Are you making good use of the U.S. National Parks?

The U.S. National Park Service was created in order to “conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and wildlife therein, and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.” There are 58 National Parks in the United States, not counting National Preserves or National Monuments.

I’ve been very interested as of late in our National Parks; how they came to be, the history behind them, why they where chosen, how they’ve been managed and protected through the years, etc. To date, I’ve only been to 4 (with plans to see another in the next couple weeks), which I’m feeling a bit embarrassed about. There are even a few within a relatively short (half-day to full-day drive) distance from me that I have not yet seen. :(

So, how about you? How many have you been to? Which ones were your favorites? Any great stories/photos to share? Which NP would you most recommend to others?