Nature is amazing! It seems that wherever we look there are gorgeous vistas, beautiful waterfalls, spectacular chasms and interesting wildlife. The United States is particularly blessed with a plethora of these wonderful natural places. In addition, America has chosen to preserve for all time these treasures through the creation of a national park system which has become a model for the rest of the world.

        My Bucket List of America’s great natural areas will take you on a scenic journey across this magnificent country (places I have seen are asterisked).

        Alaska

                Denali National Park*

                Glacier Bay National Park*

                Katmai National Park

         Arizona

                Grand Canyon National Park*

                Meteor Crater*

                Oak Creek Canyon Drive*

                Petrified Forest National Park*

                Saguaro National Park*

          California

                 Big Sur Coast*

                 Death Valley National Park*

                 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park*

                 Lassen Volcanic National Park*

                 Muir Woods*

                 Point Reyes National Seashore*

                 Sequoia-Kings Canyon National Park*

                 Yosemite National Park*

             Colorado

                 Colorado National Monument*

                 Garden of the Gods State Park*

                 Rocky Mountain National Park*

           Florida

                 Everglades National Park*

           Hawaii

                  Haleakala National Park*

                  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park*

            Kentucky

                  Mammoth Cave National Park*

            Maine

                  Acadia National Park*

            Massachusetts

                  Cape Cod National Seashore*

            Montana

                   Glacier National Park*

             Nevada

                    Valley of Fire State Park*

            New Hampshire

                   White Mountains*

            New Mexico

                   Carlsbad Caverns National Park*

                   White Sands National Monument*

            New York

                   Niagara Falls State Park*

                   Watkins Glen State Park*

            North Carolina

                   Outer Banks*

            Oregon

                   Crater Lake National Park*

             South Dakota

                    Badlands National Park

                    Custer State Park*

              Tennessee

                    Great Smoky Mountains National Park*

               Texas

                    Palo Duro Canyon*

               Utah

                     Arches National Park*

                    Bryce Canyon National Park*

                     Canyonlands National Park*

                     Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument*

                     Zion National Park*

             Virginia

                     Shenandoah National Park*

             Washington

                     Mount Rainier National Park*

                     Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument*

                     Olympic National Park*

            Wyoming

                     Grand Teton National Park*

                     Yellowstone National Park*

     Total = 49 (I have visited 47 — fantastic!).