The National Parks: America's Best Idea

The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009)

EndedDocumentary showHistory

Filmed over the course of more than six years at some of nature's most spectacular locales – from Acadia to Yosemite, Yellowstone to the Grand Canyon, the Everglades of Florida to the Gates of the Arctic in Alaska - The National Parks: America's Best Idea is nonetheless a story of people: people from every conceivable background – rich and poor; famous and unknown; soldiers and scientists; natives and newcomers; idealists, artists and entrepreneurs; people who were willing to devote themselves to saving some precious portion of the land they loved, and in doing so reminded their fellow citizens of the full meaning of democracy.

Network
ScheduleMonday - Sunday (daily) at 20:00 (120 min)

Last Episode

The Morning of Creation (1946-1980)
Season 1Episode 6120 min

The Morning of Creation (1946-1980)

Following World War II, the parks are overwhelmed as visitation reaches 62 million people a year. A new billion-dollar campaign—Mission 66—is created to build facilities and infrastructure that can accommodate the flood of visitors. A biologist named Adolph Murie introduces the revolutionary notion that predatory animals, which are still hunted, deserve the same protection as other wildlife. In Florida, Lancelot Jones, the grandson of a slave, refuses to sell to developers his family's property on a string of unspoiled islands in Biscayne Bay and instead sells it to the federal government to be protected as a national monument. In the late 1970s, President Jimmy Carter creates an uproar in Alaska when he sets aside 56 million acres of land for preservation—the largest expansion of protected land in history. In 1995, wolves are re-established in Yellowstone, making the world's first national park a little more like what it once was.

Oct 2, 2009

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E06The Morning of Creation (1946-1980)Oct 2, 2009
S01E05Great Nature (1933-1945)Oct 1, 2009
S01E04Going Home (1920-1933)Sep 30, 2009
S01E03The Empire of Grandeur (1915-1919)Sep 29, 2009
S01E02The Last Refuge (1890-1915)Sep 28, 2009
View all episodesView all seasons

Frequently Asked Questions  Warning: Spoilers

When did 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' premiere?

'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' premiered on September 27, 2009.

Who directed 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'?

'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' was directed by Ken Burns.

How many episodes are in the first season of 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'?

'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' is a six-episode miniseries.

Who wrote the score for 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'?

The score for 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' was composed by Florentine Films.

What is 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' about?

'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' chronicles the history of the United States' national parks system.

How long is each episode of 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'?

Each episode of 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' is approximately 120 minutes long.

Was 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' a critical success?

Yes, 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' was critically acclaimed and won three Emmy Awards.

Where does 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' take viewers?

'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' takes viewers on a journey through some of the most breathtaking landscapes in America, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, and the Grand Canyon.

Who narrates 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'?

The narration for 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' is provided by Peter Coyote.

What is the ultimate goal of 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea'?

The ultimate goal of 'The National Parks: America's Best Idea' is to inspire viewers to cherish and preserve America's national parks for future generations.

Cast

Peter Coyote

Peter Coyote

voices himself
Ken Burns

Ken Burns

plays himself
Dayton Duncan

Dayton Duncan

plays himself
View all cast

Characters

Narrator

Narrator

voiced by Peter Coyote
Filmmaker

Filmmaker

played by Ken Burns
Filmmaker

Filmmaker

played by Dayton Duncan
View all characters

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