Plan Your Perfect National Parks Experience - Lonely Planet
Plan YourPerfectNational ParksExperienceExcerpt from Lonely Planet’sdiscover USA's Best National Parks
USA’s BestNational Parks’Top Experiences
Yosemite Valley, YosemiteIn Yosemite Valley (p314), the national park system’s crown jewel, massive granite rockformations tower thousands of feet over the Merced River. Wild creeks plummet from thecliff tops, creating a spectacle of waterfalls unlike anywhere on earth. And presiding overit all stand the iconic and mighty sentinels of rock, including El Capitan, Half Dome, theRoyal Arches, the Three Brothers and Cathedral Rocks. No matter what people tell youabout the summer crowds, the sights of Yosemite Valley are so astonishing that almostnothing can detract from the experience.JOHN MOCK / LONELY PLANET IMAGES
Going-to-theSun Road,GlacierELFI KLUCK / GETTY Going-to-the-Sun Rd (p69)offers steely-nerved motorists the drive of their life.Chiseled out of the mountainside and punctuated bysome of the sheerest andmost vertiginous drop-offsin the US, this 50-mile, vistaladen strip of asphalt offersdrivers access to some ofthe most astounding sightsin the Rockies.MOMATIUK - EASTCOTT / CORBIS Sunset, Grand CanyonWhen Bob Dylan wrote of God and Woody Guthrie, he said ‘I may be right or wrong/You’llfind them both/In the Grand Canyon/At sundown.’ Of all the places to watch the sunset inthe world, few can measure up to the Grand Canyon. Lipan Point (p104) is one of the finestspots to do it. Or, if you’re feeling leisurely, simply grab a drink and a porch swing on thepatio of El Tovar lodge (p116), where you can watch the sunset in style. Toroweap Overlook (p137)USA'S BEST NATIONAL PARKS' TOP 15 EXPERIENCES
Wildlife Watching on Snake River,Grand TetonSpilling down from Jackson Lake beneath the mighty TetonRange, the wild and scenic Snake River offers some of themost dramatic mountain scenery in the country. Not only areits waters the perfect place to gawk at the Tetons themselves(including the 13,775ft Grand Teton), but they’re prime forwildlife watching. Numerous outfitters (see p303) offer floattrips ranging from gentle to giant water. No matter which youchoose, prepare to be awed. View from Oxbow Bend (p291)HikingVERNAL & NEVADA FALLS,YOSEMITEYosemite’s most stunningwaterfalls plummet overgranite cliffs. (p332)ICEBERG LAKE, GLACIERIcebergs float in azurewaters beneath a massiveglacial cirque. (p79)GRANDVIEW TRAIL, GRANDCANYONGrueling trail with epiccanyon views. (p109)LONGS PEAK, ROCKYMOUNTAINViews are endless fromatop this 14,259ft peak.(p223)THE NARROWS, ZIONNarrow slot canyon with ariver for a trail. (p370)JUDY BELLAH / LONELY PLANET IMAGES
Rock Climbing,Joshua TreeLAMAR VALLEY,YELLOWSTONEBison, moose, wolves andelk roam the ‘AmericanSerengeti.’ (p253)OXBOW BEND, GRANDTETONMoose, elk, bald eagles,trumpeter swans, blueherons and more can beseen at this special place inGrand Teton. (p291)ANHINGA TRAIL,EVERGLADESCrowded as it is, this trailoffers wildlife up close,including anhingas, alligators and turtles. (p57)MANY GLACIER, GLACIERThis remote, mountainous sector of Glacier hasthe park’s best wildlifeviewing. (p77)ENCHANTED VALLEY,OLYMPICMoose and black bearsare common sightsalong this spectacularOlympic hike. (p203)TYLER ROEMER / LONELY PLANET IMAGES WildlifeWatchingWhether you’re a rockclimbing novice or a bouldering goddess, you’ll findheaven above earth when youtake to Joshua Tree’s granite(p180). With more than8000 established climbingroutes, this is truly one of theworld’s rock meccas. Thereare classes for beginners,and the 400-plus climbingformations offer endless funfor seasoned enthusiasts.Amid the giant boulders andsweaty climbers, the bizarreJoshua trees themselves lendthe scenery an otherworldlycharacter.
Longs Peak,Rocky MountainCHRISTIAN KOBER / GETTY Whether you hike to the topof its 14,259ft summit orjust ogle its glaciated slopesfrom below, Longs Peak(p223) is truly a feast for theeyes. Given it’s the highestpeak in the park, it shouldbe. Those who attemptthe ascent via the KeyholeRoute must first brave thehair-raising Ledges, beforeconquering the Trough andinching across the Narrows,which finally give way tothe (whew!) Homestretch.The views from the top aremind-boggling.USA'S BEST NATIONAL PARKS' TOP 15 EXPERIENCES
The Narrows,ZionGARY CRABBE / GETTY Check your claustrophobiaat the door and prepareto get wet on this hikeup the Virgin River into a2000ft-deep slot canyon(p370). As you make yourway upriver, the cliffs pressinward, towering higherand higher until, finally, youreach Wall Street, where thewidth of the canyon narrowsto under 30ft.JEFF VANUGA / CORBIS Wildlife Watching, YellowstoneNo matter how many nature shows you’ve seen, nothing can prepare you for the first timeyou spot a moose in the wild. And in Yellowstone (p263), if you don’t see a moose – ora bison or a herd of elk or a bear – you probably have your eyes closed. On par with theGalápagos, the Serengeti and Brazil’s Pantanal, Yellowstone is one of the world’s premierwildlife-watching destinations. Big mammals are everywhere. The knowledge that grizzlies,wolves and mountain lions are among them simply adds to the rush.USA'S BEST NATIONAL PARKS' TOP 15 EXPERIENCES
Sunrise, Cadillac Mountain, AcadiaCatching the country’s ‘first sunrise’ from the top of CadillacMountain (p33) is, hands down, one of the finest ways to kickoff a day. At 1530ft, Cadillac Mountain is the highest point onMaine’s Mount Desert Island, and the views over the Atlanticare sublime. The island is one of the easternmost points inthe USA, and, while it’s technically not the first place thatcatches the morning sun, we prefer to do what everyone elseup top does at sunrise: ignore the technicalities and bliss out.ViewsCAPE ROYAL POINT, GRANDCANYONThe earth seems to disappear beneath your feet.(p130)OBSERVATION POINT, ZIONThe hike is a doozy, butthe views make the 2150ftclimb worth every grunt.(p372)BRYCE POINT, BRYCECANYONMysterious hoodoos towerup from the Silent Citybelow. (p386)GOING-TO-THE-SUN ROAD,GLACIEREvery turn in this roadoffers breathtaking RockyMountain views. (p69)CADILLAC MOUNTAIN,ACADIAHead here to watch thefirst sunrise over America.(p33)TOM MACKIE / GETTY
Bryce Amphitheater, Bryce CanyonProof that nature has a wild imagination, hoodoos are oneof the strangest formations on the planet. From the rim ofsouthern Utah’s Bryce Amphitheater (p386) you can lookdown upon thousands of these bizarre, ancient rock spires asthey tower out of the so-called Silent City, a conglomerationof hoodoos so vast that you’d be forgiven for thinking you’dlanded on another planet. Sunrise over the amphitheater isone of life’s treats.WinterWonderlandsYOSEMITE VALLEYFrozen waterfalls, snowycliffs, and a silent, magicalwhite valley await wintervisitors. (p314)ROCKY MOUNTAINYou’ll practically have thepark to yourself. (p220)YELLOWSTONEWithout the crowds, wildlife watching is even better.(p246)GRAND TETONMiles of cross-country skitrails snake beneathmassive peaks. (p286)EVERGLADESA subtropical paradisefor those who want to bewarm in winter. (p52)WALTER BIBIKOW / GETTY
HohRainforest,OlympicEmbrace the rain! It’swhat makes this temperate rainforest (p201),in all its Tolkienesquebeauty, one of thegreenest places in NorthAmerica. With anaverage rainfall of upto 170in (that’s 14ft),it is also one of thewettest. This tremendous amount of watercreates a forest coveredin mosses, lichens andferns, with a canopy sodense the forest floorseems trapped in theperpetual lowlight ofdusk. Pack your rainjacket and watch for theRoosevelt elk.CORBIS / GETTY Mesquite Flat SandDunes, Death ValleyWITOLD SKRYPCZAK / LONELY PLANET IMAGES Wind and sand make for magical bedmates in Death Valley, where dune fieldsrise from the desert floor and kindle theimagination with their shadowy, windhewn ripples. And just as you’d expectfrom the scene, it’s hot! Located between the ominously named StovepipeWells and Furnace Creek, Mesquite FlatSand Dunes (p187) are the easiest seriesof dunes to reach. With crescent, linearand star-shaped sand dunes, MesquiteFlat provides the complete experience.USA'S BEST NATIONAL PARKS' TOP 15 EXPERIENCES
Paddling,EvergladesFRANZ MARC FREI / CORBIS The country’s thirdlargest national park(p49) is a paddler’sparadise, with kayak andcanoe ‘trails’ meandering through mangroveswamps and freshwatermarshes that teem withwildlife. Crocodiles,alligators, turtles, cormorants, herons, egretsand fish are just some ofthe wildlife boaters comeacross while paddlingaround this subtropicalpark. Thanks to theNational Park Service’shandy (and free) kayakand canoe trail maps,navigating the waters isfairly straightforward.Cades CoveHistoricBuildings,Great SmokyMountainsRICHARD CUMMINS / LONELY PLANET IMAGES Pick up a self-guidedtour booklet and pokeyour way around thehistoric buildings ofCades Cove (p146).Beneath the backdrop ofThunderhead Mountain,pioneer churches, agristmill, graying oldhomes and plank-boardbarns take you back tothe 19th century, whensettlers carved out theirhome in this idyllic valley.Tipton Place (p147)USA'S BEST NATIONAL PARKS' TOP 15 EXPERIENCES
Wildflower Season, Mt RainierMt Rainier (p208) gets over 650in of snow annually. It’scovered in glaciers, and the high meadows are blanketedin white for nearly nine months of the year. Once the snowfinally melts and the meadows are exposed, wildflowers,somehow knowing they have only a short time to do theirthing, explode into bloom. Avalanche lilies, beargrass,bog orchids, wood nymphs and dozens of other flowersturn the slopes of the Cascade’s highest mountain into arainbow of color. July and August are peak season.AdventuresRAFTING THE COLORADORIVER, GRAND CANYONHands down, the best wayto see the Grand Canyon.(p110)CANYONEERING, ZIONRappelling into Zion’s slotcanyons is hair-raising fun.(p374)ROCK CLIMBING, YOSEMITEThe world’s holy grail ofrock climbing is accessibleto all. (p337)PADDLING, EVERGLADESPaddle the 99-mile Wilderness Waterway betweenEverglades City andFlamingo. (p58)MOUNTAINEERING,MOUNT RAINIERRICHARD CUMMINS / LONELY PLANET IMAGES Some 10,000 people attempt this 14,411ft summitevery year. Try it and findout why. (p211)
The ParksMonth byMonthe JanuaryStrap on your snowshoes or cross-countryskis and enjoy the white winter magic inYellowstone, Glacier and Grand Teton.Joshua Tree is lovely, and the subtropicalEverglades are sublime.2 SnowshoeingLeave the crowds behind and take to thetrails of the national parks with snowshoeson your feet. Seeing the high-elevation andnorthern parks when they’re blanketedin snow is a magical experience. Rangersat some of the parks even host guidedsnowshoe hikes.e March2 Cody Stampede, July1 Spring Wildflowers, Aprilz Strawberry MusicFestival, Mayz Grand Teton MusicFestival, Julyz Frozen Deachd GuyDays, MarThe biting cold of winter fades from thedesert parks, and wildflowers begin tobloom at lower elevations. Snow activitiesare still good at high elevations.z Frozen Dead Guy DaysJoin the living in Nederland, CO (nearRocky Mountains National Park) andcelebrate a dead guy – a Norwegiannamed Grandpa Bredo Morstoel – who iscryogenically frozen in a local lab, patientlyawaiting reanimation. The festival (goto ‘events’ at www.nederlandchamber.org) spans three days in early March andincludes music and coffin races.e AprilWildflowers are in full swing atlower elevations, and waterfallsbegin pumping at full force withthe beginning of the snowmelt.Weather in the desert parks isbeautiful.Yosemite Falls (p317), YosemitePHOTOGRAPHER: EMILY RIDDELL / LONELY PLANET IMAGES
1 Spring WildflowersWildflowers put on dazzling springtimedisplays at the lower-elevation parks,especially at Death Valley, Shenandoah,Great Smoky Mountains, Zion and sometimes Joshua Tree. Check the NationalPark Service websites for wildflowerwalks, talks and celebrations.1 Yosemite WaterfallsMost people who visit Yosemite in July andAugust have no idea – until they getthere – that the Valley’s famous falls(p317) are but a trickle of their springtimeselves. April, May and June are the bestmonths to see the falls in full force.z National Park WeekFor an entire week every April, admissionto the national parks is free. Early in theyear, the US president announces whenNational Park Week will fall that year.Many of the parks also host free activities.e MayTemperatures in Zion, Bryce, GrandCanyon, Yosemite Valley, Death Valley andJoshua Tree are delightful. The summercrowds have yet to materialize, waterfallsare at their peak, and river and streamlevels are high.z Strawberry Music FestivalTwice a year (Memorial Day and Labor Dayweekend), lovers of country and folk musicmake a beeline to this wildly popular musicfestival (www.strawberrymusic.com) heldin a meadow at Camp Mather, 10 mileswest of Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat Entrance.z Joshua Tree Music FestivalOver a long weekend in May, numerousbands rock Joshua Tree Lake Campground during a family-friendly indiemusic fest (www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com). It’s followed by a soulful rootscelebration in mid-October.e JuneIt’s still possible to beat the crowds ofsummer in early June. By late June, theparks are jammed but the weather isstellar in many of them. Upper-elevationroads are still closed in the Sierras andRocky Mountains.z Utah Shakespeare FestivalNear Zion National Park, Cedar City kicksoff its three-month-long Shakespeare Festival (www.bard.org) in late June, bringingfamed actors to the stage for dozensof top-notch performances. Activitiesinclude classes, literary seminars, magicshows and more.e JulyHigh elevation sectors of the Rockies,Sierras and Cascades begin opening. It’sprime hiking time in the high-country,where wildflowers are at their peak.Desert parks, including Grand Canyon, aresweltering.2 Cody StampedeIn Yellowstone’s gateway communities,rodeo is the major cultural event of theyear. Cowboys take to the saddle throughout June, July and August in various communities. The largest rodeos are the CodyStampede (www.codystampederodeo.com) and the Wild West YellowstoneRodeo (www.yellowstonerodeo.com).z North American Indian DaysIn the second week of July, head to theBlackfeet Indian Reservation, immediatelyeast of Glacier National Park, for traditional drumming, dancing and the annualcrowning of the year’s Miss Blackfeet. Thefour day festival (www.browningmontana.com/naid.html) is a wonderful display ofBlackfeet traditions.THE PARKS MONTH BY MONTH
campsite is reserved. First-come-firstserved campgrounds are your best bet.Head to the high-country, where theweather is superb.z Christmas in AugustJoin the Christmas caroling in one of theparks’ oddest celebrations, Yellowstone’sChristmas in August (celebrated on the25th). The event dates back to the turnof the last century, when a freak Augustsnowstorm stranded a group of visitors inthe Upper Geyser Basin.e SeptemberThe crowds begin to thin out, and by theend of the month things are pretty quiet.If you don’t mind brisk evenings, this canbe a beautiful time to visit the parks. Highcountry sectors close by the end of themonth.1 Summer WildflowersThere’s nothing like hiking through highcountry meadows that are blanketed inwildflowers. In high-elevation parks suchas Glacier, Rocky Mountain, Yellowstone,Grant Teton and parts of Yosemite, wildflowers bloom intensely during the shortgrowing season between snows.z Grand Teton Music FestivalOver 40 classical music concerts are heldthroughout the Jackson Hole region nearGrand Teton National Park. Everythingfrom children’s concerts to full orchestrasare on the menu. Concerts take placealmost nightly throughout July and intoAugust. See www.gtmf.org for calendarsand to purchase tickets.e AugustHello crowds! It’s the height of summer,it’s blazing hot, and every hotel andTHE PARKS MONTH BY MONTHz Mountain Life FestivalParticipate in hearth cooking demonstrations and help make historic farm stapleslike hominy, apple butter, apple cider andsoap. The event is celebrated every yearin mid-September at the Mountain FarmMuseum in Great Smoky National Park.e OctoberFrom Yosemite to the Great SmokyMountains, fall color is nothingshort of fabulous in many ofthe parks. Grand Canyon, Zion,Joshua Tree and Death Valleyare especially beautiful. Crowdsare nonexistent and thetemperatures are droppingquickly. High-elevation sectorsare closed.z Pioneer DaysOn the third weekend in October, the town of Twentynine
Palms, near Joshua Tree National Park,celebrates Pioneer Days (www.visit29.org)with an Old West-themed carnival featuring a parade, arm-wrestling and a giantchili dinner.early to watch the pioneer wagons comethunderin’ in.e NovemberWinter is well under way in most of theparks. High-elevation roads and parksectors are closed, and visitor centerand business hours are reduced. Thinksnowshoeing and cross-country skiing.Winter is creeping in quickly. The bestparks to visit are those in southern Utah,Arizona and the California deserts, wherethe weather is cool but still beautiful.z Death Valley ’49ersIn early or mid-November, Furnace Creekhosts this historical encampment (www.deathvalley49ers.org), featuring cowboypoetry, campfire sing-alongs, a goldpanning contest and a western art show.Show up to this Death Valley festivale December2 National Audubon SocietyChristmas Bird CountEvery year around Christmastime,thousands of people take to the wilds tolook for and record birds for the AudubonSociety’s annual survey. Many of the parksorganize a count and rely on volunteersto help. Check the National Park Servicewebsites for information.Far left: Cross-country skier, Yellowstone(p270) Left: Orchestra at GrandTeton Music FestivalPHOTOGRAPHERS: (FAR LEFT) LEEFOSTER / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ;(LEFT) BRADLEY BONER
Get InspiredB Books}}OurNational Parks(1901) The words of JohnMuir inspired a nation toembrace national parks.}}RangerConfidential:Living, Working & Dyingin the National Parks(2010) Former parkranger Andrea Lankfordtells you what it takesto fill the shoes of ourfavorite park employee.}}Intothe Wild (2007)Follow Chris McCandlessas he kisses hispossessions goodbye andhitchhikes to Alaska.}}TheM Music}}ClassicOld-TimeFiddle (2007) Perfectfiddle compilationfor trips to GreatSmoky Mountains andShenandoah.}}Lost in My OwnBackyard (2004)Chuckle your way aroundYellowstone with Tim Cahill.}}Joshua}}A}}BeautifulSand CountyAlmanac (1949) AldoLeopold’s nature classicembodies the conservationethic that lies at the heartof our national parks.G Films}}AmericanExperience:Ansel Adams(2004) Inspire yoursnapshots with this PBSdocumentary.}}Vacation(1983) Perfectcomedy kick-starter forany family vacation.}}Thelma& Louise (1991)The classic Americanroad-trip flick is a joy towatch, despite the terriblecircumstances.those weird roadsideattractions!Tree (1987)Crank up this U2 classic,whether you’re heading toJoshua Tree or not.Maladies(1998) Nothing spells‘road trip’ like a good TomWaits tune.}}This Land is YourLand: The AschRecordings, Vol. 1 (1997)Woodie Guthrie singseverything from ‘ThisLand is Your Land’ to ‘TheCar Song’.w Websites}}LonelyPlanet (www.lonelyplanet.com)Lodging information,Thorn Tree, Trip Plannerand ) Don’t miss allTop: Half Dome (p316), Yosemite; Left: Black bear (p432)PHOTOGRAPHER: (LEFT) CHRISTER FREDRIKSSON / LONELY PLANET IMAGES ;(ABOVE) BRENT WINEBRENNER / LONELY PLANET IMAGES NationalParks (www.pbs.org/nationalparks) Onlineportal of Ken Burn’snational park PBS classic.This list will give you aninstant insight into thenational parks.Read Ansel Adam’s In theNational Parks (2010) is thenext best thing to being there.Watch Ken Burns’ 12-hourPBS miniseries, The NationalParks, America’s Best Idea(2009) is a must.Listen Dig into the blues, folkand country roots of Americawith Harry Smith’s Anthologyof American Folk Music(1952).Log on National ParkService websites (www.nps.gov) are jammed with information on everything fromhiking to stargazing.
America. With an average rainfall of up to 170in (that’s 14ft), it is also one of the wettest. This tremen-dous amount of water creates a forest covered in mosses, lichens and ferns, with a canopy so dense the forest floor . Lonely Planet}} The National Parks
Amusement parks, theme parks, water parks, and fairs (collectively referred to as "amusement parks") may be open for modified operations as provided by these protocols. Amusement parks should proceed with caution and adhere to the requirements in this protocol to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19 within their business operations.
Recommendation #4: We recommend the Commissioner of Parks assign all parks maintained by city crews to a park district to ensure routine maintenance is performed consistently and to the department's standards. Proposed Action: All parks maintained by city crews are currently assigned to a park district. Crews are organized by districts: Northwest Parks, Northeast Parks, Southwest
1 "NYC Parks: Framework for an Equitable Future," 2014, pp 12, 14. NY4P designed the 2016 Report Card to focus on the maintenance conditions of the neighborhood parks, between 5 and 20 acres in size, in priority zones. These parks were too large to be included in CPI's transformative model. 35 parks meet NY4P's criteria for inclusion, and
Photo: City Park, Cadillac, Michigan. Released into the public domain by Max Melstrom. Level Places to isit in Summer Parks Animals in Parks People are not the only ones who use parks. Sometimes people bring their dogs to local parks so that they can enjoy the outdoors. Parks with grass fields are good places for dogs
This report demonstrates how national parks and the ESA support each other - a win-win for parks and wildlife. The ESA benefits national parks and surrounding communities in four key ways: Healthier parks and communities result from the legal protections, collaborative planning and partnerships fostered by the ESA.
CONTENTS v UNIT 5 A Changing World 120 The Present Perfect LESSON 1: Present Perfect: Statements and Questions 122 Reading: Asia's Aral Sea 122 5.1 Present Perfect: Statements 124 5.2 Present Perfect: Questions and Answers 126 5.3 Using Adverbs with the Present Perfect 127 LESSON 2: Present Perfect with For and Since 130 Reading: Paro, the Robot Seal 130 5.4 Present Perfect with For and .
4 Safe Routes to Parks: Improving Access to Parks through Walkability METHODOLOGY This report was developed using a two-part process. The ini-tial step involved a thorough literature review on safe routes to parks. The literature review demonstrated that research on safe routes to parks does indeed have limitations. Al-
-Important National Parks & Wildlife Sanctuaries of India-Wildlife Sanctuaries & National Parks are high-security natural areas created to conserve and protect animals/other conservation-reliant species from poachers. National Parks & Wildlife San
