I just watched the first episode of a wonderful new PBS series called
National Parks – America’s Best Idea
Did you see it?
If not, I highly recommend catching it as it replays this week – and tuning in for future installments.
The National Parks: America’s Best Idea is a six-episode series filmed over the course of more than six years at some of nature’s most spectacular locales – from Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska.
It is also a story of people: people from every conceivable background – rich and poor; famous and unknown; soldiers and scientists; natives and newcomers; idealists, artists and entrepreneurs; people who were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved, and in doing so reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy.
The scenery is spectacular and will make you want to pack up and visit every single national park in this beautiful country. And the history and stories behind the parks’ creation is inspirational.
What are your favorite national park(s)?
Any great memories from the first time you saw Old Faithful, a giant Sequoia, glacier or waterfall in a national park??
My parents loved the National Parks. We saw them regularly. I remember the bears begging at car windows in Yellowstone, and raiding our camp in the middle of the night. Old Faithful was and Is the most amazing sight.
Bryce canyon was a favorite of my Fathers, he was a photographer and somewhere there are hundreds of colored slides showing his favorite views.
I remember as a child you could pull over inside the tunnel is Zion National park, get out of your car and look through the carved out windows. It was magical, sadly you are not allowed to stop inside the tunnel any more.
Driving through the huge tree in the redwood forrest was awe inspireing… I could go on and on with my memories.
Thanks for the heads up on the series I will be watching for it…
Oh yes, National Parks are wonderful. There are many that I haven’t seen… so I can’t say what my favorite is. But I really love Zion’s. It definitely shows how beautiful a desert can really be.
I’ll have to watch this series.
I’m excited to check out the program! Thanks for sharing.
Glacier National Park in Montana is pretty awesome…
I saw part of this last night and LOVED it! I need to see the entire thing. I have not been to Yosemite or Yellowstone, I have been to the grand canyon…
Glacier National Park: the drive over the Going To The Sun highway, right after it opens after having been closed all winter (usually early June) is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever been on.
I agree with “thegrey” on Glacier. Went there as a kid and still remember how beautiful. Next would be Bryce Canyon. It is amazing hiking through that park.
I hope to catch the other episode, thanks for letting us know about it. I don’t have a favorite. I have been in awe with everyone I have seen. Most quite different from the other, but beautiful in it’s own right.
The Hoh rain forest was amazing.
And I was with Craig (my spouse) going over Glacier right after father’s day one year, just as they had cleared the snow off the roads. We were driving between walls of snow, punctuated by cascading waterfalls down the cliffs above. Amazing.