"There are 59 national parks, each one a masterpiece spread across the USA. The artistry of nature paints their rain forests with mossy green, their lakes a vivid blue, and their canyons in shifting oranges and reds.
Their beauty is in their wilderness. Cactus deserts bloom against the odds, and rugged mountains trap snow to feed rivers tumbling to oceans, where seascapes change with each tide. Wolves, grizzly bears, orcas, and eagles still rule the animal kingdom, much as they did with only Native Americans occupied these lands.
Our parks provide moments of connection: hearing birds chatter, smelling fragrant trees, feeling the spray of the waterfalls, touching rocks smooth over by centuries, and staring up into dark skies. These are the moments that let nature wash through us; that offer renewal of the human spirit.
Your trip to any of these national parks can be the start of a longer, life-enriching journey. Let it begin."
- −Becky Lomax, from the introduction to USA National Parks: The Complete Guide to All 59 Parks
