote campsites, and viewing wildlife such as moose and wolves.

A short drive from South Carolina's capital, Congaree -explains the National Park Service-protects "one of the tallest temperate deciduous forests in the world" with "the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest" in the Southeast. It's a mouthful, but you don't need a degree in forest management to enjoy the Redwoods of the East. As you stroll along the park's elevated boardwalks, massive oaks, tupelos, and cypress trees form a dramatic canopy 130 feet above.

These seven tiny islands, perched a hundred miles off the tip of Florida, shelter nesting sea turtles and feature stunning beaches and Fort Jefferson, the largest all-masonry fort in the U.S. But what really sets Dry Tortugas apart is what lies below the waves. Over 99 percent of the park is underwater, protecting extensive corals and roughly 200 shipwrecks.

Bigger than Switzerland, Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias is bursting with superlatives: America's largest national park, second highest peak, and longest valley glacier. All told, the park contains nine of America's 16 tallest mountains and 5,000 square miles of glaciers. Visitors can hike to Stairway Icefall, a 7,000-foot wall of ice, or flight-see over Malaspina Glacier, which is larger than Rhode Island.

Carved by the Colorado River, Canyonlands has always been upstaged by its famous neighbors upstream (Arches) and down (Grand Canyon). Although its drive-up viewpoints can get crowded, explore Canyonlands on a guided, multiday river trip and you'll discover a hidden world of narrow slot canyons, lush grottos, and dramatic hiking trails. During the day you'll run some of the best white water in North America; at night you'll camp on sandy beaches under an ocean of stars.

Everything's bigger in Texas-including the name of the state's most famous park: Big Bend. But Texas' tallest mountain, Guadalupe Peak (8,749 feet), is found in Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which is home to seven of the state's tallest peaks. The most dramatic, El Capitan, rises abruptly from the desert floor, giving that other El Capitan in California a run for its money.

Located 200 miles north of Las Vegas, Great Basin National Park is home to exquisite marble caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites, yet it attracts less than a quarter of the visitors to Mammoth Cave and Carlsbad Caverns parks. Great Basin also protects three groves of bristlecone pines-the world's longest-living trees, which can live 5,000 years.

Although it lies just off the coast of Santa Barbara, this five-island archipelago is one of California's least visited national parks. Often called the Galápagos of North America, the Channel Islands are teeming with wildlife, including nearly 400 bird species and hundreds of thousands of seals and sea lions. Visitors can scuba dive in kelp forests, kayak through sea caves, and hike mountains to scan the horizon for migrating blue and gray whales.

James Kaiser has written several best-selling guidebooks to national parks. Follow him on Instagram @JamesKaiser_.

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10 National Parks You Didn't Know You Should Visit

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While the spotlight burns bright on America's most famous national parks, many lesser known beauties are quietly doing what they do best: protecting some of the world's most unspoiled scenery. For those who enjoy the road less traveled, this is terrific news.

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Films for IMAX and giant-screen theatres are designed to educate and enlighten as much as they are to entertain. They present new knowledge in a powerful, popular medium and inspire thoughtful, lively classroom discussion. Take your students on a field trip to see National Parks Adventure, then use the activities in our Educator Guide to extend the learning experience into your classroom Book your field trip today by contacting your local IMAX theatre for information about special group programs.

The film provides teachers with an amazing resource to bring the national parks to life, then go back to our classrooms and use it as a jumping off point for students to continue their learning.

Jamie Jameson 3rd grade teacher

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Films for IMAX and giant-screen theatres are designed to educate and enlighten as much as they are to entertain. They present new knowledge in a powerful, popular medium and inspire thoughtful, lively classroom discussion.

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NPS.gov Homepage (U.S. National Park Service)

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The National Park Service cares for special places saved by the American people so that all may experience our heritage.