The 5 Top U.S. National Parks, In Photos

The U.S. national parks, scattered throughout the U.S. and its territories, truly have it all.
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For Condé Nast Traveler, by Meredith Carey.

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White sand beaches, swamps, stalagmite-filled caves, glaciers, hot springs you can swim in (and ones you definitely can’t), rainforests, scorching deserts, volcanoes (dormant and active). The 59 national parks, scattered throughout the U.S. and its territories, truly have it all. And while the recognized parks only make up a fraction of the 417 sites that comprise the National Park Service, they represent some of the finest natural environments America has to offer. Here, our national parks, from A to Z.

1. Acadia National Park

Maine

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2. National Park of American Samoa

American Samoa

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3. Arches National Park

Utah

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4. Badlands National Park

South Dakota

Alamy

5. Biscayne National Park

Florida

See the rest of U.S. National Parks on CNTraveler.com

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