National reserves of North America: list, location, flora and fauna. Projects of JSC Donstroy What nature reserves are there in America
The territories of the United States of America are home to a huge number of national parks and reserves, and per year the system US national parks visited by up to 300 million people.
Yellowstone became the first national park here in 1872.
All reserves of America very picturesque and unique, and today on a sightseeing tour we will visit some of them.
1. Redwood National Park, State of California. The park is covered with ancient redwood forests:
2. Grand Teton National Park, located in the western United States in the northwestern part of Wyoming. The park owes its name to the Teton Mountains (the highest peak is Grand Teton Peak, height 4198 meters) - the youngest mountain formation on the North American continent, whose age is 13 million years:
3. Zion National Park in Utah, near the town of Springdal. The main attraction is the Zion Canyon, 24 km long and up to 800 meters deep:
4. Petrified Forest National Park(“Petrified Forest”) is located in eastern Arizona and occupies about 380 km 2. On its territory you can see many fossils, mainly trees, which are over two hundred million years old. Here is a lizard sitting on a fossilized tree trunk that is 225 million years old:
5. North Cascades National Park, Washington State . The park is located in the Cascade Range mountain system, which got its name due to the large number of waterfalls found here. Thanks to the preservation of its unique nature, the park is inhabited by large number wild animals:
6. Grand Canyon Park, Arizona. This is one of the oldest national parks in the United States. The park contains the Grand Canyon - the Great Canyon of the Colorado River, one of the recognized natural wonders of the world. This is one of the deepest canyons in the world (up to 1600 meters). Magnificent waterfall:
7. Badlands National Park, South Dakota. The park's landscape includes steep hills, jagged cliffs and peaks, and the largest protected prairie area in the United States:
8. Canyonlands National Park, Utah. There are many gorges, mountains and river valleys that are part of the desert landscape:
9. Yosemite National Park, California. Famous for its landscapes and nature: impressive granite rocks, waterfalls, rivers with clear water. In 1984, the park received the status of " World Heritage"under the auspices of UNESCO. About 3 million people visit this park every year. This photo was taken in moonlight with a 17-minute exposure:
10. Martian landscape from Yellowstone National Park:
11. Canyonlands National Park, Utah:
12. Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, which back in the 20s of the last century received the nickname “Wayne’s Wonderland” from local enthusiasts who advocated the development of the park area. Colorful canyons, ridges, rock arches and monoliths - all this really makes a stunning impression:
13. Great Sand Dunes National Park- the youngest reserve, officially declared a national park only in September 2004. The park boasts the tallest dunes in North America, sometimes reaching 210 meters in height. These huge masses of sand are constantly moving and taking on bizarre shapes:
14. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska. It gets its name from the long, glacially carved valleys that are now filled with ocean water. This is the Aialik glacier:
15. Saguaro National Park, Arizona. The name of the park comes from the name of the giant saguaro cactus (carnegia in Russian). These cacti live 75 years, grow up to 14 meters in height and up to 3 meters in girth. In total, more than 50 species of cacti grow in the park. At sunset:
16. Winter in Joshua Tree National Park :
17. Crater Lake National Park, Oregon . Main attraction - Crater Lake, which is famous for its deep blue color and purity of water. It is the deepest lake in the United States, the second deepest in North America, and the seventh deepest in the entire world (Baikal is the deepest):
18. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah. The main attraction of the park is Bryce Canyon. Despite the name, it is not really a canyon, but rather a giant natural amphitheater created by erosion. The red, orange and white colors of the rocks are a breathtaking sight, especially at sunrise or sunset:
19. Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State. On the territory of the park there is stratovolcano Rainier height 4,392 m:
US national parks on the map are scattered throughout the country - from one ocean to another. From the snowy mountain peaks to deep canyons, from calm lakes to wild rivers, from hot volcanoes to cold glaciers. We offer you the ten most beautiful national parks in the USA.
- Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho
It is home to one of the largest alpine lakes in North America and one of only five geyser fields in the world. The volcano in the US Yellowstone National Park, called Caldera, is the largest supervolcano on the continent.
Yellowstone National Park. Photo: Todd Petrie/Flickr
It has erupted several times already, so most of the park area is covered with solidified lava.
2. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
Grand Canyon National Park. Photo: Todd Petrie/Flickr
One of the oldest and largest parks in the country is Grand Canyon National Park. The USA can rightfully be proud of him. Formed by the Colorado River, which eroded the plateau for almost 10 million years, the canyon continues to grow.
Its length is 446 km, its width varies from 6 to 29 km in different places, and its depth reaches 1800 meters. Be sure to admire the surrounding landscapes with the transparent abyss hanging over observation deck Grand Canyon Skywalk.
3. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Photo: Todd Petrie/Flickr
The park on the island of Hawaii has an area of 1348 square kilometers. On its territory there are active volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kilauea. The latter, by the way, has been slowly and continuously erupting since 1983.
Other attractions in the park include lava caves and ancient petroglyphs - drawings depicting animals, human figures and abstract shapes carved by Hawaiians into the surface of lava.
4. Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
Glacier Bay National Park is located on the southeastern coast of Alaska, near the town of Juneau.
Over an area of more than 13 thousand square kilometers there are numerous glaciers, icebergs, snow-capped mountain peaks with forested slopes, deep fjords, rivers and lakes. Bears and deer live here, and whales can be seen off the coast.
5. Yosemite National Park, California
Yosemite National Park is located on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
It is famous for its landscapes: high cliffs, picturesque waterfalls and green groves. More than 160 species of rare plants grow here, including huge sequoiadendrons - one of the tallest and longest-living trees in the world.
Among the giants in the park are not only trees, but also waterfalls: Yosemite Falls is one of the twenty highest in the world (its height is 739 m).
6. Acadia National Park, Maine
US national parks in New England are represented by a single example - Acadia Park.
It is located on islands near the Atlantic coast. His total area is 191.8 sq. km. There are mountains, lakes, and forests here. Be sure to take the incredibly scenic Park Loop road, which climbs up and down past the mountains, sandy beaches and the unique Roaring Bay.
7. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
The largest national park in the United States, with an area of about 130 thousand hectares, includes most of the Teton Mountain Range and the northern part of the Jackson Hole Valley.
Its closest neighbor is Yellowstone National Park, the first national park in the United States. Together they form the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. The park has numerous lakes, the Snake River and its many streams, nearly a dozen glaciers, and virtually untouched wilderness.
8. Arches National Park, Utah
The park near the city of Moab covers an area of 309 square kilometers. There are more than 2,000 natural sandstone arches here. The most famous of them is the “Delicate Arch,” which is also sometimes jokingly called “Cowboy Pants.”
Also visit the labyrinthine rock tower called the Rock Oven and the Round Arches Window section, which were filmed in Steven Spielberg's Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
9. Badlands National Park, South Dakota
Badlands Park covers an area of 982 square kilometers. On its territory there are steep hills sharpened by erosion, and pointed rocks, and mountain peaks, and the largest protected prairie in the United States.
The park is also famous for the fact that many extinct mammal species have been found here, such as three-toed horses, dog-sized camels and saber-toothed tigers.
10. Chaco National Historical Park, New Mexico
The most famous US national park among archaeologists is undoubtedly Chaco Park, located between the cities of Albuquerque and Farmington in the canyon of the same name. Long before the beginning of our era, Anasazi culture flourished here. They built unusual Pueblo towers with spacious rooms inside, around which settlements were formed. One of the hypotheses says that such a building system has a sacred meaning and marks the routes of “astral travel” of shamans.
The US National Parks are a treasure trove of natural beauty that includes some of the country's most beautiful landscapes. They became the last refuge for rare species of animals that, alas, have disappeared forever. However, today parks continue to be a popular destination for those people looking for relaxation and unity with nature.
Mount Rainier National Park
Of the total number of hikers who attempt to summit Mount Rainier, a 4,390-meter tall glacial volcano in Washington state, about half succeed. It is a tough climb that is often accompanied by rain. However, thanks to the rain, wildflowers are blooming around the volcano.
Death Valley National Park
Located below sea level, Death Valley is the lowest and driest place in North America and the hottest spot on the planet. Its temperature reaches 56ºC/133ºF. With its awesome name, it's surprising that this park is home to a variety of wildflowers, fish, and animals such as the coyote.
Perhaps no country in the world is famous for such zeal in matters of protecting natural reserves as the United States. US national parks are a kind of analogue of the country's gold and foreign exchange reserves, which are both a permanent magnet for tourists and a source of national pride. Needless to say about the beauty of American nature reserves, many of which are familiar from films, pictures in books and postcards, and some were probably lucky enough to see with their own eyes the grandeur of the Grand Canyon, Yosemite Falls or the geysers of Yellowstone. At all, national parks America should definitely be included in any program of visiting the country and not limited to cities. The parks are monitored by a special federal US National Park Service, thanks to which the reserves are maintained in proper condition, which any tourist can easily appreciate. Below is a list of the most popular national parks in the United States.
Grand Canyon
The most famous and one of the most popular national parks in the United States, which is visited annually by over 4 million people, so by this indicator it is second only to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in the densely populated eastern part of the country. On the territory of the Grand Canyon is located perhaps the most famous natural attraction of the country - the legendary Grand Canyon Colorado River, whose length reaches 446 kilometers and depth - 1600 meters. Many call the canyon one of the seven natural wonders of the world, and it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The national park itself was established in 1919; its area is 4,926.66 km.
The canyon was formed as a result of large-scale soil erosion caused by the rise of the Colorado Plateau and the movement of the river of the same name. In total, the formation of the canyon took about 10 million years, and its appearance itself cannot but amaze the imagination, because the canyon is not a simple lifeless gorge, but has a completely bizarre topography, distinguished by its characteristic “brick” color. There are various trails leading to the bottom of the canyon. hiking trails, which have so-called shelters - shelters from bad weather, toilets, sources of drinking water, etc. Many guests of the park spend the night in tents in long weather conditions. The descent should not begin in the first half of the day at 7-8 in the morning if you want to reach the bottom of the canyon and return in the evening (probably after dark). Rangers can be seen on the trails from time to time. The two main tourist areas are in the south (South rim, main) and in the north of the canyon (Northern rim). Near the South rim is the famous observation deck Skywalk, which is a kind of horseshoe at an altitude of over 1200 meters with a glass floor and sides. By the way, there is a fee to enter the Grand Canyon territory - $25 for 1 car and $12 per person arriving by other means; designed for 7 days. In addition, the South Rim has an airport and a train station connecting the canyon to the town of Williams. Nearest large city— Flagstaff.
Yosemite
One of the oldest and most beautiful national parks in the United States, Yosemite was founded back in 1890. It is located in California, on the western slopes of the large Sierra Nevada mountain range and is distinguished by truly fabulous landscapes, for which majestic granite rocks, often absolutely vertical, are responsible. famous waterfalls Yosemite, lakes with crystal water, forests with sequoiadendrons, etc. The very view of Yosemite Valley, which annually attracts about 3.7 million tourists to the park, is especially impressive. By the way, it is located just 6 hours from Los Angeles, which largely explains such a flow of tourists.
The elevation difference in the park is very impressive - from 600 to 4000 meters, so that in the park you can find completely different types of vegetation: from the alpine belt to maximum altitudes to the scrubland on the lower slopes of the Sierra Nevada. The modern appearance of the park was formed under the influence of erosion and glaciers, thanks to which, in particular, the famous Yosemite Valley appeared (which, however, occupies only 1 percent of the total territory of the national park). The Merced River flows through the valley, and thanks to its picturesqueness and sufficient accessibility, this is where the bulk of tourists flock. In total, the park has 1,300 kilometers of hiking trails and 560 kilometers of roads. Rock climbers are especially fond of the El Capitan granite massif in Yosemite Valley; A separate “type” of the park’s attractions are the giant sequoias in the Mariposa Grove, as well as the Glacier Point glacier. And, of course, you can’t help but admire the mesmerizing view of Yosemite Falls, located in the Valley and reaching a height of 739 meters, making it the tallest waterfall in the United States. The waterfall consists of three segments, and the power of its water flows reaches its peak in late spring. By the way, shuttle buses run inside the park along certain routes.
Yellowstone
The oldest national park on the planet, Yellowstone was founded back in 1872, and 106 years later it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is famous for its impressive landscapes, rich and completely wild nature, as well as magnificent geysers, among which the Old Faithful geyser occupies a special place. The park is spread over an impressive area of 8,983 square meters. kilometers. Most of it is in Wyoming, but it also extends into the states of Montana and Idaho. At an altitude of 2376 meters in the park there is its largest water reservoir - Yellowstone Lake, formed on the site of the caldera of the same name, which is the largest supervolcano on the continent. In addition, the park has a huge number of small rivers, lakes, valleys, canyons and mountain peaks, which largely determines the extraordinary richness of flora and fauna - bears, wolves, moose, bison and other animals live here, so park guests should be careful. The territory of Yellowstone Park is mainly covered with forests, so fires sometimes occur in the hot summer months - for example, in 1988, almost a third of the park burned, which caused heavy damage to the local biosphere.
Perhaps the main calling card of Yellowstone National Park is the so-called Grand Prismatic Spring. The area of this hot spring is 2200 meters, which is the third largest in the world; The water temperature reaches 70 degrees Celsius. However, its main feature is its surprisingly bright color palette: in summer, the banks of the spring are bright orange, and in winter they acquire a dark green tint due to the activity of a special kind of bacteria. It is also worth visiting the numerous geysers of the park, because it is in Yellowstone that the largest of all active geysers on the planet is located - the Steamboat Geyser, which shoots hot water to a height of up to 90 meters. The Old Faithful geyser is very famous, erupting approximately every hour and a half for one and a half to five minutes.
Death Valley
Death Valley in the USA is not only a national park, but also, one might say, a whole brand. Spread over an area of 13,647.6 sq. kilometers in California and partly in Nevada, Death's Length is the country's largest national park, excluding those located in Alaska. However, compared to the relatively nearby Yosemite National Park, Death Valley does not have many visitors (approximately 800 thousand people annually). This is largely due to the incredibly arid climate, lifeless landscapes scorched by the sun; although Death Valley (the park also includes the Panamint Valley and Salina Valley) looks mysterious and attractive in its own way.
In the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, gold and metal ore were mined in this harsh region, but at the very dawn of the 20th century this activity ceased, and the cities of the Valley fell into decay. Death Valley became a national monument in 1933 and a national park in 1994. On its territory is the famous Badwater point - the most deep depression North America and the second - the western hemisphere (85 meters below sea level). Also a popular attraction is Scotty's Castle, a Mexican-style mansion built in the 1920s for tourism and later turned into a hotel (Death Valley was becoming a popular winter destination at the time). Separately famous are the moving stones of Death Valley, discovered at the bottom of the dried-up lake Racetrack Playa. So far, no one has really been able to explain why stones move independently, without anyone’s help, across the desert surface, leaving distinct traces that persist for 3-4 years.
Everglades
The Everglades is the southernmost of all US national parks, located at the tip of the Florida Peninsula in the subtropical zone. In general, it covers only a fifth of the Everglades natural area in the south of the peninsula, but this is enough to be the third largest national park in the United States and attract about a million people annually. Yes, this cannot be compared with the indicators of the same Yellowstone, but next to the Everglades there are such popular resorts, like Miami, Key West and Disney World, so this national park is often visited by many tourists vacationing in Florida.
However, the park really has something to boast about - this area is not only of impressive swamps and swamps, but also interesting mangroves, tropical forest, small rivers and many lakes. In the local humid subtropical climate, various species of plants and animals feel comfortable. For example, crocodiles and alligators live in the reservoirs of the Everglades; You can also see manatees and many other fauna in the park. In addition, its territory is inhabited by rarest species Florida panthers. The national park itself has a fairly elaborate system of roads, trails and tourist centers(Ernest Coe Visitor Center in Homestead; Flamingo Visitor Center in Flamingo; Shark Valley Visitor Center in Miami and Gulf Coast Visitor Center in Everglades City). The entire infrastructure here is created in such a way as not to disturb the fragile ecosystem of the park. Of particular note is the variety of water activities that you can try in the park - from simple boat rides to kayaking and fishing.
Zion
Zion National Park, located in Utah, is famous for its canyon of the same name, which, although not like the Grand Canyon, also has its own charm. The area of the national park is 590 square meters. kilometers and is visited annually by over 2 and a half million tourists. The Zion Canyon itself reaches 24 kilometers in length and its width is about 800 meters, but this bronze-colored gorge, over which the Virginia River once loomed, makes an indelible impression with its appearance. In many ways, of course, the large number of visitors is ensured by the proximity to the Grand Canyon. In addition, the inaccessible Kolob Canyon is located on the territory of the national park. In the past, Indian tribes lived in Zion Canyon, and in the second half of the 19th century it was settled by Mormons. The region was declared a national park in 1919, and subsequently transport infrastructure was created here, for example, the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel, 1.8 kilometers long, was built. The park has various hiking trails, one of which is pet-friendly.
Glacier
Glacier is a beautiful national park in the mountainous state of Montana, located in the very north of the United States on the border with Canada. Despite the great distance from the main tourist centers, the park is visited by no means few people - about two million visitors a year, attracted by the wild, rugged mountains and cliffs of the landscape with many magnificent lakes and rivers. The park covers an area of 4,101 square meters. kilometer right on the border with Canada, so you can often meet tourists from this country here. It includes two “branches” of the Rocky Mountains, about 130 lakes of various sizes. The largest and most picturesque are Lakes MacDonald and Saint Mary. Previously, there were about 150 glaciers in Glacier, but in the 20th century many of them disappeared as a result of climate change. This region began to develop into a popular holiday destination from the beginning of the 20th century, receiving national park status in 1910. Today people come here mainly for hiking, as well as other types of active recreation, for example, fishing. As for the natural inhabitants of Glacier, dangerous grizzly bears, baribals, wolverines, mountain goats, caribou and other representatives of the fauna of the Rocky Mountains are found here. By the way, the park offers guided tours on vintage red buses known as Red Jammers.
Hawaiian volcanoes
The Hawaiian Islands are famous not only for their legendary beaches, surfing, and Hawaiian dancing to the tunes of the ukulele, but also for their unique natural landscapes, among which volcanoes occupy a special place. First of all, this concerns the volcanoes in the south of the largest island of the archipelago - Hawaii. In Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, you can see how volcanic activity affects the appearance of the earth. For example, numerous black beaches and rocks resemble a lunar rather than terrestrial landscape. The park includes two active volcano— Mauna Loa with a height of 4169 meters and Kilauea, not very high, but one of the most active in the world. Probably many people have seen footage of hot lava flowing into ocean water. This unreal beauty phenomenon occurs right here. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is, among other things, a unique biological system that is home to various (and often unique) species of plants and animals.
Great Smoky Mountains
This is the most visited national park in the United States, located in the eastern part of the country in the states of Tennessee and North Carolina, the border between which actually bisects the park. Since this park is located relatively close to densely populated cities east coast USA, then the number of its visitors is off the charts - about 9 and a half million a year. However, this is primarily due to the richness and beauty of the local nature, as well as the tourist attractiveness of the famous Appalachian Trail, which partially passes through the territory of the national park.
Spread over an area of 2108.76 sq. kilometers, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the most scenic regions of the Appalachian mountain system. The most high point— Mount Klinmangs Dome (2045 meters). The Appalachians are considered one of the oldest mountain ranges on the planet, so here you can often see the remains of ancient rocks. The territory of the national park is almost completely covered with forests, and an impressive part of them has not been affected by human economic activity at all. Fauna highlights include black bears, white-tailed deer, foxes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, coyotes and bats. Tourists should beware not only of bears, but also of poisonous snakes and ticks. The Great Smoky Mountains region was declared a national park in 1934 and is the only one in the United States that is free for tourists to visit. You can get to the national park through the cities of Gatlinburg and Townshend (Tennessee) and Cherokee (North Carolina).
Canyonlands
Canyonlands National Park is the second largest park in Utah and is home to hundreds of colorful canyons, hills, arches and spiers, and hoodoos. The park was founded on September 12, 1964. The area of the park is 1366.21 square kilometers. The park is visited by almost half a million tourists a year.
The gorges of the national park are not much smaller in size than the Grand Canyon. On some rocks, drawings were discovered that were created more than 3,000 years ago by groups of nomadic hunters who moved around the southwest of the continent.
The Colorado River and its tributaries divide the park into four areas: Island in the Sky, The Needles, The Labyrinth, and The Rivers. Although these areas share a primitive desert atmosphere, each retains its own character and offers varied exploration opportunities, and is home to some of the most challenging highways and rapids in the world.
The United States of America ranks third in the world in terms of its territory. Huge areas of the country pass through the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Combined with northwestern Alaska and tropical Hawaii, they form a unique natural portrait consisting of virtually every known climate zone.
Tundra vegetation of the northern, broad-leaved forests of the Appalachians, conifers of the Cordillera, tropical vegetation of the Atlantic lowlands, western forest-steppes, deserts and semi-deserts of the Mexican Highlands - all this can be seen within.
Tourists from all over the world are attracted to the North American country majestic cities, picturesque landscapes, numerous festivals, historical and architectural monuments. Natural attractions in the United States include a huge variety of geographical features. Waterfalls, geysers, lakes, caves, swamps, mountains, rivers, deserts, valleys, volcanoes. The country's national parks are among the most interesting and concentrated places for observing American wildlife. Millions of people visit them every year. The exact number is calculated by the US National Park Service. Thus, a natural rating of the most popular natural tourist sites is formed. Currently, there are 58 parks in the country. The ten most visited national parks in the United States, according to data for 2012, are as follows:
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in two American states - North Carolina and Tennessee, in the Appalachian mountain system. Its name is translated into Russian as “Big Smoky Mountains”. The park is a biosphere reserve protected by UNESCO. The longest walking route in the world – . The park is 95 percent covered with forests - broad-leaved, mixed, spruce-fir, hemlock and oak-pine. The park is home to a large number of animals and birds. On the territory of the Great Smoky Mountains there are historical areas with buildings from the 19th – first half of the 20th centuries.
Grand Canyon National Park was created around the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River on February 19, 1919. The area of the park is about five thousand square kilometers. The most visited part of the Grand Canyon is its south rim. In this part of the park there are a large number of observation points for walking about fifty kilometers of roads are available. declared the park a World Heritage Site. The canyon's multicolored layers of exposed rock reveal the planet's geological history over the past 10 million years.
Yosemite National Park is located on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain system, in. Almost the entire territory of the park (90%) belongs to the wilderness area. Yosemite is famous for its granite cliffs, rivers, waterfalls and groves of huge redwoods. The park territory is represented by five natural areas: dense bush, lower and upper mountain forest, subalpine and alpine vegetation belt. In the upper part of Yosemite, along the ridges of the mountains, there are hiking trails. tourist routes. Rock climbers can try their hand at the granite rock of El Capitan.
Yellowstone National Park opened on March 1, 1872. It is the first national park in the world and is protected by UNESCO as an international park. Yellowstone is located in three states - Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. Its landscape reflects the effects of volcanic activity in the earth's mantle, erupting over 17 million years. The park territory has three thousand geysers, which is two-thirds of the geysers in the whole world, and ten thousand geothermal springs. Small earthquakes still occur in Yellowstone. However, there are numerous hotels, shops, gas stations and campgrounds within the park.
Rocky Mountain National Park is located in Colorado. The river of the same name flows through its territory and passes the conventional continental border separating the Pacific basin from the Atlantic and Arctic oceans. The park is known for its picturesque views of Rocky Mountains, numerous mountain roads, rivers and lakes. The eastern part of the park has a dry climate and mountainous terrain, western - with an abundance of moisture and forests. The most common tree found in Rocky Mountain is the pine. The park is home to red wapiti deer, bighorn sheep, squirrels, and you can see various species of hummingbirds.
Zion (or Zion) National Park covers an area of 593 km². It is located near the city of Springdale in Utah. The central attraction of the park is the canyon of the same name, formed by the Virginia River. The sandy borders of the canyon have a picturesque reddish-bronze hue. The park received national status in mid-November 1919. In Zion there is a Temple of Sinawava, a Native American deity depicted as a coyote. Behind him highway narrows and the Zion Narrows hiking trails open up.
The founding date of Olympic National Park, located on the peninsula of the same name, in the northwestern part of Washington state, is 1938. The area of the park is 3735 km². The isolation of the Olympic Peninsula from the mainland determines the biological diversity of the park. It is home to 15 endemic (found almost exclusively here) animal species and 8 plant species. The park's territory consists of virgin forests, alpine meadows, crystal clear lakes, several dozen glaciers and mountain range Olympic, 2400 meters high. Western part the park is full tropical forests, the eastern one has a dry climate similar to California.
Grand Teton National Park is located in the northwestern part of Wyoming, 16 km away. from Yellowstone. Its area includes most of the Teton Mountain Range and the northern part of the Jackson Hole Valley. The park's territory is replete with glaciers and lakes of glacial origin. The park is home to more than a thousand different species of vascular plants. Here you can find both broad-leaved and spruce-fir forests. The park is home to several dozen species of mammals, more than three hundred species of birds and six species of bats. Grand Teton is the only US park where you can hunt animals, although only one species – elk.
Acadia National Park is part of the State of Maine. Its area includes a significant part of Mount Desert Island and a number of small adjacent islands. Geologically, Acadia is a classic Maine coastal landscape. At the same time, the overall landscape of the park is quite diverse: there are not only beaches, but also ponds, swamps, lakes, spruce and pine forests and even mountains, the highest of which - Cadillac - reaches a height of 466 meters. There are two campgrounds in Acadia. Tourists can explore the park, both on roads and along specially laid trails, with a total length of about 300 km.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park was established in 2000 in northeast Ohio. Its area is 133.3 sq. km. Since the end of the 19th century, the territory of the future park was used by local residents for recreation. The Cuyahoga Valley landscape is replete with numerous geographical objects– waterfalls, hills, caves, winding rivers. On the territory of the park there are laid hiking trails and bike paths. The Erie Canal, built in the early 19th century, runs through the Cuyahoga Valley.
