U.S. National Parks

Spring is Arriving Earlier in National Parks
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Spring is Arriving Earlier in National Parks

In National Parks across the United States, recent springs are among the earliest ever observed compared to the past 112 years.

Published Apr 6, 2018

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A Fateful Year at Cinder Cone
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A Fateful Year at Cinder Cone

A 1666 eruption in what is now the northeast corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park flattened forests and created a new lake.

Published Mar 11, 2018

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The Land Between the Lakes
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The Land Between the Lakes

The damming of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers led to the creation of a large inland peninsula and a vast freshwater recreation area.

Published Dec 15, 2017

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Lava Beds National Monument
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Lava Beds National Monument

Old, hardened lava flows extend from the caldera of Medicine Lake volcano in northern California.

Published Oct 10, 2017

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An Unlikely Corner of New York
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An Unlikely Corner of New York

Despite the bay’s calm waters, constant reminders of the city break through.

Published Oct 5, 2017

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Canyonlands National Park
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Canyonlands National Park

The highlights of this landscape in southern Utah tend to reach down into the Earth, rather than soaring above it.

Published Aug 20, 2017

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Crater Lake
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Crater Lake

The deepest lake in the United States is a haven for fishermen.

Published Jul 31, 2017

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Sandy Hook
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Sandy Hook

A beach oasis stands within a few miles of the densest urban area in the United States.

Published Jul 16, 2017

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Washington on the Potomac River
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Washington on the Potomac River

Wedged between Maryland and Virginia, the District of Columbia was established in 1790 to serve as the permanent seat of the U.S. federal government.

Published Jul 10, 2017

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North Cascades National Park
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North Cascades National Park

The diverse landscape in this Washington park includes mountain peaks, glaciers, rivers, lakes, and forests.

Published Jun 24, 2017

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Sunset Crater
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Sunset Crater

Its name comes from the fiery orange earth around its cone.

Published Jun 18, 2017

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Where Tectonic Plates Go for a Swim
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Where Tectonic Plates Go for a Swim

The San Andreas fault runs straight through Tomales Bay.

Published Jun 17, 2017

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Finding Fires Before They Rage
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Finding Fires Before They Rage

Scientists have found a way to detect nighttime fires even sooner, when they are still relatively small.

Published Apr 7, 2017

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Bryce Canyon National Park
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Bryce Canyon National Park

Winter weather has helped sculpt the natural amphitheaters and hoodoos found at Utah’s Bryce Canyon.

Published Apr 1, 2017

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Contrasting Ridges in Virginia
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Contrasting Ridges in Virginia

Despite being quite close to each other, two mountain ridges in western Virginia have very different origins.

Published Mar 15, 2017

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The ‘Place of Blue Smoke’
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The ‘Place of Blue Smoke’

The Cherokee Indians called these dark, fog-streaked hills “Shaconage”— the “Place of Blue Smoke.”

Published Jan 22, 2017

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Looking Down on Potomac Water Gap
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Looking Down on Potomac Water Gap

The scenic double water gap near Harpers Ferry has impressed onlookers for centuries.

Published Jan 17, 2017

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Pretty as a Picture: The Delaware Water Gap
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Pretty as a Picture: The Delaware Water Gap

The Delaware River looks equally at home in an oil painting.

Published Dec 31, 2016

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The River that Trapped Itself
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The River that Trapped Itself

The Gunnison is forced to stay on this beaten path, unable to leave the valley.

Published Dec 17, 2016

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Where the Organ Pipes Grow
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Where the Organ Pipes Grow

Tall, branch-like cacti provide shelter for animals at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

Published Dec 4, 2016

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Look Again: It’s Not Snow
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Look Again: It’s Not Snow

These white mounds are the world’s largest gypsum dune field, centerpiece of the White Sands National Monument.

Published Nov 27, 2016

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Cape Cod National Seashore
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Cape Cod National Seashore

“A man may stand there and put all America behind him.”

Published Nov 25, 2016

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Kilauea’s Lava Pours Into the Pacific
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Kilauea’s Lava Pours Into the Pacific

Molten rock meets the sea in the latest episode in a long-lived eruption.

Published Nov 20, 2016

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Way Down Yonder on the Chattahoochee
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Way Down Yonder on the Chattahoochee

The river supplies Atlanta with its drinking water and a bit of recreational fun.

Published Nov 13, 2016

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Everglades National Park
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Everglades National Park

Management and restoration features are visible in Florida’s unique subtropical wilderness.

Published Nov 12, 2016

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A Curious Ensemble of Wonderful Features
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A Curious Ensemble of Wonderful Features

Parts of the Glen Canyon that John Wesley Powell explored in 1869 have been submerged by Lake Powell.

Published Oct 16, 2016

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Paw Paw Bends
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Paw Paw Bends

A particularly curvy part of the Potomac River was a formidable challenge for C&O Canal engineers.

Published Oct 8, 2016

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The ‘Land of Giants’
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The ‘Land of Giants’

Roughly one-third of the world’s naturally occurring sequoias grow in 75 groves in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Published Sep 27, 2016

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Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
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Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

Where Glacier Bay National Park reaches the Gulf of Alaska, the climate is mild and prone to significant rainfall. Glacier Bay itself, however, tends to be snowy and cold.

Published Sep 11, 2016

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Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
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Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

Lighthouses and sandstone formations draw visitors to the shores of Lake Superior.

Published Aug 28, 2016

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