| Show NOT ONLY SCENERY kain forests cliff cities show diversity of parks features national parks has become a synonymous phrase for superlative scenery but there are also many other diverse interests represented in the national park system of the united states in olympic national park in washington for example I 1 are unusual rain forests where as are a result sult of a mil mild climate and abundant winter rains a tropical appearing jungle has been created far norths north in the temperate zone here also is the home of 0 the rare roosevelt elk for the protection of which a part of the park was established as a national monument Tonu ment as early as 1908 on the other hand tar far to the south ol of the olympics in the southwestern corner of 0 colorado mesa verde national p park ark preserves the ruins ot of a once flourishing civilization which was b rought brought to an end by a lack of rainfall the national parks also include two areas famous tor for their health giving springs hot springs national park in arkansas and platt national park in oklahoma the olympic mountains are known to thousands ot of veterans of W world 0 ald war 11 II who returned to puget t so sound und ports from the pacific thea aters from tar far out at sea these glistening snowy peaks were the first vel welcoming coming sight ot of home mount olympus nearly feet in height and a score or more national parks ot of other ice fee capped mountains eighth are included in a series c in the 1325 square miles 0 ot f olympic national park oc occupying cu dying the heart ot of a great peninsula this park is surrounded on three sides by water the pacific ocean on the west the straits ot of juan de fuca to the north and puget sound on the east W within thin a few hours ot of seattle an and d tacoma are virgin forests est s alpine meadows deep blue lakes and sparkling trout streams which constitute one of the finest unspoiled wilderness areas in the united states the rain forests are found in the lower valleys on the western slopes where from S september I 1 to june I 1 there is an everage average annual rainfall of inches nearly 12 feet in these rain forests are douglas firs measuring up to 17 feet in diameter and feet in height there are many miles of toot foot and horseback trails in olympic national park and a motor highway encircles the peninsula from this main highway other roads radiate for short distances into the park IN THE C ORNER CORNER of colorado where the rocky mountains meet the arid highlands of the southwest there rises a high flat topped table shaped mountain early spanish explorers called it the mesa verde for the table top heavily forested with pinon amon and juniper was wag always green on this green mesa and in its caves and canyons peaceful farming indians lived for or 1300 years cultivating the soil boil and built their villages or pueblos to preserve the ruins of these fascinating villages village I 1 mesa verde national park has been established the area of the park is is 80 square miles according to archeologists archaeologists the indians came to america from their asiatic homeland by the northern route thousands of years ago and for many centuries lived as roving hunters about the beginning of the christian era certain ol of early hunters arrived in the region of the mesa verde they liked the tha security afforded by this high mountain with its iti peculiar cliffs and settled down to farm first inhabitants of the mesa verde were known as basket makers maker for while they roads made excel lent baskets they had no pottery nor did they use the bow and arrow they lived in open caves and hunted with the throwing stick lat er they learned the art ot of pottery making acquired bows and arrows and built simple pit houses about the time that charles martel was defeating the moors al tours or roughly to in the eighth century a new people joined the basket makers on the mesa verde and together they made remarkable cultural progress on the mesa top they built hundreds of 0 villages some with buildings of mud and others ot of stone they improved their pottery and began the weaving of cotton cloth these people apparently were peace loving and la in the bilth century about the time that william the conqueror was landing in britain they also were beset by enemies many of them therefore moved off the open mesa top and constructed their villages in inaccessible eaves caves located high in canyon walls these villages many ot of them well preserved today are astonishing both for their size and excellence ot of building techniques toward the tha end of the century a 24 year long drouth forced these people to abandon their did cities and move to more favorable lands HOT SPRINGS national park located I 1 in a mountainous region of central arkansas contains in its thousand acres 47 mineral maderal hot hoi springs reputed to have therapeutic value these springs were known to the indians and early spaniards land and were used by them within the national park are free campsites and there is a free government bathhouse for people who cannot afford to pay for private baths PLATT NATIONAL park containing I 1 bromide and sulphur aprin sprin springs gs is located at the town of sulphur olda okla small in area this park is 13 known chiefly by those for whom the waters are prescribed the park paik is provided with tree free campgrounds and picnic areas and overnight accommodations may be found in sulphur VIRGIN FOREST lar large e spruce trees abound along hob bob river in olympic na national t onal park one of the finest unspoiled led wilderness areas in the co country ry |
