The National Parks: America's Best Idea

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  • yep & i'm looovin' this show!!!!!

    makes me ache for a roadtrip & tunes!!!
    If I had known then...what I know now...

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  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    I love Ken Burn's documentaries. His documentary on The American Civil War was great, as was his doc on the first black Heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson - 'Unforgivable Blackness'.
  • lukin2006lukin2006 Posts: 9,087
    I'm Canadian and had the good fortune of visiting Grand Canyon National park and just loved it, words and picture's do not do it justice. I look forward to visiting many more of your national parks in the years ahead.
    I have certain rules I live by ... My First Rule ... I don't believe anything the government tells me ... George Carlin

    "Life Is What Happens To You When Your Busy Making Other Plans" John Lennon
  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    lukin2006 wrote:
    I'm Canadian and had the good fortune of visiting Grand Canyon National park and just loved it, words and picture's do not do it justice. I look forward to visiting many more of your national parks in the years ahead.

    Yeah, the Grand Canyon is lovely, as is the surrounding area - Mesa Verde? - and the home of the Anasazi indians nearby. That whole area is somewhere I could happily spend a few weeks camping in.
  • pearljgirl2010pearljgirl2010 Shillington, PA/Tuckerton, NJ Posts: 3,428
    I love this...there are some amazing places to see in the US and I think people tend to forget and just think about travelling overseas...check out the US too :-)
    Need a tour Travel Agent??? Pick me :-)

    Whatever you are, be a good one --Lincoln
  • gabersgabers Posts: 2,787
    Here in Texas we don't have too many National Parks, but a ton of State Parks, which I've been to a handful. For national parks here in Texas I've visited Big Bend NP, Padre Island National Seashore, and San Antonio Missions. Outside Texas I've been to Mt. Rainier and Olympic National Parks in Washington state. I wish I could visit every year.
  • Caught this the other nite and really enjoying this series. Good stuff. :)
  • Bathgate66Bathgate66 Posts: 15,813
    I love this...there are some amazing places to see in the US and I think people tend to forget and just think about travelling overseas...check out the US too :-)


    definitely true.
    lifetime native NYer, and alltho i may know a decent ammount
    about my local area and whatnot,
    Ive viewed all 3 of these thusfar,
    and it is dreadfully clear that in my 42 years i have not done enough Domestic traveling with in particular out Westward, where many / most of the Parks are located( So far , theyve only really touched upon 1 i know of on the east coast ( Arcadia up in Maine ) .

    They briefly went into how the US Govt tried alluring wealthy NYers out westward ,
    maybe not to spend their monies overseas ( in europe mainly ) on vacation-
    to travel to State Parks such as Mt Rainier - the USAs answer to Switzerland.
    They also implied you would be more patriotic, it was the democratic thing to do at the time.

    I simply have just been too lazy in my big comfort zone
    here on a little oceanfront in the shadows of NYC .
    Sadly i cannot travel by air at this time, hopefully i'll get better
    and make a trip out thataways sometime soon.
    Theres too much to see and experience.
    For the ones who had a notion, a notion deep inside
    That it ain't no sin to be glad you're alive
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  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    Grand Canyon was great, Yellowstone was unworldy, Grand Teton was a paradise...but part of my heart still belongs to the Great Smoky Mountains. 8-)
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    OK - I've now tried to watch this the last 3 nights, but frankly I've been bored to tears. I love National Parks, I love nature...but I just find these documentaries completely devoid of any personality.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • tybird wrote:
    Grand Canyon was great, Yellowstone was unworldy, Grand Teton was a paradise...


    add the redwood forests and that may complete my list. i need a list of the national parks for me to recognize/remember all the places i've been.... :lol:
    and hell yes, as opposed to bathy above, i've hit up more national parks out west than my native NY/NE area, or at least i think so. arcadia in maine is a biggie i most definitely want to hit up - can't believe i've yet to ever visit maine!
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    tybird wrote:
    Grand Canyon was great, Yellowstone was unworldy, Grand Teton was a paradise...


    add the redwood forests and that may complete my list. i need a list of the national parks for me to recognize/remember all the places i've been.... :lol:
    and hell yes, as opposed to bathy above, i've hit up more national parks out west than my native NY/NE area, or at least i think so. arcadia in maine is a biggie i most definitely want to hit up - can't believe i've yet to ever visit maine!
    Kenai Fjords was also a great thrill....and we never left the boat.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    Byrnzie wrote:
    Yeah, the Grand Canyon is lovely, as is the surrounding area - Mesa Verde? - and the home of the Anasazi indians nearby. That whole area is somewhere I could happily spend a few weeks camping in.

    mesa verde is actually a NP in colorado which focuses on the sand cliff dwellings of the anasazi ... i've always found the area surrounding grand canyon to be surreal ... it's a relatively flat area with some shrubbery ... and then all of a sudden ... this canyone emerges ...

    just reading about people visiting these NP's brings back memories of when I was there ... if anyone has the time - i totally recommend buying a park pass and doing a big long road trip!
  • tybird wrote:
    tybird wrote:
    Grand Canyon was great, Yellowstone was unworldy, Grand Teton was a paradise...


    add the redwood forests and that may complete my list. i need a list of the national parks for me to recognize/remember all the places i've been.... :lol:
    and hell yes, as opposed to bathy above, i've hit up more national parks out west than my native NY/NE area, or at least i think so. arcadia in maine is a biggie i most definitely want to hit up - can't believe i've yet to ever visit maine!
    Kenai Fjords was also a great thrill....and we never left the boat.


    oooooooooo....i wonder if we 'officially' went to any NPs in alaka, b/c we too, while taking daytrips, never left our cruiseship. we did walk on a glacier/took a helicopter trip, so who knows! :lol:
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    oooooooooo....i wonder if we 'officially' went to any NPs in alaka, b/c we too, while taking daytrips, never left our cruiseship. we did walk on a glacier/took a helicopter trip, so who knows! :lol:
    This was an eight hour boat ride/excursion out of Seward, not a sea cruise. We had taken the train down from Anchorage that morning....hopped on the boat, saw the sights, hopped back on dock, walked to the train and was back in Anchorage that night.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    so, i am a little behind here...just started watching the series. :P didn't watch while i was aired on tv, renting instead thru netflix. so last night watched the first disc. soooooo cool! also, i've been to more national parks than i thought. :P also funny to see how maligned niagra falls was. and i never realized that yellowstone national park was the very FIRST national park, in the WORLD. :o pretty cool! was probably the first natural national park i ever visited. 8-) looking forward to the rest of the series!


    ty, is glacier bay considered a national park? just curious.
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • PJaddictedPJaddicted Posts: 1,432
    edited October 2009
    I've been to quite a few of the parks over my lifetime. This past Summer my family and I spent ten days in Yellowstone National Park, it blew us away. Even my sons loved it. The beauty and the animal species we saw were just nothing short of amazing. Hubby and I are already going back this Winter for wolf watching trip.

    I want to add....when we retire, we have plans to stay in some of the park for extended periods. We want to spend a Summer in Denali and also Yellowstone.
    Post edited by PJaddicted on
    ~*LIVE~LOVE~LAUGH*~

    *May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*

    He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
    — Unknown
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    ty, is glacier bay considered a national park? just curious.
    Not sure....may have to consult a map when I get home....I only got to visit Kenai Fjords
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    tybird wrote:
    ty, is glacier bay considered a national park? just curious.
    Not sure....may have to consult a map when I get home....I only got to visit Kenai Fjords


    something ty doesn't know...well i'll be damned. ;)

    i'd forgotten liberty island/ellis island and also the lincolm memorial are all national parks. i always think of national parks as natural places.

    and pjaddicted, yellowstone IS amazing isn't it? i went ther years ago with my family. same thing with yosemite, the sequoia forest and grand canyon. amazing, amazing places. alaska is an unbelievable place as well. i would love to go back one day. :)
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • polaris_xpolaris_x Posts: 13,559
    Glacier Bay is a National Park ...

    And for those who've been to Yellowstone - you have to go in the Fall as the Tetons just light up with bright oranges and reds - plus the "rush hour" like traffic in Yellowstone dies down completely!

    And whoever said they want to spend a summer in Denali - great idea ... but i would suggest doing all of the alaska and yukon while you're there ... some beautiful spots all up there!
  • PJaddictedPJaddicted Posts: 1,432
    polaris_x wrote:
    Glacier Bay is a National Park ...

    And for those who've been to Yellowstone - you have to go in the Fall as the Tetons just light up with bright oranges and reds - plus the "rush hour" like traffic in Yellowstone dies down completely!

    And whoever said they want to spend a summer in Denali - great idea ... but i would suggest doing all of the alaska and yukon while you're there ... some beautiful spots all up there!

    Yes...I do think we will travel all over Alaska during that Summer, although I'd be content to sit in Denali and watch all the wildlife everyday! :D

    We didn't have much trouble with traffic in Yellowstone as we had an entire week, we rented a house up on the Yellowstone River in Gardiner MT, so came and went in the park with little traffic. I can't wait to go back!
    ~*LIVE~LOVE~LAUGH*~

    *May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*

    He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
    — Unknown
  • PJaddictedPJaddicted Posts: 1,432
    tybird wrote:
    ty, is glacier bay considered a national park? just curious.
    Not sure....may have to consult a map when I get home....I only got to visit Kenai Fjords


    something ty doesn't know...well i'll be damned. ;)

    i'd forgotten liberty island/ellis island and also the lincolm memorial are all national parks. i always think of national parks as natural places.

    and pjaddicted, yellowstone IS amazing isn't it? i went ther years ago with my family. same thing with yosemite, the sequoia forest and grand canyon. amazing, amazing places. alaska is an unbelievable place as well. i would love to go back one day. :)

    I went to the Grand Canyon with my GFs from HS last year....just breath taking! We saw CA Condors....life bird for me! Last Summer we took our boys to CA and got to Yosemite as well, they liked Yellowstone better, seeing Buffalo, Wolves, Grizzlys, Elk, Pronghorns....might have had something to do with it! We also did an 8 mile hike among thousands of Bison...truly awe inspiring! Our country is so beautiful.
    ~*LIVE~LOVE~LAUGH*~

    *May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*

    He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
    — Unknown
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388

    something ty doesn't know...well i'll be damned. ;)
    It's been known to happen on occasion.... ;)
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    PJaddicted wrote:
    We saw CA Condors....life bird for me!
    Lucky dog....was hoping to see one last month when we were at the canyon, but alas still can't add that one to my life list. :cry:
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    tybird wrote:

    something ty doesn't know...well i'll be damned. ;)
    It's been known to happen on occasion.... ;)


    :mrgreen:


    but polaris knew - so tick off another national park for me then! :lol:

    PJaddicted wrote:
    Our country is so beautiful.


    so, so true....and such diversity in it's beauty! i think the only climate/topography? we are missing is rainforest.
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • PJaddictedPJaddicted Posts: 1,432
    D2D We do have Rain forests here in the US... the Pacific temperate rain forest of the West Coast, the Appalachian temperate rain forests of the eastern USA
    ~*LIVE~LOVE~LAUGH*~

    *May the Peace of the Wilderness be with YOU*

    He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.
    — Unknown
  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    PJaddicted wrote:
    D2D We do have Rain forests here in the US... the Pacific temperate rain forest of the West Coast, the Appalachian temperate rain forests of the eastern USA
    The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an example of temperate rain forests.....It is true, however, they we don't have tropical rainforests in these here United States. :twisted:

    BTW, we are actually members of the Great Smoky Mountains Association.
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    tybird wrote:
    PJaddicted wrote:
    D2D We do have Rain forests here in the US... the Pacific temperate rain forest of the West Coast, the Appalachian temperate rain forests of the eastern USA
    The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an example of temperate rain forests.....It is true, however, they we don't have tropical rainforests in these here United States. :twisted:

    BTW, we are actually members of the Great Smoky Mountains Association.


    thereya go, sorry for not being specific enough. i knew i've read/heard more than a few times that rainforest was the one climate we were missing within the USA. did not realize there were different kinds, or i simply forgot... :oops: :D:mrgreen:
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


  • tybirdtybird Posts: 17,388
    tybird wrote:
    The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an example of temperate rain forests.....It is true, however, they we don't have tropical rainforests in these here United States. :twisted:

    BTW, we are actually members of the Great Smoky Mountains Association.


    thereya go, sorry for not being specific enough. i knew i've read/heard more than a few times that rainforest was the one climate we were missing within the USA. did not realize there were different kinds, or i simply forgot... :oops: :D:mrgreen:
    There's even different types of rainforest in the tropics.... :o :shock: :P
    All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a thousand enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed.
  • decides2dreamdecides2dream Posts: 14,977
    tybird wrote:
    tybird wrote:
    The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an example of temperate rain forests.....It is true, however, they we don't have tropical rainforests in these here United States. :twisted:

    BTW, we are actually members of the Great Smoky Mountains Association.


    thereya go, sorry for not being specific enough. i knew i've read/heard more than a few times that rainforest was the one climate we were missing within the USA. did not realize there were different kinds, or i simply forgot... :oops: :D:mrgreen:
    There's even different types of rainforest in the tropics.... :o :shock: :P


    see, this is the kind of ty post i am accustomed to; one filled with info you didn't know about or knew you wanted to know...until you now know..... :lol:


    btw - disc 2 of the series should be in my mailbox presently, so guess i'll hav more to say on the series monday.
    Stay with me...
    Let's just breathe...


    I am myself like you somehow


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