U.S. National Parks

Thank you for visiting my blog about the U.S. National Parks! In this condensed blog, I'll post various facts about the U.S.'s most visited parks. Hopefully, I can spark your interest in national parks and possibly inspire you to visit one someday! - Zachary Klaassen  

  Welcome to Yellowstone! Did you know that Yellowstone National Park is on top of the world's largest volcano? Also considered to be the first national park in the world, first established in 1872, this park has truly stood the test of time. Spanning 3470 square miles along the border of Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, Yellowstone is home to countless natural landmarks in a relatively dense space. From the shooting waters of Old Faithful Guiser to the wide expanse of Lamar Valley or the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, there's so much to explore all over the park! Over 4.5 million individuals from all over the country and worldwide visit the park annually. With many not only coming to see the land marks, but the animals too. Many tours of the park are dedicated to viewing everything from bison, elk, wolves, coyotes, bobcats, and even grizzly bears, so you never know what you'll find. Having visited the park a little over ten years ago, I can proudly say it lives up to its name. I...

  Welcome to Yosemite!  Located in eastern California, this park offers its visitors some amazing sights all near the Yosemite Valley. You can walk towards Bridal Vale Falls, the only waterfall in the park to flow all year round, pouring water from a height of 620 feet above the valley. As you walk to the falls however it won't be the only thing to catch your eye for Yosemite contains some of the most interest landmarks in the west. One view you can't miss is that of the mountains surrounding you on every side of the valley. No matter what photos you see of Yosemite, they'll never give these mountains enough credit. As you walk along the valley, you can witness their true magnitude; they tower above you with their sharp cliffs and steep waterfalls. Despite Yosemite Valley remaining the most popular section of the park, it would be a mistake not to mention the other main attractions of the park: Tuolumne Grove of the Giant Sequoias. Holding some of the oldest and tallest tre...

  Welcome to the Great Smokey Mountains With an annual visitor count of 13.3 million, the Great Smokey Mountains is the most visited park in the United States. Probably best known for its rolling mountains, whitewater rapids, and wildlife, there's always something to explore. These mountains stretch for upwards of 816 square miles, making it one of the largest parks in the eastern United States. Looking over the landscape, it becomes easy to understand how the park got its name as the mist that hovers over the mountains virtually every morning. Stretching the borders of Tennessee and North Carolina, you'll likely spot some of the most notable wildlife in the region. Stop by for a day or two, and you'll likely spot elk, deer, coyotes, beavers, and even the frequent black bear!  If you ever get tired of the park, you'll never be too far from Gatlinburg, a city like no other, serving as a city in the park's center. Despite having a good amount of tourist traps, this to...

  Welcome to Boundary Waters! I'm going to be honest; this isn't a national park. It's a state park right on Minnesota's border with Canada. But with that said, this park spans much of the state and goes way into Canada, making this truly one of a few international parks in the world. As you canoe the crystal clear waters, there are few references to what country you're in, making it easy to cross without even knowing. To give you an idea of what it's like to visit Boundary Waters, let's start with the water! The water here is so clean that you can drink it directly from the lake! At times, the water can be so calm that it can serve as a mirror of the sky above. This makes it ideal for the countless different animal species that live within the park year-round. Looking over the countless islands of the park, you can likely spot everything from grizzly bears to moose, otters, and even the state-famous Loon Pictured above. I recently visited this park, and it ...