US National Parks

US National Parks

A National Park = reserve of natural/semi-natural land protected by law

In the USA there are 58 national parks

Yellowstone

• The oldest National Park in the world, ID, WY, MT

• Geothermal features: Old Faithful Geyser, his eruption occurs every 90 min, the height of it is 45 metres

• Half of the world’s geothermal features are in Yellowstone

• Has many ecosystems, dominant is the subalpine forest

• Several lakes, canyons, rivers and mountain ranges

• Endangered species of animals and plants: grizzly bears, wolves, bisons, elks

Yosemite

• In California

• Part of the UNESCO world heritage

• Sierra Nevada mountains are part of it

• Elevation ranges from 700 – 4000 metres above sea level = great biological diversity

• Yosemit valley = a glacial valley, the Tunnel view, El Capitan = a granite cliff, meadows

• Popular for: granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear water streams, giant sequoia trees, black oak

Death Valley

• Border between California and Nevada

• Death valley – hottest and driest place in the US

• Species: bighorn sheep, coyote, popfish

• Before it was a national park, it had beem a popular mining place for gold and mainly borax

Great Smoky Mountains

• In Tennessee and North Carolina

• The most visited national park in the US

• Part of the UNESCO world heritage

• Part of the Appalachian Mountains, 95% of the park is forested

• Used to be the homeland of Cherokee Indians

Grand Canyon

• In Arizona

• Considered to be one of the 7 Natural Wonders

• The steep-sided canyon was carved by the Colorado river

• 350km long, up to 2km deep

• Huge temperature differences = great species diversity

Everglades

• On the southern tip of Florida, largest subtropical wilderness in the US

• 6000 km2 of shallow, slow moving water = great for the crocodiles

• Species: Mangroves, orchids, crocodiles, panthers, manatees

Bryce Canyon

• In Utah

• Not an actual canyon formed by a river, but by wind, water and ice erosion

• The red and orange colour of the stones is due to a high amount of iron in them

• Not so difficult to reach to the bottom of it – unlike the Grand Canyon

Hot Springs

• In Arkansas

• The smallest national park in the US

• The only national park in the urban area – is used as a spa to cure rheumatism

Joshua tree

• In California

• The name comes from a tree native to that area: Joshua tree

• Includes two deserts and a mountains

• Popular among rock climbers for its hills of bare rock

• Fan palm, high density of cactuses – they almost appear like gardens