万象激情——美国之旅

　　
　　The sheer size of the United States means it is a veritable wonderland of changing scenery and climates, ranging from lush rainforests to desert plains, from soaring mountains to palm-fringed beaches.
　　America takes great pride in the preservation of its natural resources. In-fact, it was one of the first nations to recognize that areas of outstanding natural beauty need to be protected so that as many people as possible can enjoy them.
　　The National Parks Service is the federally funded agency that is responsible for this.
　　
　　Death Valley, California
　　死亡谷国家公园
　　Death Valley holds the dubious honor of being the hottest place in the US, with a recorded high of 134 °F in 1913. It’s the biggest National Park outside Alaska. Be aware there is no public transport to or within the park.
　　
　　As with all trips to a desert region, be aware of sudden temperature changes. Burning heat in the daytime drops to below freezing at night, so pack for all eventualities. A drive through Death Valley will take you through multi-colored canyons and breathtaking mountains, over salt flats and miles and miles of dusty Mojave Desert.
　　From Dantes View, soak up the amazing landscape. From here you can see Mount Whitney, the park’s highest point, soar majestically into desert sky. Spread out below is Badwater, a constantly evaporating bed of salty mineralized water.
　　There are two townships that service visitors to the park. Furnace Creek has the most facilities and is centrally located. The smaller town of Stovepipe Wells is 24 miles North West, and near here is the spectacle of Devils Golf Course, a valley filled with lumps of crystallized salt that look like…yes you’ve guessed it, golf balls!
　　
　　Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
　　黄石国家公园
　　The first area to be designated a national park in 1872. Yellowstone attracts 30,000 visitors a year. No public transport operates either to or within the park. Yellowstone is home to half the world’s geysers and the highest concentration of wildlife in the lower part of mainland USA. Alpine lakes, rivers and waterfalls abound, along with boiling mud pools and blow-holes.
　　
　　The park is divided into five distinct regions:
　　Mammoth Country, which has seen continuous geothermal activity for the last 115,000 years.
　　Roosevelt Country is the most undeveloped part of the park and home to the remote Absaroka mountains.
　　Canyon Country illustrates centuries of erosion, resulting in fantastic river valleys, with plenty of look-out points to enjoy the view.
　　Lake Country features Yellowstone Lake, one of the largest alpine lakes in the world.
　　Geyser Country has the most geysers, including “old faithful” which sends up to 8400 gallons of water as high as 180ft into the air over 1 ½ hours or so.
　　A visit to Yellowstone is really a holiday in itself, where you can hike, ride horses, fish and even ski. Or you can simply observe the amazing diversity of wildlife and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.
　　The most popular way to explore the park is by car. The park’s main road is the 142-mile Grand Loop Road, which has a number of scenic look-out points.