National Parks

Mount Rainier National Park

By BasicPlanet June 10, 2013

Mount Rainier National Park

A Magical Place in the World

The Mount Rainier National Park can be found in Washington State, near Pierce County. It can be found just north east of Lewis County and was known as a national Park on the 2nd of March 1899. This was known as the fifth national park created in America and there are almost 236,381 acres of land within the park also. This land covers the high range of Mount Rainier; and the mountain has a variety of elevations from 1600 feet to around 14000 feet also.

The volcano found on the mountain range is almost covered with clouds; this means there is a huge amount of snow and rain that falls onto the peaks of the mountains every year. The Wonderland Trail circles Mount Rainier and is also covered by a lot of different glaciers and snowfields also. Over 1.8 million people go to the park each and every year and love to see Emmons Glacier and Carbon Glacier also.

The History of Mount Rainier National Park

Very high percentage of the entire park is considered to be protected and is preserved as wilderness. This is done under the National Wilderness preservation system; and these parts including Mount Rainier Wilderness and the Clearwater Wilderness. In 1997, on the 18th of February, the park was proclaimed a national historic landmark.

Mount Rainier National Park Facts — Christine falls near Mount Rainier

However, in 2012, on the 1st of January, the Park Ranger – Margaret Anderson – was shot and killed while attempting to stop a passing vehicle. The perpetrator Benjamin Colton Barnes hid in the park; and the authorities were on hand to close the park down. This resulted in manhunt throughout the entire park but the suspect’s body was found the next day. It was a sad day for the park as nothing like this had happened before.

The Native American Settlers and the History

It is thought that the earliest signs of life in the park were with Native Americans; and this was thought to be around 4000 years ago. The first signs were at the Bench Lake Trail; and for many years there have been many explorations of the park along Fryingpan Creek and Goat Island Mountain also. More and more want to know about this area and of the history of the park also. In one shelter found, there were hunting artefacts found but this shelter would not have been used during the entire year.

However, the park does have a national forest area within the park. In 1893, the Pacific Forest Reserve was created and that did include Mount Rainier also; the forest did get bigger however as the years went. There has been a lot of work gone into trying to ensure the park is preserved and is protected. Throughout the years, there has been a lot of work that has gone into making sure the forests are protected as well as the entire park. Thousands do a lot of work to protect the park and it is certainly very popular also.

The Mount Rainier National Park had to be closed down for a huge amount of time because of the flood which hit the park. In one part of the park, in late 2006, the Pineapple Express rainstorm brought down almost eighteen inches of rain water to the park. This all fell within 36 hours and a lot of the roads and camp grounds in the park were actually washed away.

The Major Attractions in the Park

The Park was named a National Historic Landmark district in 1997; and there are many amazing locations that are found within the park also. There are at least 42 different locations in the park that are found on the National Register of Historic Places and some are considered to be historical landmarks also. One of the biggest attractions is Paradise. There was no power in the Longmire and Paradise regions; however in 2007, on the 5th of May, the park was reopened for all vehicle traffic – this was only by Route 706.

Paradise covers around five thousand and four hundred feet in land; this is going to be on the south slope of Mount Rainier. This area is one of the very popular locations to visit today. Of the 1.3 million people who visit the park each year, almost 60% of all visitors are going to visit Paradise. The Paradise Guide House was founded in 1920 and in 1966; Henry M Jackson Visitor Center was built. This building was knocked down and rebuilt in 2008.

There is also Longmire. Longmire is a great visitor’s center and is located between the Tatoosh Range and the Ramparts Ridge. This is the place where western red cedar, western hemlock and Douglas fir are found. This is going to be one of the most popular areas of the park today, it’s the second most visited spots and almost 40% of visitors are found here each year.

Mount Rainier national park information — Mount Rainier National Park landscape

Sunrise is also an amazing place to visit. This is a beautiful lodge and visitor’s center found towards the north east region of the park; and to access the park, visitors will need to use a vehicle to reach there. There is however a miles and miles of trails found around Sunrise; these include the Sourdough Ridge and the Mount Fremont also.

The Mowich Lake is going to be the deepest and biggest lake throughout the park today. This is going to be found near the Carbon on highway 165. There are also a hiking trail, camp ground and a picnic area close to the lake also.

With the 2006 floods, the 2 major roads were damaged severely; this was in the North West part of the park. During the summer months, the Carbon River Ranger Station is fully staffed; however no cars or any type of motor vehicles are going to be allowed to go past this part of the park.

The park is a very popular destination for many to choose from and it certainly is going to be a location where millions visits each year. It’s amazing.

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National Parks

Acadia National Park

By BasicPlanet May 28, 2013

Acadia National Park

A Peaceful Paradise

In the American State of Maine, located near the State of New York; is the location of the Acadia National Park. The biggest island is that of Mount Desert Island but there are also a lot of smaller islands in the park. This just sits off the Atlantic coast; however Acadia wasn’t always the name of the park. It was firstly known as the Lafayette National Park back in 1919. It was the oldest park to the east of the Mississippi river; and the park was eventually renamed to the Acadia a decade later in 1929.

However, years ago, Acadia was inhabited by humans. It was John Rockefeller Jr who designed, directed and even financed the work of the carriage trail through the park. He was the man to put up the money to help create the trails so that anyone could enjoy a tour through the park. Rockefeller created the 17 granite bridges, as well as the trails and the two gate lodges – they are all in use today and have been highly maintained also.

The Fire Of 1947

In 1947, on the 17th of October, almost 10,000 acres across the park was destroyed by a huge fire that erupted. The fire started at the Crooked Road which is only a few miles away from Hulls Cove. This was a huge forest fire that was started because of the dry weather the area had and it continued all the way through until November, the 14th of the month to be exact. During this time however, the Navy, Army, Coast Guard and local residents were all on hand to help control the blaze; though the National Park Service also helped to control the blaze.

After the fire, there was a huge restoration program set up. Mostly the Rockefeller family helped the restoration program; but most of the regrowth program was natural. Some say that the fire helped to add beauty to the park. However, the fire did help to bring diversity to the population of trees because more were grown since the fire.

Throughout the years however, there have been many different groups of people who wish to restore some of the parts of the park which need care and attention. The Friends of Acadia program was launched in 1986 and this helped to restore the road system throughout the park. Of course many visitors come here every year so good roads and safety are vital.

The Terrain of Acadia National Park

The terrains in the national park include things such as oceanic shorelines, lakes, wood lands and mountain ranges. Mount Desert Island isn’t the only island in the park as there is also the Baker Island. There is the Isle au Haut and the Schoodic Peninsula which is located on the mainland of the park. There is almost 47000 acres across the park and the Mount Desert Island is where a large part of the land is found – almost 30,300 acres.

Though, the Cadillac Mountain range is certainly going to be one of the more popular spots of the park. The mountain was named after the explorer Cadillac; and the mountain can be found on the east part of Mount Desert Island. Though a lot of the roads were built; and the mountains throughout Acadia National Park give the chance for those who love to ride a bike or hike, to be able to enjoy the scenery also. There are some spectacular views of the many island lakes, the pine forests and of course the ocean. There are almost two million visitors that come to the park yearly.

Acadia National Park does have many different species of wild life including;

-The bobcat

-Black bears

-Red squirrels

-Grey squirrels

-The white tailed deer

-Chipmunks

-The beavers

-Moose

-Foxes

-The coyote

-The porcupine

-Muskrats

There are however a lot of different types of specify out there also and numerous marine life also.

The explorations and excavations of the Mount Desert Island have shown remains of some native mammals. Things such as the bones of;

-The Elk

-The Grey Seal

-The Indian Dog

-The Wolf

-Deer

-The Beaver

-Sea Mink Which Are Extinct

-Muskrat

-Lynx

-Raccoon

However, beavers were introduced back into the island in 1920. There were two pairs of beavers released back onto the island and have since repopulated the island. Though, in 1947, there was a large fire which destroyed almost half of all of the trees on the island. This did make way for trees such as birch, aspen, maple, alder and a lot of other deciduous trees in the area. This really helped the beaver population to build and become stronger.

Acadia National park information — Acadia National Park Landscape

There were once the grey wolf and the puma or mountain lion as it is also known as, found in the park. However, it is thought that these animals have been forced out of the park because of the fact that smaller animals or prey in the park has decreased. It is also thought that human activity near the park may have caused the decrease with the mountain lion and grey wolf.

There are many different parts of the Acadia National Park to visit including;

-The Eagle Lake

-Schooner Head

-The Bear Brook Picnic Area

-The Schoodic Peninsula

-Visitors Can Sail Along The Coastline

-View The Amazing Cadillac Mountain

-Visit Jordan Pond

-Visit The Beautiful Thunder Hole

-Enjoy The Sand Beach

-Climbing To The Summit Of Mount Penobscot

There are so many different attractions to visit while in the park and no matter what sort of day it is, there is going to be something for everyone. This is why the Acadia National Park is a popular choice for many and why more and more visitors flock to the park every year. It is truly a lovely and beautiful area to visit.

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Yosemite National Park

By BasicPlanet May 28, 2013

Yosemite National Park

One Great Natural Beauty

Yosemite is a large national park within America, found in California. The National Park Service are the people who manage the park and the actual park can cover over seven hundred thousand acres of land. The Park stretches across the slopes of the mountain chain of Sierra Nevada. Every year, there are more than three million people who visit the park.

The Yosemite National Park was considered to be a World Heritage Site in 1984; and it is known throughout America and indeed the world. Throughout the world, it is the clear streams, the giant Sequoia groves and the amazing waterfalls and the spectacular granite that is recognized. Many people know this park because of its many distinctive features and it is one of the reasons why millions visit each year.

It was President Abraham Lincoln who signed the Yosemite Grant in 1864; and it has become one of the largest national parks throughout America today. The park has been characterized with older rocks and granitic rocks. Throughout the early life of the Yosemite National Park, there were a huge amount of efforts to help protect the area.

Even today, there are many activities to help preserve the Yosemite National Park as well as ensure the many inhabitants are kept safe. There have been many who work year long to try to preserve the park and help keep the plant life and every species safe also.

Yosemite National Park facts — Vernal Fall in Yosemite National Park

The Inhabitants of Yosemite National Park

The Yosemite National Park is a site of beauty and there are some amazing woodland of sequoia, pine and fir. Though there is a vast array of animals which can be found in Yosemite National Park including reptiles, mammals, birds, fish, vertebrates and amphibians. Over 250 species can be found within the Yosemite National Park which is truly amazing.

White Headed Woodpecker

American Black Bear

Bobcat

Grey Fox

Cougar

Mountain King Snake

Brown Creeper

Spotted Owls

Mule Deer

Gilbert Skink

Large Snags

Bats

The Northern Goshawk

The Golden Mantled Ground Squirrels

Fisher

Chickaree

Hermit Thrush

Stellers Jay

There are also reptiles found such as;

The Northern Alligator Lizard

The Rubber Boa

The Western Fence Lizard

However, these reptiles are not easily found; they aren’t common but can still be found.

Problems in the Yosemite National Park

In Yosemite National Park, there are a lot of different species living there but some of the inhabitants are not so lucky. Even though there are high quality habitats, animals such as the Least Bell’s Vireo, the Brown Bear and the California condor have actually become extinct within the park. This is extraordinary news however because these animals have become extinct within a space of time. There are almost thirty seven different types of species which are actually under threat. This is because of climate change, pollution, exotic species threatening the animals and many other factors which cause the animals to become extinct and endangered also.

A short while ago, the Black bears of the park were actually famed; they used to break into many parked cars and steal food, they weren’t actually harming anyone, only the cars! The bears were also a huge tourist attraction and the garbage dumps within the park were also famed as a tourist spot because the bears would meet here. They would meet up to eat garbage and the tourist would take photographs of the bears also.

However, with more interaction with the bears and humans, it increased the risk of damage to property. This actually led to a campaign – an aggressive one – that tried to stop the bears from having to rely on food from humans and interacting with them also. Most of the open air dumps were closed off to the public and all of the bins in the park were actually replaced with bins that were bear proof. It was the same for the camp sites; there were bear proof food lockers provided also.

Yosemite National Park Information — Valley in mountains of Yosemite national park

The reason why the bears in Yosemite National Park are encouraged not to have a lot of human contact is because they can show aggression. This could lead to the bears being destroyed and no one wants that. This is why there are more and more people who are trying to be discouraged from interacting with the bears. It is a safety barrier for both humans and the bears.

However, things such as the ozone pollution are also causing a lot of problems within the park. There has been a lot of damaged done to the massive giant sequoia trees. The pollution is causing trouble to the trees and this trouble can mean that the trees are vulnerable to become diseased and have insect infestations building up. Many trees are unable to reproduce because of the soil isn’t able to provide enough nutrients.

The Activities in Yosemite National Park

The Yosemite National Park is opened all year round, however, during the later parts of autumn, a large section of the park is closed. This is due to the snow but it does open back up to all in spring time. For anyone who wishes to visit the park, they could take the open air tours. However, visitors can also go on short walks in the park. Visitors will also be able to take to longer hikes to the waterfalls of Yosemite Valley.

More often than not, most of the visitors will spend the day at the Yosemite Valley. This is a great area to visit and anyone will be able to enjoy a fantastic day out there also. This is one of the simplest areas to get to within the park but there are many other areas to explore also. Though, some of the other areas in and surrounding the park can be quite difficult to reach on foot at times, especially with a vehicle.

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The Grand Canyon

By BasicPlanet May 28, 2013

The Grand Canyon

Huge and Mysterious

The Grand Canyon national park can be found in the United States of America. The Grand Canyon National Park is only the 15th oldest national park in the world and can be found in Arizona. It was officially named a world heritage site in 1979 by UNESCO and this is a vast national park that is one of the best loved parks also.

The Park features the ever popular and much visited the Grand Canyon which is in fact the centrepiece for the park. The Grand Canyon is a large gorge, which was of the Colorado River; and the Grand Canyon is considered to be one of the seven natural wonders of the world. It is such a popular site and quite often, many people forget that the Grand Canyon is actually a part of the Grand Canyon national park.

The Grand Canyon National Park covers a vast area of 1902 square meters. This is exceptionally large and the biggest attraction of the national park is in fact the Grand Canyon. This is a popular choice for many to visit especially with the helicopter trips that can be taken to view the actual Grand Canyon which is often taken. This can be done via private or commercial tours.

The History of the Grand Canyon National Park

The Grand Canyon national park was not an established national park until 1919. This was when it was officially known as a National Park; however the Grand Canyon was particularly know to almost all Americans at the time for many decades. In fact back in 1903, the American President, Teddy (Theodore) Roosevelt went to the Grand Canyon and explored the area. He absolutely loved the Grand Canyon and was lost for words really when it can to seeing how amazing the area was. He did in fact make a speech about how the canyon was beautiful and how it should be kept as it was so that everyone including the next generations could admire it also.

Waterfall in Grand Canyon National Park — Havasu Falls, Grand Canyon

However, even the President couldn’t get the land to be known as National Park immediately. For many years, there have been many politicians who were interested and determined to get the Grand Canyon known as a national park. However for years, they bills to congress weren’t acted on. From 1882, Senator Benjamin Harrison tried to create the Grand Canyon National Park but this wasn’t to be yet; and in 1883 and 1886, the senator’s attempts failed again. However, when Benjamin Harrison was elected President of the United States of America, he created the Grand Canyon Forest Reserve – this was in 1893.

In 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt, he was able to create the Grand Canyon Game Preserve. He did so, with a proclamation and in 1908 a Grand Canyon National Monument was established also. Though strangely, in 1910 and 1911, the bills to make the Grand Canyon a national park failed; it was 8 years later in 1919 when the Grand Canyon National Park was officially recognized. This was done so by President Woodrow Wilson and the administration of the Park passed onto the National Park Service.

There was actually proposal to dam the Colorado River however this didn’t happen; and the Grand Canyon was one of the first conservation movements. This helped to ensure its survival and the Grand Canyon National Park become known as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1979.

Geography of the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon makes up the vast majority of the park and it is a huge system of smaller canyons flowing into one large canyon. The public areas, which are the North and South Rims, see thousands of visitors each year. What is more; the park is actually very remote and rugged because the rocks can date back hundreds of years. However, there are many areas which can be accessible by trails and even some backcountry roads. It can take at time five hours to get to the canyon if it’s via a car drive. However, the time will vary.

The Grand Canyon Village is considered to be the Park H.Q. (headquarters) which can be found near the South entrance of the park; and it is considered to be a fantastic viewpoint also. Though the north and south rims are both very popular areas to visit; and the north rim is actually smaller than the south rim. This is an area which doesn’t get any tourists but the south rim is going to see a lot more visitors. For anyone visiting the Grand Canyon, they will be able to stop off at the souvenir shops. There are a hospital as well as churches, lodgings, a fuelling station as well as access to the guided tours.

Grand Canyon Facts and information — Amazing natural formation at the Grand Canyon

Helping the Grand Canyon

There is an association, the GCA – the Grand Canyon Association – it is the job of the GCA, which acts as the park’s official partner, to help raise funds. However, this organization is a non profit partner of the park and it will be their job to go ahead to raise private funds for the park. The private funds which are collected will go to the Grand Canyon national park and into making sure the park gets the protection is needs and any restoration or things it may need.

The way the GCA organizes these things will help to run the visitor centres as well as the retail shops that are found within the park. It will also be the group’s job to offer education about the history of the park over its culture and natural features also.

The Grand Canyon is a fantastic national park and probably one of the most popular today also. It certainly is going to be a national park that is going to allow anyone to see its vast beauty and rich history. Anyone who is able to visit even once will find out how amazing this national park is.

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