Hiking with Google?

Google Maps

I like and use Google for the email, calendar and general mapping functions.  But aside from the how to drive there instructions, I have never used it for planning a trip in the great outdoors.  Well, things are changing fast in the online world, and here's the latest from Google.  Google Street View now includes 360-degree vistas of more than 44 National parks in the US and Canada.  In addition to tours of National Monuments like The Vietnam Memorial Wall, Google offers California's Sequoya National Park, views of Moraine Lake in Banff, Canada.  The Alamo, Mount Rushmore and Joshua Tree National Park are also on the list.  Click here for a sample tour.
The images were captured this year during the spring and summer.  There are 70 Canadian parks and historic sites covered along with many American locations.  Parks Canada and Google are teaming up to bring you more sites this year.