Abstract:
The national parks are more than landmarks, monuments,
and territories, more than mountains, forests, lakes, and
geologic wonders. They represent a piece of the American soul.
Edwin Bernbaum, PhD, is director of the Sacred
Mountains Program at the Mountain Institute and the
author of Sacred Mountains of the World. This article
is excerpted from the book America’s Best Idea — A
Photographic Journey Through Our National Parks, which
was co-authored by Bernbaum and published by American
Park Network (first edition 2006; second edition 2008).
