NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee to the west and North Carolina to the east runs northeast to southwest through the centerline of the park. On its route from Maine to Georgia, the Appalachian Trail also passes through the center of the park. The park was chartered by the United States Congress in 1934 and officially dedicated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1940[1]. It encompasses 815 square miles (2,110 km²), making it one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States. The main park entrances are located along U.S. Highway 441 (Newfound Gap Road) at the towns of Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Cherokee, North Carolina. The parks of the United States National Park system are one type of protected area in the United States and are operated by the U.S. National Park Service. ... A rainy day in the Great Smoky Mountains, Western North Carolina Appalachian Mountain system The Great Smoky Mountains are a major mountain range in the southern part of the Appalachian Mountains, the second ridge line forming a north-south running mountain chain from the eastern seaboard and bordering the western... Blue Ridge Mountains, Shining Rock Wilderness Area Appalachian Mountain system The Blue Ridge is a mountain chain in the eastern United States, part of the Appalachian Mountains, forming their eastern front from Georgia to Pennsylvania. ... A rainy day in the Great Smoky Mountains, Western North Carolina The Appalachian Mountains (French: les Appalaches) are a vast system of North American mountains, partly in Canada, but mostly in the United States, forming a zone, from 100 to 300 miles wide, running from the island of Newfoundland some... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area Ranked 36th - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 kmÂ²) - Width 120 miles (195 km) - Length 440 miles (710 km) - % water 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 kmÂ²) - Width 150 miles (240 km) - Length 560[1] miles (901 km) - % water 9. ... Official language(s) None (English de facto; French is also an administrative language) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area Ranked 39th - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 kmÂ²) - Width 210 miles (338 km) - Length 320 miles (515 km) - % water 13. ... The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A.T., is a 2,174-mile (3,500-km)[2] marked hiking trail in the eastern United States, extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. ... Type Bicameralism Houses Senate House of Representatives United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D, since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D, since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups (as of November 7, 2006 elections) Democratic Party Republican... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The presidential seal was first used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (â‰ˆ1,609 m) in length. ... U.S. Highway 441 is a spur of U.S. Highway 41. ... Gatlinburg is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, with a total population of 3,828, as of the 2000 U.S. census. ... Cherokee is a town in Swain County, North Carolina. ...

Natural features

Elevations in the park range from 875 to 6,643 feet (250 to 2,000 m) above mean sea level, with the highest point being Clingmans Dome. Within the park a total of sixteen mountains reach higher than 6,000 feet (1829 m). Basic Definition In geography, the elevation of a geographic location is its height above mean sea level (or some other fixed point). ... The term above mean sea level (AMSL) refers to the elevation (on the ground) or altitude (in the air) of any object, relative to the average sea level. ... Clingmans Dome (or Clingmans Dome) is, at an elevation of 6,643 feet (2,025 metres), the highest point both in the state of Tennessee and on the Appalachian Trail. ...

The wide range of elevations mimics the latitudinal changes found throughout the entire eastern U.S. Indeed, ascending the mountains is comparable to a trip from Tennessee to Canada. Plants and animals common in the Northeast have found suitable ecological niches in the park's higher elevations, while southern species find homes in the balmier lower reaches. Two lichenes species on a rock, in two different ecological niches In ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in an ecosystem. ...

During the most recent ice age, the northeast-to-southwest orientation of the Appalachian mountains allowed species to migrate southward along the slopes rather than finding the mountains to be a barrier. As climate warms, many northern species are now retreating upward along the slopes and withdrawing northward, while southern species are expanding. Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ...

The park normally has very high humidity and precipitation, averaging from 55 inches (1.4 m) per year in the valleys to 85 inches (2.2 m) per year on the peaks. This is more annual rainfall than anywhere in the United States outside the Pacific Northwest and parts of Alaska. The park is almost 95 percent forested, of which roughly a quarter is old growth with many trees that predate European settlement of the area. It is one of the largest blocks of deciduous, temperate, old growth forest in North America. Image File history File links Abies_fraseri0. ... Image File history File links Abies_fraseri0. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, â€³ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... FljÃ³tsdalur in East Iceland, a rather flat valley A valley (in Scotland, a glen) is a landform, which can range from a few square miles (square kilometers) to hundreds or even thousands of square miles in area. ... The Pacific Northwest from space This page is about the region that includes parts of Canada and the US. For the US only region, see Northwestern United States The Pacific Northwest, abbreviated PNW, or PacNW is a region in the northwest of North America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area Ranked 1st - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,855 kmÂ²) - Width 808 miles (1,300 km) - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km) - % water 13. ... Temperate rainforest on Northern Slopes of the Alborz mountain ranges, Iran A dense growth of softwoods (a conifer forest) in the Sierra Nevada Range of Northern California A decidous broadleaf (Beech) forest in Slovenia. ... Old growth forest, sometimes called late seral forest or ancient forest is an area of forest that has attained great age and exhibits unique biological features. ... Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off). ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ...

The variety of elevations, the abundant rainfall, and the presence of old growth forests give the park an unusual richness of biota. About 10,000 species of plants and animals are known to live in the park, and estimates as high as an additional 90,000 undocumented species may also be present. It has been suggested that Biota (taxonomy) be merged into this article or section. ... In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biodiversity. ... Divisions Green algae Chlorophyta Charophyta Land plants (embryophytes) Non-vascular plants (bryophytes) Marchantiophyta - liverworts Anthocerotophyta - hornworts Bryophyta - mosses Vascular plants (tracheophytes) â€ Rhyniophyta - rhyniophytes â€ Zosterophyllophyta - zosterophylls Lycopodiophyta - clubmosses â€ Trimerophytophyta - trimerophytes Pteridophyta - ferns and horsetails Seed plants (spermatophytes) â€ Pteridospermatophyta - seed ferns Pinophyta - conifers Cycadophyta - cycads Ginkgophyta - ginkgo Gnetophyta - gnetae Magnoliophyta - flowering plants... Animalia redirects here. ...

Park officials count more than 200 species of birds, 66 species of mammals, 50 species of fish, 39 species of reptiles, and 43 species of amphibians, including many lungless salamanders. The park has a noteworthy black bear population, numbering at least 1,800. An experimental re-introduction of elk (wapiti) into the park began in 2001. Subfamilies Desmognathinae Plethodontinae Lungless salamanders (Family Plethodontidae) are salamanders which do not have lungs and instead conduct respiration through their skin and the tissues lining their mouth. ... Binomial name Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780 Black Bear redirects here. ... Binomial name Cervus canadensis New species designate Siberian and American Elk (Cervus canadensis), are the second largest species of deer in the world, after the Moose (Alces alces). ...

Over 100 species of trees grow in the park. The lower region forests are dominated by deciduous leafy trees. At higher altitudes, deciduous forests give way to coniferous trees like Fraser Fir. In addition, the park has over 1,400 flowering plant species and over 4,000 species of non-flowering plants. Deciduous means temporary or tending to fall off (deriving from the Latin word decidere, to fall off). ... Orders & Families Cordaitales † Pinales Pinaceae - Pine family Araucariaceae - Araucaria family Podocarpaceae - Yellow-wood family Sciadopityaceae - Umbrella-pine family Cupressaceae - Cypress family Cephalotaxaceae - Plum-yew family Taxaceae - Yew family Vojnovskyales † Voltziales † The conifers, division Pinophyta, are one of 13 or 14 division level taxa within the Kingdom Plantae. ... Binomial name Abies fraseri (Pursh) Poir. ... More than 1400 species of Wildflowers are native to the Great Smoky Mountains. ...

Attractions and activities

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a major tourist attraction in the region; over 9 million visitors to the park were recorded for 2003, double that of any other national park. Surrounding towns, notably Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Townsend, Tennessee, and Cherokee, Sylva, Maggie Valley, and Bryson City, North Carolina receive a significant portion of their income from tourism associated with the park. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 280 KB) Summary The Alum Cave Bluffs Trail is a 5. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (960x1280, 280 KB) Summary The Alum Cave Bluffs Trail is a 5. ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gatlinburg is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, with a total population of 3,828, as of the 2000 U.S. census. ... Pigeon Forge is a city in Sevier County, Tennessee, United States. ... Sevierville (pronounced ) is a city in and the county seatGR6 of Sevier County , Tennessee, United States of America. ... Townsend is a town located in Blount County, Tennessee. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Largest metro area Nashville Area Ranked 36th - Total 42,169 sq mi (109,247 kmÂ²) - Width 120 miles (195 km) - Length 440 miles (710 km) - % water 2. ... Cherokee is a town in Swain County, North Carolina. ... Sylva is an incorporated town located central Jackson County, in the Great Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina. ... Maggie Valley is a town located in Haywood County, North Carolina. ... Bryson City is a town located in Swain County, North Carolina. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area Ranked 28th - Total 53,865 sq mi (139,509 kmÂ²) - Width 150 miles (240 km) - Length 560[1] miles (901 km) - % water 9. ... Tourists at Oahu island, Hawaii Tourism is the act of travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes, and also refers to the provision of services in support of this act. ...

The two main visitors' centers inside the park are Sugarlands Visitors' Center near the Gatlinburg entrance to the park and Oconaluftee Visitors' Center near Cherokee, North Carolina at the eastern entrance to the park. These ranger stations provide exhibits on wildlife, geology, and the history of the park. They also sell books, maps, and souvenirs. Cherokee is a town in Swain County, North Carolina. ... Various species of deer are commonly seen wildlife across the Americas and Eurasia. ... This article includes a list of works cited but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ...

U.S. Highway 441 (known in the park as Newfound Gap Road) bisects the park, providing automobile access to many trailheads and overlooks, most notably that of Newfound Gap. At an elevation of 5,048 feet (1,539 m), it is the lowest gap in the mountains and is situated near the center of the park, on the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, halfway between the border towns of Gatlinburg and Cherokee. It was here that in 1940, from the Rockefeller Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated the national park. On clear days Newfound Gap offers arguably the most spectacular scenes accessible via highway in the park. U.S. Highway 441 is a spur of U.S. Highway 41. ... Newfound Gap (elevation 5048 ft/1539 m), is a gap (mountain pass) in the southern Appalachian Mountains in the US. Bordering Tennessee and North Carolina, the middle of the state line runs through the gap, as does U.S. Highway 441, on its way through the Great Smoky Mountains National...

The park has a number of historical attractions. The most well-preserved of these (and most popular) is Cades Cove, a valley with a number of preserved historic buildings including log cabins, barns, and churches. Cades Cove is the single most frequented destination in the national park, which is itself the most visited national park in the United States. Self-guided automobile and bicycle tours offer the many sightseers a glimpse into the way of life of old-time southern Appalachia. Mountain rising above Cades Cove Cades Cove is a cove (an isolated valley) located in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park of far eastern Tennessee. ... For the political organization that supports the United States Republican Party, see Log Cabin Republican Replica log cabin at Valley Forge, USA A log cabin is a small house built from logs. ... A barn in southern Ontario, Canada A barn in Wisconsin A barn in Poland Barn redirects here, for other uses, see Barn (disambiguation). ... St. ... It has been suggested that Poverty in Appalachia be merged into this article or section. ...

Hiking

Main article: Hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park located in a region of the Appalachian Mountains referred to as the Great Smoky Mountains, in a portion of east-central Tennessee and southeast North Carolina. ...

Including seventy miles of the Appalachian Trail, there amounts to 850 miles (1,368 km) of trails and unpaved roads in the park for hiking[2]. Mount Le Conte, at 6,593 feet (2,009 m), is the third highest summit in the park, and, measured from its base to its highest peak, is the tallest mountain east of the Mississippi River. Inasmuch it is one of the most frequented destinations in the park. Its Alum Cave Trail, which is the most heavily trafficked of the five paths en route to the summit, provides many scenic overlooks and unique natural attractions (Alum Cave Bluffs and Arch Rock, for instance) for hikers planning to spend a night at the LeConte Lodge, which provides cabins and rooms for rent (except during the winter season), located near the summit. Accessible solely by trail, it is the only private lodging available inside the park. Another popular hiking trail leads to the pinnacle of the Chimney Tops, so named because of its unique dual-humped peaktops. This short but strenuous trek rewards nature enthusiasts with a spectacular panaorama of the surrounding mountain peaks. For those looking for a more easily accessible payoff, both the Laurel Falls and Clingman's Dome trails offer relatively easy, short, paved paths to their respective destinations. The Laurel Falls Trail leads to a powerful 80 foot (24 m) waterfall, and the Clingman's Dome Trail takes visitors on an uphill climb to a fifty-foot observation deck, which on a clear day offers views for many miles over both the Tennessee and North Carolina mountains. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 333 KB) The Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the borders of Tennessee and North Carolina in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States of America. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1280x960, 333 KB) The Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the borders of Tennessee and North Carolina in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States of America. ... Chimney Tops is a mountain in the central Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. ... Mount Le Conte (often spelled LeConte) is a mountain peak in Sevier County, Tennessee and part of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest named river in North America, with a length of 2320 miles (3733 km) from Lake Itasca to Gulf of Mexico. ... The Alum Cave Trail (Also referred to as Alum Cave Bluff Trail) is an American hiking trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, in Sevier County, Tennessee. ... Chimney Tops is a mountain in the central Great Smoky Mountains, located in the Southeastern United States. ... The Laurel Falls Trail is an American hiking trail, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park of Sevier County, Tennessee. ... Hopetoun Falls near Otway National Park, Victoria, Australia A waterfall is usually a geological formation resulting from water, often in the form of a stream, flowing over an erosion-resistant rock formation that forms a sudden break in elevation. ...

In addition to dayhiking, the national park offers opportunities for backpacking and camping, particularly via the placement of shelters along the Appalachian Trail; designated campsites are also scattered throughout the park. Permits are required for stays at both locales and are almost always valid for only one night. Backpacking is traveling long distances with a backpack. ... Car camping is camping in a tent, but nearby the car for easier access and for supply storage. ...

Other activities

After hiking and simple sightseeing, fishing is the most popular activity in the national park, although there are strict regulations under which fishing must be conducted. Horseback riding (offered by the national park and on limited trails), bicycling (available for rent in Cades Cove) and water tubing are all also practiced within the park. Fishing is the activity of hunting for fish by hooking, trapping, or gathering animals not classifiable as insects which breathe in water or pass their lives in water. ... horse, see Horse (disambiguation). ... Cycling is a recreation, a transport across land. ...

Human history

Before the arrival of European settlers, the region was part of the homeland of the Cherokee Indians. White frontierspeople began settling the land in the 18th and early 19th century. In 1830 President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, beginning the process that eventually resulted in the forced removal of all Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River to what is now Oklahoma. Many of the Cherokee left, but some, led by renegade warrior Tsali, hid out in the area that is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Some of their descendants now live in the Qualla Reservation south of the park. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1610 KB) Summary Cades Cove contains many well-preserved homesteads, such as this one, the home of John Cable, near his old 19th century grist mill, which are accessible via a very short, paved path beyond the coves visitor... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1610 KB) Summary Cades Cove contains many well-preserved homesteads, such as this one, the home of John Cable, near his old 19th century grist mill, which are accessible via a very short, paved path beyond the coves visitor... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... A family of Russian settlers in the Caucasus region, ca. ... A homeland is the concept of the territory to which one belongs; usually, the country in which a particular nationality was born. ... For other uses, see Cherokee (disambiguation). ... Liberty Leading the People by EugÃ¨ne Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... For other uses, see Andrew Jackson (disambiguation). ... The Indian Removal Act of 1830 was a law passed by the Twenty-first United States Congress in order to facilitate the relocation of Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River in the United States to lands further west. ... The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning great river (gichi-ziibi big river at its headwaters), is the second-longest named river in North America, with a length of 2320 miles (3733 km) from Lake Itasca to Gulf of Mexico. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area Ranked 20th - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 kmÂ²) - Width 230 miles (370 km) - Length 298 miles (480 km) - % water 1. ...

As white settlers moved in, logging grew as a major industry in the mountains. Cut-and-run style clearcutting was destroying the natural beauty of the area, so visitors and locals banded together to raise money for preservation of the land. The U.S. National Park Service wanted a park in the eastern United States, but did not want to spend much money to establish one. Though Congress had authorized the park in 1926, there was no nucleus of federally-owned land around which to build a park. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. contributed $5 million, the U.S. government added $2 million, and private citizens from Tennessee and North Carolina pitched in to assemble the land for the park, piece by piece. The park was officially established on June 15, 1934. During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Works Progress Administration, and other federal organizations made trails, fire watchtowers, and other infrastructure improvements to the park. Loggers on break, c. ... The National Park Service (NPS) is the United States federal agency that manages all National Parks, many National Monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Great Depression was a worldwide economic downturn which started in October of 1929 and lasted through most of the 1930s. ... CCC workers on road construction, Camp Euclid, Ohio 1936 The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a work relief program for young men from unemployed families established in March 1933 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in his first hundred days. ... WPA Graphic The Works Progress Administration (later Work Projects Administration, abbreviated WPA), was created in May 1935 by Presidential order (Congress funded it annually but did not set it up). ...

The park was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976, and was certified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. A Biosphere Reserve is an international conservation designation for reserves designated by UNESCO under the MaB (Man and the Biosphere) Programme. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

Original entry was from the NASA Earth Observatory; [3] NASA Earth Observatory is an online publication of NASA where the public can access satellite imagery and scientific information about our planet for free. ...

External links

World Heritage Sites in the United States of America

Cahokia | Carlsbad Caverns | Chaco Culture | Everglades | Grand Canyon | Great Smoky Mountains | Hawaii Volcanoes | Independence Hall | Kluane / Wrangell-St. Elias / Glacier Bay / Tatshenshini-Alsek (w/ Canada) | La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site, Puerto Rico | Mammoth Cave | Mesa Verde | Monticello and University of Virginia | Olympic | Pueblo de Taos | Redwood | Statue of Liberty | Waterton Glacier International Peace Park (w/ Canada) | Yellowstone | Yosemite Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ... Wikitravel is a project to create an open content, complete, up-to-date, and reliable world-wide travel guide. ... The parks of the United States National Park system are one type of protected area in the United States and are operated by the U.S. National Park Service. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Acadia National Park preserves much of Mount Desert Island, and associated smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast of Maine. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Arches National Park preserves over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Badlands National Park, in southwest South Dakota, preserves 242,756 acres (982 kmÂ²) of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Big Bend National Park is a national park located in Texas, USA. For more than 1,000 miles (1600 km) the Rio Grande / RÃo Bravo forms the international boundary between Mexico and the United States; Big Bend National Park administers approximately one-quarter of that boundary. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Biscayne National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southern Florida, due east of Homestead, FL. The park preserves Biscayne Bay, one of the top scuba diving areas in the United States. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a United States National Park located in western Colorado. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Canyonlands National Park, located near Moab, Utah and the Arches National Park, was designated as a National Park on September 12, 1964. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Capitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park located in the Guadalupe Mountains of the southeastern corner of New Mexico (Eddy County). ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... The Channel Islands National Park is a national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Located in South Carolina, the 34 mi² (89 km²) Congaree National Park is the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States but one of the smallest national parks. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Crater Lake National Park is the U.S.s fifth oldest[1] National Park whose most famous feature is Crater Lake. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Cuyahoga River Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in northeast Ohio. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Death Valley National Park is a mostly-arid United States National Park located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Inyo County, California with a small extension and exclave (Devils Hole) in Nye County, Nevada. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mt. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Dry Tortugas National Park preserves Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas section of the Florida Keys. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Everglades National Park preserves the southern portion of the Everglades (all south of Tamiami Trail), but represents only 20 % of the original wetland area. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is one of several large U.S. National Parks in Alaska. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... There is also a non-adjoining national park in Canada by the same name. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... The area around Glacier Bay in southeastern Alaska was first proclaimed a U.S. National Monument on February 25, 1925. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Grand Canyon National Park is one of Americas oldest national parks and is located in Arizona. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in western Wyoming, south of Yellowstone National Park. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Great Basin National Park is a United States National Park, located in east-central Nevada near its border with Utah. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve became a United States National Park by an act of Congress on September 13, 2004. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet (2,667 m) in elevation. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... HaleakalÄ National Park is a United States national park located on the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Hawaiâ€˜i Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, displays the results of 30 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolutionâ€”processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Established from Hot Springs Reservation, Hot Springs National Park is a United States National Park in central Arkansas adjacent to the city of Hot Springs. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Isle Royale National Park is a U.S. National Park in the state of Michigan. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Katmai National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in Alaska, notable for the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and for its brown bears. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska near the town of Seward. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... This article is about Kings Canyon National Park, USA. For Kings Canyon, Australia, see Kings Canyon (Northern Territory). ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Kobuk Valley National Park is a United States National Park in northwestern Alaska north of the Arctic Circle. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southwestern Alaska. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Map of Lassen area showing hydrothermal features (red dots) and volcanic feature or remnant (yellow cones). ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... The Rotunda Room at Mammoth Cave. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Mesa Verde National Park is a national park in southwest Colorado, in the United States. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County, Washington. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Looking toward Magic Mountain from the Cascade Pass trail North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in Washington state. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the far northwestern part of the state known as the Olympic Peninsula. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Petrified Forest National Park is located in northeastern Arizona, along Interstate 40 between Holbrook and Navajo. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Established in 1968 from unprotected land as well as small portions of existing state parks, Redwood National Park is a United States National Park on the northern coast of California between Eureka and Crescent City. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the north central region of the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Entrance to the Visitors Center, Saguaro National Park, West. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Crescent Meadow in the Giant Forest, called by John Muir the Gem of the Sierras Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia, California in the United States of America. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Piedmont region of Virginia. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Established in 1978, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a United States National Park comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Established in 1975, Voyageurs National Park is a United States National Park in northern Minnesota near the town of International Falls. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Wind Cave National Park is a United States national park 10 miles (18 km) north of the town of Hot Springs in western South Dakota. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Wrangell-St. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Yellowstone National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the western states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Yosemite National Park (pronounced Yo-SEM-it-ee, IPA ) is a national park largely in Mariposa County, and Tuolumne County, California, United States. ... Image File history File links Locator_Dot. ... Zion National Park is a United States National Park located near Springdale, Utah in the Southwestern United States. ... Image File history File links US_Locator_Blank. ... Acadia National Park preserves much of Mount Desert Island, and associated smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast of Maine. ... Arches National Park preserves over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch, in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. ... Badlands National Park, in southwest South Dakota, preserves 242,756 acres (982 kmÂ²) of sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires blended with the largest protected mixed grass prairie in the United States. ... Big Bend National Park is a national park located in Texas, USA. For more than 1,000 miles (1600 km) the Rio Grande / RÃo Bravo forms the international boundary between Mexico and the United States; Big Bend National Park administers approximately one-quarter of that boundary. ... Biscayne National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southern Florida, due east of Homestead, FL. The park preserves Biscayne Bay, one of the top scuba diving areas in the United States. ... Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is a United States National Park located in western Colorado. ... Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park is a national park located in southwestern Utah in the United States. ... Canyonlands National Park, located near Moab, Utah and the Arches National Park, was designated as a National Park on September 12, 1964. ... Capitol Reef National Park is a United States National Park, in south-central Utah. ... Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park located in the Guadalupe Mountains of the southeastern corner of New Mexico (Eddy County). ... The Channel Islands National Park is a national park that consists of five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of the U.S. state of California, in the Pacific Ocean. ... Located in South Carolina, the 34 mi² (89 km²) Congaree National Park is the largest tract of old growth bottomland hardwood forest left in the United States but one of the smallest national parks. ... Crater Lake National Park is the U.S.s fifth oldest[1] National Park whose most famous feature is Crater Lake. ... Cuyahoga River Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in northeast Ohio. ... Death Valley National Park is a mostly-arid United States National Park located east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Inyo County, California with a small extension and exclave (Devils Hole) in Nye County, Nevada. ... Denali National Park and Preserve is located in Interior Alaska and contains Mt. ... Dry Tortugas National Park preserves Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas section of the Florida Keys. ... Everglades National Park preserves the southern portion of the Everglades (all south of Tamiami Trail), but represents only 20 % of the original wetland area. ... Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is one of several large U.S. National Parks in Alaska. ... There is also a non-adjoining national park in Canada by the same name. ... The area around Glacier Bay in southeastern Alaska was first proclaimed a U.S. National Monument on February 25, 1925. ... Grand Canyon National Park is one of Americas oldest national parks and is located in Arizona. ... Grand Teton National Park is a United States National Park located in western Wyoming, south of Yellowstone National Park. ... Great Basin National Park is a United States National Park, located in east-central Nevada near its border with Utah. ... Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve became a United States National Park by an act of Congress on September 13, 2004. ... Guadalupe Mountains National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains of West Texas and contains Guadalupe Peak, the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet (2,667 m) in elevation. ... HaleakalÄ National Park is a United States national park located on the island of Maui in the state of Hawaii. ... Hawaiâ€˜i Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, displays the results of 30 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolutionâ€”processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. ... Established from Hot Springs Reservation, Hot Springs National Park is a United States National Park in central Arkansas adjacent to the city of Hot Springs. ... Isle Royale National Park is a U.S. National Park in the state of Michigan. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Katmai National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in Alaska, notable for the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and for its brown bears. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Kenai Fjords National Park is a United States National Park on the Kenai Peninsula in southcentral Alaska near the town of Seward. ... This article is about Kings Canyon National Park, USA. For Kings Canyon, Australia, see Kings Canyon (Northern Territory). ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Kobuk Valley National Park is a United States National Park in northwestern Alaska north of the Arctic Circle. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southwestern Alaska. ... Map of Lassen area showing hydrothermal features (red dots) and volcanic feature or remnant (yellow cones). ... The Rotunda Room at Mammoth Cave. ... Mesa Verde National Park is a national park in southwest Colorado, in the United States. ... Mount Rainier National Park is a United States National Park located in southeast Pierce County, Washington. ... Looking toward Magic Mountain from the Cascade Pass trail North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in Washington state. ... Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the far northwestern part of the state known as the Olympic Peninsula. ... Petrified Forest National Park is located in northeastern Arizona, along Interstate 40 between Holbrook and Navajo. ... The Coastal redwood is the tallest tree species on Earth. ... Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the north central region of the U.S. state of Colorado. ... Entrance to the Visitors Center, Saguaro National Park, West. ... Crescent Meadow in the Giant Forest, called by John Muir the Gem of the Sierras Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Visalia, California in the United States of America. ... Shenandoah National Park encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Piedmont region of Virginia. ... Established in 1978, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a United States National Park comprising three geographically separated areas of badlands in western North Dakota. ... Established in 1975, Voyageurs National Park is a United States National Park in northern Minnesota near the town of International Falls. ... Wind Cave National Park is a United States national park 10 miles (18 km) north of the town of Hot Springs in western South Dakota. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Wrangell-St. ... Yellowstone National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the western states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. ... Yosemite National Park (pronounced Yo-SEM-it-ee, IPA ) is a national park largely in Mariposa County, and Tuolumne County, California, United States. ... Zion National Park is a United States National Park located near Springdale, Utah in the Southwestern United States. ... This is a list of U.S. national parks by date of establishment. ... This is a list of United States National Parks by state. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Elabana Falls is in Lamington National Park, part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves World Heritage site in Queensland, Australia. ... Cahokia is the site of an ancient Native American city near Collinsville, Illinois, across the Mississippi River from St. ... Carlsbad Caverns National Park is a United States National Park located in the Guadalupe Mountains of the southeastern corner of New Mexico (Eddy County). ... Kiva at Pueblo Del Arroyo Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park and World Heritage Site which contains the densest and most exceptional concentration of large pueblos in the American Southwest. ... Everglades National Park preserves the southern portion of the Everglades (all south of Tamiami Trail), but represents only 20 % of the original wetland area. ... Grand Canyon National Park is one of Americas oldest national parks and is located in Arizona. ... Hawaiâ€˜i Volcanoes National Park, established in 1916, displays the results of 30 million years of volcanism, migration, and evolutionâ€”processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. ... Independence Hall, officially known as the Pennsylvania State House, is a U.S. national landmark located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Kluane National Park and Reserve is located in the extreme southwestern corner of the Yukon territory in Canada. ... Established in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, Wrangell-St. ... The area around Glacier Bay in southeastern Alaska was first proclaimed a U.S. National Monument on February 25, 1925. ... Tatshenshini-Alsek Park Tatshenshini-Alsek Park or Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Wilderness Park in British Columbia, Canada (9,580 km2) was established in 1993 after an intensive campaign by Canadian and American conservation organizations to halt mining exploration and development in the area and protect the area for its strong natural... La Fortaleza (or The Fortress in English) is the current residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. ... San Juan National Historic Site in San Juan, Puerto Rico includes colonial-era forts, bastions, powder houses, and three fourths of the old city wall. ... The Rotunda Room at Mammoth Cave. ... Mesa Verde National Park is a national park in southwest Colorado, in the United States. ... Thomas Jeffersons Monticello Monticello, located near Charlottesville, Virginia, was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence, the third President of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia. ... The University of Virginia (also called U.Va. ... Olympic National Park is located in the U.S. state of Washington, in the far northwestern part of the state known as the Olympic Peninsula. ... Taos Pueblo, circa 1920 Taos Pueblo (or Pueblo de Taos), continuously inhabited for over 1000 years, is the ancient town of the Northern Tiwa speaking tribe of Pueblo people, Native Americans. ... The Coastal redwood is the tallest tree species on Earth. ... For other freedom monuments, see Monument of Liberty. ... The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is the name of the union of the Glacier National Park in the United States and the Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada. ... Yellowstone National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the western states of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. ... Yosemite National Park (pronounced Yo-SEM-it-ee, IPA ) is a national park largely in Mariposa County, and Tuolumne County, California, United States. ...

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