The majority of the world’s cities seem like mazes of concrete and glass. Everywhere you look, you find tall skyscrapers, roads swarming with cars, and a whole lot of noise associated with city living. Not very attractive if you are someone who appreciates being somewhere more peaceful, with lots of green space.
Some cities possess large, well-known oases of green space, in which individuals can enjoy wildlife’s sights and sounds, have a picnic, play a sport, or simply take a soothing stroll. These kinds of green spaces are known as urban parks. Some of them cover hundreds, and thousands, of hectares. Some of them can be found just on the outskirts of the city limits, and others can be accessed from within the city. Here you will find out about the 9 biggest urban parks in the world.
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#1 – Chugach State Park
The largest urban park in the world is Chugach State Park. It spans more than 200,000 hectares. Actually, it is almost ten times larger than the world’s second-largest Park (Table Mountain National Park). Chugach State Park can be found in Anchorage, Alaska. The name “Chugach” is a tribal one for the local Indigenous people. The park itself contains various geographical elements, including lakes, rivers, tall mountains, and foothills. It also has hiking trails that are very popular with tourists. Further outdoor activities in the park include biking, riding ATVs, rafting, fishing, and kayaking. The park users can find campgrounds and cabins for rent.
#2 – Table Mountain National Park
The Table Mountain National Park, which is the world’s second-biggest park is located in Cape Town, South Africa. The park measures 22,100 hectares and is named after the well-known, flat Table Mountain, which has a flat peak that makes it look like a tabletop. To get to the top of the mountain, you should take a cable car. In the park, you can find 1,470 floral species and nearly 2,200 various species of plants the majority of which are endemic to the region. At Table Mountain National Park, another interesting sight to see is the penguins, who enjoy flocking in a spot of the park called The Boulders.
#3 – Margalla Hills National Park
Margalla Hills National Park is the third-biggest urban park in the world. It consists of 17,386 hectares and is located in the city of Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. Established in 1980, the park includes the Margalla Hills, Rawal Lake, and the Shakarparian complex of Sports and Culture. The Margalla Hills National Park boasts several species of mammals, birds, and reptiles, and it is Islamabad wildlife sanctuary’s extension. The national park also includes various hiking trails popular among locals and tourists. With regard to landscape, the Margalla Hills are the rugged foothills of the vast Himalayan Mountain range and include many steep slopes and valleys.
#4 – Pedra Branca State Park
Spanning 12,394 hectares in one of Brazil’s largest cities, Rio de Janeiro, Pedra Branca State Park is an urban park. To be more accurate, it is an urban forest. The Pedra Branca State Park protects one of the most threatened biomes of both Brazil and the world, half of the Atlantic Forest remnant of Rio de Janeiro. The park contains almost 500 different species of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, some of which are endangered, and more than 900 species of plants. The park is located at an altitude of 3,360 feet [1,024 m], where you will find the highest point in Rio de Janeiro, the Pico da Pedra Branca.
#5 – McDowell Sonoran Preserve
This park is located in the United State of Arizona, in the city of Scottsdale. McDowell Sonoran Preserve includes a wide variety of multi-use trails, which can be traversed by foot, bike, or horse. It encompasses 12,300 hectares of Sonoran Desert habitat. The website of the City of Scottsdale cautions people who visit the park to look out for rattlesnakes, which appear from hiding in the spring and are a protected species considered vital to the ecosystem of the park.
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#6 – Sanjay Gandhi National Park
The Sanjay Gandhi National Park, named after a prominent Indian politician, is located in Mumbai, India, and covers a space of 10,384 hectares. The park encompasses a vast area of forest, with more than 1,300 species of trees. It also contains various animal species, including 35 species of mammals, 274 species of birds, and 170 species of butterflies. Park visitors can enjoy different activities, like going on lion and tiger safaris, cycling, boating, and visiting the ancient Kanheri Caves carved into the rock approximately 2,000 years ago.
#7 – Franklin Mountains State Park
Lying within the city limits of El Paso, Texas, the Franklin Mountains State Park is located in the small Franklin Mountains range. It was established in 1979 to preserve the Chihuahuan Desert landscapes and spans 9,812 hectares. Park activities include camping, rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking. You will have the opportunity to ride a mechanized gondola to an observation point at an altitude of 5,632 feet [1,717 m] if you visit Franklin Mountains, State Park.
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#8 – Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge
The Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is situated in New Orleans, Louisiana, and encompasses an area of 9,210 hectares. It was created to protect the last remaining marsh areas in the region. Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge is home to several different natural habitats, including bottomland hardwoods, canals, marshes, lagoons, borrow pits, and natural bayous. There are approximately 340 species of birds that can be found in the refuge. Another typical sight is the American alligator. This refuge is one of 9 that are all part of the Southeast Louisiana Wildlife Refuges Complex.
#9 – Bukhansan National Park
Bukhansan National Park is located in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The word “Bukhansan,” word-for-word means “mountains north of the Han River.” The park has an area of 7,992 hectares, and it has been selected by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “Most Visited National Park per Unit Area.” Yearly it is visited by an estimated 5 million people. The park is also home to approximately 3,100 animal and plant species. It is very popular with hikers and contains forested areas, granite peaks, gorges, and Buddhist temples.