Nearly sixty protected areas, officially called US National Parks, are scattered throughout the country and are immensely popular with locals and foreign visitors alike. The very first, Yellowstone, was formed in 1872, and the youngest in this extensive list is Pinnacles Park.
The largest number of protected areas are located in Alaska and California, and the most visited and popular are the Grand Canyon in Arizona and Great Smokey in North Carolina. Fourteen national parks in the United States are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
In the forefront
On the must see lists of any traveler:
- Arches Park is located in Utah, 6 km from the city of Moab. The entrance ticket for a vehicle accommodating up to 15 people is $ 25, for motorcycles - $ 15, for a pedestrian or cyclist - $ 10. The ticket is valid for a week from the date of purchase. Details on the website - www.nps.gov/arch/index.htm.
- The famous Death Valley is located in the states of Nevada and California. The nearest town is Beatty in Nevada. You can move around the park by car, motorcycle or on foot, but only in strictly established places - walks here can end tragically for a person. In summer, thermometers show up to +50, and therefore the optimal time to visit Death Valley is from October 15 to the end of April.
- The entrance ticket to the US Grand Canyon National Park, which has appeared in many westerns, is $ 30 for a passenger car, $ 25 for a motorcycle and $ 15 for each guest who decides to ride a bike here or use the local shuttle. It is best to check the working hours of individual objects on the page - www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/hours.htm.
Legends of the Yellow Stone
The most famous national park in the United States is mysterious and unique. It covers an area of almost 9000 sq. km, and more than three million people annually become its guests. Yellowstone is located in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, and is home to the largest number of geysers in the world.
Entrance to the park is paid and for entry by car you will have to pay $ 30, on a motorcycle - $ 25, and a ticket for pedestrians and cyclists will cost $ 15. The park's tourist centers are located in several places and their opening hours differ depending on the season. The details of the guests' work are presented on the official website page - www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/visitorcenters.htm.
Useful information
For those who are going to visit several US national parks at once, it would be most profitable to buy the Annual Pass - a subscription to visit federal vacation spots in the US, which costs about $ 80 and is valid for a year from the date of purchase. It is designed for a driver and three passengers over 16 years old, moving by car, and is sold at the entrance to any park from the rangers. The pass does not work on Indian lands.
