NPFG

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Badlands National Park: A Geological Marvel from the Past

If you want to get a great idea of what South Dakota looked like millions of years ago, come visit Badlands National Park. Eons of wind and water have created deep canyons and high buttes where dinosaurs once roamed freely. Parts look like the dead surface of the moon. Others are so filled with life …

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Yellowstone National Park

The oldest park in the U.S. National Park system, Yellowstone was established in 1872 and it covers almost 3,500 square miles (9,000 km²). But, those dry facts don’t begin to convey the magnificence of this heavily forested, geyser-strewn land in Wyoming. It’s no accident that nearly three million visitors enjoy the park every year. There …

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Crater Lake National Park

Lewis and Clark may have been the first non-aboriginal explorers to be awestruck by Crater Lake in Oregon. But they were far from the last. Offering biking, boating, horseback riding and just sheer breathtaking scenery to absorb, it is one of America’s most outstanding national parks. Every year half a million visitors experience something like …

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The Traveler’s Guide to Yosemite National Park

Yosemite is California’s crown jewel. This natural wonder of towering granite megaliths, plummeting waterfalls and endless pine trees lures millions of visitors each year. What draws that many people to Yosemite? To name a few; hiking, biking, fishing, camping, river rafting, swimming, horseback riding, rock climbing, inner tubing, sightseeing, skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, relaxing and …

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White Sands National Monument

The name of the White Sands National Monument is well chosen. The sparkling white grains of gypsum that cover the whole area give off an eerie glow as the wind brushes over them. But there is much more that is inviting about this natural wonder in New Mexico. Located in the Tularosa Basin it offers …

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The Magnificence of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Visitors to Hawaii often have something other than visiting a park on their minds. Yet, this island state offers one of the most unusual national parks in the system: the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The park covers nearly 505 mi²/1350 km² and has several distinct ecosystems. Here, explorers can find the results of over 70 …

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The Pretty Palette of the Petrified Forest

Sometimes, over millions of years of being exposed to the elements, wood eventually turns to something like stone. That obscure fact of chemistry takes on a whole new dimension in the Petrified National Park in Arizona. Here, visitors can find some of nature’s most beautiful colors, along with its most fascinating ancient sights. The Badlands …

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The Grand Canyon, Natural Wonder of the World

First, some dry facts about the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona. The canyon is over 275 miles long and a mile deep. In parts, it is 18 miles wide, four miles at the narrowest point. Elevations range from 2,400 feet above sea level to over 7,000 feet. The canyon extends from Lees Ferry at the …

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The Vast Glory of Grand Teton National Park

The Grand Teton National Park gets its name from the high, jagged mountain in Wyoming that forms the centerpiece of the area. But that description doesn’t begin to capture the scenic glory of this park. Perfect hiking trails, glorious rivers and vast plains of breathtaking beauty greet the visitor at every turn. There are over …

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6 Best Scenic Spots of the Great Smoky Mountains

In the mountains of eastern Tennessee there lies a national park that encompasses over 500,000 acres of lush forest. Part of the Appalachian Highlands, it houses thousands of species of wildlife. It offers unparalleled views of American nature at its finest. Mount Le Conte The elevation of the park varies from just under 900 feet …

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