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