Wonders of the National Parks: A Geology of North America

Overview

Course No. 1707

From Yellowstone to the Everglades, join geologist and National Geographic director Ford Cochran on a fascinating scientific tour of all of America’s national parks.

There’s no better education in Earth’s geological forces than North America’s national parks. These 36 lectures reveal the dramatic stories hidden beneath the scenic vistas—from colliding tectonic plates that built mountain ranges, to glaciers that carved valleys, to volcanoes that reshaped entire regions. Covering every U.S. national park plus exceptional preserves in Canada and Mexico, this course explores:

• Cataclysmic origins of Yellowstone’s supervolcano and Hawaii’s lava flows

• Ancient collisions that created the Appalachians and Rockies

• Erosive power behind the Grand Canyon and Badlands formations

• Unique ecosystems from coral reefs to giant sequoia forests

No scientific background needed—just curiosity to uncover how these iconic landscapes formed over billions of years. Perfect for travelers and armchair explorers alike!

Video Lectures

Module 1: Volcanic Wonders

1. Yellowstone: Microcosm of the National Parks (36 min)
   • Geysers, hot springs, and the supervolcano beneath this iconic park.

2. Yellowstone’s Cataclysmic Origins and Future (34 min)
   • Ancient eruptions and the park’s eventual destruction.

• Hawaii Volcanoes: Earth’s Largest Mountains (30 min)
  • Hotspot volcanism and fiery lava rivers.

6. Mount Saint Helens, Lassen Volcanic, Rainier (29 min)
   • Active Cascades volcanoes and Mexico’s fiery peaks.

Module 2: Glaciers & Granite

9. Alaska’s Glacier Bay and Kenai Fjords (29 min)
   • How glaciers form, advance, and retreat (plus the “candy bar” analogy!).

• Yosemite: Nature’s Cathedral (33 min)
  • Granite cliffs and glacial valleys behind Ansel Adams’ photos.

31. Montana’s Glacier and the Canadian Rockies (32 min)
    • Glacier-sculpted terrain in disappearing ice fields.

Module 3: Canyons & Deserts

24. The Grand Canyon’s 2-Billion-Year Staircase (34 min)
    • Descend through rock layers revealing Earth’s epic history.

27. Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches (31 min)
    • Hoodoos, natural arches, and the Colorado Plateau’s erosion art.

• Death Valley and Great Basin: The Rift Zone (30 min)
  • North America’s lowest, hottest, driest landscape.

Module 4: Ancient Mountains

15. Shenandoah: The Collision of Old Continents (33 min)
    • Appalachians: remnants of Himalayan-scale peaks.

• The Colorado Rocky Mountains (31 min)
  • Tectonic forces behind the continent’s backbone.

13. Denali to Gates of the Arctic (35 min)
    • Alaska’s towering subduction-built peaks.

Module 5: Coastal & Marine Parks

19. National Seashores and Lakeshores (30 min)
    • Dunes, lagoons, and dynamic shores from Cape Cod to Apostle Islands.

20. Reefs: Virgin Islands, Florida, Texas (28 min)
    • Coral ecosystems and ancient fossilized reefs.

• The Everglades and Congaree Bottomland (33 min)
  • Limestone wetlands and proto-Africa’s geological legacy.

Module 6: Hidden Worlds

33. Mammoth Cave, Wind Cave, Carlsbad Caverns (31 min)
    • Underground labyrinths carved by water and acid.

• Petrified Forest and Other Fossil Parks (30 min)
  • Dinosaur-era trees and prehistoric ecosystems.

29. Mesa Verde and Ancient Settlements (30 min)
    • Cliff dwellings engineered into sandstone.

Module 7: North America’s Story

• Assembling North America, Park by Park (42 min)
  • Continent’s geological saga from Appalachians to Aleutians.