Earlier this week we touched on the national parks mentioned in the book, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Somehow, Mammoth Cave National Park didn't make the cut, and if you've been there, you know it should have. Help us compile a list of the top 100 national park locations to see before you die. We'll start the list.
* Mammoth Cave National Park. The longest cave in the world -- and still with no end in sight! -- this underground labyrinth presents geologic wonders sculpted down through the millenia by trickling waters.
* Old Faithful, Yellowstone National Park. This geyser has been amazing viewers for hundreds of years.
* Half Dome, Yosemite National Park. Just making the trek to the top of this granite dome is something you'll never forget. Gazing down into the Yosemite Valley is another marvel.
* Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde National Park. Why the architects of the cliff dwellings that drape Mesa Verde fled the region continues to be a mystery. Today the dwellings are a showcase of the tenacity and ingenuity of a long ago society.
* Logan Pass, Glacier National Park. While the Going-to-the-Sun Road is a main attraction for those visiting Glacier, stopping atop Logan Pass to snap photos of the ever-present mountain goats and to look at the whittling long-ago glaciers did to the surrounding mountains is an image that stays with you long after your vacation ends.
* The Racetrack, Death Valley National Park. True, it takes some determination to reach the Race Track, but when you pass Tea Kettle Junction and finally reach the playa with its rocks that mysteriously snake across the landscape, you're left with a mystery that you'll talk about for years.
* Jordan Pond, Acadia National Park. An idyllic setting on an island that is idyllic on its own, the pond and its pond house, where you can snack on over-sized popovers smothered with strawberry jam, or stick around for a lobster dinner, is one of the iconic settings in the National Park System.
Comments
yellowstone,grandtetons,the bristelcones pines,up from big pine,they have a giant sequio there at big pine,both places make your spirits soar...and the drive up bear tooth highway from montana to wy.,breath taking road.
There are so many wonderful reasons to visit our National Parks and most people think of the beauty they witness. As a Country overall it is very important to me that we never forget our history and where we came from and the many different battles we had to fight to get to where we are today. Here are my suggestions: Harpers Ferry -- Would the Civil War have started without John Brown's Raid? http://www.nps.gov/hafe/index.htm ,
Antietam -- so we never forget the atrocities of a war between states http://www.nps.gov/anti/index.htm , and the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, our Country's first scenic trail from Maine to Georgisa http://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm .
Cheryl Keyrouze
I agree with Yellowstone, Yosemite and Death Valley. I would also add Badlands NP, Bryce Canyon NP, and Sequoia NP from my experience so far but after more trips I may want to add more :-)
I would add Big BNP and Hawaii Vilcanos NP for sure.
How about spending the day body surfing at Cape Cod National Seashore and then having a rum punch at the Beachcomber while the sun sets!!!
Many wonderful sites have been listed already. I would add Diablo Lake in North Cascades, NP and if we can include monuments, I would add Echo Park in Dinosaur National Monument.
GNP
Ptarmigan Tunnel
Dawson Pass / Pitamakan Pass
Island Paddler, I can certainly see why you're hard pressed to "pick a spot." What a wonderful trip that must have been.