Close to Hollywood, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area portrays the imagination of big time movies with the beauty of natural surroundings such as beaches, grasslands, canyons and oak woodlands. This diverse landscape inspires preservation and creativity, and truly is star quality! Hikes, walks, tours and rides are just some of the activities that abound in the park, so come and meet Santa Monica Mountains in person.
For over 9,000 years people have been coming to the powerful Columbia River of Lake Roosevelt National Monument. Once upon a time, the rich fishery of the river was used for survival and prosperity, and today visitors continue to enjoy the river’s recreational opportunities of fishing, camping, hunting and boating. Experience life on the river past and present when you visit Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area.
Native Americans utilized the Mississippi River for trade, food and water supply long before Europeans visited the “New World.” Its watersheds have shaped the continent and its cultures, and today the “Father of Waters” is still just as powerful as it once was. Millions of people get their drinking water from the watershed, and also use it as a playground, a shipping lane, and a political boundary. Millions of plants, animals and other living things thrive in the river’s ecosystem.
It’s obvious why Golden Gate National Recreation Area is one of the most visited units of the National Park System, with over 13 million visitors a year. The two hundred years of history boast Native American culture, the Spanish Empire frontier, the Mexican Republic, maritime history, the California Gold Rush, the evolution of American coastal fortifications and the growth of urban San Francisco. Explore the many areas of the park, stretching from northern San Mateo County to Southern Marin County and including several areas of San Francisco.
Gateway National Recreation abounds with recreational and learning opportunities, ranging from swimming, boating and fishing to team sports, bicycling and nature study. Travel to days of old when you visit the nation’s oldest operating lighthouse, forts that defended America, and sites that trace aviation’s early days. A wildlife refuge, holly forest, ocean dunes and coastal uplands in one, Gateway is a park that you don’t want to miss!
Welcome to the relaxing surroundings of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, bursting with forests, mountains, upland prairie, deep canyons, broad valleys, high desert, lake and wetlands. The Canyon was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, following the construction of the Yellowtail Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation. Since its establishment, people have been able to find tranquil settings to better explore recreation, nature, wildlife and history.
There is a reason Chickasaw National Recreation Area is known as the “Peaceful Valley of Rippling Waters.” This beautiful park is full of mineral springs, cool water, flora, fauna, and wildlife. Visitors are taken back in time to the days when the early American Indian came to this area to rest, relax at the water’s edge and hunt for their food from the abundant wildlife.
The Niobrara National Scenic River is located in north-central Nebraska, United States, approximately 300 miles (480 km) northwest of Omaha. In 1991, Congress set aside 76 miles (120 km) along two stretches of the Niobrara River for preservation. The Niobrara River drains over 12,000 square miles of the Sandhills, one of the largest stabilized dune fields in the world. Take a leisurely float on this outstanding Great Plains river in north-central Nebraska.
Located on the border between Nebraska and South Dakota, the Missouri National Recreational River has an unparalleled history. Experience this ever-changing recreational waterway that American Indians, fur trappers, Lewis and Clark, and many others plied more than two centuries ago. The national scenic river protects the only two stretches of river between Montana and the mouth of the Missouri that remain undimmed. The Missouri offers scenic views, wildlife observation and exceptional recreational opportunity.
Scotts Bluff National Monument protects 3,000 acres of unusual land formations rising over the flat prairielands below. Looming eight hundred feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has provided a natural landmark for many peoples. It most famously served as the path marker for those on the Oregon, California, Mormon, and Pony Express Trails.
