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Posts Tagged ‘national park’

Magpark.com - this time mag park will guide you about National Park at Seattle, Washington. When visiting Seattle Washington, it is probably quite impossible not to notice the beautiful scenery that surrounds this great town. I can think of few cities in America that are so strategically located to take advantage of the best of nature. Not only are the surroundings lovely, but the climate is also very mild for most of the year. The drawback for some is the rain as it rains about 50 percent of the time in this city. I suppose that I could sacrifice humidity and stifling high temperatures in exchange for a few rain showers, but that’s just me.

It would seem that I am not the only one that has noticed the beauty that seems to surround the Seattle area as there are several national parks in these areas that are a sure sign someone else has noticed. In fact, that is what I’ll be discussing. The national parks that are within easy driving distance of Seattle Washington. If you love nature, any of these parks has a great deal to offer and if you are really adventurous, you can try visiting them all (though I really feel you would be hard pressed to get the most out of your experience in a national park after just one day).

The first national park on my list is the one that comes first to my mind when I think of Seattle even though it is a monument rather than a park. It is called the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and was created for the purposes of research, education, and recreation. Within the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument the environment is left to its own devices in recovering from the disaster. The last time Mt. St. Helens erupted was in 1980.

The next national park on my list is indeed a national park it is called Mt. Rainier National Park and is only a short drive from Seattle. Mt. Rainier is an inactive volcano and the park was founded in 1899. This park receives visits from nearly two million people each year. There are many activities that can be enjoyed here from camping, hiking, horseback riding, mountain climbing, and fishing to taking simple nature walks in order to enjoy the beautiful scenery. This is one park that I really don’t recommend trying to conquer in a day, there is simply too much ground to cover and you might miss something really cool if you rush through. I understand that time is limited and you may not have the time to properly explore all the park has to offer on one vacation. If that is the case, I seriously recommend finding one or two things to do and see while there and concentrating all of your efforts on those things.

Located about two hours outside of Seattle, Washington is the North Cascades National Park. Often referred to as the North American Alps, this mountain range is spectacularly beautiful. There are many activities available within the park such as camping, hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, and float trips along the Skagit and Stehekin rivers. For me, simply enjoying the stunning views of this national park would be enough without the benefit of the other activities that are available. This is a great way to spend a day, two days, or even an entire vacation. I especially recommend river floating if you have children. It is a great way to enjoy your time together and fairly enjoyable for everyone. You may even be able to get them to take the headphones off for a little while.

As we know that everyone has certain things that appeal to him or her most about a prospective travel and vacation location at park. For mag park, a great amount of appeal comes in the things I can see, touch, smell, and experience. Nature is one of the things that we can’t always experience at home or if we can, we simply take it for granted. While on vacation, the ability to experience the best that nature has to offer is a wonderful thing. We hope you will visit at least one of these parks during your visit to Seattle.

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Magpark.com – Everybody in the world must be know about this Park. The Grand Canyon National Park was one of America’s first National Parks, and it’s one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations with visitors from across the world being inspired by its breathtaking beauty every day.  The Canyon, which the Colorado River has cut through the gorge, is approximately 275 miles long and between a quarter of a mile to 15 miles wide (average is approximately 10 miles), depending on where you are standing.  It’s also about a mile deep which means that it’s a challenge that many people enjoy to hike (or ride) down into the gorge.

You should know that there are two different sides of the Grand Canyon, the more tourist orientated South Rim which is open year around, and the more secluded North Rim which is closed during the winter season.  On the South Rim, there are many opportunities for learning about the Canyon, and ways of experiencing it first hand – whether a bus tour around the rim stopping at observation points to for photo opportunities, hiking down the trails, rafting along the river, or even taking a flight through the gorge.  On the North Rim however, you will find the Grand Canyon more fiercely guarded against the trapping of commercialism, with most of the thrills coming from the light patterns on the Canyon walls as day turns into night.

As you know, accommodation is limited in the Grand Canyon, especially on the North Rim so if you intend to stay overnight in the park to experience both a sunset and a sunrise be sure to make a reservation far in advance of your vacation period.

Maybe this Rim you should come, the South Rim has wheelchairs available for visitors, and many of the areas/facilities – although not the shuttle buses (anyone requiring a shuttle bus with wheelchair access should call the day before they visit the Grand Canyon to ensure one will be running the next day as these are operated on an “on demand” basis) – are wheelchair/mobility impaired accessible although assistance may be required.

Come and visit the great Grand Canyon. Whether you prefer the South Rim with its array of opportunities and challenges for experiencing the Canyon, or the more solitary and intimate “back to nature” atmosphere of the North Rim, the magnitude of the Grand Canyon is an forgettable experience.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Magpark.com – Everglades National Park, Florida is the 3^rd largest national park in America, area 1.6 million square miles of the Everglades National Park is teeming with natural beauty.  Its swamplands are as familiar a sight as the alligators and airboats used to promote the area. The ecosystem of the park is what draws many of the visitors here.  Although there’s plenty of waterways, swimming isn’t an option because of the unfriendly wildlife who live there, but canoeing is one way of enjoying the water from the relative safety of a vessel.

You can find some guided tours around the park by staff who will talk about the wildlife of the park, and the various sites to see within it.  These tours can be on foot, or by a regular tram, or even by boat – obviously one of the best ways to see the Everglades which are noted for their grasses which grow up through the shallow waters in much of the park.

You must remember as with most nature reserve/national parks personal safety must be your priority in the Everglades.  This isn’t a superficial theme park.  The wildlife here is real, the teeth are real, and they do bite!  If you take children, especially younger children, make sure that they are aware of the dangers and that they must listen to what people tell them.  This is even more important if you take them out on a boat tour where they must sit still and not trail their hands in the water.

Now, you must believe that the Everglades is one of the most outstanding national parks in the US, one which is unrivalled as far as it’s particular brand of natural wildlife and scenery is concerned, but it’s also a place where safety is vital – so please read the warnings carefully, keep to the rules of the park as told to you by the park staff, and you’ll have an unforgettable time for all the right reasons – oh and don’t forget the mosquito spray!

Popularity: 10% [?]

Magpark.com – Characterized by dazzling high ridges, glaciers, deep gorges, alpine meadows and valleys with closed virgin forests, the Great Himalayan National Park with an altitudinal variation from 1,300m to 6,100m in Kullu district is one of the best destinations for Himalayan flora and fauna lovers. Supporting a diverse wildlife of over three hundred species of birds and over thirty species of mammals, the region was declared a national park in 1984.

One third of the park area is under forest, mainly along the Nalas and their tributaries. The forests vary from sub-tropical, to alpine, to dry alpine shrub types. Himalayan forests of ‘Chir’ Pines, Conifers, Oaks, Firs, Rhododendrons and Junipers can be encountered within the park. The presence of undisturbed Oak forests at low and middle altitudes is worth noticing here, for it is rare outside the park. Alpine meadows above 3,800m hold a high diversity of herbaceous species, many of which have medicinal and aromatic properties of great commercial value.

The excellent habitat shelters a large number of mammals and peasants. One of the few known viable populations of Western Tragopan, a highly endangered species of pheasants, lives in this protected environment. It is possibly the only place in the Himalayas where the ‘Bharal’ (blue sheep) occurs virtually side-by-side with the Himalayan ‘Thar’. The largest population of the Himalayan Thar endemic to India is in this park. The endangered Musk Deer can also be found here. Herdsmen have also reported the elusive and highly endangered Snow Leopard

The best seasons for you to visiting the park are summer from April to June and autumn from September to November. The relatively high density of wildlife in the area assures the visitors of sighting the Monal, Western Tragopan, Musk Deer, Goral, Bharal, and the Himalayan Thar. The rainy season from July to August and the winter season from December to March are not advisable periods to visit the park.

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Magpark.com – Dear readers, California had been a fully-fledged state for about a year before Yosemite was discovered.  These days the park isn’t quite so secluded but it’s still home to some of the most stunning scenery to be found in the world.  Although it can’t boast the huge canyon panorama’s of the Grand Canyon, or the fabulous powerful waterfalls famous at Niagara, Yosemite has something that’s quite unique in that it has so many different natural environments within the one area – from amazing mountain top views, to crystal streams, natural water features, glaciers and meadowlands, Yosemite has something different to show at almost each turn in the road.

The first place you need to stop at is Yosemite Village.  If you’re planning on staying overnight in the park, this is also the area you’ll probably be sleep as almost all overnight park guests prefer to stay within this 8 square mile area.  The Village is where you’ll find a good map to help you locate all the park highlights (invaluable if you don’t have much time to spend in the park!), as well as tell you what’s happening around the park that day.  If you want to take advantage of any of the shuttle buses that operate between the Village and some of the park’s highlights, this is also the place you need to be.

If you want to get more in touch with nature, whilst not getting to far off the beaten track (and there’s plenty of opportunity for that too!), then plan to explore the eastern side of the park where there are stricter restrictions on transportation with cars not being allowed into the area.  Here you can ride the shuttle bus into the area and then enjoy some hiking or alternatively cycle in, without the sound of constant car engines interfering with the sounds of nature.

Yosemite isn’t just for summer, and although some of its finest views such as the meadow will be covered over, it’s also a winter playground for those who love snow sports.  If you plan on visiting the park during the winter months however, make sure you check what parts of the park are accessible and open, and what facilities you’ll find there.   You’ll also find that the type of accommodation will be more limited during the winter months so book in advance around any main holiday periods.

Even if you only have a day to spend at Yosemite National Park, you’ll see things that will provide memories to last a lifetime, whether it’s the Yosemite Falls (North America’s highest falls), the huge redwood trees of Mariposa Grove or the alpine beauty of the Tuolumne Meadows.

Popularity: 3% [?]