From mountains that tower above the clouds, reaching 20,000ft...

...to Hyperion, the world's tallest known tree (whose exact location is a closely-protected secret)...

...to underwater shipwrecks submerged beneath the waves...

...the United States of America's national parks are home to wonders that stretch high above the Earth and down beneath its surface.

The National Park Service looks after more than 400 sites of unique beauty and historical importance across the United States. So how did the national parks come to be?

In 1832, the artist George Catlin crossed the northern Great Plains, painting the people and places he came across along the way. On his journey he was struck by the destruction of Native American civilization, wildlife, and wilderness that had occurred as settlements moved westward.

He dreamed there might be “by some great protecting policy of government... a magnificent park... a nation's park, containing man and beast, in all the wildness and freshness of their nature's beauty!” Four decades later, his dream would become a reality.

Yellowstone National Park was established on March 1, 1872. It is also widely understood to be the first national park in the world.

Yellowstone covers over 3,400 square miles of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. It's home to the largest concentration of hydrothermal features on Earth. Here you can find over 500 geysers (though it might take more than one visit to see them all!) as well as the Grand Prismatic Spring.

On August 25, 1916 President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act. This historic moment marked the creation of The National Park Service (NPS), a dedicated agency for managing and protecting parks, monuments, and historical sites for future generations.

The NPS helps hundreds of millions of visitors experience the parks and monuments every year. It's also a world-leader in environmental conservation and historical education, carrying out vital research to protect the country's biodiversity.

Today there are 63 official national parks and over 400 national park sites, sprawling over 85-million acres. More than just scenic tourist attractions, these protected sites are now critical hubs for nature and research.

Everyone knows the magnificence of the US National Parks. Mountains, forests, deserts, lakes, and glaciers abound. But did you know that there are some unusual and fascinating elements to be found, if only you know where to look.

You've heard of a waterfall but what about a "firefall"? For a few fleeting days in February, the setting sun hits this specific waterfall at the exact angle needed to illuminate the water, creating the optical illusion of cascading fire.

Did you know that these heavy rocks mysteriously slide across the flat, dry lakebed of the Racetrack Playa, leaving long trails behind them? It is a quirky geological puzzle solved only recently by the discovery of thin windowpane ice sheets.

You're lucky if you get to experience this biological marvel where thousands of fireflies flash their bioluminescence in perfect, rhythmic unison for a few weeks each year at this Nebraska site.

You might not want to take a dip into these "hot tubs"!
These strange, gurgling hydrothermal features are actually where acidic hot springs break down volcanic rock into bubbling, foul-smelling clay.

Did you know that Arizona holds the world's largest concentration of over 200 million-year-old petrified wood? These ancient, 200-million-year-old tree logs have now fossilized into solid quartz, shimmering with unexpected hues and shades due to rare mineral deposits.

If you look up when visiting this Utah national park you might catch a glimpse of these lush, gravity-defying botanical micro-habitats. Clinging to sheer, vertical sandstone walls, these hanging gardens are fed entirely by water slowly "weeping" out of the porous rock.

The Lehman Caves are not only the longest cave system in the state of Nevada but also home to these extremely rare and quirky disc-shaped cavern formations that look like heavy stone parachutes defying gravity.

Whitebark pine is a rugged, high-altitude tree that serves as a cornerstone of alpine biodiversity, surviving in extreme rocky conditions where little else can grow. However, the species is at risk due to a non-native fungus.

Located within Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the Doll's Theater stands out for its delicate scale. This unique cave feature is home to a large collection of soda straw stalactites and columns, with formations as fragile as they are spectacular.

In the heart of California’s Sierra Nevada, in the U.S.A., Yosemite unfolds as a masterpiece of thundering waterfalls, ancient sequoias, and mist-covered meadows.

Did you know that nearly 95 percent of Yosemite National Park’s sprawling landscape is designated Wilderness? Long before this breathtaking expanse of California became a protected sanctuary, it was the ancestral home of the Ahwahneechee people.

The park’s creation was championed in 1890 by the renowned naturalist John Muir, whose passionate advocacy helped preserve its glacial valleys and striking granite mountains for future generations.

Recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite spans roughly 760,000 acres of dynamic topography. Today, it stands not just as a monumental natural playground, but as an active scientific laboratory where experts continually study geology, glaciology, and hydrology in real time.

The architecture of Yosemite is defined by monumental natural engineering. Dominating the valley floor is El Capitan, an imposing granite mound that rises 3,000 feet into the sky. This sheer cliff remains a premier destination for rock climbers from around the globe.

Equally mesmerizing are the park's waterways, including the Wild and Scenic Tuolumne and Merced rivers, which originate within the park's boundaries and flow westward.

In the spring, between April and June, meltwater from winter snows transforms the landscape, plunging 2,425 feet down the sheer rock face to create Yosemite Falls, the highest waterfall in the park. Together, these geological wonders form a breathtaking cathedral of stone and water.

Beyond its sheer cliffs, Yosemite is a refuge for an incredible array of life. The park protects 225,000 acres of pristine old-growth forest. Within this wooded expanse lies Mariposa Grove, famously home to several hundred Giant Sequoias. This rich, diverse habitat supports 1,000 distinct species.

It is also a thriving sanctuary for endangered wildlife and more than 400 species. From elusive animals finding shelter in the canopy to the vibrant native plants blanketing the meadows, Yosemite remains an essential stronghold for American biodiversity.

To truly understand the scale and majesty of Yosemite, one must venture onto its historic trails. The John Muir Trail offers a profound journey through this preserved wilderness, honoring the naturalist who fought so fiercely for its protection.

Along this route, hikers can reach Clark Point, a stunning promontory that rewards visitors with sweeping views across the valley. From this vantage, the rugged profiles of Liberty Cap and Grizzly Peak stand proudly alongside the dramatic cascades of Vernal Falls.