White Sands National Monument

The White Sands National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located about 16 miles (26 km) southwest of Alamogordo in western Otero County and northeastern Doña Ana County in the state of New Mexico.

White Sands National Monument

White Sands National Monument encompasses 145,344 acres of the largest deposit of gypsum sand in the world, where shifting sand dunes reach 60 feet high. The monument, one of the few landforms recognizable from space, has displays in its visitor center that describe how the dunes were (and are continually) formed from gypsum crystals originating at a dry lake bed called Lake Lucero, where winds and erosion break down the crystals into fine particles of sand. A 17-minute introductory video at the visitor center is very helpful if you intend to hike among the dunes. There are also a gift shop, snack bar, and bookstore.

West of Alamogordo, a vast area of desert and mountain ranges 100 by 40 miles in extent is closed to public access and used by the military for various kinds of weapons testing; this includes the Trinity Site where the first atomic bomb was detonated, in July 1945. Determined tourists may visit on two days each year, the first Saturdays of April and October, when accompanied tours are provided. The only other feature of interest in this otherwise desolate and unwelcoming land is 60 miles south in the flat Tularosa Basin, where for thousands of years the prevailing westerly winds have deposited gypsum powder - formerly eroded from the nearby San Andres Mountains, washed down by rainwater and deposited in the seasonal Lake Lucero, a few miles southwest - creating a huge area of white dunes covering 275 square miles. About half of the sands are within the boundaries of the White Sands National Monument, one of the most unusual and magical places in the Southwest.

The gypsum dunes support a limited range of wildlife, some of which has evolved white coloration to match the surroundings, and exist as species unique to this region, such as the white sands wood rat, the Apache pocket mouse, the white sands prairie lizard and the bleached earless lizard. The most prominent plant in the dunes is the soaptree yucca, a species with numerous thin narrow leaves and an extensive root system that can stabilize a mound of sand and remain in place after wind causes the surrounding dune to more away.

The San Antonio Messions

After 10,000 years, the people of South Texas found their cultures, their very lives under attack. In the early

1700s Apache raided from the north, deadly diseases traveled from Mexico, and drought lingered. Survival lay in the missions. By entering a mission, they foreswore their traditional life to become Spanish, accepting a new religion and pledging fealty to a distant and unseen king.

The Old Spanish Missions of San Antonio are a chain of five colonial era compounds located in a southern line from the center of downtown San Antonio to the southern edge of the city. They were established in the 18th Century as an outreach of the Spanish Government and the Catholic Church. The Franciscan Fathers founded each mission to evangelize the regional natives, teach them skills to help them adopt to Spanish ways, and minister to their needs. Additionally, the effort was to make them active citizens of the Spanish province of Tejas. Military forces were often located in the vicinity of each mission to offer protection.

Four of the five original missions still function as active Catholic parish Churches. They serve both a stable population of parish members as well as many visitors who attend worship services. These are Concepcion, San Jose, San Juan and Espada. They are operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Antonio as the Old Spanish Missions, Inc., an umbrella non-profit organization to provide for their care. The Archbishop of San Antonio appoints the Director of the Old Spanish Missions, who is responsible for the maintenance and restoration of the mission churches.

San Antonio de Valero, known as the Alamo, is owned by the State of Texas and operated by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. It does not function as an active parish church and is not part of the Old Spanish Missions, Inc.

Today the National Park Service operates the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park in collaboration with the Archdiocese. The Park Service is responsible for all the secular elements of the four compounds, including buildings, landscape and visitor centers. The Archdiocese continues to care solely for the church buildings.

You are welcome to explore these pages to learn more about the missions and to visit the churches and grounds of these historical, religious and cultural treasures. We also hope you will consider supporting the efforts to restore and preserve these precious monuments of our nation.


Overview: Through the rest of 2012, you'll need to drive along this tour. But starting in 2013, the restoration work should be finished on the mission trail. To check on the progress, visit San Antonio Mission Reach Project's website below.

The word mission usually connotes religion. It's true that San Antonio's missions revolved around religion and faith, but it doesn't describe the importance or full scope for any of them. Though intentionally created to spread the Catholic faith, missions are not churches. The church is merely one building among several in any mission. Each complex served as a separate, unique community.

All four churches — Mission Concepción's, Mission San José's, Mission San Juan Capistrano's, and Mission Espada's — have active Catholic congregations. Though the congregations haven't been continuously active since the 1700s, many of today's members are direct descendants of the Indians who built the churches.

In addition to the families, the missions served as the foundation for much of what you'll see in Texas today. The architecture, food, culture, textiles, and more all began in the missions in one way or another. Each is different and several served as important sites during the Texas Revolution.

When you visit the missions, be careful. These are historic structures and the masonry may not be able to hold your weight (such as if you decide to try and walk atop a retaining wall). Also, some structures may not be accessible due to restoration work or otherwise.

 They say the heart of San Antonio is The Alamo but the soul is truly our historic Missions.  Please join our 2nd Annual creative endurance endeavor as we run through all four historic Missions.   Celebrate our exciting new WORLD HERITAGE status while giving back to the legacy of the Missions and encouraging wellness & fitness among all.

A fast & flat course awaits you along the scenic Mission Reach corridor.  You will be treated to the beauty and heritage of all our active Missions.  Your Race Start journey begins at Mission Concepcion and runs right past the famous Rose Window and thru Missions San Jose & San Juan de Capistrano and just near Mission San Francisco Espada while being treated to the warmth, charm & hospitality of this vibrant community.

Your race entry will include a cool custom tech shirt in mens & womens cut, custom race bib, professional race chip timing, FREE Race Photos, classy Finisher’s Medal with sublimated ribbon, surprises along the route and an exciting Post Race Celebration that reflects our passion for these Missions.

Los Glaciares National Park

Of all Argentina's impressive landscapes, the sight of the immense glaciers stretching out infinitely and silently

Los Glaciares National Park
before you, may stay with you longest. This is the second largest national park in Argentina, extending along the Chilean border for over 170 km. Almost half of it is covered by the Southern Ice Cap; at 370 km long, it's the third largest in the world. From it, 13 major glaciers descend into two great lakes: Lago Argentino in the southeast and Lago Viedma to the northeast.

 Los Glaciares, of which 30% is covered by ice, can be divided in two parts, each corresponding with one of the two elongated big lakes partially contained by the park. Lake Argentino, 1,466 km2 (566 sq mi) and the largest in Argentina, is in the south, while Lake Viedma, 1,100 km2 (420 sq mi), is in the north. Both lakes feed the Santa Cruz River that flows down to Puerto Santa Cruz on the Atlantic. Between the two halves is a non-touristic zone without lakes called Zona Centro.

The northern half consists of part of Viedma Lake, the Viedma Glacier and a few minor glaciers, and a number of mountains very popular among fans of climbing and trekking, including Mount Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre.

The Iguazu National Park ,South America.

The Iguazu Falls park of South America contains one in every of the wonders of the plants, the Iguazu Falls

The Iguazu National Park

waterfalls or Cataratas del Iguazú in Spanish. situated on Argentina's northern border with Brazil, the Iguazu Falls attract nearly a pair of million guests every year creating it one in every of the foremost well-liked sites within the whole of South America. folks travel from everywhere the world to expertise the ability of 1 of the world's largest waterfalls. The Iguazu Falls park is additionally home to AN array of exotic flora and fauna. Since 1984 the park has benefited from its standing together of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites.

Joined by the waterfall stream to the waterfall park in Argentina, the Park includes necessary biological time from Center and South of South America with over 600,000 hectares of protected areas and another four hundred thousand of still primitive forests. it's a novel responsibility of joint actions between Brazilians and Argentines in an endeavor to preserve this necessary heritage.

Iguassu park was created in one939 by Decree N 1,035 °. it's south of Atlantic forest in Brazil (semidecidual stationary) is that the largest remnant of the house. Park panther (Panthera onca), cougar (Puma concolor), broad snout crocodilian (Caimanlatirostris), the purple-breasted parrot, a number of that area unit vulnerable Brazilian Fauna and Flora, consisting of representatives of the species, to guard the made variety (Amazona vinacea), harpy (Harpia harpyja), pink peroba (Aspidospermapolyneutron), ariticum (Rolliniasalicifolia), conifer (Araucariaaugustifolia), and also the scientific connection and lots of different species of interest.

The name of the waterfall park refers to the waterfall stream, that within the Guaraní language suggests that “large water”. It has 185,262.5 thousand hectares and homes a huge variety
The name Iguazu Falls originates from the native Guarani and Tupi tribes' words for “big” and “water”. consistent with native legend, the falls were created once AN furious god slashed the stream into 2 levels to thwart the escape makes an attempt of a gorgeous lady that had planned to marry WHO left him for an additional man. The waterfalls split the higher and lower levels of the large Iguazu Falls stream, that forms a major a part of the river, South America's second largest stream once the Amazon. Overall, the Iguazu Falls area unit created of a powerful 275 waterfalls with drops that change from 60-82 meters at the very best purpose. the sting of the higher highland, from that the water drops, stretches for one.7 miles and is shifting by varied islands that type the separate falls.

The average annual water flow terms, is numbered at the tip of the Iguazu Falls stream, North America's Niagara Falls. However, once the stream is at its highest Iguazu Falls, Iguazu Falls, 452,000 three-dimensional feet per second of water flow on the earth with the very best record of the most important waterfalls. the next altitude than that of Niagara Falls, and fewer than that of the restricted views of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, a number of the Iguazu Falls, the world's most spectacular waterfalls area unit set to argue that. In fact, the inspiration of the new Seven Wonders of the Iguazu Falls in Argentina, elite together of the New7Wonders of Nature.

Despite the large traveller charm of Iguazu Falls Park, authorities area unit keen to scale back the impact humans have upon the natural surroundings after they visit. Access to Iguazu Falls is restricted and a special “Rainforest Ecological Train” is employed to hold passengers from the park entrance, through the jungle and to the falls. as an alternative the falls are often reached via a series of forest trails of variable grades of problem. The park charges AN entrance money of around USD $25 to make sure that each Iguazu Falls park and Iguazu Falls, furthermore because the encompassing land and life, area unit preserved for future generations.

Redwood National Park

Sometimes, once the morning fog caresses the good trees, you'll imagine the past flowing through the long,

Redwood National Park

misty shadows … Brobdingnagian redwood forests flourishing across a lush and wet North America … when the ultimate geological period, a final stand here within the sustaining climate on the Pacific Coast … Tree when tree falling to the loggers. Then, in an exceedingly inhospitable moment, the past vanishes and you stand beside alternative guests, gazing up at the Earth's tallest living things. that's the essence of Redwood National and State Parks.

The park’s primary feature is that the coastal redwood forest, a living remnant of the cluster of trees that has existed for a hundred and sixty million years and was once found throughout several of the wet temperate regions of the globe, however is currently confined to the wet regions of the West Coast of North America. The park contains a number of the tallest and oldest noted trees within the world. made sea-coast, marine and fresh stream flora and fauna also are gift within the 2 distinctive physiographic environments of outline and coastal mountains that embody the wood forest and stream communities.

Congress in 1978 that has been offered for regarding  36000, together with  48000 acres of National Park's fifty eight,000 acres additional. Raw, clear land, a park official wrote, "look is a vigorous combat area." Today, associate epic earth-moving project could be a Renaissance-worker redwood logs over Brobdingnagian stretches of land is fastened. For work road sliced away hillsides, is being improved. Most of the four hundred miles of road square measure being removed. It seedlings replanted Redwood modest increase within the size of the logs within the invisible scars and for one more 250 years approximately, it'll take a minimum of fifty years.

 In late 2006, naturalists discovered a replacement world's tallest tree close to the first Tall Tree, whose discovery diode to the creation of Redwood parkland within the Nineteen Sixties. set in an exceedingly remote grove, the new titlist is named Hyperion and stands 379.1 feet tall, nearly six stories taller than the statue of Liberty.

The Victoria Falls

The Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.Victoria Falls presents a spectacular

sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, forming the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. In more modern terms Victoria Falls is known as the greatest curtain of falling water in the world.

The Victoria Falls

Falls David Livingstone who named them in honor of Queen Victoria, the British doctor and a missionary, was discovered in 1855 by. Local "Mosi-OA-: Tunya" ("thunders smoking"), this is called Nature's Miracle and was afraid to even get close to it. Livingstone daring to cross the continent from south to north to the Dark was the first European. African Christians are aimed at bringing the expedition, accompanied by one of the tribes of the 300 warriors, but only two of them had the courage to get close to the waterfall.

Victoria Falls MapFor a long time the waterfall remained practically without any visitors, until the construction of the railroad in 1905. Nowadays, this place is named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Locals from both Zambia and Zimbabwe have lost their fears of the "Smoke That Thunders" and they have successfully developed tourist business on both sides of the river.

Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge, over a width of nearly two kilometers, into a gorge over one hundred meters below.

Falling water from the spray and mist rises up to 400 meters and is visible from a distance of 50 kilometers when his voice, to be heard 40 kilometers away. Produced by light reflected off the surface of the moon: the "moon" is kind of - even the rainbow is incredible here.

One special vantage point is across the Knife-edge Bridge, where visitors can have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls as well as the Boiling Pot, where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge. Other vantage points include the Falls Bridge, Devils Pool and the Lookout Tree, both of which command panoramic views across the Main Falls.

Curiously, during the dry season that lasts approximately from September to December, water level in Zambezi river falls, and one can walk through the most part of the waterfall, jumping between the streams that are running down. However, at all other times, Victoria is a roaring machine, the power of which leaves an unforgettable impression.

Wide, basalt on Cliff Falls Thunder, a ferocious torrent cutting through a series of dramatic Gorges in a tranquil river transforms the Zambezi.

Facing the waterfall of the same height, another sheer wall of basalt, and capped by mist-soaked rain forest. A path along the edge of the forest with a view unparalleled series of waterfalls, offers the visitor ready to brave the tremendous spray.

 One of the peculiar ways of entertainment at Victoria, hardly known to the mainstream tourists — is a natural pool, about ten meters wide, located right next to the cliff, next to the Livingstone's island. Just a narrow strip separates it from the deep precipice. No wonder that his place was called "Devil's Pool".

After getting into this pool the swimmer can feel how tons and tons of swirling water plummet nearby. This pool is closed during the high-water season, as the swimmers can be dragged by the current into the precipice, so the tours to this pool only start in autumn.

 

Snoqualmie Falls ,Washington.

Snoqualmie Falls

Snoqualmie Falls is one in every of Washington state’s most well liked scenic attractions. over one.5 million guests return to the Falls once a year. At the falls, you may realize novelty shop, observation deck, the Salish Lodge and also the celebrated 270 foot body of water.The falls area unit 270 feet and drop into a sixty five foot deep pool.

The park is open from dawn till gloaming and is free (including parking).  Pets area unit allowed, however they're needed to get on leash. many viewing platforms area unit adenosine deaminase approved, therefore everybody ought to be able to get a decent check up on the falls.

Snoqualmie Falls may be a 268 linear unit (82 m) body of water on the Snoqualmie watercourse between Snoqualmie and Fall town, Washington, USA. it's one in every of Washington's most well liked scenic attractions, however is probably best best-known internationally for its look within the cult tv series Twin Peaks. there's a 2 acre (0.8 ha) park, AN observation deck, and a present search.

 It's fabricated from 2 power homes.Most of the watercourse is pleased into the facility plants, however from time to time the watercourse is high enough to flow across the complete drop-off, that creates AN virtually dazzling spray. High water happens following a amount of significant rains or snow followed by heat rainy weather. this will occur throughout the time of year that lasts from November through March. throughout high water, the falls withstand a curtain kind.

The falls were initial appointive  for the National Register of Historic Places in 1992 as a conventional cultural property for its association with the beliefs of the Snoqualmie folks. However, the landowner, sound Energy, objected to the listing. The falls were later on determined eligible for listing within the National Register. The homeowners rescinded their objection and on September a pair of, 2009, the falls were formally listed within the National Register.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Plitvice Lakes National  is one of the oldest national parks in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. In 1979, Plitvice Lakes National Park was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

Within the boundaries of this heavily wooded park, sixteen crystalline lakes tumble into one another via a series of waterfalls and cascades. The mineral-rich waters carve through the rock, depositing tufa in frequently dynamic  formations. Clouds of butterflies drift on top of the 18km of wood footbridges and pathways that snake round the edges and beneath and across the rumbling water.

Each year, over one.1 million guests ar recorded.Entrance is subject to variable charges, up to one hundred eighty kuna or around $32USD per adult in high season .

It takes upwards of six hours to explore the lakes on foot, otherwise you will slice 2 hours off by taking advantage of the park's free boats and buses (departing each half-hour from April to October). From Entrance two, catch the bus to the highest of the higher lakes and wander go into reverse to the shore of Kozjak , the park's largest lake (about 4km in length). a ship can whisk you from here to the lower lakes, wherever the circuit culminates within the competently named Veliki Slap , the tallest water in European nation (78m). the trail then climbs steeply (offering nice views and image opportunities) to a stop, wherever you'll grab a elevate back to Entrance two.

The park was supported in 1949 and is placed within the mountainous karst space of central European nation, at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The necessary north-south road affiliation, that passes through the park space, connects the Croatian midland with the sea coastal region.

The protected space extends over 296.85 sq. kilometres (73,350 acres). concerning ninetieth of this space is an element of Lika-Senj County, whereas the remaining 100% is an element of Karlovac County.

The Plitvice Lakes National Park is also home to many spectacular waterfalls. One of the most popular is the Veliki Splat (‘the big splash’). This is a 100 foot tall waterfall, formed as a result of limestone laden water from a lake on one side of the mountain, boring through the rock to the other side. The water thus gushes out of a rock and drops down to a beautiful lake below. The Veliki Splat is surrounded by a rocky terrain to which tourists have full access. Climbing onto the rocky terrain brings you up, close and personal with the falls. People like to sit there, listening to the roar of the falls, feeling gentle sprays of water and catching a glimpse of colorful fish.

The park boasts of a rich variety of animal and bird species. Some rare animals which can be seen in the Plitvice include the European brown bear, wild cat, lynx and wolf. The park is also home to over 126 species of birds, 70 of which have been recorded to breed there. Some of its more unique bird varieties include the elusive owl, the eagle and capercaillie. All the species can be found among the park’s forested terrain, which contains tree species such as the beech, spruce and fir.