The National Parks: America’s Best Idea Dvd – Explore Iconic Parks & History

I've had the privilege of visiting numerous national parks in the western U.S. so was looking forward to receiving this DVD series. As usual, Ken Burns and his crew did a remarkable job. I especially enjoyed the extras on each disc with behind-the-scenes footage and discussions with people involved in putting this documentary together. The documentary also makes you reflect on what these areas would be today if commercial interests and developers were successful in stopping the national park designations.
A big 5 stars!

I bought this DVD especially to watch it on National Park Service Day, August 25th,as well as the month of August "National Park Month." As well as having great still photography and cinematography, it goes into detailed history of the national parks even before the designation of Yellowstone as the world's first national park. There is not just the miniseries, itself, but special features such as the famous Buffalo Soldiers, narrated, and hosted, by an African American ranger named Shelton Johnson. There are such great scenes as grizzly bears at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, Alaska's vast wilderness, the Grand Canyon, Glacier National Park, and Acadia's rugged shoreline. It features people such as John Muir, Horace Albright(founder of the National Park Service), and Theodore Roosevelt. I learned from this DVD as though I were part of this living classroom. It inspired me to visit Acadia National Park and to share, with others, the significance of our national parks and the thankfulness of being an American. If you have even the slightest love for the beauty of God's grand creation., buy this DVD. THE PHOTOS POSTED ARE PHOTOS I TOOK IN THE NATIONAL PARKS THIS DOCUMENTARY PROMOTES.

Ken Burns is of course, a great documentary filmmaker, perhaps the greatest ever. (What other documentary filmmaker has an “effect” named after him?) But with “The National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” Burns is transcendent. It is not only a great, great documentary, it needs to be seen by every American. In Utah, where I live, there is a current furor over President Obama possibly declaring a new National Monument at Bear’s Ears. This is a situation where environmentalists want it, Native Americans want it, but the state government, certain locals and certain corporate interests are dead set against it, claiming it will cost jobs, damage the economy, violate state rights, impede needed development etc. How extraordinary to find that these same competing viewpoints have been going on for over 150 years ever since Abraham Lincoln set aside Yosemite as the Nation’s first protected area.
The 12-hour documentary has astounding footage of the parks and their fauna and flora. It has heroes and villains galore. I suppose what is truly astonishing is how the heroes, like John Muir, Charles Young, George Bird Grinnell, Stephen Mather, Harold Ickes, Stuart Yudall, Adolph Murie, and Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, could face down such powerful opposition and persevere. It is a good reminder to us to neither be shocked by greedy ignorance, nor to give up our efforts.
The documentary also brilliantly interweaves history and peoples’ stories as the Park system evolves. It covers almost 200 years of history, but if there is one take home point it is this: the National Parks remind us that we are Americans first, not Utahns, not Texans, not New Yorkers – we are Americans. This is OUR country and we must preserve it.
I have had a fortunate life. I have been to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and seen new land being created from molten lava. I have taken river trips through the Grand Canyon, Canyonlands, and Dinosaur National Monument. I have done extensive hiking from the rivers in those parks. I have seen the great redwoods and sequoias, I have seen the Tetons, and yet as I watched this documentary, I find myself wishing that I had spent more time when I was younger, truly immersing myself in as many parks as I could. Not driving through them, but walking, sitting, being. I can only wish that my children and grandchildren can experience this unique heritage that Ken Burns has shown us so beautifully.

Another great Burns effort. When i first saw this series on PBS I was glued to it. Maybe that's a sign I'm getting old, I don't know. I just know that as a kid I traveled to many National Parks with my family and though we always had fun, the history of the parks never mattered to me. Things have changed. I still love the parks, but the history is fascinating.

Did you know that the Roosevelts, Rockefellers and many other prominent, historically significant Americans played a major role in preserving land for future generations? I came away from school just thinking they were monopolistic, greedy jerks that didn't give a hoot about anything but money. Wrong. Did you know that the USA gave birth to the idea of National Parks? Do you know why some are called National Parks, while others are called monuments? Which came first - the parks or the Park Service? What role did immigrants play in our National Parks? All this information...not to mention the beauty. Unspeakable beauty in many cases - literally taking your breath away.

This may not be for everyone. If your idea of a perfect vacation is relaxing in a city, sipping Starbucks, marveling at the skyline and calling in some take-out - you may not appreciate this as much as I did. Having said that, this may be a great way to visit the parks without having to pack the kids and car up and make a long road trip.

Beautifully done.

I think you Americans are the luckiest people in the World. While many countries have spectacular places (including some great ones in my home country Australia)the scenes I witnessed in the Ken Burns masterpiece of film making, you are blessed to have had some visionary people to save the areas known as The National Parks. They are truly breath taking sights and the brilliance of Ken Burns to put it all together as a permanent record of those places is truly amazing.
I have been fortunate to visit Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Sequoia National parks with my family and found them fascinating, but this documentary has made me want to come back and visit them all and to really experience something truly special. I was literally blown away by the beauty and majesty of these places, and the BluRay only enhanced my viwewing pleasure. I learnt so much from watching this documentary and certainly looked at Teddy Roosevelt in a new and much better light. He and people like John Muir were true visionaries and the pioneers of today's environmental movement. Without them and others, you probably wouldn't have these great National Parks that you now enjoy.
It was great to have actual National Parks rangers on the program, as well as noted historians. And I defy anyone not to be touched and moved by the personal experiences of some of these people on disc 6 when they recall their visits to the parks. If you aren't, you surely have a heart of stone.
Take the time to buy this documentary, sit down and enjoy some fascinating people and even more spectacular sights. The voice overs are great and the narration of Peter Coyote is moving and passionate.
I bought Prohibition earler this year and found that excellent, but I think The National Parks-America's Best Idea will prove to be Ken Burns' greatest project and a true masterpiece. Even if you don't live in America, be prepared to be dazzled by brilliant film making and photography to view places and sights that are truly breath taking, and to be thankful for the people who created these parks for the benefit of all people, not just Americans, to enjoy and marvel at.