Experience our nation’s national parks, at least the western sector, without venturing too far from home. The Western ...

An 89-year-old woman who had never seen the ocean or mountains is now trying to visit all of the 61 national parks in the United States. Joy Ryan, of Ohio, said she rarely vacationed.

Since then, the U.S. government has been protecting vast swaths of the natural landscape by creating 61 national parks that keep conditions pristine and accessible to hikers and nature lovers.