Evening star., 1931-06-14
Americas WOnderlands

/ Falls. And then the water drops again
| from the lower ledge $40 feet, or two
NiaRaras, morel The Ribbon Fall Is
even higher, a sheer drop Of 1912 feet.
SequOia Trees Abound.
In this park are some Of the famous
redwood tssquoia) trees. the Oldest hV-
ing thing. one Of them, for instance.
named the Grizzly Giant, Is practically
80 feet thick at the base, and rises to
a height of more than 200 feet. 1t was
probably 1,100 years old when Christ
came to our earth. Through another
tree an automobile road passes. In
SeQuoia and Geeeral Grant National
Parks in California are more OF these
giant treeS-thousandS OF them. One,
the Gensral Sherman. the largest Of all.
Is 81 feet thick at the base nearly 800
feet tall and its age Is estimated from
$500 to 5000 years.
To describe even briefly all the other
national parks Is impossible within the
limits of single article. There Is
Rocky Mountain National Park, with
lofty mountains and vast glaciers; the
most remarkable chasm in the world.
Carlsbad CavernS National Park in New
Mexico, with vast underground cham
bers Of amazing structure; the Glacier
National Park; the Hawaii National
Park with active volcanoes and seeth-
ing lava lakes that may be photo
graphed at night by the glare of the
earth's inward conflagration: Mount
Mckinley National Park in Alaska, with
a peak rising higher above its immediate
base than any other mountain In the
world
In the East, not far from New York,
is a lovely national park-Acadia, of
the coat of Maine. Here are the sea
and the mountains in juxtapoSition;
Two groups of granite mountains on
Mount Desert Island. discovered by the
Frenchman, Champlain, in 1904.
Booklet Recommended.
To those who would learn a little
more about the national parks before
making vacation plans, suggest the
reading of "Glimpses Of Our National
Parks" published by the National Park
Service of the Interior Department. We
have also published separate illustrated
circulars describing each of the national
parks In detail, and O booklet deScrib-
ing the historic and interesting places
designated as National Monuments -
The Government Printing once sup
plies, for a dollar, National Park
portfolio which contains 270 pages and
$40 Illustrations.
One of the reasons for the increasing
popularity of the national parks, aside
from the natural wonders to be seen,
Is that they provide all things for all
men-and for women and children, too.
Those who so desire may live at park
hotel with all convenienceS. Those who
prefer simpler, vagabond, or back to
nature" vacation, may have just that
| in cabin high up in the mountains,
but with the comforts and convenienceS
OF civilization near at hand. including
q dining hall for those who tire OF
their own culinary efforts. In addi-
ton, outside but near the parks are
scores of dude ranches" which are
nothing more nor,less than real, regular
cowboy" ranches with the old Wild
West tang and flavor, plus comfortable
accommodations.
The parks, OF course. are more than
playground for the people. They are
national asset in more than one sense
In the first place. they are the same
kind of asset as Switzerland's mountain
scenery and peaks are to that nation
Our own parks are bringing to Amer
lea many people from other nations
who thus are becoming better acquaint-
ed with the United States and its cit
izens. The national parks serve the
purpose. also, of preserving for the us5
and enjoyment of future generations OF
our own people the place and means OF
recreation so essential to national
health and happiness Furthermore
the parks embrace millions of acres oi
timberland-a national resource that
needs to be conserved not only for it:
own sake, but for the protection OF 9TH
er land against erosion, loss Of sol
moisture and drying up Of streams fol
which the forests act as as a reservoir
Many of the States have their OWE
parks and park programs. These dc
not in any way conflict with or take the
place of the national parks But as
! more and more people-mtllionS OF