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US National Parks

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National Park Travel

If you're planning a trip to a national park, you're not alone. Millions visit America's protected parklands every year, and the Web has responded. Enthusiasts can brush up on historical background of parks, or check out sites with practical advice about how to get there and where to stay. Park sports and activities are also detailed on the Web, along with gear suggestions. Below, we've collected sites to get you out into the great outdoors.

US National Parks

Start with sites that provide an overview of national parks. They often serve as gateways to sites of more specific interest, while informing you of practical basics, such as location and environmental features.

Dulcinea's Insight

  • Many sites provide clickable maps of the United States, or divide national parks into lists by state or region. There are many options, so it will help to have an idea of what you are looking for before you start.
  • Most of the sites below give practical advice for how to get to parks and where to stay during your visit, but for further insight, see the findingDulcinea Travel Guide.
  • Looking for rugged clothing or camping equipment? Try online retailers. For further information about online shopping, consult the findingDulcinea Shopping Guide.

Dulcinea's Picks

The National Park Service Web site should be your first stop for practical information. You'll find out where parks are, what they offer, and how to get to them. Also, consult the efficient, searchable database of links to all national parks, monuments, and recreation areas in the United States, including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
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The U.S. National Parks site is maintained almost entirely by one man. Impressively comprehensive and up to date, it has more links to local services than the official National Park Service site. The layout, however, is text-only and difficult to navigate. In the lively chat room, park visitors share their most recent trips.
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US-Parks.com has a great "Planning" section accompanying each national park. Discover attractions and amenities surrounding each park, browse photos, and get practical details concerning fees and climate. Other than this section, the park guides don't add much to what's available at the National Park Service site.
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The Great Outdoor Recreation Page , commonly known as GORP, is a commercial site affiliated with Outside magazine and Away.com. Shop for a tent or guidebook, or consult the excellent online national parks guide. Activity-oriented, this guide offers information and advice on camping, hiking, fishing, biking, and climbing. Free registration is required.
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Leonard's Cam World is no walk in the park. You'll have to navigate through plenty of pop-up ads to get to the worthwhile content: a list of links to real-time Web cams in many of the national parks, offering an excellent glimpse of landscapes.

 
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History of National Parks

America's first national park was established in the early 19th century. Ever since, parks have ... read more »

National Park Camping and Activities

Camping ranks high on any list of popular park activities, as do hiking, boating, biking, climbing, ... read more »

Staying in a National Park

Not only can you compare campsites and different lodgings with ease using the sites collected here, ... read more »

National Parks Abroad

Parkland across the globe is as varied as the world's nations, embracing both the English landscape ... read more »

Wilderness Organizations

National park supporters organize on both national and local levels. Your particular interests and ... read more »

National Park Volunteer Opportunities

One constant has always characterized the national parks: a lack of both money and manpower. ... read more »

Working in a National Park

Having a job in a national park could mean working for a nonprofit organization such as the ... read more »

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