Take Dad to a National Park
By Bradley Blakeman
Newsmax.com
With all of the economic hardship and uncertainty
facing Americans, it may not be a bad idea to pack
up dad and the entire family to head for one of this
country’s crown jewels managed by the National Park
Service.
You can escape from reality and rediscover the
greatness of our nation in one of 58 pristine
national parks. There is one in almost every state
of the union.
Lava
from the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii
Volcanoes National Park meets the
Pacific Ocean in this 2004 photo.
(AP Photo) |
America’s national parks are as diverse as its people. There are parks in the desert like Joshua Tree in California; mountain parks like Shenandoah in Virginia; parks in subtropical waterways like Everglades in Florida; an arctic park in Alaska; a volcano park in Hawaii, and a seashore park in Maine, just to name a few.
Here are some interesting facts regarding our national parks:
- Land area: 84 million acres
- Area of oceans, lakes and reservoirs: 4.5 million acres
- Miles of shoreline: 43,000 miles
- Historic structures: 27,000
- Trails: 12,000 miles
- Natural wonder of the world: Grand Canyon
America’s national parks are also the home and
sanctuary for diverse and majestic wildlife.
I was so taken by the greatness of our national park
system after a recent visit to Great Falls Park just
outside Washington, D.C. that I penned the following
poem in honor of our national parks and the wildlife
that resides in them.
Our Country’s Pride
Eagles soar in the morning’s dawn;
Bison mow the nation’s lawn.
Whales patrolling our coastlines long;
Bears in the forest with their just born.
Wolves stalk with a full moon cry;
Salmon swim upstream — lay eggs — then die.
Wildlife has always been our country’s pride;
Some endanger . . . Some in stride . . .
Protect them all and honor their life;
America’s majesty is in their sight.
With all the bad news we are bombarded with day in
and day out it is refreshing to know that America
has the finest local, state, and federal parks in
the world.
America has set an example for nations everywhere to
preserve, protect and defend their national
treasures in land and wildlife.
There is no better way for individuals and families
to rediscover America, then to visit a national
park. It is a relatively inexpensive trip that also
helps local businesses that depend on the seasonal
tourist trade to make their living.
Safe travels and happy Father's Day.
Bradley A. Blakeman served as deputy
assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001-04.
He is currently a professor of Politics and Public
Policy at Georgetown University and a frequent
contributor to Fox News Opinion. Read more reports
from Bradley Blakeman —
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