Response

Great site, Colin!

Can't wait to visit

Thank you Colin for posting these terrific entries about our wonderful National Parks.
It makes me excited to plan a trip out West to hopefully visit these marvelous gifts.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is an ecological wonderland. The extreme conditions produce organisms that have adaptations seen in very few other place in the world. Death Valley is located at "sea level" and is one of the hottest locations in the United States. There are also a large number of historical sites to visit within the park as it was one of the foremost borax mining locations in the Western U.S.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone was described by many of its first visitors as being like "hell." There was hot water shooting out of the earth, strange sulfur-scented ponds, and rugged terrain. This National Park was the first created. It's designation as a national park led to the creation of our National Park System and National Park Service. Yellowstone is home to buffalo, elk, deer, eagles and bear. Visitors can approach this wildlife at very small distances and experience these animals in their natural setting - an opportunity not found anywhere else in the nation...

Badlands National Park

Badlands National Park in South Dakota is one of the most barren landscapes found in the United States. This park is home to a variety of unusual wildlife that must adapt to the harsh environment. The park is an area that is composed primarily of rugged silt hills with little vegetation. There are frequent flash floods and very low temperatures. It is easy for visitors to become disoriented and lost in this moon-like earthscape!

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

CVNP is located in Ohio, near Akron. This park offers a mix of experiences to visitors. The park has civil war cemetaries, the Ohio & Erie Canal, and abundant flora and fauna.

CVNP is historically and scientifically significant because of the Cuyahoga River, which runs through the park. This river is one of the central reasons for the passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972. On 13 occasions over approximately a century, the Cuyahoga River caught fire due to the high levels of pollution found in the water. The residents of the area decided to push for federal action to improve the water quality. Legislation was passed and the river has been cleaned dramatically!

How Is This Educational?!

Students may utilize this blog to learn more about the ecology and history of America's National Parks.

You are encouraged to post any questions you may have about the parks and add your own comments about what you have experienced.