Acadia
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Maine
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February 26, 1919
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49,071.40 acres
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- Acadia National Park is on an island and nearby coastal islands.
- It has the tallest mountain on the East Coast by the ocean.
- Acadia has rocky mountains, ocean views, forests, and lakes.
- There are different kinds of habitats like rivers, coastal areas, forests, and areas between high and low tides.
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American Samoa
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American Samoa
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October 31, 1988
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8,256.67 acres
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- The national park in the far south is located on three Samoan islands in the South Pacific.
- It protects coral reefs, lush forests, volcanic mountains, and sandy beaches.
- The area is also home to flying foxes, seabirds, sea turtles, and 900 types of fish.
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Arches
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Utah
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November 12, 1971
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76,678.98 acres
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- The park has over 2,000 natural rock arches, like Delicate Arch and Landscape Arch.
- These arches were formed by millions of years of erosion in a dry desert.
- The desert ground has special crusts and potholes that collect water for life.
- Other rock formations in the park include pinnacles, fins, and balancing rocks.
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Badlands
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South Dakota
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November 10, 1978
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242,755.94 acres
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- The Badlands is a mix of rocky formations, grasslands, and the White River area in South Dakota.
- It is home to many fossils from a long time ago.
- Animals you can find there include bison, bighorn sheep, black-footed ferrets, and prairie dogs.
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Big Bend
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Texas
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June 12, 1944
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801,163.21 acres |
- This park is called after a big bend in the Rio Grande river at the border of the U.S. and Mexico.
- It includes a vast and isolated area of the Chihuahuan Desert.
- The main draw is outdoor activities in the dry Chisos Mountains and river canyons.
- There are lots of ancient fossils from the Cretaceous and Tertiary periods, plus items from Native American cultures found in the park.
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Biscayne
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Florida
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June 28, 1980
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172,971.11 acres
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- Located in the central part of Biscayne Bay.
- Mostly underwater park at the north end of the Florida Keys.
- Contains four connected marine ecosystems: mangrove forest, the Bay, the Keys, and coral reefs.
- Endangered animals include the West Indian manatee, American crocodile, different sea turtles, and the peregrine falcon.
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Black Canyon of the Gunnison
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Colorado
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October 21, 1999
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30,779.83 acres
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- The park guards a quarter of the Gunnison River, which cuts through steep canyon walls made of ancient rock.
- These cliffs are among the steepest and oldest in North America.
- It is a favorite spot for river rafting and rock climbing.
- The deep canyon is made of gneiss and schist, which looks black in the shade.
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Bryce Canyon
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Utah
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February 25, 1928
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35,835.08 acres
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- Bryce Canyon is a natural theater made of rocks in southern Utah.
- It has many tall, colorful rock formations called hoodoos, formed by erosion.
- Native Americans lived here first, followed by Mormon settlers.
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Canyonlands
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Utah
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September 12, 1964
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337,597.83 acres
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- The land here got shaped into a maze of canyons, flat-topped hills, and table-top mountains by rivers and streams.
- Three main rivers, the Colorado River, Green River, and smaller streams, split the park into three areas.
- You’ll find lots of tall, pointed rocks and natural arches here.
- Plus, there are old things left behind by people who lived here a long time ago, called Ancient Pueblo peoples.
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Capitol Reef
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Utah
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December 18, 1971
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241,904.50 acres
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- The park has a big ridge called Waterpocket Fold that stretches 100 miles (160 km) and shows different layers of the earth’s rocks.
- It also has tall, single rocks, worn-down hills called buttes, and round hills made of sandstone. One of these hills looks like the United States Capitol.
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Carlsbad Caverns
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New Mexico
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May 14, 1930
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46,766.45 acres
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- Carlsbad Caverns has 117 holes in the ground. The biggest one is more than 120 miles long.
- The Big Room inside the caves is almost 4,000 feet long.
- Inside the caves live more than 400,000 Mexican free-tailed bats and sixteen other kinds of animals.
- On the surface, you’ll find the Chihuahuan Desert and Rattlesnake Springs.
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Channel Islands
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California
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March 5, 1980
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249,561.00 acres
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- Five of the eight Channel Islands are protected, with half of the park’s area underwater.
- The islands have a unique Mediterranean ecosystem originally settled by the Chumash people.
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Congaree
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South Carolina
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November 10, 2003
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26,692.60 acres
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- This park is the largest portion of old-growth floodplain forest left in North America.
- Some of the trees are the tallest in the eastern United States.
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Crater Lake
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Oregon
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May 22, 1902
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183,224.05 acres
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- Crater Lake lies in the caldera of an ancient volcano called Mount Mazama that collapsed 7,700 years ago.
- The lake is the deepest in the United States and is noted for its vivid blue color and water clarity.
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Cuyahoga Valley
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Ohio
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October 11, 2000
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32,571.89 acres
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- This park along the Cuyahoga River has waterfalls, hills, trails, and exhibits on early rural living.
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Death Valley
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California, Nevada
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October 31, 1994
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3,408,395.63 acres
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- Death Valley is the hottest, lowest, and driest place in the United States, with daytime temperatures that have exceeded 130 °F (54 °C).
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Denali
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Alaska
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February 26, 1917
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4,740,911.16 acres
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- Centered on Denali, the tallest and most prominent mountain in North America.
- The park is serviced by a single road leading to Wonder Lake, most of which can only be accessed via scheduled tour buses.
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Dry Tortugas
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Florida
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October 26, 1992
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64,701.22 acres
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- The islands of the Dry Tortugas, at the westernmost end of the Florida Keys.
- The site of Fort Jefferson, a Civil War-era fort that is the largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere.
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Everglades
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Florida
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May 30, 1934
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1,508,938.57 acres
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- The Everglades are the largest tropical wilderness in the United States.
- This mangrove and tropical rainforest ecosystem and marine estuary is home to 36 protected species.
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Gates of the Arctic
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Alaska
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December 2, 1980
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7,523,897.45 acres
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- The country’s northernmost park protects an expanse of pure wilderness in Alaska’s Brooks Range and has no park facilities.
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Gateway Arch
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Missouri
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February 22, 2018
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192.83 acres
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- The Gateway Arch is a 630-foot (192 m) (both high and wide) catenary arch built in the 1960s to commemorate the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
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Glacier
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Montana
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May 11, 1910
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1,013,126.39 acres
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- The U.S. half of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, this park includes 26 rapidly receding glaciers and 130 named lakes surrounded by Rocky Mountain peaks.
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Glacier Bay
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Alaska
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December 2, 1980
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3,223,383.43 acres
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- Glacier Bay contains tidewater glaciers, mountains, fjords, and a temperate rainforest.
- It is home to large populations of grizzly bears, mountain goats, whales, seals, and eagles.
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Grand Canyon
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Arizona
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February 26, 1919
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1,201,647.03 acres
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- The Grand Canyon, carved by the mighty Colorado River, is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 1 mile (1.6 km) deep, and up to 15 miles (24 km) wide.
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Grand Teton
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Wyoming
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February 26, 1929
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310,044.36 acres
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- Grand Teton is the tallest mountain in the scenic Teton Range.
- It provides a diverse range of habitats for a variety of wildlife.
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Haleakalā
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Hawaii
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August 1, 1916
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33,265.62 acres
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- Haleakalā, “House of the Sun,” in Hawaiian, is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui.
- The park preserves the outstanding features of Haleakalā Crater.
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Hawaiʻi Volcanoes
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Hawaii
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August 1, 1916
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323,431.38 acres
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- This park encompasses two active volcanoes: Kīlauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
- Mauna Loa, the world’s most massive shield volcano.
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Hot Springs
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Arkansas
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March 4, 1921
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5,549.75 acres
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- Hot Springs National Park is centered around the natural hot springs that have been used for millennia for their supposed healing properties.
- The park features bathhouses, gardens, and scenic drives.
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Indiana Dunes
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Indiana
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February 15, 2019
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15,349.08 acres
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- Indiana Dunes National Park consists of the eastern edge of Lake Michigan and a diversity of habitats, including dunes, wetlands, prairies, and forests.
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Joshua Tree
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California
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October 31, 1994
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790,635.74 acres
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- Joshua Tree National Park is known for its unique rock formations and its namesake Joshua trees.
- It lies at the convergence of the Mojave and Colorado deserts.
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Katmai
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Alaska
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December 2, 1980
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3,674,529.33 acres
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- Katmai National Park and Preserve is famous for its volcanoes, especially Novarupta, site of the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.
- The park is home to thousands of brown bears.
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Kenai Fjords
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Alaska
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December 2, 1980
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669,984.38 acres
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- Kenai Fjords National Park is known for its stunning fjords, icebergs, and glaciers, including the Harding Icefield, which feeds numerous glaciers that flow into the fjords.
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Kings Canyon
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California
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March 4, 1940
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461,901.20 acres
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- Kings Canyon is known for its giant sequoia trees, including the General Grant Grove.
- The Redwood Mountain Grove, both of which are home to some of the world’s largest trees.
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Lake Clark
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Alaska
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December 2, 1980
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4,030,015.00 acres
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- Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is known for its dramatic landscapes, including volcanoes, glaciers, wild rivers, and a rugged coastline along the Cook Inlet.
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Mammoth Cave
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Kentucky
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July 1, 1941
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54,011.91 acres
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- Mammoth Cave National Park contains the world’s longest known cave system, with over 400 miles (640 km) of explored passageways.
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North Cascades
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Washington
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October 2, 1968
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504,780.94 acres
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- North Cascades National Park is characterized by rugged mountain peaks, deep valleys, and dense forests, including the lush Hoh Rainforest.
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Olympic
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Washington
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June 29, 1938
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922,649.41 acres
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- Olympic National Park protects a diverse wilderness, including glacier-capped mountains, old-growth temperate rainforests, and over 70 miles of wild coastline.
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Petrified Forest
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Arizona
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December 9, 1962
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221,390.21 acres
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- Petrified Forest National Park is known for its large deposits of petrified wood and the multicolored badlands of the Chinle Formation.
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Redwood
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California
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October 2, 1968
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138,999.37 acres
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- Redwood National Park preserves groves of massive, ancient coast redwoods, the tallest trees in the world.
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Saguaro
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Arizona
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October 14, 1994
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76,015.81 acres
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- Saguaro National Park protects the iconic saguaro cactus, a symbol of the American Southwest, as well as other desert flora and fauna.
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Theodore Roosevelt
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North Dakota
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November 10, 1978
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70,446.89 acres
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- Theodore Roosevelt National Park preserves the rugged badlands of North Dakota, where Theodore Roosevelt became connected to the landscape and his conservationist views were shaped.
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Voyageurs
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Minnesota
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January 8, 1971
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218,200.17 acres
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- Voyageurs National Park is characterized by its interconnected waterways, including four large lakes, and its boreal forest ecosystem.
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Wind Cave
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South Dakota
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January 9, 1903
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33,970.84 acres
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- Wind Cave National Park contains one of the world’s longest and most complex caves, with 150 miles (241 km) of explored passages.
- Above ground, the park features mixed-grass prairie and ponderosa pine forest.
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Yellowstone
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Wyoming, Montana, Idaho
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March 1, 1872
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2,219,790.71 acres
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- Yellowstone was the first national park in the world and is known for its geothermal features, including Old Faithful geyser, and its diverse wildlife, such as grizzly bears, wolves, bison, and elk.
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Zion
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Utah
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November 19, 1919
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147,242.66 acres
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- Zion National Park is characterized by its dramatic canyons, towering cliffs, and unique rock formations carved by the Virgin River.
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