A provincial park (or territorial park ) is a park administered by one of the provinces of a country, as opposed to a national park . They are similar to state parks in other countries. They are typically open to the public for recreation. Their environment may be more or less strictly protected.
24-432: Nā Pali Coast State Park is a 6,175-acre (2,499 ha) state park in the U.S. state of Hawaii , located in the center of the rugged 16-mile (26 km) northwest side of Kauaʻi , the second-oldest inhabited Hawaiian island . The Nā Pali coast itself extends southwest from Keʻe Beach all the way to Polihale State Park . The nā pali (many cliffs ) along the shoreline rise as much as 4,000 feet (1,200 m) above
48-502: A helicopter , and from the ocean by kayak and paddleboard . Charter tours are available on rigid-hulled inflatable boat or catamaran , originating from Port Allen and Hanalei Bay . The Kalalau Trail from the end of Hawaii Route 560 (called the Kuhio Highway) provides the only land access along the coast, traversing 11 miles (18 km) and crossing five major valleys (and many smaller ones) before reaching Kalalau Beach at
72-516: A land lease from the U.S. government , while Mackinac National Park was handed down to become the first of the Michigan state parks . As with national parks, facilities at state parks are often leased to concessionaires to operate. Breaks Interstate Park is operated under an interstate compact by Virginia state parks , although it is also one of the Kentucky state parks , straddling both sides of
96-572: A few exceptions such as Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, and Wood-Tikchik State Park in Alaska, the largest state park in the United States . In addition to preserving natural landscapes and providing recreational opportunities, many state parks also serve as important educational resources . They often offer guided tours, interpretive programs, and exhibits that help visitors learn about
120-683: A restaurant) for lodging at some parks. These typically use "Resort" in the name, such as "_____ Resort State Park" in West Virginia state parks and "_____ State Resort Park" in neighboring Kentucky state parks , which has 17 such resort parks, the most of any state. Other states use the Resort name inconsistently (like DeGray Lake Resort State Park , the only one out of three resorts in Arkansas state parks ), or have only one such park ( South Carolina state parks ' Hickory Knob State Resort Park ), or do not use
144-866: Is a provincial protected area in the north-east of San Juan Province , north-western Argentina. The Aconcagua Provincial Park is in Mendoza Province . The highest point is the north summit of the Cerro Aconcagua at 6,962 metres (22,841 ft). The Parque Provincial Pereyra Iraola is the largest urban park in the Buenos Aires Province . It is the richest center of biodiversity in the province. Provincial parks in Belgium ( Dutch : provinciale domeinen , French : domaines provinciaux ) include Bois des Rêves, Chevetogne, Hélécine, Palogne, and Wégimont. These are typically public areas administered by
168-610: Is the 2,355,200-hectare (5,820,000-acre) Polar Bear Provincial Park on Hudson Bay . Although provincial parks in Canada are not the same as national parks , their structures and purposes are very similar. The provincial and territorial parks systems generally have various park categories. Parks may be ecological reserves without facilities for use by the general public, day use parks or recreational parks that offer many services to visitors, often including bicycle , canoe , or kayak rentals, camping sites, hiking trails and beaches . In
192-601: The Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales . The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa, and Belgium, is provincial park . Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies. State parks are thus similar to national parks , but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, local government entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., regional parks or county parks . In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with
216-650: The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration . Provincial park Provincial parks ( Spanish : Parques Provinciales ) in the Misiones Province of Argentina include the Urugua-í Provincial Park and Esmeralda Provincial Park . The Ischigualasto Provincial Park , also called Valle de la Luna ("Valley of the Moon" or "Moon Valley") due to its otherworldly appearance,
240-670: The Pacific Ocean . The state park was formed to protect the Kalalau Valley . To the east of the state park is the Hono O Nā Pali State Natural Reserve . It was established in 1983 and later extended to over 3,578 acres (14.5 km) in 2009. Hiking trails and hunters' roads provide access to the sharp ridges from Koke'e Road (route 550) in Waimea Canyon . Although inaccessible to vehicles, this coast can be enjoyed over land by hiking or in
264-490: The province for outdoor recreation such as swimming, canoeing, hiking and camping, with few or no fully protected portions. Provincial parks in Canada are protected areas of land and/or water designated by one of the provincial governments to protect nature or historical sites and to support recreation, tourism and education. The first provincial park, Queen Victoria Park in Niagara Falls , opened in 1888. The largest
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#1733106846153288-654: The Nā Pali Coast were sighted in the 20th century. Camping in Nā Pali Coast State Park is only allowed with a valid permit. There are three sites that allow camping access. During the summer season from May 15 to September 7, access from the ocean via boat or kayak is only allowed with a valid camping permit. Along the Kalalau Trail , the two authorized spots for camping are in Kalalau and Hanakoa. Both are covered by
312-788: The Venda mountains in the northern part of the Limpopo province of South Africa . Mokolo Dam Provincial Park almost surrounds the Mokolo Dam on the Mokolo River . It is located 32 km south of Lephalale , just northeast of the Marakele National Park and not far from the Lapalala Game Reserve . Letaba Ranch Provincial Park in Limpopo Province is north of Phalaborwa , next to
336-451: The base of Kalalau Valley . Side trails along the way lead to waterfalls in the valleys above. The Nā Pali Coast was formed 5 million years ago, when a massive amount of water spilled onto the northwest side of the island, carving its valleys. The first settlers on the Nā Pali Coast were Polynesian navigators around 1200 AD. Soon after, many Tahitian migrants followed, shaping the culture of Kauai and other Hawaiian islands today. The coast
360-731: The country's state parks. The NASPD further counts over 43,000 miles (69,000 km) of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks. The largest state park system in the United States is Alaska State Parks , with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres. Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems. Other designations might be state recreation areas , state beaches, and state nature reserves . Some state park systems include long-distance trails and historic sites . To encourage tourism in rural areas, several states have simple lodges, inns, hotels, or motels (usually with
384-474: The designation at all (such as the lodges of Georgia state parks ). The term "lodge" may also refer to a hiking lodge , essentially a large cabin for hikers rather than a large facility with private rooms and a restaurant. Other lodging may include yurts and tipis . Not all parks owned by a state are necessarily part of its state-park system, such as Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta. Some Texas state parks are
408-484: The local flora , fauna , geology , and cultural history of the area. These programs are designed not only to enhance the visitor experience but also to promote conservation awareness and encourage responsible enjoyment of natural resources. There are 6,792 state park units in the United States, according to the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD). There are some 813 million annual visits to
432-458: The province of Quebec , the provincial parks are labelled "national parks" and are all IUCN category II protected areas (like at the federal level, and as opposed to many provincial parks), and are managed by Société des établissements de plein air du Québec . Many parks in the other provinces have the IUCN designation. Nwanedi Provincial Park is a scenic nature and game reserve on the foothills of
456-508: The same permit and can be accessed by hiking. These locations include facilities to accommodate campers. Five nights is the maximum stay on the Kalalau Trail, and one night maximum for Hanakoa. The camp site at Miloli'i is only accessible by boat or kayak. Permits allow access for maximum of three days. Composting toilets are available at all three camp sites. State park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at
480-469: The state line. Other multi-state parks are legally two separate parks with the same name and more informal cooperation between them. The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by Niagara Falls State Park in New York , established in 1885. Several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it. Indian Springs State Park has been operated continuously by
504-454: The state of Georgia as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931. In 1864 Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were ceded by the federal government to California until Yosemite National Park was proclaimed in 1890. In 1878 Wisconsin set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years. Mackinac National Park
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#1733106846153528-497: The sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each U.S. state , some of the Mexican states , and in Brazil . The term is also used in
552-507: Was a center for trade between Hanalei , Waimea and Niʻihau , and branched out to nearby island colonies. After Kauai was visited by Captain Cook in 1778, many Westerners began traveling to the island. As more foreigners arrived, the Hawaiian tribes along the Nā Pali Coast, where Nā Pali Coast State Park now exists, began to die off from Western diseases. The last known native Hawaiians to live along
576-468: Was established in 1875 as the second U.S. national park before being converted to a state park in 1895. The first state park with the designation of "state park" was Itasca State Park in Minnesota , established in 1891. Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks (and several national ones) across the country were developed with assistance from federal job-creation programs like
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