List Seven: National Parks I've Visited

In honor of my recent trip to two National Parks, Arches and Canyonlands!

1.  Rocky Mountain National Park It was here that I saw it snowing on the fourth of July some years back.

2.  Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park  A wonderful little side trip I did with just me and my parents couple years ago.

3.  Mesa Verde National Park In college I took an Art History class here where we camped and explored the park from an art perspective.  I remember writing my final essay paper by the campfire on the symbolism of the spiral.

4. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve  was visited as a girl scout.  I remember riding in the back seat of my mom's car as we drove along the bumpiest dirt road to a girl's family cabin where we'd be staying.

5.  Arches National Park amazing hike to the Delicate Arch!  I was very proud of myself for scrambling over to where I could actually stand underneath it.  It was pretty scary to get over there.

6.  Canyonlands National Park The thunderstorms rolled all around us while we were there.  We kept commenting on how the trees beside the rim's edge were blacked from being struck by lightening.  It made a breeding ground for some beautiful rainbows though.

7.  Yellowstone National Park  I went a few years back with my husband, mom, dad, brother and his dog.  This same crew went to Arches and Canyonlands this year!  All I can say about Yellowstone is you have to see it to believe it and even then its hard to fathom the amazing strangeness nature has to share.

8. Acadia National Park During our cruise last year with my husband's family we were fortunate enough to stop in Bar Harbor and visit this lovely park.  I wished I had realized the unique story of this park before I visited, I want to go back!

If you want to learn more about the National Parks I strongly encourage you to watch the PBS series 

The National Parks: America's Best Idea .  You can catch some clips from the series here.  It is beautifully filmed and brimming with well told stories.  Sunset's August issue is devoted to the National Parks.  NPR's To the Point did a segment on the National Parks today as well.  I only caught pieces of it has my husband and I drove to have lunch.  National Parks everywhere!!!

My dad got us The Passport to the National Parks where you can collect park stamps.  Most stamps are found within the visitor's center of the park.  The passport program is a voluntary program though most parks do participate.  Arches and Canyonlands were my first two stamps in the book.  Looks like I'll have to head back to the other parks I've visited to collect those stamps!  Such a hardship!!!

What National Parks have you visited?

PS.  Part of #5 on my 30 Things done!