| What could be more American than our
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| | across the canyon to Mexico! Retrieving
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| National Park Service? People everywhere
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| | your ball and scoring the hole is
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| express interest in exploring these
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| | difficult since there is no physical
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| symbols of our national heritage. The
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| | connection to the green.
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| parks range from large and well-known,
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| | Little Bighorn National Monument - This
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| like Yosemite and Zion, to small and
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| | Park gets our vote for the best ranger
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| obscure, like The Golden Spike National
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| | talk. The site of Custer's last stand
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| Historical Park and Moore's Creek
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| | presides over the valley below with such
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| National Battlefield.
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| | visual splendor that one can easily
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| The parks are divided into several
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| | imagine the Indians camped below and the
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| categories including National Parks,
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| | obedient men under the direction of
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| National Historic Parks, National
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| | General Custer being led to their
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| Monuments, National Seashores and more.
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| | slaughter. As the wind blows over the
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| The difference is not just the
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| | site, the rangers do an incredible job of
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| significance of the park, but also the
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| | setting the mood, the facts and the story
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| funding and, therefore, staffing and
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| | of Little Bighorn. Armed with the
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| amenities of each location. In all,
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| | knowledge of the battle, an audio tour is
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| there are over 400 locations maintained
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| | available as you head out through the
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| by the National Park Service and they do
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| | actual battlefield.
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| a great job keeping everything
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| | Dry Tortugas National Park - On of the
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| maintained, accessible and enjoyable for
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| | least accessible of all our parks is Dry
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| the millions of annual visitors. The
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| | Tortugas, 67 miles off the tip of Key
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| parks are truly one of the gems of our
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| | West. Best reached by several companies
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| tax-supported services.
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| | who offer "fast Cat" service to the
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| Each park, monument, seashore and more
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| | island, the history and the remains of
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| was designated due to some unique
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| | Fort Jefferson mix with the wonderful
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| characteristic worth preserving and
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| | snorkeling to make for a great day trip,
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| showcasing. From the intricate lacework
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| | or a multi-day stay for the adventurous,
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| of Wind Cave in South Dakota, to the
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| | since there are no improved campsites on
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| fragile eco-system of the Florida
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| | the island, no lodging, no bathhouses and
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| Everglades, the park rangers are well
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| | no drinking water available. Fort
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| informed and eagerly teach visitors about
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| | Jefferson dates to the early 1800s, when
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| their park. The Junior Ranger program
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| | it was constructed to protect the Gulf of
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| for kids in some of the larger parks is
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| | Mexico. This is one of the parks that
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| better than a year of science and history
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| | has fallen victim to the loss of Park
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| back home.
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| | Rangers, partly due to the desolate
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| So what are some of these lesser known
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| | conditions there. Fortunately, our guide
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| locations of special significance? Here
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| | for the boat trip had become
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| are three that you might want to include
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| | knowledgeable about the history of the
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| in your next trip.
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| | fort and provided excellent "ranger"
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| Big Bend National Park - Located in far
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| | descriptions for our group.
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| south Texas, this park is visited by less
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| | The National Parks website at is a
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| than a million people a year and
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| | treasure trove of information, whether
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| stretches over 800,000 acres, with three
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| | your visit is to a famous or
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| distinct eco-systems. The Chisos
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| | not-so-famous park. If your goal is to
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| Mountains loom from most every vantage
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| | visit many of the national parks, be sure
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| point in the park. In the spring, the
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| | to pick-up your personal "Passport" at
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| desert portion of the park is alive with
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| | your first park - a clever and unique way
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| wild flowers and animals of every
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| | to catalog your visits. The National
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| description. And finally, the canyons of
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| | Parks Pass is a bargain at $50 a year for
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| the Rio Grande make a spectacular trip
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| | unlimited access to the parks with a 50%
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| via rubber raft or canoe. The Santa
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| | discounts on use fees within the park.
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| Elena canyon is spectacular with the
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| | The Golden Age passport is available to
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| canyon walls rising 1500 feet on one side
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| | those 62 and older and is good for a
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| to Mexico and the same distance on the
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| | lifetime. Our disabled citizens are also
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| other in the US. The nearby town of
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| | entitled to Golden Access Passes,
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| Lajitas (outside the park) boasts the
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| | regardless of age. See the website for
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| only "international" golf course in the
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| | complete details.
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| US when one hole has an optional green
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