The Parks

PBS has a new Ken Burns program titled The National Parks: America's Best Idea. I could not agree more! One of the journalists interviewed said the parks are a perfect example of democracy in action, working well. We are not dependent on rich people to buy the best land with the most beautiful views, selling opportunities to visit those magnificent sights. Rather our nation, beginning with Yellowstone, set aside these lands, monuments, memorials, lakes, rivers, wilderness, and trails for us and for generations to come. I hope to see them all. Seriously. We own them. Over 300 of them. Here is a list of those I have already seen:

From the official site at http://www.nps.gov/index.htm

In TX: Fort Davis/ San Antonio Missions/ Lyndon B Johnson Ranch/Padre Island Seashore

In NM: Capulin Volcano/ Carlsbad Caverns/ White Sands/ Sante Fe Trail

In CO: Rocky Mountain// Sand Dunes

In AZ: Grand Canyon

In CA: Yosemite/ Sequoia/ Lassen Volcanic/ Redwood/ Golden Gate/ Muir Woods/ Presidio

In Arkansas: Hot Springs and Pea Ridge, but I don’t remember Hot Springs and we just drove by Pea Ridge

In FL: Everglades/ Big Cypress (Wild! Mosquito Junction!)

In SD: Mount Rushmore

In TN/ NC: Great Smoky Mts

In OK: Chickasaw (drove by)

In VA: Lee House/ at Arlington National Cemetery/ George Washington Pkwy/

In Washington, DC: Capitol Hill Parks/ C&O Canal/ FDR/ George Mason Memorial/ Constitution Gardens/Vietnam Memorial/ Korean Memorial/ WWII Memorial/ Lincoln Memorial/ National Mall/ Old Post Office/ Pennsylvania Ave/ White House/ Rock Creek Park/ Jefferson Memorial/ Washington Monument