The National Parks of the United States: A Photographic Journey

One country. Twenty-seven states, two territories. Fifty-nine parks. Eight years.

When award-winning landscape photographer Andrew Thomas visited four of the US National Parks in December 2007, he was mesmerized by their natural beauty. After two return trips within the next twelve months, he began a quest to travel to and photograph all fifty-nine parks of the US National Park Service.

He succeeded, and his photographs are collected in this stunning tribute to some of the most spectacular and diverse scenery in the world. Capturing the peaks of Colorado and the glaciers of Alaska, the volcanoes of Hawaii and the everglades of Florida, the coral reefs of American Samoa and the beaches of the US Virgin Islands, Thomas exhibits every single park, even the de-listed, forgotten three: Mackinac in Michigan, Platt in Oklahoma, and Sullys Hill in North Dakota.

Every park is represented by several photos, giving a full impression of the varied geographical features and dramatic mood shifts inherent in the changing light and seasons. Thomas also provides useful details for each park—nearest city, topographical coordinates, area size—as well as the date the park was established and the number of yearly visitors. Adding further inspirational content are personal reflections on the area quoted from a variety of perspectives—from park rangers, explorers, geologists and artists to famous personalities such as Mark Twain, Babe Ruth, Brigham Young and Harry S. Truman. Also featuring a map overview of all the parks and sections dedicated to the wildlife and other protected areas, this book is a complete, breathtaking compilation of the pure splendour the United States park system has to offer.