Six national parks to visit this year
America's National Parks, those stretches of green that dot the map, are our collective backyard, a wilderness to explore and celebrate. Each summer, thousands of families pack up their gear and head out in search of beauty: cascading waterfalls, herds of elk, and 8,000-foot snow-capped peaks. Most families, taking in the parks through the windows of cars, are not disappointed by the vistas. But what of the adventures that await just off the thoroughfares? Hiking through a wooded trail, fishing along a winding river and discovering nature while earning junior ranger badges make memories that do not fade along with summer's heat.
In support of Earth Day (April 22), National Parks Week (April 20 through 26) and the preservation of our spectacular public playgrounds, we feature off-the-beaten-path guides to some of America's most loved national parks: Acadia in Maine; Glacier in Montana; Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina; Mesa Verde in Colorado; Olympic in Washington state; and Yellowstone in Wyoming.
These stories show how you can best escape the well-trodden routes and most enjoy all that these parks offer families. Armed with these secrets, your family will be able to park the car this summer and wander in a field of forget-me-nots and wood lilies, search a tide pool for purple and orange starfish, or scan the night sky for constellations and looping bats. A national park, after all, is the best thing to satisfy a family's call of the wild.
If your family plans to visit more than one national park this year, consider purchasing a Golden Eagle Passport. It costs $25, is good for one year and provides your family with an unlimited number of entries (admission fees) into any United States national recreation area. The passport does not, however, cover use fees for camping, swimming or parking. The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime pass to national recreation areas for those who are age 62 and older and their families. For a one-time fee of $10, this pass also provides a 50 percent discount on charges for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, parking and boat-launching. You can purchase both passports at any national park that charges an entrance fee.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated June 2005.
