National Parks

Early 20th-century visionaries donated the land that eventually became Maine’s Acadia National Park. The park is home to the tallest mountain on the U.S. Atlantic coast and some of the most beautiful woodlands and waterways in the region. Whether you want to fish for trout off the cool waters of Mt. Desert Island or hike the historic Great Pond trail, Acadia is a true nature lovers’ destination.

Ranger Minutes are short audiocasts or videocasts in which a park ranger shares interesting stories and information about Acadia National Park in Maine. Experience Ranger Minutes here at the National Parks Service site.

Death Valley National Park in California is touted as the hottest, driest, lowest location in the United States. Sand dunes, snow-capped mountains, multicolored rock layers, canyons, and three million acres of stone wilderness are just some of its natural wonders. As barren and unforgiving as it can be, Death Valley supports an assortment of the hardiest plants and animals. View some breathtaking images that chronicle the landscape of Death Valley.

Established in 1872 by President Ulysses S. Grant, Yellowstone National Park is America's first national park. Stretching across three states (Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho), it is home to a variety of wildlife, including grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk. Preserved within Yellowstone National Park are a collection of the world's most extraordinary hot springs and geysers––Old Faithful is the best known—as well as the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. If you can’t make it out West, you can virtually witness Old Faithful’s regular eruptions through this live-feed Webcam.

391 areas covering more than 84 million acres in every state (except Delaware), the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands comprise the National Park system. These areas include national parks, monuments, battlefields, military parks, historical parks, historic sites, lakeshores, seashores, recreation areas, scenic rivers and trails—even the White House.

Return to the National Park Service’s official Web site to find a park or historic area near you.