Unites States of America is known around the world for being home to some of the rarest species of animals and birds. It also boasts of a host of exquisite flora. If you are a wildlife enthusiast and a nature lover , then you will have a lot on your plate to keep you busy in United states. There are plenty of places in the U.S. to experience the natural beauty of this amazing land and explore a bunch of wild animals like moose, bears , fishes in their irreplaceable natural habitat and national parks. Here is a list of eight lesser known national parks in the United States that you must visit :
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska
The Gates of the Arctic was given its name by conservationist Robert Marshall who found a way through this place to the Arctic coast of Alaska. About 50 years after the discovery the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act was passed and the place was officially designated as a national park and preserve. The park holds six amazing rivers , rugged mountains and glaciated valleys. You can find Dall sheeps , wolves and wolverines , moose and grizzly bears while visiting the park.
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Katmai National Park , Alaska
If you want to watch a congregation of the largest bears hunting for salmons , then there is no better place in the world than Katmai national park. Katmai national park houses several species of spectacular bears that include the Alaskan brown bears and Yellowstone grizzly bears . The mouth of the Brooks river , popularly known as the Brooks camp , is the place where you will find most bears gathering in search of their salmon feast. Katmai national park is also the place where the two volcanoes , Mount Katmai and Mount Novarupta had simultaneously erupted in 1912 and had created the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.
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Great Basin national park, Nevada
To experience the ‘Basin and range’ topography of the United States one must visit the less frequented Great Basin national park situated in Nevada via the Highway 50 that is known as the Loneliest Road in America. The protection of the bristlecone pine trees that are some of the oldest in the world led to the creation of the Great Basic national park. While touring the national park , you can visit the second tallest mountain of Nevada , the Wheeler Park which is situated at a height of 3,982 meters and the magnificent Lehman caves that have beautiful have the formations of the stalactites, stalagmites and helictites.
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North Cascade national park, Washington State
North cascade national park lies within 100 miles of Seattle and isn’t as hard to access as some of the other remote national parks. It is bisected by the Ross Lake. The North Cascade that protects part of the North Cascades Range and the rugged mountain peaks extends into Canada and is known as Skagit Valley provincial park in that country.
Black Canyon of the Gunnison national park , Colorado
The Black Canyon walls are formed with the the black Precambrian gneiss and schist rock and are known as such because of the low sunlight reaching its depths. Visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison national park and watch the Gunnison river plunging through the park at an astonishing speed. The Black Canyon is the steepest canyon in the United States. You should not participate in the difficult hiking in this national park if you don’t have some hiking experience or don’t have a strong heart to undertake the harsh climb through the rough trails.
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Isle Royale national Park, Michigan
Isle Royale is the largest island on Lake superior and can only be reached through boat or seaplane. The national park is well known among biologists who have carried out several studies on the population of moose and the number of wolves. The predator-prey relationship of this national parkhas has kept the visitors to a minimum but even otherwise it is quite difficult to spot the shy wolves in the national park that is forty five miles long and nine miles wide.
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Organ Pipe Cactus national monument, Arizona
Located in extreme southern region of Arizona , the UNESCO biosphere reserve Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument houses a wide range of plants and animals and is well known for its night camping , hiking expeditions on the desert trails and its ranger programs. You can find several varieties of cactus including Organ pipe cacti and other desert flora.
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National Park of American Samoa :
The three islands of Tutuila, Ofy and Ta’u constitute the national park of American Samoa. Apart from preserving the Samoan cultue, the park also protects coral reefs and tropical rainforests. The park has some good trails and beaches. The presence of several animals, insects on the hiking trail make it special. The scenery of this park is unparalleled and the weather is always good.
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