We are all familiar with the concept of a “national park”, protected areas around the world that we can visit and enjoy for their natural beauty and ecological importance. But this wasn’t always the case. Centuries ago, there were game reserves, almost always restricted to royalty and nobility, designed solely for their own interests. Protection of nature wasn’t the priority. A striking example is the auroch, a majestic animal that only kings were allowed to hunt for sport and food, and yet, even this exclusivity couldn’t prevent its extinction. This post serves as the introduction to a series about some of the most breathtaking places on Earth. Also, the first of its kind, the American government set the golden standard for national parks worldwide.
There will definitely be more pictures when we explore each park, but a quick note – some of these photos date back to 2001 and 2002. Digital photography wasn’t widely available then and I was fortunate to have some of my prints scanned and saved onto CDs. However, since they had to be developed first, things didn’t always go smoothly, unfortunately, many photos were overexposed or damaged during the process.
the story
In the 19th century, people began to notice the natural world in new ways, sparking the first conservation efforts. Back in 1832, President Andrew Jackson signed a document protecting the Hot Springs area in Arkansas for future use. Still, without a clear legal framework, not much came of it right away. The push for stronger land conservation and animal protections gathered steam thanks to passionate leaders like Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir. It was largely because of Muir’s tireless advocacy that, in 1864, President Abraham Lincoln ceded Yosemite Valley to California, banning any future private ownership and charging the state with managing the land for everyone’s enjoyment.
However, that early effort wasn’t very successful, though, the state mismanaged the funds. To prevent a repeat, when creating a new protected area in 1872, a brad new and federal entity was established. President Ulysses Grant signed the Act of Dedication, marking the birth of the world’s first official national park. Not just in the United States, but anywhere – Yellowstone National Park. From the start, it faced opposition, much like Yosemite had, and was plagued by poachers. It needed stronger protection, and that’s where Theodore Roosevelt, before he became president, stepped in. He championed the cause, leading efforts to safeguard Yellowstone and other parks for generations to come.
In the years that followed, the U.S. government continued to establish more national parks and monuments. These places weren’t just about protecting nature; they also held deep historical significance for a young and rapidly developing nation. But administration was scattered; some sites fell under the Department of the Interior, others under the Department of Agriculture, and some even under the Department of War. There was no single agency responsible for long-term planning or coordinated management. That changed in 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service. This newly established federal bureau first took charge of parks and reservations, then gradually absorbed national monuments and even military sites. It became the backbone of the U.S. national park system, which today protects areas of historical, scenic, and scientific importance. The system now includes over 400 sites, grouped into nearly 20 categories such as, but not limited to: national parks, monuments, preserves, historic parks and sites, battlefields, memorials, seashores, lakeshores, rivers, parkways, and trails spread across all 50 states (Alaska and Hawaii included, of course), as well as American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Saipan, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
the road trip
When I was living in California in 2001 and 2002, Yosemite National Park was, quite literally, my home. Despite being a destination for millions of visitors each year, Yosemite proves that conservation and tourism don’t have to be at odds. Sure, the Valley could get crowded, especially in the summer, but wildlife was always on my doorstep, carefully protected and thriving. I had close encounters with several black bears and even one mountain lion (which, I promise, is not an everyday experience, so nothing to worry about! – I’ll share that story in a future post about Yosemite). Coyotes, raccoons, and mule deer, on the other hand, were daily companions, easily spotted without much effort. And of course, the magic of Yosemite is that if you set off on a hike, within just half an hour you can leave the hustle and bustle behind and find yourself completely surrounded by wilderness.
When my U.S. work visa was coming closer to its expiry date (for purpose of working legally), I still had a month left before I needed to leave the country. It was enough time to squeeze in a bit of travel. Who knew when I’d have the chance to return to the States? It was 2002, and back then Poland was still outside the European Union, considered a developing country, and many Polish citizens were overstaying their US visas. That meant the chances of receiving one to visit as a tourist was virtually impossible for a student. I didn’t want to take future access for granted.
Well, what could be more American than a proper road trip? Since I’d already visited San Francisco many times (it was relatively close to Sierra Nevada where I was living), I decided on a more ambitious adventure. I had a car, an early ’80s Chrysler Fifth Avenue, and the open road ahead of me. At the time, I still thought of the U.S. as a country, not a continent, so the decision to visit a friend in Yellowstone National Park didn’t seem quite as wild as it actually was. I only started to question it when my coworkers told me, only half-jokingly, to just drive straight, and at the first crossroad in Nevada, after an entire day of driving, take a left turn towards Idaho. I was convinced they were teasing the European guy. GPS wasn’t available to civilians then, so I purchased a “mapquest.com: The World’s First Internet Powered Road Atlas” (yes, really!), which I still have at home in Poland, and hoped for the best.
The biggest difference compared to driving in Europe, apart from a few remote parts of Scandinavia or Ireland, was the sheer sense of freedom. That feeling really set in during the solo leg of my trip to Jackson, Wyoming, where I was supposed to pick up my friends. I still vividly remember cruising along I-80, the legendary east-west interstate, with Nevada’s vast emptiness stretching endlessly in every direction. Occasionally, a jarring road sign would appear: “Prison Area – Hitchhiking Prohibited”. It was surreal, and for many years, that journey stood as the trip of a lifetime. Even now, more than two decades later, it still holds a special place in my heart. I hope to retrace as much of it as I can someday.
During that trip, I drove over 5,000 kilometres, around 3,000 miles, in the span of a month. I started out from Yosemite, and after picking up my friends in Jackson, Wyoming, we set off to explore some of the most iconic national parks in the U.S.: Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Mesa Verde, Arches, Canyonlands, Zion, Death Valley, and the Grand Canyon, among others. Along the way, we also visited several state parks and national monuments, all under the care of the National Park Service. We stood in awe of Monument Valley in Arizona, crawled on all fours just to touch all four states at once at Four Corners, and cooled off with a dip in Lake Powell. It was, without a doubt, a journey to remember. Yes, we passed through Las Vegas and Salt Lake City too, but honestly, nothing compared to the raw, breathtaking beauty of American nature.
I’m still in love with the vast, open spaces of the Wild West, but really, any U.S. road trip will do. I had another one planned for 2020, when I was supposed to visit one of my dearest friends, Monica, who once worked with me in Yosemite. She’s the kind of friend who dropped everything and drove two hours just to help me out, something I’ll never forget and will always be grateful for. I tried to plan for every possible obstacle on that trip, but of course, I never saw a global pandemic coming. Now, finally, two years later than planned, I’m heading her way this May. Monica lives in Niagara County, upstate New York, and while that’s my first stop, it’s just the beginning of two weeks of wandering. And yes, the National Park Service will absolutely be involved. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, why not take a little journey of your own? PARKS is one of the most beautiful board games I know—a gentle, almost magical adventure through America’s national parks across the four seasons, where you collect memories: vistas, scents, and sunrises… and maybe meet other hikers by the campfire along the way.
