Wild Dirt

Crater Lake National Park Travel Guide. Crater Lake National Park in southern Oregon protects one of the deepest and clearest lakes on Earth. Formed nearly 7,700 years ago after the collapse of Mount Mazama, the lake fills a massive volcanic caldera with water of astonishing depth and color.

National Park of American Samoa Travel Guide. The National Park of American Samoa spans three volcanic islands: Tutuila, Taʻū, and Ofu, encompassing tropical rainforests, coral reefs, and Samoan villages. As the only U.S. national park in the Southern Hemisphere, it protects a unique Polynesian culture and biodiversity. Visitors can snorkel among giant clams, hike rainforest ridges, and experience fa'asamoa, the Samoan way of life.

Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California is one of the few places on Earth where all four types of volcanoes can be found in a single region. Steaming fumaroles, boiling mudpots, and clear mountain lakes dot its wild landscape. The park centers on Lassen Peak, the world's largest plug-dome volcano, which last erupted from 1914 to 1917. Visitors can explore forests, wildflower meadows, and hydrothermal areas in relative solitude.