Our planet is a unique place in space. It is the haven of millions of life forms, the main among which is rightfully considered a person. But on a rational being, the wonders of nature do not end there. How many wonderful corners can be found on Earth, and how many have not yet been explored! Each continent has its own attractions. North America is one of them. People are trying to protect such places from their own harmful influence and create protected areas. National parks and reserves of North America are quite diverse. The traveler will find mountains, forests and deserts here.
Grand Canyon
In Arizona there is a huge crevice 400 km long. It was formed thanks to the rivers Ualpay and Colorado. They carefully crowded out the canyon for many millions of years, receiving support from the wind, which also actively participated in its creation. The reserves of North America can be proud of such an object. It was discovered in 1540 by immigrants from Europe, but the indigenous population knew about it much earlier. The Indians lived inside caves, which are very numerous in the canyon. Interesting is that it is the largest canyon on earth. He survived 3 geological eras, and given that there were only 4, this is a great achievement. Tourists have long chosen the southern part of this place, but the northern one is not visited so often. The rest of the canyon is difficult to reach, and people rarely wander there.
Yellowstone National Park
The parks and reserves of North America boast another mysterious place - this is Yellowstone. It became the first national park in the world, which was founded in 1872. The park is located in three states of the USA - Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. Geysers and scenic spots brought him world fame, which travelers from all over the planet are not averse to visiting. The highest geyser in the world called Steamboat is located here. Tourists are also attracted by the Mammoth Springs and the sleeping volcano - the Yellowstone Caldera. If this volcano decided to wake up, it would destroy the whole of North America. In the meantime, this is one of the most beautiful places in the United States that you must definitely visit.
Yosemite Park
The reserves of North America have a special charm, since nature is simply unique here. Proof of this can be Yosemite National Park. It is located in California, on the slope of the Sierra Nevada. It has many beautiful places that so attract tourists. About 2600 rivers carry their waters on this territory, in addition, many very large waterfalls are formed on them, the largest of which are Yosemite (742 m) and Snow Creek (652 m). But the wonders of Mother Nature do not end there. The largest lonely granite cliff on earth is also located here - this is El Capitan. You can still see a lot of things while traveling in Yosemite, but you cannot miss the giant sequoias, as you will not see them anywhere else on our planet.
Carlsbad Caves
The natural reserves of North America amaze the imagination not only by land attractions, but also underground. These include the Carlsbad Caves. This park is located in the state of New Mexico, namely in the mountains of Guadalupe. It consists of a system of karst caves, which due to mineral formations have extraordinary beauty. In total, there are 80 caves, the total length of which is 12 km. The uniqueness of this place also lies in the fact that it has become home to many bats. There are about 1 million individuals here. The park is open all year, so you can visit it at any time except Christmas. Tourists themselves can descend into the caves, and can comfortably ride the elevator.
Banff - Canadian National Park
North America reserves are located throughout the continent, including Canada. The oldest in this country is Banff Park. It was founded in 1885 in the province of Alberta. This is the third largest conservation park in the world. This is a mountainous area, which has a large number of ice fields, glaciers and dense coniferous forests. The history of the creation of Banff is very complex, since there was a constant struggle between the development of infrastructure and the preservation of nature. In the 90s, the court nevertheless recognized that the changes should not harm the environment. This Canadian park is one of the most wonderful places for tourists to visit in all of North America. The unique nature of the Rocky Mountains attracts with its landscapes and many unforgettable entertainment.
Wood buffalo
The largest national park in Canada is Wood Buffalo. Its area is about 44 thousand km 2 . Such dimensions allow it to be considered one of the largest parks on a global scale. It was founded in 1922 in the provinces of the Northwest Territory and Alberta. The park became famous because the largest herd of wild buffalo of America lives here. They number about 2500 individuals. Of the rare birds, pelicans and American cranes live here. Another asset of the reserve is considered to be the widest internal river delta in the world, which is formed by the Pis River and Athabasca rivers.
Shel Ha Mexican Reserve
National reserves of North America are called upon to protect nature not only on the mainland itself, but also in coastal zones. Shel Ha Ecological Park in Mexico is a prominent representative of coastal national parks. In the distant past, it was the seaport of the Maya Indians. In modern times, it has become a nature reserve with beautiful grottoes and bays, which are home to huge turtles, manatees and dolphins. This is a kind of natural aquarium that will become a paradise for any tourist. It arose in a natural cave, which is fueled by both marine and fresh water. This gives extraordinary transparency to the bay, without preventing nature lovers from viewing the underwater world in all its beauty. The park is very friendly to its visitors. Here you can go diving, swim with dolphins and turtles, lie on the beach and eat in one of the many cafes that serve a special dish - fried cactus.
Thus, the reserves of North America surprise us with their diversity and beauty. Of course, there are a lot more of them than listed, but to study them all, you need a lot of time. Having visited at least one of these parks, you can never forget the beauty of this wildlife.