Page:A Guide to the National Parks of America (1915).djvu/17

 You cannot judge a country by its cities alone—least of all the United States. New York is typical of nothing except big cities; San Francisco is fast losing its individuality; New Orleans' atmosphere to-day is more vitiated by progress than it was yesterday. And so the national parks remain as the greatest and most individual recreation grounds that any American may visit, whether he cross the water or not. They combine the lure of the outdoors, the appeal of tremendous scenic magnificence, the attractions of geological and archeological study and the observation of wild animal life, and the stimulus of being brought face to face with Nature at her best and freest. Need America ask odds of Europe when comparisons are being made?

In this compilation I have endeavored to include all necessary information as to what each of the Parks included offers the tourist and the various ways of seeing these features to the best advantage. The new Rocky Mountain National Park in the north-central part of Colorado has not been included as facilities for tourists have not yet been perfected; nor have Wind Cave National Park and Platt National