There is nothing that better represents the greatness of the United States than the National Park System. For over a hundred years, rising above different political beliefs, “We the People” have set aside land, preserving both the natural grandeur and the history of the Nation. The system operates 413 areas with more than 84 MILLION acres and had over 307 million visitors in 2015.
Each park has its own personality. Yellowstone is the Grand Dame… the first… full of towering mountains and wildlife and geysers and hot springs. Wrangell-St. Elias is the quiet uncle… the remote giant in Alaska… over 18 million acres of wilderness that most Americans will never see. And then there is the odd cousin… Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial… the tiniest park… an old house in Philadelphia with footprint of less than 900 square feet!
And then there is the flirt – the pretty young thing in the bright party dress – Bryce Canyon. If one were to have any complaints about Bryce, it would have to that the place is almost too much. The fantastical shapes and colors are overwhelming.
Enough talk! Just a few pictures to give a hint of the beauty…
The Idiots are old friends with ravens. One old soul greeted them at Rainbow Point overlook.
