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15 natural wonders in the US that are under threat

Form coast to coast, but in danger of disappearing.

America is home to some of the world’s most stunning natural wonders, but many of these sights are increasingly under threat from climate change and pollution.

While some are slowly experiencing change, others are deteriorating at a more rapid rate.

These are just 19 incredible and natural American sights that travellers should see before it’s too late.

With over 700 miles of trails, Montana’s Glacier National Park is a paradise for hikers and those seeking up-close encounters with nature. Once home to more than 150 glaciers, the park now has fewer than 25 and is potentially at risk of losing all of its glaciers in the next 15 years thanks to climate change. 

shutterstock_110500340 Shutterstock / puttsk Shutterstock / puttsk / puttsk

The oldest national park in America, Yellowstone is famous for its array of wildlife and its stunning geysers, like Old Faithful. The park is suffering due to infrastructure problems, air pollution and the decline of its white bark pines.

shutterstock_125026373 Shutterstock / Lorcel Shutterstock / Lorcel / Lorcel

The Grand Canyon was listed as one of the 11 most endangered historic places in the US by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It earned a spot on the list due to increased development projects there, which range from uranium mining to tourist resorts.

Endangered Historic Places-Photo Gallery AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Denali National Park and Preserve is home to 6 million acres of Alaskan wilderness and the highest mountain peak in North America. Climate change has led to increases in melting glaciers and reduced snowfall, which is affecting its wildlife. 

shutterstock_125219447 Shutterstock / Galyna Andrushko Shutterstock / Galyna Andrushko / Galyna Andrushko

Joshua Tree National Park’s famous tree-sized yuccas and the animals that depend on them are becomingly increasingly threatened by rising temperatures and decreased moisture levels. 

Joshua Tree National Park AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Many people go to Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska for bear-watching, but severe threats from climate change and mining are endangering the park’s precious ecosystem. 

ALASKA OUTDOORS AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

The Big Sur region of California offers visitors awesome whale-watching opportunities, but recent droughts and wildfires have been harming the coastal region, leading to fewer sightings of the aquatic mammals every year. 

Big Sur AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Underneath the Mendenhall Glacier in Mendenhall Valley, Alaska, are its breathtaking ice caves and their ice-capped domes. But the caves continue to melt each year. 

shutterstock_148397504 Shutterstock / Sean Lema Shutterstock / Sean Lema / Sean Lema

Glaciers mantled Mount Rainier for most or all of its 500,000-year lifespan, but they have been continuously retreating due to increasingly warmer summers over the last 30 years. 

Mount Rainier Bodies Recovered AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan is known for its colourful sandstone cliffs and array of waterfalls, beaches, and forests. But the rise of air and water temperatures, plus a reduction in ice coverage, are beginning to affect the area’s natural ecosystem. 

Michigan Tourism AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

California’s Sequoia National Park is home to a dramatic landscape of rugged foothills. Its famed giant sequoia trees have been becoming increasingly vulnerable due to higher numbers of wildfires. 

California Drought Giant Sequoias AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

The oldest of the Hawaiian Islands, Kauai has pristine beaches, rain forests, lush hiking trails, and magnificent waterfalls. Already at a risk factor for flooding, hurricanes, tsunamis, and coastal erosion, the island could see an increase in these hazards as climate change continues to lead to rising sea levels on its coasts. 

KAUAI DROWNINGS-HAWAII AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

At Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, visitors are treated to a rich scenery of shimmering lakes, alpine terrain, and the Teton Range. Besides its landscape, the park is also popular for fishing thanks to its high trout population, but warmer water temperatures are threatening their numbers. 

shutterstock_172114196 Shutterstock / puttsk Shutterstock / puttsk / puttsk

Florida’s Biscayne National Park is a highly popular snorkelling destination thanks to its rare combination of coral reefs and emerald islands. Climate change has resulted in warmer seas, coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and hurricanes that are causing stag horn and elk horn coral to die at a staggering rate.

KEYS ALGAE BLOOM AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

At Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan, you can take in spectacular lake views from bluffs that tower 450 feet above the shore. Its prized dunes and beaches are suffering from invasive algae species, invasive mussel species, and rising phosphate levels. 

shutterstock_212351545 Shutterstock / Thomas Barrat Shutterstock / Thomas Barrat / Thomas Barrat

- Business Insider – Talia Avakian

Read: The Grand Canyon filled with fog is simply magical looking >

Read: Irish Air Corps capture great shots of wintery Skellig Islands >

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