Top 5 National Parks in the United States
by Courtney Steele
1. Grand Canyon
1.1. Location: Arizona
1.2. Size: 277 miles in length, 6000 feet deep
1.3. Established: The Grand Canyon became a national park established in 1919
1.4. Fact: The Grand Canyon was the 17th national park to be established in the United States
1.5. Fact: Many people consider it to be one of the seven wonders of the natural world.
2. Rocky Mountains
2.1. Location: Western North America, span from western Canada through the counties of British Columbia and Alberta all the way over the border into the USA through the states of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, & Arizona
2.2. Size: Highest Peak is 14,440 feet high
2.3. Established: January 26, 1915
2.4. Fact: The Rocky Mountains is the 10th National Park in the United States
2.5. Fact: Over 3 million visitors per year
3. Yosemite
3.1. Location: California
3.2. Size: 761,268 acres of land
3.3. Established: 1890 Yosemite was officially established as a national park
3.4. Fact: Tallest waterfall in North America is located here, it has a 2.425 foot drop
3.5. It is believed that a glacier is responsible for producing the shape of Yosemite Valley
4. Yellowstone National Park
4.1. Location: 96% in Wyoming, 3% in Montana, 1% in Idaho
4.2. Size: 63 miles long and 54 miles wide
4.3. Established: March 1, 1872 Yellowstone National Park Protection Act establishes the first national park
4.4. Fact: The park was dedicated by Ulysses S. Grant
4.5. Fact: When Yellowstone National Park was established, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana were not yet states
5. Great Smokey Mountains
5.1. Location: North Carolina and Tennessee
5.2. Size: 521,896 acres
5.3. Established: June 15, 1934
5.4. Fact: Water and hydrocarbons exuded by trees produce the "filmy" smoke
5.5. Fact: It's the nation's busiest park
6. Location
7. Size
8. Established
9. Fact
10. Fact
11. Location
12. Size
13. Established
14. Fact
15. Fact
16. Location
17. Size
18. Established
19. Fact
20. Fact
21. Location
22. Size
23. Established
24. Fact
25. Fact
26. Location
27. Size
28. Established
29. Fact
30. Fact
31. Legend
31.1. Light Blue-Yellowstone National Park
31.2. Turquoise-Yosemite
31.3. Dark Blue/Purple-Grand Canyon
31.4. Magenta-Rocky Mountains
31.5. Orange- Great Smokey Mountains
32. Resources
32.1. http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/grand-canyon-national-park/#/confluence-colorado-river-grand-canyon_92683_600x450.jpg
32.2. http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/great-smoky-mountains-national-park/#/sunset-smoky-mountains-landscape_92508_600x450.jpg
32.3. http://www.yellowstonepark-trip.com/fun-facts-about-yellowstone-park.php
32.4. https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/parkfacts.htm
32.5. http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/national-parks/yellowstone-national-park/#/old-faithful-frozen-vapor-yellowstone_92692_600x450.jpg
32.6. http://www.softschools.com/facts/us_national_landmarks/yosemite_national_park_facts/519/
32.7. http://www.livescience.com/39515-yosemite-national-park-facts-information-lodging.html
32.8. http://www.oddizzi.com/teachers/explore-the-world/physical-features/mountains/mountain-case-study/the-rockies/
32.9. http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Rocky_Mountains.aspx
