Traces the birth of the national park idea in the mid-1800s and follows its evolution for nearly 150 years. Using archival photographs, first-person accounts of historical characters, personal memories and analysis from more than 40 interviews, the series chronicles the steady addition of new parks through the stories of the people who helped create them and save them from destruction.

Originally broadcast as episodes of the television documentary on PBS in 2009. Special features: disc 1: "The making of The national parks: America's best idea" behind-the-scenes tour; disc 2. "Capturing the parks" Ken Burns, Dayton Duncan and crew on location; disc 3: Musical journeys through the national parks; disc 4: An interview with Nevada Barr; "The Boss"; disc 5: "The national parks: this is America" mini-documentary; disc 6: "Contemporary stories from America's national parks" series of five short films: San Antonio Missions: Keeping History Alive, Yosemite's Buffalo Soldiers, Mount Rushmore: Telling America's Stories, Manzanar: "Never Again", City Kids in National Parks.

Episode one: The scripture of nature (1851-1890), approximately 116 minutes -- Episode two: The last refuge (1890-1915), approximately 131 minutes -- Episode three: The empire of grandeur (1915-1919), approximately 114 minutes -- Episode four: Going home (1920-1933), approximately 117 minutes -- Episode five: Great nature (1933-1945), approximately 116 minutes -- Episode six: The morning of creation (1946-1980), approximately 116 minutes.