Today marks the beginning of National Park Week, which stirs a rumbling in my heart. I’ve been to almost two dozen National Parks out of the 63 big ones, plus national seashores, historic battlefields and historic and cultural parks. That's me, at right, in Denali National Park & Preserve in Alaska. You can see how happy I was to be there.
I’ve also been to Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon and four others in Alaska, the latter giving me inspiration for my latest Viola Valentine mystery, "Ghost Lights." The Great Smoky Mountains is a local favorite, of course, since I’m from the South, and I’ll never forget my trek through Mammoth Cave last summer. And then there's the Cumberland Island of Georgia, which inspired me to write "The Ghost is Clear" novella, the sixth book in the Viola Valentine series.
All breathtaking and incredible. And there are so many I have yet to visit.
What’s your favorite National Park? And can you answer the following quiz?
Post here or on my Facebook page.
How much do you know about the National Parks Service?
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What was the first National Park?
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Who created the National Park Service?
How many major national parks are there?
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What is the largest National Park?
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What is the smallest?
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What park is the most visited?
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What government agency oversees the National Park Service?
How often do visitors see Denali, the mountain, at Denali National Park & Preserve in Alaska (hint: not that often, I was lucky to get that shot)? Bonus: What does Denali mean?
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That's me in Yellowstone. If you haven't been you must go. There's no place in the world quite like it.