Glaciers Galore!

Glacier National Park

May

What is the name of this lake-studded, mountainous
national wonder?

Located in Montana on the U.S.-Canadian border, this park covers more than a million acres and includes parts of two sub-ranges of the Rocky Mountains. It also contains more than 130 named lakes, 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals.

When I took the train out to Portland, Oregon, a few years ago, my seatmate (whose name I don't recall) detrained here, to spend a few days enjoying the pristine beauty of what is known as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem."

Did you know:

-- Water flows from this park into the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans.

-- The only road in the park, called the Going-to-the-Sun Road, was completed in 1932 and is a National Historic Landmark and a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It stretches 53 miles across the width of the park.

Grand, Indeed

Grand Teton National Park

April

What is the name of this peak-studded national park?

Located in northwestern Wyoming, this park was established twice: in 1929, to protect its mountain peaks and the lakes surrounding the bases of the mountains; and again in 1950, to protect the valley floors and the Jackson Hole National Monument. It covers approximately 310,000 acres, including more than 200 miles of hiking trails.

Did you know:

-- It is located just 10 miles south of Yellowstone.

-- Sixty-one species of mammals and more than 300 species of birds have been recorded in the park.

-- It is the only national park to allow hunting, but only of elk.

Old Faithful's Home

Yellowstone National Park

March

Name this geyser-filled land of wonders.

This area was designated a national park by Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, making it the first to receive such distinction in the U.S. and the world.

Did you know:

-- Indians have lived in this region for 11,000 years.

-- The park covers an area of 3,468 square miles, mostly in Wyoming.

Not THAT Kind of Mall

The National Mall