National Parks, such as Acadia, Grand Canyon, Hot Springs, Joshua Tree, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite, are the most popular and well-know national treasures – they are designated through acts of Congress.
National Monuments, such as Craters of the Moon and Dinosaur, are federal lands protected by the President of of the United States (and sometimes by Congress), as authorized by the Antiquities Act of 1906.
National historic places, such as Chaco Culture National Historic Park, Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, and Hopewell Culture National Historical Park, are just a few of America’s historic treasures.
Byways, such as Old Route 66, Big Sur Coast, Great River Road, M-22/Leelanau Scenic Byway, Michigan Riviera, Natchez Trace Parkway, and U.S. Route 12 Heritage Trail, are examples of roadway treasures.
The Appalachian Trail is an example of a National Trail treasure.
National Memorials, such as Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Oklahoma City National Memorial commemorate important people and events.
Mackinac Island State Park is an example of a Top State Park.
Unusual places abound in the United States.
Festivals are a great way to celebrate culture!
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and the University of Virginia are an example of a World Heritage Site in the United States.
U.S. national protected lands are managed variously by the National Park Service, Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies.
U.S. national protected lands are variously designated as:
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- National Parks & National Preserves
- National Historical Parks & National Historic Sites
- National Battlefields (Battlefield Parks, Battlefield Sites, & Military Parks) & National Cemeteries
- National Monuments & National Memorials
- National Seashores & National Lakeshores
- National Recreation Areas & National Reserves
- National Forests & National Grasslands
- National Wildlife Refuges & National Game Preserves
- Wildlife Management Areas & Wetland Management Districts
- National Conservation Areas (BLM)
- National Scenic Trails & National Historic Trails
- National Parkways
- Wildernesses
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