America’s national park system has been a massive part of what makes the country special since Yellowstone, America’s first national park, was established in 1872. The governments of around 100 countries globally maintain and conserve their natural wonders through this practice. With a huge land mass as ecologically and topographically diverse as the United States, the crucial, global importance of protecting all 63 of America’s national parks is as much a duty as a privilege.Â
In these uncertain times, we’d like to highlight some scenes from 20x200's national park-centric editions (we have work celebrating Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Mojave Desert National Preserve, and the Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Glacier, Mount Rainier, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia, and Yosemite National Parks). Legendary photographers, including Ansel Adams and Carleton Watkins, created a trove of images that helped motivate conservation efforts at the time.Â
Contemporary artist (and avid hiker, camper and climber) Ariel Lee paints Kaweah Gap, the lowest east–west pass through the Great Western Divide in California’s Sequoia National Park, with a tenderness that exemplifies how treasured these protected lands still are. She calls us to clear our heads, to feel the crunch of earth beneath our feet, and to allow ourselves to be humbled by the magic of our natural world.
