National Park Foundation Releases "Happy Trails," A FREE Online Guide to Great National Park Hikes at www.NationalParks.org

Plus, Experience "Trail Talk," Where YOU Ask the Questions to America's National Park Rangers

WASHINGTON, July 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ever wonder about the best hikes, sites and activities in America's national parks? Or are you unsure about how you should plan your next visit to a national park or what you should pack? The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's National Parks, is here to help!  Today, NPF unveils Happy Trails, a new guide highlighting 25 unforgettable national park hikes spanning all levels of expertise.  Visit www.nationalparks.org to get your FREE copy today.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090630/DC40408LOGO)

In addition, NPF is proud to feature, Trail Talk, where park fans can ask their questions to America's national park rangers.  Done in partnership with Merrell, the interactive interview series with national park rangers can help you plan the perfect national park adventure.  The public is invited to submit questions for the Trail Talk series via the NPF and Merrell Facebook pages, which are www.facebook.com/nationalpark and www.facebook.com/merrell, respectively.

The National Park Foundation's Happy Trails guide invites Americans to not only take an active role in preserving their parks, but to also take time to explore and enjoy some of the spectacular hikes America has to offer, some of which include:

Big Thicket National Preserve, Texas
Beaver Slide, 1.5 mile loop
The short walk passes by several ponds formed by old beaver dams. Ethereal cypress trees rise from still waters, their knees poking the pond's surface.

Everglades National Park, Florida
Anhinga, .8 miles roundtrip
Starting at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, the wheelchair-accessible path winds through sawgrass marsh. Wildlife viewing abounds, especially in winter. Look for alligators, turtles, herons, egrets, and, of course, anhingas.

Point Reyes National Seashore, California
Coast-Laguna, 5 mile loop
Experience some of these varied landscapes on the Coast Trail via the Laguna Trail. Laguna Trail leads through coastal scrub. Look for Anna's hummingbird, which feeds year-round on Indian paintbrush and bush monkey flower.

For a complete list of great hikes, visit www.nationalparks.org/explore/download-center.  There, visitors will also have access to other great resources from the National Park Foundation including the "Owner's Guide" – a comprehensive guidebook to America's nearly 400 national parks.  

Help support America's national parks.  Join the National Park Foundation.

About The National Park Foundation
You are the owner of 84 million acres of the world's most treasured landscapes, ecosystems, and historic sites -- all protected in America's nearly 400 national parks. Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America's national parks. We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow.

Join us – This is Your Land. www.nationalparks.org
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/nationalpark
TWITTER http://twitter.com/goparks

Contact: Alanna Sobel, National Park Foundation, [email protected], (202) 354-6480

SOURCE National Park Foundation