This view of Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive was shot from the Little Stony Man Summit; trailhead to summit is at milepost 39.1. EvErEtt HousEr On August 25, the National Park Service celebrates its 100th birthday. And what a whopping party it will be, spread across the 409 sites and 84 million acres the NPS manages. From coast to coast (with a few parks beyond those coasts), these protected areas represent the best this country has to offer. As writer Wallace Stegner said in 1893, "National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic." Each park or other site represents an important part of who we are as a nation. Some commemorate notable people or historical events, others conserve magnificent 28 BlueRidgeCountry.comhttp://www.BlueRidgeCountry.com