LIFE Explores: America’s National Parks – Grand Canyon Cover

From the vastness of the Grand Canyon to the peak of Maine’s Cadillac Mountain, discover the geological breadth and diverse charms of America’s spectacular parks system. America’s national parks are more popular than ever, drawing record numbers of visitors every year. This special issue is a celebration of these parks, representing the best of the geographic and biological diversity of the far-flung U.S. park system. Packed with extraordinary photographs (as well as intriguing data and detailed descriptions), these pages serve not only as a guide to the parks’ individual charms, but also as an appreciation of their unmatched—and fragile—natural splendor.