Ken Burns PBS Documentary Favorite National Parks

Acadia National Park

Acadia National Park was officially declared a National Park in 1919 to preserve Mount Desert Island and the surrounding islands off the Atlantic Coast of Maine. The park is over 35,000 acres in size and was first recorded by Samuel Champlain in 1604. It is home to over 40 species of mammals though many predator species have been forced to leave due to human proximity. The nearest town is Bar Harbor, Maine.

Biscayne National Park

Located off the Southeastern tip of Florida, Biscayne National Park is home to many endangered marine species, including the lionfish, and is one of the top diving spots in the state. Over 95% of the park is water, but there is also a mangrove forest in the park. If you aren't into scuba diving or snorkeling, you can also take glass-bottom boat or kayak tours of the Florida Keys, or just enjoy a few days camping.

Denali National Park and Preserve

Named from the Athabaskan Indian word for "The High One," Denali National Park is home to the highest point in North America, reaching 20,320 feet above sea level. 1896, however, the region was still marked as "unexplored" on official maps and the mountain was renamed Mount McKinley, after the presidential candidate. Charles Sheldon, a naturalist, was the driving force behind turning the region into a national park to preserve the wildlife, especially the Dall sheep. The park was instated in 1917 but was named McKinley National Park rather than Denali. Only the first 15 miles of the road are available to private vehicles, after which visitors can access the interior of the park through buses. There are also several fully-narrated tours of the park, the most popular of which is the Tundra Wilderness Tour.

Everglades National Park

One of the most popular national parks in the United States, the Everglades National Park is visited by over one million people per year. It not only a National Park but also International Biosphere Reserve, a World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance and is only one of three places in the world to be on all three lists. Rather than preserving a unique geographic feature, the Everglades was formed to protect the fragile ecosystem - largest mangrove in the western hemisphere. The park is actually a network of extremely slow moving rivers and water tours are available, but most of the areas are no-wake zones to protect the manatees.

Grand Canyon, Williams, AZ

At 277 miles long, 10 miles wide, and a mile deep, The Grand Canyon is the biggest canyon on earth and contains some of the oldest exposed rock on earth. The canyon was brought to national attention following a semi-successful expedition 1869, led by John Wesley Powell. Despite many attempts to take advantage of the canyon's natural resources, it became a national park in 1919 and continues to be one of the most popular parks for not only US visitors but international visitors as well.

Great Smoky Mountains Natl Pk

Straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park includes parts of the Great Smoky and the Blue Ridge mountains, which are part of the Appalachian Mountain chain. Once home to the Cherokee Indians, the national park now hosts 9 million tourists and 11 million non-recreational visitors each year, twice as many as any other national park. In addition to the hiking opportunities, there are also several historical attractions in the park, the most famous of which is Cades Cove, in addition to ample fishing areas.

Kenai Fjords National Park

Kenai Fjords was one of 17 national monuments named by Jimmy Carter in 1978 as part of the Antiquities Act and was turned into a national park in 1980. It is home to one of the largest ice fields in the United States. Cruise tours led by Park Rangers offer glimpses into the unique wildlife and natural geographic phenomena.

Mesa Verde National Park/Hdqrs

The ruins at Mesa Verde were discovered by a rancher in 1889 who was searching for stray cattle. The ruins were in fact the largest concentration of cliff dwellings ever found, built by ancestors of Pueblo Indians, the Anzasi, 1,000 years earlier. It is located near the Four Corners where Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Utah meet. Initial requests to have the ruins turned into a national park were denied, and the unprotected antiquities were shipped to Europe by a Scandinavian archaeologist. It was finally named a national park in 1906.

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Stretching into Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, Yellowstone was the first national park in the world and is one of the most famous in the world, founded in 1872. One of the most popular geographic features in the park is Old Faithful Geyser. Yellowstone Lake is one of the largest high-altitude lakes in North America, centered over the largest supervolcano on the continent, the Yellowstone Caldera.

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is one of the most famous and popular National Parks in the world, hosting 3.5 million visitors per year. Although the park is over 761,266 acres, most guests only stay within the seven square mile Yosemite Valley. The park is most famous for its striking granite cliffs, waterfalls, and Sequoia grove. The most popular destinations for hiking are Half Dome and El Capitan. The park is mostly dry except for parts of the winter.