Mary Caperton Morton - The Worlds Best National Parks in 500 Walks

Backpacking in Yellowstone National Park, one of North Americas premier wilderness areas.

Every morning, the sun rises on a slumbering supervolcano in northwest Wyoming, illuminating rainbow-hued geothermal pools and gushing geysers, as vast herds of bison and elk graze in wildflower meadows, circled by packs of wolves and lone grizzly bears. This unique landscape and its abundant wildlife still exist thanks to an act passed on March 1, 1872, that crowned Yellowstone National Park as the worlds first national park.

Nearly 150 years later, Americas best idea to protect and celebrate natural landscapes has gone global and more than 4,000 national parks and preserves can be found across every continent. Millions of people visit these parks each year to revel in the spectacular grandeur of Mother Nature.

The Worlds Best National Parks in 500 Walks is the perfect inspiration for every explorer, from the armchair traveler to the veteran hiker, with full-color photos and vivid descriptions of some of the worlds most spectacular hiking trails. The book begins in North America, and then moves across the western hemisphere to Central and South America before skipping across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe and Africa, then Asia and Australasia. National parks on island territories are grouped geographically, rather than politically, since youre more likely to visit the Canary Islands on a trip to Africa than a trip to Spain.

The 500 hikes are spread out among 336 national parks. Some parks are represented by multiple hikes of varying intensities, ranging from short, scenic strolls to multiday backpacking trips. Which hikes you choose and how far you go will depend on your level of fitness and experience. There are route descriptions for all hikes and the longer entries include basic mapsbut be sure to obtain more detailed maps before setting off.

Check with a park ranger about current trail conditions, local rules and customs, and whether you need a permit or a guide. Its important to honor the seven principles of Leave No Trace ethics to minimize your impact on the landscape. Also, educate yourself about the indigenous history of the area before your hike. Some parks are centered on sacred homelands and the indigenous stewards of the land were often forcibly removed to make way for tourists and developmentonly very recently is this dark history being acknowledged. Some parks are partnering with local tribes to restore their rights and access to their homelands, but a lot of work remains to repair tribal relationships. Many modern trails follow ancient footpaths, and honoring this history is an important part of respecting the landscape.

I started hiking in college, when I adopted a young, hyperactive border collie mix and realized that both of us greatly benefited from daily walks. Over the next fifteen years, those walks evolved into hikes, backpacking trips, and mountaineering expeditions. Ive hiked most of the North American trails in this book and a few of the international hikes as well. I average twenty-five trail miles a week or a hundred miles a month. At this rate, Ill walk enough miles to circle the globe before I turn forty.

On every hike, I bring a backpack with the ten essentials: navigation (map, GPS, compass), first-aid kit, sun protection, shelter (tarp or emergency blanket), knife, headlamp, fire starter, extra food, water and water filter, and extra warm and waterproof clothing. The deeper you get into the backcountry, the more self-sufficient you need to be. Ive taken courses on wilderness survival and wilderness medicine (I am a certified Wilderness First Responder)and I always carry a satellite communication device for emergencies.

Be preparedbut dont be intimidated. Hiking is simply walking and every mountain is climbed one step at a time. In many thousands of trail miles, Ive never been seriously injured, lost, or threatened. My experience on a search-and-rescue team in Montana taught me that the most important safety net is to tell somebody you trust where youre going and when youll be back.

Whether youre looking for an easy stroll on a boardwalk to peer into the turquoise geothermal depths of Yellowstones Abyss Pool or to embark on a multiday trek through prime grizzly bear habitat, The Worlds Best National Parks in 500 Walks is sure to inspire you to lace up your hiking boots and see more of the worldand maybe even circle the globeon your own two feet.

Mary Caperton Morton

On top of Clouds Rest, a side trip off the John Muir Trail in Yosemite National Park.

The Vanoise Massif mountain range in the Western Alps of southeastern France.

NORTH AMERICA

Explore the continent where the idea for national parks was birthed, from the Gates of the Arctic to the Everglades, home to some of the most iconic national parks on the planet.