The Way I Experienced It While many people may think the National Park Service was started by Theodore Roosevelt it was not. Theodore Roosevelt worked on the National Park System, while in office, but the actual National Park Service actually started in 1916. The National Park Service is comprised of 417 protected areas, 59 of those being actual National Parks, the others comprise of battlefields, monuments, scenic trails, and other types of historical sites (Frequently Asked Questions). Every National Park has visitor centers where you can visit and get your National Park passport stamped.
All of the National parks are very distinct and different in their own ways, each are very special and are worth visiting. The sound of water flowing down echoes throughout the cave. On the New York side people can stick their hands in the rushing water. The Maid of the Mist brings a boatload of people right next to the falls. This park has “20% of the world’s fresh water [traveling] over [it]” (Home » Niagara Falls National Heritage Area). Not only is there water flowing down it there are stories of daring people traveling down the falls, which is prohibited now.
While the view of the falls may be better on the Canadian side, to actually touch the falls is a spectacular experience. The Niagara Falls is a Heritage Site. This National Park, in New Jersey, is where George Washington housed his troops over a brutal winter in 1777 (Boldgett 259). The soldiers made log cabins that housed them over that winter in Jockey Hollow. Inside the log cabins there are wooden bunk beds, where the men would play cards and sleep, and a fireplace to keep them warm. Henry Wick’s house, which is what ttracted Washington to the property in the first place, it is now refurbished like it would have been in the 1700s for the public viewing. There is also the Ford Mansion, which Washington stayed during that period. The Morristown National Park is a great place to take a relaxing stroll for a day. At the bottom of the climb, when looking toward the delicate arch people at the top look like little ants. The arch itself is a beautiful mix of red, orange, yellow, and pink. At this National park these semicircle formations are the most popular places to visit.
In order“To be considered an arch, the rock’s opening must measure at least three feet (in any direction)” (Oswald 369). This National Park has lots of sandstone arch formations. The Fairy furnace has a ranger guided tour which is also very popular. Some points are narrow, which can be fun for small kids to climb but most people can just squeeze through. The devil’s garden has both rocky areas and sliding sands. The desert floor gets really hot at this arch so it is best to go before twelve o’clock.. Arches National Park is in Moab, Utah.
There are pools of water that each have their own unique ecosystems called the Ephemeral Pools. Dead Horse Point got its name because ranchers used to bring their horses to Dead Horse Point for the winter and one year there was too much snow and they could not get their horses out so all the horses died. Canyonland This National Park in Maine has a lot of different worthwhile activities. Camping is really nice, but the popular campsite has to be booked months in advance. There is also a biking path to a carriage house to eat scones and drink tea.
The round trip is 10 miles long traveling up and down hills. There is a hiking path called the beehive. summit path. jordan pond bike ride. Bar island walk low tide. Acadia Many people hear about the battle that was here, in history class, but never visit. There is a monument here. The monument is “a 221-foot tall obelisk built entirely from quarried granite. It took over seventeen years to complete, but it still stands to this day atop a prominence of the battlefield now known as Breed’s Hill. ” Bunker hill This park is on the border of New York and New Jersey.
There is two islands to visit in this one park. A ferry is required in order to travel to these places. This is the place that many immigrants used to pass through in order to gain entry into the United States. “From 1892 to 1924, [this] was America’s largest and most active immigration station, where over 12 million immigrants were processed” (History & Culture). The French gifted the United States this “152-foot-tall copper statue bearing a torch of freedom… in 1886 to commemorate the alliance of two nations during the American Revolution” (Boldgett 292).
This lovely lady was a gracious gift from France. Traveling up the flight of stairs there is a view of both of the bordering states. Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Watching the sunrise over this natural beauty can not be put to justice with words. Each second the colors would change, it would be orange and pink and yellow, all while the sky would get lighter and lighter blue. If timed right, then in the back there can be a yellow moon on an orange sherbert sky. After watching the sunrise there is the option of hiking this crater.
One hike along this trail is 11. miles long and 11. 7 miles to finish this trek. To start, there is a trail of zig zagging sand pathways, accurately named the sliding sands. Everywhere on this desolate path is outer worldly. Some parts of this travel looks like Mars or the moon, and some at the Halemau’u trail looks like lush forests. The start of this trek is 10,000 miles high and the ending is 8,000 miles high; therefore, walking through the clouds is a regular activity. Lots of food, water, and sunscreen are needed when traveling throughout this whole path; especially, when traveling through the clouds.
Very few people actually travel the whole trail so the path is very peaceful and quiet. While the whole trail is like a lot of hiking, the last 7 miles actually feels like the longest part. The end seems so near and every time a car looks like it will appear in the horizon, it is most likely a flower or rock. While the hike may seem like it is not worth it, after the hike is finished the hike brings unforgettable memories. Taking a driving trip down the road to Hana is a refreshing change of pace and is the only way to get to the Kipahulu District of this National Park.
There are many rushing waterfalls to stop at and admire or take a dip in along the way. Halfway to Hana there is a place to stop and get a bite to eat at food trucks but all of the food trucks close at six o’clock. At the town of Hana it is best to reserve a cottage, stay for a night stargaze, and soak all of the trip in rather than try and squeeze all this trip into a single day. The next day it is easier to hike the other half of this National Park. It is best to arrive early especially if swimming in ‘Ohe’o Gulch also known as the seven sacred pools. After the pools there is a path up to another waterfall.
To get to the 400 foot tall Waimoku Falls there is a walking path called the Pipiwai Trail which for the most park is nice. There is a bamboo forest on the trail which most people would enjoy but there were many mosquitoes attacking. Even through all of that the waterfall looked very pretty. The island of Maui has so much more to do than relaxing on the beach like the wonderful trip of Haleakala National Park. All of the National Parks are worthwhile visiting because of all of the differences. No two parks are exactly the same. Some parks are best to visit for a day while others you can spend weeks at.
