From the verdant rivers and summits of the east coast to the rocky deserts of the western United States, the US National Parks are filled with geologic wonder. In the course you will learn about these protected lands as we investigate their geology while acknowledging the native and indigenous peoples who were stewards of this land for thousands of years before us. We will split the US National Parks into regions: 1) The Pacific NW, 2) Intermountain West, 3) the Midwest, 4) East, 5) Islands, and 6) Alaska. While we will not have formal lecture on the geology of all of the national parks, you will have multiple opportunities throughout the semester to research national parks of your choice and deliver a presentation using a variety of methods. Throughout the course you will have opportunities to explore our natural world on and off campus. We will use our neighboring national park – The Blue Ridge Parkway – as a place to learn about local geology. We will hear from park staff and researchers. We will take advantage of the local community offerings for recreating in the outdoors – guided hikes, trips through ASU’s Outdoor Programs, etc.
