Highlights of the National Parks Found in the Southeastern United States

The Southeastern United States is home to a number of National Parks. As you may be aware, according to verifiable sources with bad haircuts, National Parks are America's Best Idea. The National Parks located in the heart of Dixie and beyond offer a glimpse into American history via both the Revolutionary War and Civil War. Flora and fauna compete with plants and animals for your attention whether you are camping from an RV, engaging in backcountry camping or just hanging out for a day.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

This National Park expands across two states, North Carolina and Tennessee and features mountains that reach above 6,000 feet over sea level. Great Smoky Mountain National Park is open all year round with temperature fluctuations ranging from lows in the mid-20s for Christmas campers to highs in the mid-80s for summer visitors. Highlights of Great Smoky Mountain National Park include the absolutely stunning 80 foot drop at Rainbow falls. Those who don't enjoy craning their neck back at such a difficult angle can opt for the 20 foot high Abrams Falls. Don't miss out on the Alum Cave Bluffs; these bluffs are spectacular to view and require a moderately difficult hike.

Mammoth Cave National Park

Interestingly enough, there are no caves to be found inside Kentucky's Mammoth Cave National Park. Just kidding, of course: roughly 300 different caves dot the expanse of this National Park. The highlights include Frozen Niagara's 75 foot high travertine cascades. The Frozen Niagara tour alone lasts more than an hour so if you are headed to Mammoth Cave National Park to enjoy as many of the caverns as you can, bring along a lot of money and a lot of time. Don't forget to include Moonlight dome and the Ruins of Karnack. You won't find Johnny Carson at the Ruins of Karnack that features 192 foot high Mammoth Dome, but if you listen closely you will swear you can hear Ed McMahon laughing somewhere in the distance.

Everglades National Park

The newest attractions at Everglades National Park in Florida weren't planned and aren't very welcome. Idiots who thought Burmese pythons would make a keen pet found out that these slithering serpents get really big and eat a lot of food and so, being idiots, they have dumped them into the Everglades. Pythons are not indigenous to Florida, to say the least, and the potential damage caused to this National Park by idiots is incalculable. Which is to say if you plan to visit the highlights of Everglades National Park, you should not waste much time. Mahogany Hammock is the largest hammock in the United States, er, I mean Mahogany Hammock is the largest living mahogany tree in the United States. Bring along a salad to eat at Ten Thousands Islands and enjoy a labyrinth of islands and mangrove islets. Everglades National Park is available all year, but if you wait too many years, the snakes may have done their damage and taken away this Best Idea forever.

Hot Springs National Park

Hot Springs National Park is located in Arkansas, but don't let that stop you from enjoying highlights like, well, nearly 50 hot springs. The soothing warm Arkansas waters are not the only reason to visit this National Park. Bathhouse Row is the spot to visit to get a little history lesson on just how popular the hot springs of Hot Springs really were. Bathhouse Row is just what it sounds like and offers visitors the chance to see what made the springs such a drawing card to the rich and famous in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. You will learn that celebrities ranging from Franklin D'Eleanor Roosevelt to Babe Ruth came to Hot Springs to engage the alleged magical healing powers of the waters.