Today, our National Parks Service turns 100 years old. We had national parks years before the “Service”
began in 1916. Today they manage the 58
National Parks along with a host of other sites. I’ve been to 23 of the National Parks. Sixteen of these, I have camped in and twelve
I’ve backpacked or overnight canoed in. These
are the parks I’ve visited: Arches, Badlands, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Death Valley, Everglades, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Great Basin, Great Smoky Mountains, Isle Royale, Kings Canyon, Lassen Volcanic, Mesa Verde, Petrified Forest, Redwood, Rocky Mountains, Sequoia, Shenandoah, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion.
The Park Service does more than administer National Parks. There are many wonderful National Monuments (I
used to live just down from Cedar Breaks and Devils Tower is down right spooky).
There are also National Seashores, such as Cumberland Island which was
where I spent the fist half of this week.
There are many other wonderful seashores and lake shores they operate which I have enjoyed (Point Reyes, California; Cape Hatteras and Lookout in North Carolina;
Picture Rocks and Sleep Bear Sand Dunes in Michigan). They also maintain historical battlefields, presidential
museums, and a host of other sites.
Happy birthday, NPS!
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| Parting Shot: Sunset at Cumberland National Seashore |
I sure have gotten a lot of pleasure from our national parks.
ReplyDeleteI've visited quite a few of them over they years too though I don't think quite as many as you. CBS Sunday Morning has been celebrating the 100th Birthday of the park service all this year with special segments on different National Parks. This past weekend it was Joshua Tree National Park which said the Joshua tree isn't actually a tree. I also found out why they named them Joshua trees. I think it would be a grand tour to get a year pass sometime and spend a year driving around to see them all.
ReplyDeleteOh, very cool. I never would have known that. They do a good job too.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great thing that we have NPS. We need to protect our wildlife.
ReplyDeleteThat's nice, hope they keep up the good work. Greetings!
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful photo! Also, that is an impressive list of the number of National Parks you have been to. You are fortunate to have visited so many of them.
ReplyDeleteKen Burns has a marvelous documentary about the National Parks, what he called Americas greatest idea.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday NPS! I was thinking Hot Springs was the only NP in Arkansas until I looked at the NPS site and realized they also include sites, rivers, monuments, etc (as you stated above). That upped the Arkansas ante considerably.
ReplyDeleteI always have to remind myself that Crater of Diamonds is a State Park (and only became that in the 70s, having been privately owned before).
If I was to pick one single action that meant the USA had evolved it was when Teddy Roosevelt formed the basis for the NP system. It took a while after that for the rest of the politicians to get there, for they were under the thumb of ranchers and farmers but mostly logging companies and were being pushed to relax TR's restrictions.
ReplyDeleteI remember in the 80s the National Geographic devoted an issue to the development of the NP system, with maps.
You've been to so many! I saw an IMAX film about the National Parks at Fernbank a few months ago. They are a treasure.
ReplyDeleteThe National Mall, too. That's undoubtedly the one where I have spent the most time.
ReplyDeleteI've been to seventeen of the national parks you visited, Sage. Now you've got me curious about how many I've seen altogether. I'll have to find a complete list of the parks, monuments, etc. We live in an amazing country! I just wish we'd preserve more. Some of the parks and monuments I've been to over and over. I love our parks, and I give to the National Park Foundation every year.
ReplyDeleteBeen to a couple on your list Jeff, but the most favored is the Gettysburg National Memorial.
ReplyDeleteI feel fortunate to live just outside one of them. Happy birthday NPS!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday indeed, and I wonder if many more folks will be visiting this free weekend in celebration! Lucky us right!
ReplyDeleteNational Parks are so important!
ReplyDeleteThank goodness for places like this!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday NPS
All the best Jan
Interesting post!!! We need to protect our wildlife.
ReplyDeleteLovely greetings!:))
xxBasia
I just saw the IMax movie about the national parks and it was brilliant. It made me want to see every one of them.
ReplyDeleteI think the 100-year anniversary increased awareness and thus the number of visitors to the national parks. I was at Glacier NP in Montana the week of the anniversary and it was mobbed. Fun fact: when you turn 62 you can get a lifetime pass to all US national parks, and it's good for those traveling in the same vehicle as you! I'm not there yet but my wife is, so we were able to take advantage of it on our recent trip. Good job, NPS!
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