Featured at our May meeting was an excellent video showing national parks in the eastern U.S. These included Acadia, Cuyahoga Valley, New River Gorge, Shenandoah, Great Smoky Mountains, Congaree, Biscayne, and Everglades. Living in the western U.S. it is easy to be totally enthralled with the beauty and size of our parks in this part of the country. Learning about and visiting park sites east of the Mississippi River contribute their own stories to our story as a country and add to the richness of our history.
Highlights
Acadia National Park (NP) In Maine was originally named Lafayette NP and is home to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point along the shoreline on the eastern seaboard.
Shenandoah NP in Virginia boasts having 500 miles of hiking trails as well being part of the Skyline Drive that goes through the Blue Ridge Mountains.
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve in West Virginia is almost a misnomer as it has one of the oldest rivers on the continent. It officially became a park in 2020.
Cuyahoga Valley NP in Ohio is a refuge for native plants and wildlife and provides a walking trail that follows the Ohio & Erie Canal.
Great Smoky Mountains NP straddles the border between Tennessee and North Carolina. It is renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life and the beauty of its ancient mountains. It boasts of being the most visited national park.
Congaree NP in South Carolina has the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern U.S.
Everglades NP is part of the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. It was established in 1947. It was the first park established for its biodiversity. It provides drinking water to residents of South Florida.
Biscayne NP is located 20 miles south of Miami and protects the northernmost group of living coral reefs in the U.S. and its ecosystem. Over 95% of the park is “underwater” and is accessible only by boat.
Meetings are held in La Mesa/La Montana Rooms from 3:30-5 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month.
* July 14: The Manhattan Project National Historical Park (NM, TN, WA)
* Aug. 11: Mesa Verde NP in Colorado
* Sept. 8: Highlights from club trip to Flagstaff parks
* Oct. 13: Guinness Book of World Record Trip in Grand Canyon NP
* Nov. 10: Highlights from club trip to Acadia NP
For more information about the club, send an email to linda_harvey@hotmail.com.