Top five U.S. national parks to see on tour with WWF
Oct 28th, 2010 by wwftravel
The concept of national parks was born in the United States, with the founding of Yellowstone 138 years ago. Dozens of countries have followed suit; at last count, there were 7,000.
The benefits of touring a national park with WWF are many. But we especially value the expertise of the naturalist guides who accompany our trips, giving our travelers an in-depth understanding of the ecosystems around them.
These five national parks are especially worthy of touring with WWF:
Peregrine falcon © David Lawson / WWF-UK
Big Bend National Park, Texas: More than 430 species of birds that live or migrate through Big Bend – including Colima warblers, vermillion flycatchers, peregrine falcons and black-capped vireos – can be spotted at during the springtime, when we visit the park. Vibrant blooms sprout of between the spikes of tens of thousands of cacti, the color popping against the earth-toned landscape.
Alaskan glacier in action © Lindblad Expeditions
Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska: Glaciers spilling from snow-topped peaks into the bay have created massive glaciers at every turn in this narrow portion of southeast Alaska. And where there are glaciers, there are icebergs; the waters here are speckled with those glowing ice hulks, making an expeditionary voyage the best way to explore the region.
Calypso orchids courtesy National Park Service
Glacier National Park, Montana: Bordering Canada, Glacier National Park contains more than 130 named lakes and two mountain ranges. Those features, plus more than 1,000 species of flora, make Glacier National Park one of the most picturesque spots in the United States – and a great place to hike.
Sea lions © Elissa Poma / WWF-US
Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska: Containing one of the largest ice fields in the United States (the Harding Ice Field), the southern Alaskan national park is an easily accessible locale to see a variety of land-based and marine wildlife. Sea lions, puffins, porpoises, bears, mountain goats, humpback whales and orcas are all frequently spotted. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see all of those animals during one full-day marine cruise in Resurrection Bay.
- A Yellowstone geyser in the distance © Wyoming Office of Tourism
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: Yellowstone is as noteworthy for its geothermal features as it is for its wildlife. The geyser Old Faithful is a must-see, of course, but did you know that there are 299 other geysers in Yellowstone and at least 10,000 geothermal features altogether? In fact, half the world’s geothermal features and more than two-thirds of the world’s geysers are situated in Yellowstone.
