Under-discovered Gems in our National Park System

What could be more American than our National ParkMexico! Retrieving your ball and scoring the hole is
Service? People everywhere express interest indifficult since there is no physical connection to the
exploring these symbols of our national heritage. Thegreen.
parks range from large and well-known, like YosemiteLittle Bighorn National Monument - This Park gets our
and Zion, to small and obscure, like The Golden Spikevote for the best ranger talk. The site of Custer's last
National Historical Park and Moore's Creek Nationalstand presides over the valley below with such visual
Battlefield.splendor that one can easily imagine the Indians
The parks are divided into several categories includingcamped below and the obedient men under the
National Parks, National Historic Parks, Nationaldirection of General Custer being led to their slaughter.
Monuments, National Seashores and more. TheAs the wind blows over the site, the rangers do an
difference is not just the significance of the park, butincredible job of setting the mood, the facts and the
also the funding and, therefore, staffing and amenitiesstory of Little Bighorn. Armed with the knowledge of
of each location. In all, there are over 400 locationsthe battle, an audio tour is available as you head out
maintained by the National Park Service and they do athrough the actual battlefield.
great job keeping everything maintained, accessibleDry Tortugas National Park - On of the least
and enjoyable for the millions of annual visitors. Theaccessible of all our parks is Dry Tortugas, 67 miles
parks are truly one of the gems of our tax-supportedoff the tip of Key West. Best reached by several
services.companies who offer "fast Cat" service to the island,
Each park, monument, seashore and more wasthe history and the remains of Fort Jefferson mix with
designated due to some unique characteristic worththe wonderful snorkeling to make for a great day trip,
preserving and showcasing. From the intricateor a multi-day stay for the adventurous, since there
lacework of Wind Cave in South Dakota, to the fragileare no improved campsites on the island, no lodging, no
eco-system of the Florida Everglades, the parkbathhouses and no drinking water available. Fort
rangers are well informed and eagerly teach visitorsJefferson dates to the early 1800s, when it was
about their park. The Junior Ranger program for kids inconstructed to protect the Gulf of Mexico. This is one
some of the larger parks is better than a year ofof the parks that has fallen victim to the loss of Park
science and history back home.Rangers, partly due to the desolate conditions there.
So what are some of these lesser known locations ofFortunately, our guide for the boat trip had become
special significance? Here are three that you mightknowledgeable about the history of the fort and
want to include in your next trip.provided excellent "ranger" descriptions for our group.
Big Bend National Park - Located in far south Texas,The National Parks website at is a treasure trove of
this park is visited by less than a million people a yearinformation, whether your visit is to a famous or
and stretches over 800,000 acres, with three distinctnot-so-famous park. If your goal is to visit many of the
eco-systems. The Chisos Mountains loom from mostnational parks, be sure to pick-up your personal
every vantage point in the park. In the spring, the"Passport" at your first park - a clever and unique way
desert portion of the park is alive with wild flowers andto catalog your visits. The National Parks Pass is a
animals of every description. And finally, the canyonsbargain at $50 a year for unlimited access to the
of the Rio Grande make a spectacular trip via rubberparks with a 50% discounts on use fees within the
raft or canoe. The Santa Elena canyon is spectacularpark. The Golden Age passport is available to those
with the canyon walls rising 1500 feet on one side to62 and older and is good for a lifetime. Our disabled
Mexico and the same distance on the other in the US.citizens are also entitled to Golden Access Passes,
The nearby town of Lajitas (outside the park) boastsregardless of age. See the website for complete
the only "international" golf course in the US when onedetails.
hole has an optional green across the canyon to