Incredible mountains meet alpine lakes and lush valleys at this national park, where visitors can enjoy mountaineering, hiking, boating, and fishing. Mt. What to pack for this kind of a backpacking trip depends on several things. There is a sense of remoteness and solitude found here that is absent in the mainland US (with a few exceptions). Rocky Mountain National Park also has a number of scenic drives for visitors who want to see the park's alpine forests, wildflower-covered meadows, and more without leaving their cars. Don’t be so foolish and selfie-greedy that you get within a few feet of the buffalo just to take a good picture. Do you need travel insurance when you visit? Many communities have been affected. Finding the right backpack, sleeping bag, camping hammock, travel jacket, and backpacking stove for yourself is just as important as planning the details of your national parks trip. “Find out how YOU can support the site. If you love adventure and outdoor sports, Denali has plenty to keep you busy for a thousand lifetimes. Mostly forested, the park is home to soggy wetlands, murky rivers, crisp waterfalls and craggy peaks like Hawksbill and Old Rag mountains. From sea to shining sea, the U.S. contains a stunning array of diverse landscapes, from dramatic canyons and vast deserts to snowy mountain peaks and verdant valleys. For more inspiration, check out these epic USA road trip itineraries: Great Smoky Mountains National park is certainly one of the most important national parks in the USA. With hundreds of miles of maintained trail, plus Yosemite wilderness, you can trek around for months on end and not see it all. Rainer National Park is prone to be very green throughout the year. Don’t know where to base yourself? Dry Tortugas National Park is an ecological wonder located at the very bottom of the Florida Keys. Luckily, there are many options to stay in Yosemite, so you can get some rest and recharge in between your adventures. Hordes of people seeking a holiday in the great outdoors choose to stay in the Smoky Mountains every year. Stargazing, hiking, boating, and more are among the park's popular activities. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). Denali may be one of Alaska’s most popular national parks, but it is certainly worth traveling too. Best Time to Visit: Spring, Summer, and Fall. These volcanoes are (very) active mind you. Visit mid-day when the sun is high above to witness the water at its most vibrant. Hennessy camping hammock review – Quite possibly your new best travel mate. My First Summer in the Sierra — Another important book by John Muir. Sunset colors sky over Sheep lake and mountain range at Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA at the Newfound Pass, Rocky coastline with fall foliage in the distance at Acadia National Park, View in the morning of Lake Crescent at Olympic National Park, Hiking in Yosemite National Park in California, 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Visiting a National Park, Your Guide to Camping in Yellowstone National Park. *Note that as of July 2018 many of the backcountry campsites have still not been repaired or cleaned up after last year’s devastating hurricane season. This travel guide will help you get to grips with 25 of the best national parks in the USA. In the United States the National Park Service manages over 85 million acres in all 50 states. Dry Tortugas National Park. Join me as I break down the highlights and natural wonders each national park offers backpackers, what to pack for your national park backpacking trip, USA national park maps, backpacker safety information, and much more. To name a few, bear, rattlesnake, deer, and bird populations are abundant. 20. Each State has unique and awe-inspiring landscapes that leave you mesmerized. Established, in 1980, Kenai Fjords is a relatively new national park. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a vast area of southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage; another heavily trafficked cruise ship route. I know. Get to know some of the trademark rosy-amber canyons and waterfalls that make Zion one of the best national parks in the USA. I don’t think it is too far a stretch to say that Dry Tortugas is one of the best national parks in the USA to enjoy some scuba diving. He is currently riding out the pandemic on Madeira Island. The landscapes of Joshua Tree are dotted with massive granite boulders, rugged mountains, hidden oasis’, cactus, abandoned mine shafts, and desert-dwelling creatures. Keep in mind there are two entrances to Grand Canyon National Park – the north rim and south rim – and they are hours apart since you have to drive around the canyon… South Rim is more popular, and North Rim is at a higher elevation, so it is not accessible for parts of winter. It is no wonder 3 million visitors a year come to Zion National Park. Visitors can explore the park by car on 27 miles of historic motor roads or by foot on 158 miles of hiking trails. With it, you get unlimited access to ALL federally-managed land in the U.S.A for FREE – that’s over 2000 recreational sites! The world-famous Delicate Arch certainly won’t be around forever. Covering 415 mountainous square miles, Rocky Mountain National Park is the fourth most-visited. Utah is home to some of the country's best national parks, including Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Canyonlands, but Utah's first — and most popular — national park is Zion National Park. Yosemite is defined by its almost impossibly large walls of granite; the result of millennia of glaciation and erosion. You can also find many unique accommodation options near Joshua Tree NP – from restored camper vans to stargazing tiny houses, you’ll find all sorts of special places. What time of year will you be visiting? It is that kind of place. Here, visitors can spot a variety of wildlife, including elk, bighorn sheep, moose, bats, and many others (all from a safe distance, of course), and explore the park's many hiking trails. Often referred to as one of the world's natural wonders, the immense Grand Canyon is a breathtaking sight, so it's no surprise that Grand Canyon National Park is the one of the country's most-visited national parks. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site , known for the best-preserved geological wonders, making it a perfect haven for adventure seekers and nature lovers. 1. A visit to Yosemite is a must if you are visiting the California national parks, plain and simple. Native American rock paintings offer up glimpses of the past. This national park is defined by its dry, desolate landscapes. However, it attracts less than 20,000 visitors per year, making this expansive park the perfect destination for adventurers seeking a secluded getaway. Over the last ten years, I have crisscrossed the country multiple times getting to know some of the very best national parks in the USA. 10 Top National Parks For You To Visit In The U.S. Larry Olmsted. The park receives a staggering 4 million+ visitors every year. Whether you're traveling solo or planning a family vacation, here are the 50 best places to visit in 2021. America's Best National Parks, Ranked. Waterfalls flow from glaciated rock faces. Evidence of a past Native American presence can be found throughout the park. There’s plenty of accommodation near Yosemite. The alpine lakes and associated scenery are truly breathtaking. How to avoid this? Even if you’re only going for a short time, that’s more than enough time to get smote by wrathful angels. Start listening to T+L's brand new podcast, Let's Go Together! National Parks in the USA 1. From vast variety of plants/tree species to the animals that call the Smokies home; the park is teaming with life. Check in the NPS before setting off to explore. Take a dip in Yellowstone Lake. That means that visiting TWO national parks alone (out of the 423 total in the USA) will run you a grand total of $70…. The park is home to glaciers, forests, stunning wildflower explosions in the spring/summer, and plenty of activities for outdoor junkies. Arches National Park isn’t just a Utah highlight, it is high on the list of best national parks in the USA, without a doubt. You do really want to get onto the ice if you can! There is some excellent skiing and winter-related sports to be had here too. Before we dive into my best national parks in the USA list, you should have an idea of what to bring along for the journey. This is primarily due to its relative proximity to many east coast states. Gateway Arch National Park Missouri America’s 17th most-visited national park of 2019, with 2 million visitors, Gateway Arch is one of the newer additions to the roster. Written by Lana Law and Michael Law Mar 6, 2020. When to go: Year-round. Best Time to Visit: Summer (expect basically 24 hours of daylight). Park highlights include the scenic Skyline Drive, which runs for 105 miles along the Blue Ridge Mountains, and over 500 miles of hiking trails that lead to summits, waterfalls, and more. It's worth visiting year-round for scenic views and outdoor activities like hiking, but the park really shines in autumn, when its trees put on a vibrant display of red, orange, and gold foliage. If you find yourself this far north in Alaska, congratulations! Wales expel water from their blow holes in unexpected bursts. Check in with the National park Service website for up to date details. Zion is filled with rich history, biological diversity, and plenty of “wow”. Visitors can hike or bike through the unique scenery, go rock climbing or horseback riding, or stay after dark for incredible views of the night sky (Joshua Tree is a designated International Dark Sky Park, so it's the perfect place to go stargazing). Maybe a combination of all of the above? These are the nation's most-visited national parks — for good reason. More information. Best Time to Visit: Late Spring-Early Fall. The landscapes are dramatic and the rewards of in-depth exploration are endless. On foot, you can explore paths that Native Americans used for countless generations. Get a glimpse of just how wild and remote Maui was before the tourist hordes came. You now have an idea of just how massive and diverse the USA national park scene really is. The Grand Canyon National Park is one of the top USA bucket list items for many traveling to the States. © 2021, The Broke Backpacker. J-Tree is one of the few places in So-Cal where you can find yourself in a true desolation wilderness far from the bright lights of humanity. Best travel jackets for backpackers – Find the right jacket based on your intended outdoor activities. Photograph: Shutterstock. Check out these convenient places to stay near the Grand Canyon. It is not difficult to see why Hawaii Volcanoes is one of the best national parks in the USA. The park encompasses a 370 square mile chunk of Washington State (not DC!). Giant Sequoia trees. America is an unfathomably vast and sprawling land. Note: Not all of these national parks are in states bordering the west coast, but rather grouped in the west coast national parks category because they are generally located in the western United States. Get to know some of the top national parks in America in greater detail through some of these fantastic reads: The Backpacker Bible — Learn how to ditch your desk and travel the world on just $10 a day whilst building an online income. There is also some fantastic river rafting and hiking to be had in the area as well. It’s one of the least visited national parks in America because of its remote location, however, it’s also one of the most beautiful national parks in the country that offers miles of rugged coastline and pristine beaches. Will you be setting off into the wilderness for a multi-day backpacking trip? Acadia is home to hundreds of miles of hiking trails that take you through marshland, forests, mountains, and wave-battered coastal stretches. Well, it really is a matter of opinion. Most of the national park is located on Mount Desert Island, where visitors will find the scenic Park Loop Road and picturesque trails perfect for bird-watching just a short distance from the charming town of Bar Harbor. Best sleeping pads to take backpacking – Your back and weary bones will thank you. Have fun in the US, but take it from us, overseas medical care and canceled flights can be seriously expensive – insurance can, therefore, be a life-saver. Or you can stuff that whole deal off and buy the ‘America the Beautiful Pass’ for $79.99. Best time to visit: Anytime that is not the middle of summer. First things first. The incredible, endless red rock canyons make up an area of roughly 277 miles (446 km) long with the Colorado River flowing the very of it all. Our National Parks — John Muir’s classic collection of wonderful sketches and descriptions of the national parks of America. Best National Park for a Peaceful Retreat: Lake Clark Lake Clark is one of the largest national parks in the United States. Located about an hour from Chicago on the shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana Dunes National Park recorded over two million visits in 2020. Bottom line, this place is an important ecological treasure. Find out the 7 Best National Parks in the USA. The rivers are teaming with trout. They offer all of the beauty with a fraction of the visitors, so you have room to roam. Whatever you want to call it Grand Teton National Park has got it all. I really love John Muir, ok. Desert Solitaire — A very moving autobiographical work of Edward Abbey, considered the Thoreau of the American West, and his passion for the southwestern wilderness. I am sure if politicians and developers had their way, the Everglades would have been developed into hideous strip malls long ago. The quintessential Grand Canyon experience is actually descending into the canyon itself. Most of the attraction of the park lies below the surface of the land or the surface of it anyway. Credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images, 15 Best National Parks in the U.S. You Should Visit. The park encompasses the Teton mountain range, the 4,000-meter Grand Teton peak, and the valley known as Jackson Hole, a popular ski-resort town. Of course, if you want to avoid the crowds, you can always check out the least-visited national parks. Miles of desolate peaks, rivers, lakes, coastline, and raw tundra seem to flow together in a never-ending sprawl. Being that Glacier National Park is in the far reaches of Northern Montana, it receives a fraction of the visitors Yellowstone does. Best of luck on your USA national parks adventure! Tucked away in Montana’s Rocky Mountains, Glacier National Park is probably the most truly wild park on my best national parks in the USA list (within mainland America). I’d say that Everglades National Park is best explored by boat, as hiking in the “backcountry” here is not an easy endeavor. The park features a vast network of campsites and hiking trails including a section of the long-distance Appalachian Trail. Such is life. (Consider visiting Grand Teton and Yellowstone in one road trip.) As the world’s first National Park, as well as one of the best national parks in the US, Yellowstone National Park contains more than 290 waterfalls, over 500 active geysers, and 67 species of mammals amid its sprawling 2.2 million acres. Do your part to help keep them clean and beautiful and always practice leave no trace principles when camping or trekking in the backcountry. Tackle the 37-mile circuit trek and really experience what the hidden geological gems of Bryce are about. If you visit during the winter, keep in mind that it can snow here! You don’t have to be the most famous park to make it onto my best national parks in the USA list. Don’t try to do too much! Best Time to Visit: Winter, Spring, and Fall. The park is a sprawling 6 million acre wilderness home to towering mountain peaks, grizzly bears, pristine rivers, and stunning long valleys. The wet, foggy climate of Washington state means that Mt. Hopefully, the drilling will cease before too much damage is done. The mystical Kenai Fjords National Park is a land of ice, glaciers, ultra-clear lakes, abundant wildlife (including wales and eagles), and some of the most beautiful landscapes found in North America. Yosemite National Park. There are no established trails in the backcountry FYI. Closest Big City: Los Angeles (Ontario and Palm Springs airports are closer), Best Time to Visit: Spring, Fall, and Winter. It is dubbed as Jackson Hole’s hinterlands. The landscapes found in Glacier Bay National Park, both on the coast and in the interior are simply mind-blowing. Getty. My good friend had to evacuate her home with her family. To inspire your travels within the heartlands and dense forests, we have created this epic list of best national parks to visit in the country. There is arguably no other country on our gorgeous planet where you can you find such a deep level of staggering beauty, diversity, and outdoor adventure potential that is reflected in the American national parks—really there is every type of landscape imaginable — and each one is totally epic in its own way too. Due to its close proximity to Kings Canyon Nation Park and Yosemite National Park, you can really pack a lot in between these three parks if you only have four or five days to explore. Ain’t that just beautiful? Prior to colonialization of Europeans, Native Americans had been coming to visit the area in and around the Grand Canyon for eons. There are lifetimes worth of hiking and exploring to be done here. As a younger American man, I felt like I didn’t really know my own country until I started exploring the national parks. It is humbling to be in the presence of some of the oldest living creatures on earth. Everglades National Park is one of the most biologically diverse destinations on my best national parks in the USA list. Of course, the best way to see the park is on foot. He is an advocate for off-beat responsible travel and the preservation of the world's wild places and spaces. In addition to the huge trees, rugged peaks, sunshine-filled canyons, awesome hiking trails, and abundant wildlife… the cave systems are something unto themselves. Zion distinct desert landscape features plenty of steep red-walled canyons, beautiful rock formations, emerald pools, slot canyons, rivers, and waterfalls. America’s first national park and known as the American Serengeti is one of the best places for wildlife enthusiasts and watchers. Though if you do find yourself in LA en route to Joshua Tree, be sure to check out my Los Angeles travel guide. Life on Hawaii’s Big Island might sound dreamy as hell on the surface — and in many ways, it is — though as recent events have shown us, all hell can break loose at a moment’s notice. Crossing North Carolina and Tennessee, this park is known for its wildlife, waterfalls, and fog-covered mountains. In Gates of the Arctic National Park, the highlights all center around hunting, fishing, backpacking and climbing in the wilderness areas. This is the land where the buffalo used to roam en masse in the north-west corner of Wyoming. Closest Major City: There is no major city close by, but there are still plenty of large towns to stay in near Yellowstone. One of the best national parks in USA, Grand Teton features 200 miles of treks that will take you through lakes, savannahs, and the scraggy, snow-covered crests of the Grand Teton Mountain Range. What are the best national parks in the USA? MATH TIME: The entry fee for Yellowstone National Park is $35. 25 Top-Rated National Parks in the USA. I know. Travel mishaps can and do happen and it is well worth thinking about insurance before you leave home. Best sleeping bags to take traveling – Find the right sleeping bag for your journey. Closest Major City: No major cities nearby. The photographer’s playground. All rights reserved. How to choose a backpacking stove – If you want to save money and eat well at camp, you need a stove. Steam vents, lava rivers, jaw-dropping coastline all make up the draw to these landscapes straight out of middle earth. There are some fantastic hiking trails for those seeking to get out into the Maui wilderness. 8/7 (TIE). Zion National Park, Utah Number of Visitors: 4.5 million Utah is home to some of the country’s best national parks, including Arches, Bryce Canyon, … Want to see and know what the best national parks are in the United States well why not join TUL as they bring to you the 5 best nationals parks. Made famous by James Franco’s self-amputation in the movie 127 Hours, Canyonlands is an adventurer’s wonderland. Getting off the beaten path should not be too difficult. When it comes to impressive desert landscapes, the Grand Canyon is king. Park infrastructure has been damaged. There are a total of 62 national parks in the USA, each spectacular in their own way. Follow his adventures on, I consent to my personal information being processed in accordance with The Broke Backpackers. The crowds that do gather here have a different vibe as well. The park is so massive it sprawls across three states: Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Glacier Bay is a great place to spot whales, puffins, and other spectacular wildlife. The world's first national park, Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872, and in 2020, it recorded 3.8 million visits. Please visit the link to find out how you can help keep the site going . There are 59 vast areas currently preserved as National Parks across the US, not to mention the hundreds of other recreation sites, state parks, and national monuments.. Take some time in 2020 to mark these ten amazing parks off your bucket list. The United States is renowned for its natural beauty. Utah truly is the state that keeps on giving to my best national parks in the USA list. Dramatic cliffs and canyons shape this impressive landscape, and visitors can enjoy hiking, climbing, biking, birding, and stargazing during their time here. One of the oldest national parks in the U.S., Yosemite National Park is also one of the most visited. If you plan on tackling some multi-day backpacking or river trips here, make sure you come prepared to set forth into a true wilderness area. Recently, U.S. News & World Report released its 2019 ranking of the 10 best national parks in the United States, identifying the top-tier parks that stand out from the pack. Death in Yellowstone — All of the reasons why you should take Yellowstone seriously. How to choose the right tent to take backpacking – Every traveler needs a good tent. Closest towns are Whitefish and Kalispell, Montana.

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