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VACATION & TRAVEL A N
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JULY 5 - 11, 2017
Natural Beauty At U.S. Nat’l Parks BY KIMBERLY DIJKSTRA KDIJKSTRA@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM
National parks are America’s prized treasures. Visitors come from all over the world to see our gorgeous landscapes, snow-peaked mountains, vast deserts, lush forests and iconic coastlines. These protected areas, home to unique geological features and wildlife, are not only wonderful for sightseeing, but are valuable to maintaining the biodiversity humanity needs to survive. The America the Beautiful Annual Pass is your ticket to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites, including all 59 national parks. The $80 cost covers entrance for all passengers in a single vehicle and is free for current military members. Turn the page for just a taste of what United States national parks have to offer.
see NAT’L PARKS on page 16A
Lower Falls, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park
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VACATION & TRAVEL • JULY 5 - 11, 2017
NAT’L PARKS from page 15A
Yellowstone
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President Grant established Yellowstone as the first national park in 1872. Located in the northwest quadrant of Wyoming, this 3,400-square-mile park contains lakes, canyons, rivers, mountain ranges and the notorious Old Faithful geyser. Notably, Yellowstone Lake is positioned above a volcanic caldera, also known as a supervolcano, which has the potential to erupt with an explosion more than a thousand times as powerful as Mount St. Helens. Luckily, there’s no sign of eruption just yet.
Yosemite
Officially established in 1890, during spring and summer each year Yosemite sees millions of visitors, who are attracted to the park’s signature rock formations, many waterfalls and boundless wilderness. The drive down Tioga Road into Yosemite Valley is as breathtaking as the actual park. Located within the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California, the park was a favorite of naturalist and author John Muir, photographer Ansel Adams and countless hikers, kayakers, bird watchers and campers today.
Death Valley
A study in superlatives, Death Valley is like no other place on Earth. It boasts the highest air temperature ever recorded in the world—134 degrees in 1913, the lowest point in North America—at an elevation of 282 feet below sea level, and wildlife that exists nowhere else in the world—the rare and extremely endangered fish called Devils Hole Pupfish. These extremes are what draw visitors to the park, which is not the lifeless wasteland it sounds like. The 3.4-million-acre area contains the most striking landscapes, from mountain ranges and sand dunes to badlands and natural hot springs. (Yosemite and Death Valley photos by Kimberly Dijkstra)
Arches
The natural arches and bridges contained within Arches National Park are a wonder to behold. Dubbed the “Holey Land” by Utah.com, the park features 2,000 named arches that beckon hikers, bikers, off-roaders, rafters, photographers, climbers, campers and stargazers to the red rock wonderland.
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t U.S. National Park s
Acadia
Though smaller than the others at 47,000 acres, Acadia National Park is no less beautiful with its rugged and awe-inspiring terrain. Located on several islands in Maine, Acadia is the oldest national park east of the Mississippi River. In the early 1900s, John D. Rockefeller Jr. developed more than 50 miles of trails and 16 arched granite bridges which remain today.
Great Smoky Mountains
In addition to being a national park, the Great Smoky Mountains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, joining the ranks of Stonehenge and Machu Picchu. This ancient mountain range between North Carolina and Tennesse is named for the fog that settles among the peaks and valleys every morning. It is America’s most visited national park, by those seeking tranquility and recreation alike.
Everglades
In addition to being a national park, the Everglades are a World Heritage Site, an International Biosphere Reserve and a Wetland of International Importance. The southern-most 20 percent of Florida was dedicated as a park in 1947 to protect the fragile ecosystem that supports hundreds of species of birds, fish, mammals and reptiles. Upon arrival, the network of tranquil wetlands can be experienced on foot, by bicycle, by canoe or kayak or from a tour boat.
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ANTON MEDIA GROUP • JULY 5 - 11, 2017
Four Days Of Magical Waterside Music
BY DAVE GIL DE RUBIO DGILDERUBIO@ANTONMEDIAGROUP.COM
Celebrating its 11th anniversary, the Great South Bay Music Festival will be running four days this year. As always, it remains one of the more family-friendly music events around and includes something for everyone. The first night caters to emo fans (Taking Back Sunday/New Found Glory/Saves The Day), the second night is
a nod to rap-rock/reggae (311/ The Wailers) the, third night is all about jamband nation (Gov’t Mule/G. Love & Special Sauce/ Rusted Root/Zen Tricksters) and the final night is all about classic rock (Zombies/Eddie Money/ Dave Mason/Poco/Jesse Colin Young/Aztec Two-Step). Info is as follows: Great South Bay Music Festival Shorefront Park, Patchogue. www. greatsouthbaymusicfestival.com. July 13, 14, 15 and 16.
Taking Back Sunday
(Photo by Greg Hunter)
Eddie Money
Gov’t Mule
Cassandra House
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Kerry Kearney