U.S. National Parks

Badlands National Park
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Badlands National Park

Over epochs, deposition and erosion have carved sharp spires and deep canyons out of this South Dakota landscape.

Published Aug 27, 2016

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Mesa Verde National Park
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Mesa Verde National Park

Falling blocks of rock in cliff alcoves became building materials for Ancestral Puebloans—and a popular draw for tourists visiting the park.

Published Aug 26, 2016

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Cape Hatteras National Seashore
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Cape Hatteras National Seashore

On most summer days, a trip to North Carolina’s Outer Banks means a peaceful day at the beach, but there is evidence all around that this beach is not always so serene.

Published Aug 25, 2016

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Capulin Volcano National Monument
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Capulin Volcano National Monument

Nestled in the northeast corner of New Mexico, Capulin protrudes from the flat expanse, an anthill of giant proportions.

Published Aug 24, 2016

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Volcanoes National Park
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Volcanoes National Park

The park includes Earth’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa.

Published Aug 3, 2016

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Acadia National Park
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Acadia National Park

Mountains and hills roll right up to the Atlantic Ocean in this rocky landscape that became the first national park east of the Mississippi River.

Published Jul 31, 2016

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Rocky Mountain National Park
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Rocky Mountain National Park

Summertime exposes the diversity of landscapes in Rocky Mountain National Park, from the high-elevation alpine tundra to the forested subalpine zone.

Published Jul 19, 2016

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Minute Man National Historical Park
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Minute Man National Historical Park

Sites relevant to the start of the American Revolutionary War are interspersed throughout the modern-day Boston metropolitan region.

Published Jul 4, 2016

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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
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Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

The dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan are a geological wonder.

Published Jun 26, 2016

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Zion National Park
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Zion National Park

Slot canyons and the world's longest natural arch are among the geologic features found at this park in southwestern Utah.

Published Jun 19, 2016

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Glacial Change in Montana’s Blackfoot-Jackson Basin
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Glacial Change in Montana’s Blackfoot-Jackson Basin

Shrinking since the early 1900s, the glaciers of Montana’s Glacier National Park are expected to continue declining over the next few decades until only insignificant lumps of ice remain.

Published Jun 15, 2016

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Canopies of Change
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Canopies of Change

As climate change alters the habitat of eastern U.S. forests, some species are expected to do better than others.

Published Jun 14, 2016

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Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande
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Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande

The eastern section of the Rio Grande Wild and Scenic River runs deep through the desert wilderness.

Published Jun 11, 2016

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Memorial Day at Saratoga
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Memorial Day at Saratoga

More than a million Americans have given their life in the name of their country. Some of the first gave it at the site of what is now Saratoga National Historical Park.

Published May 30, 2016

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Niobrara National Scenic River
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Niobrara National Scenic River

Cliffs, waterfalls, and a wide mix of vegetation line a river that winds through the Great Plains in Nebraska.

Published May 29, 2016

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Natural Beauty at Risk
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Natural Beauty at Risk

Climate change can make an area less suitable for some trees and plants and more suitable for others.

Published May 22, 2016

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House of the Sun
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House of the Sun

The unique topography of Haleakalā National Park has astounded visitors for more than a century.

Published May 21, 2016

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Katmai National Park, Alaska
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Katmai National Park, Alaska

A national park and preserve almost twice as large as Yellowstone provides ample habitat for brown bears and salmon.

Published May 14, 2016

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Biscayne National Park
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Biscayne National Park

Maps of the underwater topography reveal reefs and sandbars within the largest marine park in the U.S. National Park System.

Published May 1, 2016

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The Grandest of Canyons
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The Grandest of Canyons

Grand Canyon National Park spans 277 river miles and often stretches 10 miles wide. But the true wonder arises from its depth...or height, depending on where you stand.

Published Apr 24, 2016

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Yellowstone National Park
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Yellowstone National Park

Established in 1872, it was the first national park in the United States, and perhaps the world. Its geological and biological wonders have led international groups to declare it a world heritage site and a biosphere reserve.

Published Apr 17, 2016

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Grand Teton National Park
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Grand Teton National Park

A long, active geologic history sculpted the surface features visible today in the Teton mountain range and Jackson Hole valley.

Published Apr 10, 2016

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Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
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Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

The national park tells the story of the “Lost Colony,” at Roanoke Island, and of the Native Americans who visited the island long before the English.

Published Apr 6, 2016

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Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
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Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park

Protection of a historic Civil War battle site brings a sliver of green space to metropolitan Atlanta.

Published Mar 30, 2016

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Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
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Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

A pair of modest oyster flats turned into two of most important islands in the United States.

Published Mar 20, 2016

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A Monumental Addition in California
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A Monumental Addition in California

Three new national monuments in Southern California connect with existing protected areas to form the world’s second-largest desert preserve.

Published Mar 13, 2016

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On the Lookout
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On the Lookout

Long before Cape Lookout National Seashore was declared a national tourist treasure, it was home to an important lighthouse and a commercial port. The park has its 50th anniversary this week.

Published Mar 8, 2016

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Mona Island
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Mona Island

The small Puerto Rican island is a natural reserve that has been nicknamed the “Galapagos of the Caribbean.”

Published Feb 28, 2016

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El Malpais National Monument
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El Malpais National Monument

In western New Mexico, the landscape’s long volcanic history can be explored above and below the ground.

Published Feb 21, 2016

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Olympic National Park
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Olympic National Park

There are not many places in the world where you can move from the ocean to a rainforest to a glacier-covered mountain within 100 miles.

Published Feb 14, 2016

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