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These incredible landscapes were inexplicably rejected from the U.S. National Park System

We were robbed of an official Dinosaur National Monument park.

Photo credit: Canva

Lake Tahoe was almost a national park, but politics got in the way.

You know the adage, “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” Well, something similar happens out in the wild: not every natural wonder gets to become a national park. For every Yellowstone or Yosemite, there are dozens of equally jaw-dropping American landscapes that were denied this coveted designation—and the unparalleled federal protection that comes with it.

From Lake Tahoe’s radiant blue waters to the fossil-rich canyons of Dinosaur National Monument, there are dozens of breathtaking natural beauties across the country that are just that: natural beauties with thriving ecosystems, but not national parks. Behind each rejection, there’s always a fascinating story of politics, competing financial interests, and a constantly changing definition of what “deserves” national protection waiting in the wings.

Lake Tahoe, national parks, blue water, natural beauty, nature Many people—including Lake Tahoe’s biggest advocate, conservationist John Muir—fought for Lake Tahoe to become a national park. Photo credit: Canva

Lake Tahoe

Often called “the Jewel of the Sierra Nevada,” or “Ocean in the Sky,” Lake Tahoe is a marvel. Visitors of the two-million-year-old lake enjoy pristine snow-capped peaks, gorgeous pine trees, and the prettiest, clearest water imaginable. Mark Twain even wrote of Lake Tahoe, “I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords.” Naturally, many people—including Lake Tahoe’s biggest advocate, conservationist John Muir—fought for Lake Tahoe to become a national park, and multiple attempts were made from the 1880s and 1930s.

The problem? Virginia City, Nevada in 1859.

Eighteen hundred and fifty-nine was the year silver was discovered there, and as local historian David Antonucci explains, “If the silver discovery in Virginia City hadn’t happened, the course of history in Lake Tahoe would have been a lot different. It almost certainly would have been a national park."

Skiing, lake tahoe, national park, rejection, silver If not for that darn silver.... Photo credit: Canva

The resulting mining rush altered Lake Tahoe’s landscape forever, most significantly impacting the tall, ancient trees that dotted the Tahoe Basin, which were systematically chopped down to build mine shafts. Twenty years later, it was estimated that more than 33 million board feet of timber were being cut down annually. To put that into perspective, that’s the equivalent of 2,749,999 cubic feet: the amount of wood required to fill 1,150 shipping containers or 88,000 Olympic-sized pools.

Due to this massive degradation of Lake Tahoe’s precious resources, the National Park Service later concluded that the extensive tourism and land development had compromised the lake’s nature beyond repair, ruling it unsuitable for national park designation.

denied, rejected, no, overruled, rejection sad george michael bluth GIF Giphy

Why do places seek national park status in the first place?

Lake Tahoe has no ego; the land itself does not seek fame, fortune, or glory. But there are several incentives both for the land and the surrounding communities that make the fight for national park status worth it. National parks enjoy certain VIP privileges, including an army of park rangers and maintenance crews provided by the federal government.

National parks, like the scenic Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Grand Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park, are protected to the highest degree possible against resource extraction, land development, and other harmful practices. They are nothing short of astounding: miraculous havens for animals and native plants, flourishing wildlife habitats, and the preservation of vital cultural resources.

Then, there’s the tourism aspect: another powerful motivation for communities to support national park designation is the incredible bump in sightseers—paying visitors—that begin to arrive. National parks are tourist magnets, with Great Smoky Mountain National Park welcoming more than 12 million visitors in 2020. It’s the type of tourism that can turn a rural town into a bucket list destination and economically alter a community forever. Think of the last national park you visited and the crop of tourism-related businesses that surrounded it: lodging, restaurants, themed retail stores, guided tours, and more.

yellowstone, national park, tourism, economy, nature National parks are the ultimate tourism magnets. Photo credit: Canva


car, national park, economy, money, tourism Entire economies depend on a local national park. via TravelinUSA

Dinosaur National Monument

Sadly, Dinosaur National Monument is another destination that never enjoyed national park status and the plethora of perks that come with it. Nestled in the rugged borderlands straddling Colorado and Utah, this huge national treasure spans over 210,000 acres—that’s larger than Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park combined. The natural wonder features an unparalleled 800 paleontology sites and the Carnegie Quarry, which boasts a 150-million-year-old wall full of roughly 1,500 exposed fossilized dinosaur bones.

Dinosaur National Monument also offers astonishing views of the nighttime sky, deeming it an International Dark Sky Park (IDSP) in honor of its exceptional nocturnal environment and supreme views of the cosmos. Obviously, this archaeological beauty would be a shoo-in for national park status, right?

dinosaur national park, rejected, natural beauty, national park, national monument Dinosaur National Monument looks like a national park, but is it? Photo credit: Canva

Unfortunately, meddling outside forces struck again: after multiple attempts, Dinosaur National Monument has not been formally rejected as a national park, but it's progress has been stalled for a long time due to local opposition. Commissioners and stakeholders in the area feared that a national park designation would jeopardize their various ranching and energy investments and blocked any attempts to elevate Dinosaur National Monument to national park status.

Becoming a national park is no walk in the park. Rules are scrupulous, community support is vital, and the power of public perception matters. In many ways, that’s a good thing: the National Park Service’s uncompromising criterion ensures precious American tax-payer money is reserved for only the most exemplary resources in the country, both natural and cultural, in a world that, increasingly, seeks to destroy them. But what of Lake Tahoe, Dinosaur National Park, Silver Falls in Oregon, or the Adirondack Mountains?

For reasons that have nothing to do with their importance, significance, or natural beauty, these landscapes lack national park designation and the protections that come with it. But that doesn’t mean they’re not worth visiting. So, the next time you’re planning a nature trip, consider adding these beauties to your list. You just might be pleasantly surprised.

This article originally appeared in May. It has been updated.

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Couple who visited all 63 US national parks names which one is the ‘best’

They also listed other awards, such as "most underrated," "most epic" and "most awe-inspiring."

Representative Image from Canva

There's a reason they call it "America The Beautiful."

Longing to visit one of America’s many national parks, and not sure where to start? One traveling couple just made deciding a whole heck of a lot easier.

Matt and Karen Smith have been to all of them. That’s right. All 63 of them. They even survived a plane crash to hit the milestone (more on that later).

In a short and sweet 30-second video posted to their Instagram account, Matt and Karen place certain parks into special categories, like “best wildlife sightings,” “most underrated,” and “most awe inspiring,” all before revealing which park, in their opinion, is “the best of everything.”

Of course, it might be hard to really take in the information the duo give during the first watch, because they captured some truly breathtaking views—from lush forest to galloping buffalo to backdrops that look like they belong to an alien planet.

So here’s the breakdown, for easy reading:

Washington’s Olympic National Park was named “most diverse” as Karen walked through what looked like a mix between rainforest and something out of Dr. Suess.

Death Valley in California won “most otherworldly” for its “Mad Max”-esque terrain

Both Montana’s Glacier and Mount Rainier in Washington tied for “most epic hiking trails,” while Utah’s Zion National park got “most unique hiking trails.”

Utah’s Bryce Canyon was dubbed “most enchanting” as the camera panned under a picturesque stone arch to reveal colorful stone cliffs.

Rounding out the list, South Dakota’s Badlands got “most underrated,” Yellowstone got the accolade of “best wildlife sightings” and “most awe-inspiring” went to the Grand canyon.

Lastly, “best of everything” went to…drumroll please…

…Grand Teton in Wyoming.

While this list is based off of Karen and Matt’s experience, they wrote in the caption, “the great thing about our parks is that you get to experience them for yourself and make your own best of’ memories, which will of course be different from ours.”

The couple have a wanderlust so strong that not even a plane crash couldn’t thwart their plans. According to the Seattle Times, they were flying back from a visit to Lake Clark National Park in Alaska in 2011 when their plane flew into a float plane mid air. Luckily, both aircrafts were able to land safely and no injuries were had.

Next time you’re longing for the exotic sights of faraway places, remember that sometimes your own backyard has so much natural splendor to offer.

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National Park Service shares helpful—and hilarious—advice for how to handle a bear encounter

National Park Service/Facebook

People often think of government bureaucrats as being boring stuffed shirts, but whoever runs social media at the National Park Service is proving that at least some of them have a sense of humor.

In a Facebook post, the NPS shared some seasonal advice for park-goers about what to do if they happen to encounter a bear, and it's both helpful and hilarious. Not that a confrontation with a bear in real life is a laughing matter—bears can be dangerous—but humor is a good way to get people to pay attention to important advice.

They wrote:

"If a bear clacks its teeth, sticks out its lips, huffs, woofs, or slaps the ground with its paws, it is warning you that you are too close and are making it nervous. The bear's nervous? Heed this warning and slowly back away. ⁣What else should you do or not do if you come across a bear in Yellowstone?

⁣🐻 Do not immediately drop to the ground and "play dead." Bears can sense overacting.⁣⁣

🐻 Do not run, shout, or make sudden movements. ⁣⁣

🐻 Do not run up and push the bear and do not push a slower friend down…even if you feel the friendship has run its course.⁣⁣

🐻 Running may trigger a chase response in the bear and you can't outrun a bear. Bears in Yellowstone chase down elk calves all the time. You do not want to look like a slow elk calf. (Apologies to the elk calf.)⁣⁣

🐻 Slowly putting distance between yourself and the bear may defuse the situation. ⁣⁣

🐻 Draw your bear spray from the holster, remove the safety tab, and prepare to use it if the bear charges.⁣⁣

🐻 In most cases, climbing a tree is a poor decision. Bears can climb trees (especially if there is something up the tree that the bear wants). Also, when was the last time you climbed a tree?⁣⁣

🐻 Running to a tree or frantically climbing a tree may provoke a bear to chase you. If the friend you pushed down somehow made it up a tree and is now extending you a hand, there's a good chance you're not getting up that tree. Karma's a bear."

HA.

They also shared this link to more bear safety tips on the NPS website.

Well done, random National Park Service employee. Thank you for entertaining us while educating the public about wildlife safety at the same time.

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A national park worker opened a bumpy envelope to find an adorable note — and a surprise.

Susan Gardiner was opening the mail for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks when she came across an envelope with a large lump — and no return address.

"I was a mail carrier for 15 years before that, so yeah, you’re always cautious of mail that has no return address," Gardiner told Upworthy.

After carefully opening the letter, the park administrator said she "got a chuckle over what [she] found inside."

It was a sequoia cone, taped to a note:


It's actually a sequoia cone. Still cute though. Photo by Meredith Elgart/Facebook.

The note, in a child's handwriting, was sent anonymously.

“I had to share it because it was so moving and so cute," she said. "So I shared it with the interpretation department, and they said they would get the cone back to where it belongs.”

True to their word, rangers placed the cone back near the General Grant tree.

The General Grant tree in Kings Canyon National Park, the second-largest tree in the world. Photo via Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, used with permission.

"We are so glad this young person thought about the park's preservation messages," an official wrote on the park's Facebook page. "Thanks for leaving Sequoia and Kings Canyon Parks as you found them. And, thanks for sending this back, buddy!"

This is a small piece of good news, and one that America's national parks could certainly use.

Though their season is only a few months in, parks across America — particularly Yellowstone — have already played host to a series of incidents where tourists violating park rules ended in tragedy.

In May, a baby bison that was picked up by Yellowstone tourists who spotted it alone on the side of the road had to be euthanized by rangers after it couldn't be returned to its herd.

And on June 9, 2016, a 23-year-old man died in the park after wandering off a boardwalk and falling into a hot spring.

The return of the sequoia cone, meanwhile, is likely to make a lot of squirrels very happy.

A squirrel eats a meal near the General Grant tree. Photo by Farmatin/Wikimedia Commons.

"Everything in nature is connected," Dana Dierkes, public affairs specialist at the parks, told Upworthy.

Dierkes explained that while pocketing a single giant sequoia cone might not seem like a big deal, for the rodents who depend on them for a food source, maintaining an untampered ecosystem is critical for their survival and success.

All it took was one child — and their parents — who decided to do the right thing.

Gardiner and Dierkes both hope the letter writer's honesty and responsibility will serve as an example to other visitors.

"I was a Girl Scout, and one of the things I learned in scouting is that the only thing you take is pictures and the only thing you leave is your footprints," Gardiner said. "So if you take stuff, there’ll be nothing left for other people to enjoy."

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