CategoryOn the Cover

Located in northwestern Arizona, the Grand Canyon National Park is a massive gorge created by the meandering Colorado River. At 278 miles long and 4 to 18 miles wide, this awe-inspiring canyon is one of the largest in the world. The canyon transforms throughout the day as the sun colors the pallets of canyon walls.

El Yunque is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System. Located in northeastern Puerto Rico, the forest covers over 28,000 acres and receives more than 200 inches of rain per year. It is one of the most biologically diverse forests, home to species including the coquí, a tree frog native to the

Known as the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, Waimea Canyon State Park is located on the southwest side of the island of Kaua’i in Waimea, Hawaii. Stretching 14 miles wide and more than 3,600 feet deep, the canyon was formed through the erosive force of the Waimea river and the collapse of the volcano that

Bison, bighorn sheep, prairiedogs and black-footed ferrets live on the 244,000 acres that make up Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Well known for its rugged beauty, the park’s striking geologic formations contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Over millions of years, layers of rock were slowly stacked on top of each other,

Situated in southeastern Ohio is Hocking Hills State Park. The 2,356-acre park is home to beautiful trails, waterfalls, caves and gorges. It is one of the most visited parks in Ohio. —Prepared by the World Tribune staff

Established in 1885, Niagara Falls State Park claims the title of the oldest state park in the United States. It spans 221 acres of land and contains three waterfalls: the American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and a portion of the Horseshoe Falls. Hydroelectric power has been harnessed from the falls since the mid-18th century and

Denali National Park encompasses 6 million acres of Alaskan wilderness. It is well known for its 20,310-foot-high namesake summit, also known as Mount McKinley, the tallest peak in North America and third highest summit on the planet. The vast park is home to a variety of animals such as grizzly bears, wolves, Dall sheep, moose

Covering nearly a million acres, Olympic National Park is known for its distinctly diverse ecosystems from temperate rainforests to glacier-capped mountains, not to mention its more than 70 miles of coastline. —Prepared by the World Tribune staff

Acadia National Park is home to the highest mountains along the North Atlantic coast, including Cadillac Mountain, the U.S. mainland’s point of first contact with the rising sun most days of the year. Its landscape consists of woodland, desert, rocky beach and glaciated granite mountain. Its rich, varied biomes and habitats have made it one

Virgin Islands National Park occupies two thirds of St. John, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands. The park’s 7,259 acres of terrestrial habitat feature mountainous landscapes and white sand beaches, but 40 percent of the park is under water, where sea turtles, manta ray, coral and mangroves alike find their home. —Prepared by the World

May 3, Soka Gakkai Day, is considered New Year’s Day in the SGI, a time when members stand up with fresh resolve to strive for peace and the happiness of all people. The cover photos of the sunrise across the U.S. leading up to May 3 signify a new dawn for everyone.

Haleakalā (House of the Sun), also known as the East Maui volcano, is a central feature of Haleakalā National Park. One of the world’s largest dormant volcanic craters lies atop Haleakalā’s 10,023-foot-summit. The juxtaposition of volcanic landscapes and subtropical rainforest makes for an unforgettable experience. The national park is also home to some endangered species

The Gateway Arch, nestled on the west bank of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, is named for the city’s role as the “Gateway to the West” during the U.S. westwardexpansion and celebrates the pioneers who helped shape the city’s history. The Gateway Arch National Park includes the Old Courthouse, where Dred Scott first sued

Located in Page, Arizona, within the LeChee Chapter of the Navajo Nation, Antelope Canyon consists of two sections. The upper canyon—elevated at about 4,000 feet with sandstone walls reaching 120 feet above the streambed—is referred to by the Navajo as Tse’bighanilini, which means “the place where water runs through rocks.” The lower canyon (pictured) is

Rocky Mountain National Park commands stunning views of its 415 square miles of land and mountain crests towering over 12,000 feet. It is also one of the highest national parks in the country, with elevations from 7,860 to 14,259 feet. The Continental Divide, a portion of which is reflected in Bierstadt Lake (pictured), runs approximately

Described as a “red-rock wonderland,” Arches National Park—located in southeast Utah, five miles north of Moab—is home to striking landscapes 65 million years in the making. This includes over 2,000 natural sandstone arches and massive balanced rocks.   The park’s crown jewel is Delicate Arch (see image), a 52-foot-tall freestanding arch widely celebrated as the

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve spans over 70,000 acres in West Virginia, protecting one of the oldest rivers in the Americas. The gorge can be traced back 500 million years to water draining from the slopes of the newly formed Appalachian Mountains. Because the river is so old, unique plant and animal species,

In the middle of the Tularosa Basin sits the world’s largest gypsum sand dune field, covering over 275 square miles of desert in New Mexico. Gypsum, a soft mineral left behind when water evaporates, rarely appears as sand. However, about 12,000 years ago, as the climate warmed, rain and snowmelt washed gypsum from the surrounding

Bryce Canyon National Park is famous for its crimson-colored rock spires called hoodoos. The park, situated on 35,000 acres in southwestern Utah, has more hoodoos than anywhere in the world. —Prepared by the World Tribune staff

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, built between 1939 and 1943 in Washington, D.C., honors the third president of the United States. Covering 19.2 acres, the park centers on the white marble neoclassical monument that houses a bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson. It honors the president’s ideals of beauty, science, learning, culture and liberty. —Prepared by the