Best National Parks for Wildlife Viewing

For over a century people from around the world have come to rural Central Kentucky to honor the humble beginnings of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. His early life on Kentucky's frontier shaped his character and prepared him to lead the nation through Civil War. Visit our country's first memorial to Lincoln, built with donations from young and old, and the site of his childhood home.

Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats, and a rich cultural heritage. At 4 million visits a year, it's one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. Visitors enjoy 27 miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads.

In the early 1900s, paleontologists unearthed the Age of Mammals when they found full skeletons of extinct Miocene mammals in the hills of Nebraska -- species previously only known through fragments. At the same time, an age of friendship began between rancher James Cook and Chief Red Cloud of the Lakota. These two unprecedented events are preserved and protected here... at Agate Fossil Beds.

Established in 2000 to preserve, protect and interpret traditional Native Hawaiian culture and natural resources, Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a 175-mile corridor encompassing a network of culturally and historically significant trails. This "trail by the sea" traverses wahi pana (storied landscapes), ancient Hawaiian sites and over 200 ahupuaʻa (traditional land divisions).

The headwaters of Alagnak Wild River lie within the rugged Aleutian Range of neighboring Katmai National Park and Preserve. Meandering west towards Bristol Bay and the Bering Sea, the Alagnak traverses the beautiful Alaska Peninsula, providing an unparalleled opportunity to experience the unique wilderness, wildlife, and cultural heritage of southwest Alaska.

Alcatraz reveals stories of American incarceration, justice, and our common humanity. This small island was once a fort, a military prison, and a maximum security federal penitentiary. In 1969, the Indians of All Tribes occupied Alcatraz for 19 months in the name of freedom and Native American civil rights. We invite you to explore Alcatraz's complex history and natural beauty.

The remote Aleutian Islands, home to the Unangax̂ (Aleut) people for over 8,000 years, became a fiercely contested Pacific battleground in World War II. Some Unangax̂ were taken from their homelands as Japanese prisoners of war while the others were evacuated from the islands by the government. Both groups suffered greatly during the war, and some would never return to their villages.

American Memorial Park honors the American and Marianas people who gave their lives during the Marianas Campaign of World War II. At the park, memorials stand in tribute to the courage and sacrifice of the US Servicemen and Chamorro and Carolinian civilians who were killed in the battles between the United States and Japan that took place on Saipan, Tinian, and the Philippine Sea in 1944.

An oasis in the desert, Amistad National Recreation Area consists of the US portion of the International Amistad Reservoir. Amistad, a Spanish word meaning "friendship," is known for excellent water-based recreation, camping, hiking, and rich cultural history dating back nearly 5,000 years. Amistad is also home to a wide variety of plant and animal life both above and below the water.

Welcome to Anacostia Park, your neighborhood national park in the heart of Washington, DC! Enjoy exercise along the river trail or relax by the water, Anacostia Park is a breath of fresh air and a space to unwind amid a bustling city.

Given its remote location and challenging weather conditions, Aniakchak is one of the most wild and least visited places in the National Park System. This landscape is a vibrant reminder of Alaska's location in the volcanically active "Ring of Fire," as it is home to an impressive six mile (10 km) wide, 2,500 ft (762 m) deep caldera formed during a massive volcanic eruption 3,500 years ago.

23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's first invasion into the North and led Abraham Lincoln to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.