Grand Teton National Park

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

Beautiful views of the layout

Location: North Western Wyoming

Visitors per year: app. 3-4 million

Date established: Grand Teton National Park was established on February 26, 1929. The park covers 484 square miles (1,250 km²) of land and water.

Origin of name: The park was named teton form the french word tétons, because of a french explorer's view of it.

Main attractions: The world renown Grand Teton National Park has a breathtaking view that includes pristine lakes, majestic mountains, and extraordinary wildlife.Cunningham Cabin and Lake Solitude are two of the most highlighted attractions.

Terrain: Mountainous, canyons, lakes, and river valley

Crystal clear water

Wildlife: Black and grizzly bears, moose, elk, bison, deer, cutthroat trout, bald egales, ospreys, beavers, and otters.

Winter elkBison

Beaver

Activities: Ranger-led nature walks, slide talks, campfire programs, tipi demonstrations, and wildlife watches; raft trips, mountain climbing, bicycling, horseback riding, fishing, ice fishing, dogsledding, cross-country skiing, and backpacking

Backpacking-

*To truly witness the park a popular activity is backpacking.
*The Teton Crest is one of the best ways to get a taste of all the flavors the park has to offer. It is said to be one of the most outstanding hikes of your lifetime!
*The trail runs north from the park's southern border through the high country of the Tetons for 39 miles, ending at Paintbrush Canyon; it takes at least three days to complete it.

View of a lifetime
Maps of site

The Snake River-
*The Snake is a very complex river to float.

*The beauty and lack of whitewater often lull floaters into inattentiveness. Looks are deceiving, however. This river can pose quite the challenge for even expert paddlers, but by paying close attention to the tangle of channels and constant shifting of logjams, anyone can come out of this experience with one of the best rushes ever!

* The natural environment along the river is also outstanding, which brings viewers as well. Snake River

Facts to remember-

Teton Range - An active fault-block mountain front, 40 miles long (65 km), 7-9 miles wide (11-14.5 km).

Highest peak - Grand Teton, elevation 13,770 feet (4198 m). Twelve peaks over 12,000 ft (3658 m) in elevation.

Jackson Hole - Mountain valley, 55 miles long (89 km), 13 miles wide (21 km), average elevation 6,800 feet (2073 m). Lowest elevation at south park boundary, 6350 feet (1936 m).

Climate - Semi-arid mountain climate. Extreme high: 93 degrees F (34 degrees C). Extreme low: -46 degrees F (-43 degrees C).

Average snowfall - 191 inches (490 cm). Avg. rainfall: 10 inches (26 cm).

Snake River - Headwaters of the Columbia River system, 1056 miles long. Approximately 50 miles lie within Grand Teton NP. Major tributaries: Pacific Creek, Buffalo Fork, and Gros Ventre River.

Lakes - Seven moraine lakes at the base of the Teton Range: Jackson, Leigh, String, Jenny, Bradley, Taggart, and Phelps. Jackson Lake: 25,540 acres (10,340 hectares) maximum depth 438 feet (134 m). Over 100 alpine and back country lakes.

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park, located in Maine, expands over three islands,from the Island of Haus, to the Mount Desert Island, and then over to Baker Island, but not a lot of it. The park is fairly small for a park, but has a large number of visitors per year.

Jordan Pond

In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson created the park. It was not until February 26, 1919 that it became a national park. In January, the park got renamed to Acadia National Park. Also, J.D. Rockefeller financed the park for 18 years. He also designed and constructed carriage paths around the park.

The Aurora Borealis

The park is also home to many different species of wildlife. Over 40 different species, including mooses, porcupine, and muskrats. Some predators like the puma were removed from the island due to the shortage of small animals and their reaction with human encounters. Marine life is kept track of, but is not a large part of the park.

An overhead map of the park

To celebrate the 100th anniversary in 2016, the many resources of the park like the carriage paths are being remade. Acadia is now going car free and is making people walk, ride bikes, and take the provided shuttle bus around the park to more appreciate the Acadia National Park.

More Jordan Pond

Olympic National Park

Background info

Olympic National Park was first found in the 16th century by Greek navigator sailing for Spain Juan de Fuca.

The Olympic Peninsula was thought to be the Northwest passage at that time. However, upon further travel inland this theory was found to be false. The peninsula was then declared a National Park on June 29, 1938 in order to protect the herds of Roosevelt Elk in the area.

The Olympic Mountains

Location and size

Olympic National Park is located on Olympic Peninsula in the northwestern section of the state of Washington.

Olympic National Park is roughly the size of Rhode Island and it is home to three types of ecosystems: the glacier capped Olympic Mountain Range, over

60 miles of Pacific coastline and many acres of old-growth and temperate rain forest.

Black Bear cubs

The Olympic Marmot

Wildlife

In the park the wildlife is quite diverse due to multiple ecosystems.

Wildlife in the park includes:

• The Olympic Marmot
• The Roosevelt Elk (Olympic Nation Park is home of the largest unmanaged heard of Roosevelt Elk in the world)
• Black Bears
• Columbia Black-tailed deer (Believe it or not many hikers are seriously injured each year from getting hit by these deer's hooves)
• Cougars
• Assorted rodents and squirrels
• The Pileated Woodpecker (The largest woodpecker in the Northwest)
• and other various birds

Overhead view of a section of the park

Activities

There are many things to do at Olympic National Park and they all have to do with what season it is. For example in the winter you can go skiing for free at Hurricane Ridge(one part of the Olympic Mountain range). During the rest of the year you are able to go backpacking around the park or rafting on the Elwha and Hoh rivers.

Death Valley National Park

Trails in the park.

Death Valley National Park was established February 11th, 1933. This park is located in California, and spreads over 3,000 square miles, which is bigger than the size of Delaware. Death Valley is the hottest, driest and lowest place in the Western Hemisphere and the largest national park in the continental United States.

A road in Death Valley National Park.

In this national park the temperature has gotten up to 134 degrees Fahrenheit in 1913, the second hottest temperature ever recorded on earth. The average yearly rainfall is 2 inches per year. Since it gets so hot, winter is the best time to visit.


Sand dunes.

Even though Death Valley is very hot, it still does have wildlife. There is over 1,000 types of plants, 56 kinds of mammals, 36 species of reptiles, 5 kinds of amphibians, 6 types of fish, and 400 species of birds found in the park. Some animals found there are tarantulas, bats, rats, coyotes, mountain lions, deer, lizards and geckos.

A coyote found in Death Valley.

Cave drawings, campsites and foot trails were found in Death Valley National Park that were created by the hunters and gatherers. There are many sand dunes that cover the floor of the park. The floor of the park gets about 300 feet below sea level. Whether you're looking for 130 degree weather or icy mountains, Death Valley is by far the most interesting national park to visit.

Denali National Park

A painting of Denali National Park

Denali National Park is 9,500 square miles of Alaskan wilderness located just 240 miles north of Anchorage and 120 miles south of Fairbanks. It's named after the Athabaskan name for Mt. McKinley ("High One"), the tallest mountain in the United States. Mt. McKinley is so high up and so big that it has its own weather, separate from the land below. It is known as one of the coldest peaks on the planet, temperatures can plunge to 60 degrees below zero!

Origin (prehistoric)

Thousands of years ago, the tundra that Denali is now was a grassland with mammoths grazing

on its "Mammoth Steppe". Around 11,000 to 35,000 years ago, woody shrubs began to appear as the grasslands shrunk. Although this area was gradually changing from a grassland, it still had little ice. It wouldn't be a tundra yet until the temperatures dropped later on.

Origin(the official kind)

On February 26,1917, the park was established as Mt. McKinley National Park at the insistence of naturalist Charles Sheldon. It was much smaller than it is now; only a portion of Mt. McKinley was included, not even its summit was within the boundaries. It was helped to its original size by President Jimmy Carter, who expanded National Parks in Alaska like Denali as well as creating nine new ones.

Land

The land ranges from wide, low, plains to dark mountains, bright peaks, and granite domes. Besides Mt. McKinley, other mountains include Mt. Foraker and Mt. Silverthrone. There are also glaciers along the slope of the Alaska range. The largest one, Muldrow, comes close to the park road! A glacier

Moose

Seasonally, a year in Denali is much different than a year here in Valatie. In the summer there is still a trace of snow, and temperatures usually only reach a high around 66 degrees. The high mountain peaks still remain snowy and cold even at this time of year. Despite this, summer is equally beautiful to any tropical paradise (take that American Samoa and Hawaii Volcanoes!). Wildflowers are in full bloom and a variety of plants and animals flourish. Fall only lasts from August to September, and animals rush to prepare for a long winter. And it is long! Lasting from October to April with up to 15 inches of snow, 7 degrees below zero as its average low, and 18 hours of darkness; most animals choose to sleep through this period. Wouldn't you? Springtime is more of a month long bridge between Winter and Summer than an actual season in Denali. The interesting seasons and weather make Denali a place you ought to go to several times, as it is a different place every season. Prairie Dog

Animals

Though it is a harsh landscape, there are a variety of about 175 bird species and 40 animal species at Denali, including:

Grizzly Bear

• golden eagle
• wolf
• fox
• ground squirrel
• grizzly bears
• caribou
• moose
• Dall sheep
• the most annoying insect in the park-Mosquitoes!

Dall Sheep

A Note About Bears: During the fall bears will act sort of like the uncle who comes over for Thanksgiving, gorges himself, then falls asleep on your coach. Bears hibernate during the winter, so they have to store up enough fat for their bodies to use while they sleep. And they aren't carnivores like most people assume. They are omnivores that will eat just about anything, from grass to moose. The scary thing is that their fall feasting occurs near Thanksgiving. Weird.

Plants

Denali isn't much of a jungle, but there are more than 650 species of flowering plants, and countless mosses, lichens and fungi.

Activities

Most activities in Denali are not meant for someone who likes to relax. But if you enjoy adrenaline-packed, physically exerting, up close with wildlife activities, then you have a good amount of choices:
Aurora Borealis-"Northern Lights"

• camping
• backpacking
• bus trip
• wildlife watching
• air tour
• atv tour
• heli-hiking/heli-tour
• tour of Iditarod
• northern lights
• whitewater rafting
• power boat tour (its heated!)
• dog sledding- within Denali's boundaries, dog sled is the only way to travel in the winter
  

Ice WormsIce worms refer to any number of species of worm that live in glacial ice. They are several centimeters long and can be black, blue, or white. They do not like the sun, and to avoid it they will tunnel under the ice. It is unknown how they do this. Some say they travel through microscopic fissures in the ice; others believe that the worms secret a chemical like an antifreeze, lowering the freezing point of the ice and melting it. They eat snow algae, which, like the ice worms, I didn't even know existed until a few days ago. If ice worms are exposed to temperatures as low as 5 degrees Celcius, their membrane structures fall apart and they appear to melt. Anyone who has gotten interested in these worms will be happy to know that they have been found in Denali! If you still don't think ice worms exist, watch this video. Just copy this link and paste it on a search engine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKEVe-Y6Wqw&feature=player_embedded


And That Sums Up Denali!

Arches National Park

Arches National Park is located in the desert,
in the eastern region of Utah.
It has the worlds largest concentration of natural sandstone arches.
The most popular arch at the park is called Delicate Arch.

Delicate Arch


Other attractions at Arches National Park are the Devil's Garden, the Landscape Arch, the Dark Angel, and the Balancing Rock. The Landscape arch is located in the Devil's Garden and is a very thin arch spanning over 300ft wide. It is the longest in the world!

Landscape Arch

The Dark Angel is a free standing column made of a dark colored stone.
Another natural marvel at Arches National Park is the Balancing Rock. The Balancing Rock is the size of 3 school buses combined!!!!!!!

Balancing Rock

Arches National Park doesn't have too much wildlife and inhabitants. One of the more common desert animals that likes to call Arches National Park its home is the Western Collared lizard.

Western Collared Lizard

Arches National Park has plenty of things to do such as camping, climbing, and hiking! If you love the outdoors this is the place for you!

Come visit Arches National Park Soon!!!!!!!!!

Bryce Canyon National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Location:

* Bryce Canyon National Park is located in Utah.

How it Formed:

* Bryce Canyon contains many small ravines, which eroded into the east side of a ridge.

* Thousands of strange and delicate rock formations, large and small. These formations are in the shades of pink, white, yellow, and red.

These rock formations are in shades of pink and red

Establishment:

* In 1928, the park was first named Utah National Park. That same year Utah National Park was changed to Bryce Canyon National Park.

History:

* Bryce Canyon National Park got its name from Ebenezer Bryce. This man was a Mormon farmer who was the first modern-day settler in the region.

Size and Visitation:

*Bryce Canyon is 37,000 acres of desert and colorful rock formations.

*More than 1.5 million people visit the park each year. The majority of the park visitors come during June through September. From December to February the park is less crowded.

Aerial view of Bryce Canyon

Plants and Wildlife:

* Located in Bryce Canyon there are currently 400 species of plants in the park. The difference in soil and moisture conditions help the park's plants flourish.

* Elevations range from 6,000 to 9,000 feet.

* More than 160 species of birds visit the park yearly, and enjoy the many wildflowers within the park. For example, gentian, bellflower, yarrow, gillia, sego lily, and manzanita.

* Many wildflowers that bloom in the spring may bloom late in the summer here.

Bellflower

Activities:

* Park rangers offer mule and horse rides into Bryce Canyon. There are also opportunities to snowshoe and cross country skiing on the top of the plateau during the winter.

* There are trails for hiking and also Full Moon hikes, which are available only twice a month. Both trails range from 1-2 miles.

* Ranger Programs are available, you can learn about the parks history, wildlife, and information about the canyons.

* Have you ever wanted to look up at the sky with a telescope? Well now you can with the astronomy program now offered.

* Bryce Canyon provides two camp grounds, north and south. Both camps only cost 15 dollars per night.

* Biking is only allowed on paved roads. However, you can ride on nearby trails, forest roads, and on pioneer trails.


Snowshoeing on Bryce Canyon

Crater Lake National Park

Crater Lake National Park is located in Oregon about 100 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Crater Lake is also the deepest lake in the United States. The lake is six miles wide and a little over 1900 feet deep! The average yearly snowfall is about 44 inches or 3 feet and 8 inches.

Crater Lake offers a wide variety of skiing trails for all levels.

Some fun things to consider doing while at Crater Lake:

• Go on a bus tour


• Go cycling on one of the many bike trails


• Fishing


• Take a hike and see some amazing views


• If the weather is warm, you can go scuba diving in the lake


• Take a winter walk or go skiing


• Cross country skiing
  
  

How was Crater Lake formed?

Over 7000 years ago a 5000 foot tall volcano known as Mount Mazama erupted creating a huge crater which later filled up with precipitation, forming the lake. Around the lake there have been numerous volcanic mountains, as well as in other sections of the park.

A beautiful view of the lake during the Summer. At Crater Lake there is usually always snow on the ground unless you visit in the Summer or late Spring.

Crater Lake is home to many animals:

• Antelope


• Badgers


• Beavers


• Black bears


• Elk
  
• Deer
  
• Bobcats
  
• Grizzly bears


• Lynx


• Mountain lions


• Porcupines


• Wolves
  
  

A breath-taking view of Crater Lake.

A geologic map of Crater Lake. The park offers many different sites to see as you can tell from looking at this map.

The picture below shows an aerial map of Crater Lake National Park. The island on the west is known as "Wizard Island." The area of the land is about 315 acres.

Interesting Facts:

*Crater Lake is on the Oregon state quarter.*

*An estimated 500,000 people visit the park each year.*

*There are 52 different species of mammals in the park and 700 species of plants.*

*There are about 90 miles of trails.*

*The highest point in the park is 8,929 feet.*

*Before the lake was called "Crater Lake" it was known as "Deep Blue Lake."*

*For over a century a fallen tree has been floating around the lake standing upright. The tree is called "The Old Man."*

"The Old Man." Notice how clear the water is and also its bright blue color.

Visit Crater Lake Soon!(: