The mention of our system of national parks often evokes images of popular destinations such as Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, or the Great Smoky Mountains. The national parks are considered as areas of great natural beauty that offers opportunities for hiking, camping, boating and other outdoor recreation. In fact, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act in August of 1916, was not the main purpose of the National Park Service to provide recreational opportunities. The original intent was to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them intact for the enjoyment of future generations.”
The diversity of our parks system

Today, 390 of the National Park System units, only 58 are designated as “national parks”. The classification system used by the National Park Service includes 18 other names, including descriptive lists, such as lake shores, beaches and battlefields, and other securities that can not be neatly categorized because of the diversity of resources within them.

Many of the important events in the history of our nation are interpreted in the system of national parks, including the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the Supreme Court decision (Brown vs. Board of Education) aimed at ending segregation in public schools, and the Johnstown Flood , one of the worst disasters in American history. Many of our historic sites tell the stories and preserve the legacy of important people who helped shape our nation’s past and present, including notable African-Americans, Hispanics and women. Parks celebrate inventors like the Wright brothers and Thomas Edison, writers like Eugene O’Neill and Edgar Allan Poe, and also recognize the contributions of many of our past presidents. National historic sites, battlefields, military parks, and tell the stories of major conflicts in the course of our nation’s history, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War. and more recently the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

And then there’s fun …

The National Park System now comprises 390 areas covering more than 83 million acres in 49 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan and the Virgin Islands. Although rich in history with the interpretation provided by the National Park Service, the statistics still show that the most visited parks are usually those that include great scenery and / or provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. In 1998, the five most popular destinations including the Blue Ridge Parkway, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area. and Gateway National Recreation Area. Only one of 20 most visited sites is a national historic park or national historic site.
If your interest is history, geography, biology, zoology, archeology, or simply enjoy the outdoors, the national park system is definitely something to capture your interest. Teachers and students can access a number of excellent educational resources available at our park system, including the ability to learn through the Parks as Classrooms Program and Teaching with Historic Places. In addition, voluntary and seasonal work or full-time can provide valuable training and experience, and offer the chance to explore some of the most beautiful natural areas protected lands and that the country has to offer.