It’s all about helping out our tribe of awesome backpacker readers [that’s you!]. Wales expel water from their blow holes in unexpected bursts. Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico) 8. Glacier National Park spread over 1 million acres and includes parts of two mountain ranges and that are sub-ranges of the Rocky Mountains. A backpacking trip here is bound to be the adventure of a lifetime. National parks … Is America a safe place? The site is also to cover things that are related to the world. That said, there are literally millions of acres that are untamed and uninhabited. A must-read for anyone who loves rock climbing and adventure sports. From high mountain lakes to pristine rivers in the valley below, Grand Teton National Park is a feast for those who love the mountains. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is on Hawaii Island (the Big Island). The General Sherman tree grows in the Giant Forest, home to five out of the ten largest trees in the world. Canyonlands is up there with the most epically beautiful desert national parks in the USA for sure. The Gates of the Arctic National Park is a treasure of the world. I’ll just say it here: fuck Donald Trump for opening up this ecological wonder to oil drilling and extraction. National Parks have been created all around the world with a sole purpose of preserving our ecosystem. Best Time to Visit: Spring, Summer, and Fall. These volcanoes are (very) active mind you. There are no maintained trails within the park wilderness areas, but beaches, recently deglaciated areas, and alpine meadows offer excellent hiking. 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. Of course, the best way to see the park is on foot. The artistic touch of mother nature has left Bryce Canyon with one of the most iconic landscapes in America. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee. For those who love thinking about and exploring caves, Mammoth Caves National Park is the ultimate destination. Enjoy and explore the drives to the picturesque Cades Cove or along the Roaring Fork Motor Trail and outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and fishing. The fact that Native Americans lived here for millennia blows my mind given just how rough and wild this place can be. Travel mishaps can and do happen and it is well worth thinking about insurance before you leave home. The park encompasses a 370 square mile chunk of Washington State (not DC!). The centerpiece of the 229-square-mile park is Zion Canyon, which runs up to 15 miles long and dives up to half a mile (depth), cutting through the rust and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River. This is a super remote, ultra beautiful part of Alaska, that should only be taken on by serious/experienced backpackers. Let me list out 10 best National Parks in the USA. Zion is filled with rich history, biological diversity, and plenty of “wow”. Want to support the site? How to choose the right tent to take backpacking – Every traveler needs a good tent. For me, the feeling one gets when you are standing in a grove of ancient Sequoias must be close to something like attaining enlightenment. *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. is a treat to the eyes and to the soul. The mystical Bryce Canyon National Park is a sight to behold. Whatever your national parks itinerary might end up looking like, here is a list of super informative, honest gear posts we have done to get you fully prepared for your USA national parks odyssey…. 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. National Parks in the USA helps us in conserving endangered species around the world. Blessed with 8 million square acres of uninhabited wilderness, the adventure possibilities here are endless. There is also some fantastic river rafting and hiking to be had in the area as well. The park includes mountains, an ocean shoreline, woodlands, and lakes, in addition to Mount Desert Island. Check out all the places seen in this video: https://www.touropia.com/best-national-parks-in-the-usa/ The USA is a really big place. Best Time to Visit: Summer (expect basically 24 hours of daylight). But nature has a way of protecting itself. 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. Miles of desolate peaks, rivers, lakes, coastline, and raw tundra seem to flow together in a never-ending sprawl. Even if you’re only going for a short time, that’s more than enough time to get smote by wrathful angels. Need helping finding a place to stay? Glacier Bay is a great place to spot whales, puffins, and other spectacular wildlife. Take in the bubbly sulphuric hot pools (don’t try to swim whatever you do). Don’t be that tourist that gets seriously injured or killed by a buffalo. In winter, … Miles and miles of glacier-carved mountains, untouched lakes, wildflowers, snow-capped peaks, deep forests, and meandering rivers. Smoky Mountain National Park is is a biodiversity powerhouse. Best sleeping bags to take traveling – Find the right sleeping bag for your journey. Closest Major City: There is no major city close by, but there are still plenty of large towns to stay in near Yellowstone. The Site is dedicated to providing facts and information for the knowledge and entertainment purpose. It is located in the Swain and Haywood counties of North Carolina, along with Sevier, Blount and Cocke counties in Tennessee, US. It reserves most of Mount Desert Island, and is further associated with smaller islands, off the Atlantic coast. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a22ea7adcad137263acafca4f63b7c11" );document.getElementById("bb6136472c").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Any time of year though bring a good jacket! Sequoia National Park is best known for its massive Sequoia trees: the biggest trees in the world. Being that Glacier National Park is in the far reaches of Northern Montana, it receives a fraction of the visitors Yellowstone does. A hiker’s paradise. 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. Glacier N.P. Best sleeping pads to take backpacking – Your back and weary bones will thank you. The dormant (thankfully) Haleakala Volcano lies at the center of the park, whilst the West Maui Mountains dominated the rugged surrounding interior. Camp out under the desert stars as the creatures of the desert come out of their daytime retreats. Tackle the 37-mile circuit trek and really experience what the hidden geological gems of Bryce are about. The Grand Canyon valued for its combination of size, depth and exposed layers of colorful rocks dating back to Precambrian times. There is some excellent skiing and winter-related sports to be had here too. It is no wonder 3 million visitors a year come to Zion National Park. Get to know some of the trademark rosy-amber canyons and waterfalls that make Zion one of the best national parks in the USA. Period. Check in with the NPS to assess dangers and difficulty. You now have an idea of just how massive and diverse the USA national park scene really is. Hike along the gorgeous Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Over the last 2 million years, there have been massive eruptions and it still continues to be active. Whether you want to hike, ski, or float the snake river with a beer in hand, there is something for every backpacker in Grand Teton National Park. Do your part to help keep them clean and beautiful and always practice leave no trace principles when camping or trekking in the backcountry. Sure you could visit parts with an organized tour, but to really get the most out of your experience, you are going to have to venture out on foot. MSR Hubba Hubba 2-person tent review – My favorite backpacking tent on the market. The book details the unique adventures and conflicts the author faces, from dealing with the damage caused by development of the land or excessive tourism to discovering a dead body. The great thing is, however, very few, if any of the cruise people ever set foot any reasonable distance inside the park. Both are VERY dangerous to humans. In fact, there’s a while village dedicated to hosting visitors! Yellowstone is basically one giant pressure cooker. Death in Yellowstone — All of the reasons why you should take Yellowstone seriously. Great Smoky Mountain National Park is home to the oldest mountains in the US and draws more visitors than any other national parks in the country. The park can be very busy in the summer, though escaping the crowds is easy if you explore the interior of the park on foot. Considered to be the world’s largest intact ecosystem in the northern temperate zone, Old Faithful Geyser is one of the most famous in the world. In Gates of the Arctic National Park, the highlights all center around hunting, fishing, backpacking and climbing in the wilderness areas. There seems to be more available oxygen than normal. It turns out that the all-you-can-eat buffets are an excellent deterrent from keeping folks from actually exploring or hiking. Hordes of people seeking a holiday in the great outdoors choose to stay in the Smoky Mountains every year. The underground Crystal Cave features cool streams and impressive rock formations. The mountains of Acadia National Park offer hikers and bicycle riders scenic views of the ocean, island, lakes, and pine forests. Hopefully, the drilling will cease before too much damage is done. Get a glimpse of just how wild and remote Maui was before the tourist hordes came. Staying in Jackson Hole is common. There’s a reason the Grand Canyon is one of the most visited national parks in the nation: It’s one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World due to its awe-inspiring scale and size. The wet, foggy climate of Washington state means that Mt. This 145-year-old National Park is covered with pristine lakes and dramatic peaks. Here you’ll find the park’s most famous landmarks – Half Dome and El Capitan – as well as excellent hiking trails through the natural monuments. This. It is the most beautiful national parks in the USA. A very important book told from a fantastic perspective. If you're dreaming of an outdoor vacation filled with gushing geysers, animal encounters, towering rock formations and more, odds are you'll enjoy exploring a national park. Mammoth Caves is the longest known cave system in the world, with roughly 400 miles that have been explored and mapped. There are lifetimes worth of hiking and exploring to be done here. Many a smuggler, pirate, migrant, and sailor have passed through these turquoise waters at some point in time. If you are making a national park road trip of the USA, arguably one of the most scenic drives in the west is on the road going through the center of Zion. Much respect…. Waterfalls flow from glaciated rock faces. Mt Rainer is the park’s highest peak (5th largest in the USA, excluding Alaska) at 14,400 feet. Rather than frantically hitting up Google, read our comprehensive list of the best national parks in the USA … Being one of the free National Parks in the US, it welcomes more than 10 million people each year. Aside from just being a pretty landscape, it has a ton of amazing and unique geothermal features, like … Denali (Alaska) 6. 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). This national park is one of the most popular national parks in the US, but for a damn good reason. The quintessential Grand Canyon experience is actually descending into the canyon itself. Our National Parks — John Muir’s classic collection of wonderful sketches and descriptions of the national parks of America. We took the 25 most-visited national parks and ranked them -- from Yosemite and the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. Get to know some of the top national parks in America in greater detail through some of these fantastic reads: The Backpacker Bible â€” Learn how to ditch your desk and travel the world on just $10 a day whilst building an online income. Glacier is your dream destination. Located on Hawaii’s Maui Island, Haleakala National Park is another gem of the Hawaiian Island chain. Closest Major City: No major cities nearby. Explore the most popular national parks in United States of America with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. If you love adventure and outdoor sports, Denali has plenty to keep you busy for a thousand lifetimes. The park features a vast network of hiking trails including a section of the long-distance Appalachian Trail. Rainer National Park is prone to be very green throughout the year. Bottom line, this place is an important ecological treasure. Steam vents, lava rivers, jaw-dropping coastline all make up the draw to these landscapes straight out of middle earth. This national park is defined by its dry, desolate landscapes. Yellowstone has massive wilderness areas, so that shouldn’t be too difficult. Be sure to get out into the wilds of the park. 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. Welcome to my ultimate guide to the 25 best national parks in the USA! Though if you do find yourself in LA en route to Joshua Tree, be sure to check out my Los Angeles travel guide. This travel guide will help you get to grips with 25 of the best national parks in the USA. The mountains have witnessed a long history of human settlers from the prehistoric Paleo Indians to the 19th-century European settlers. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The park is famous for its orange-red hoodoo rock formations punctuated by outlying pine forest. It is one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), largest national park in the world is the Northeast Greenland National Park. This is a land of immense power and staggering volcanic beauty. Yellowstone National Park. How to choose a backpacking stove – If you want to save money and eat well at camp, you need a stove. Do be sure to read the terms and conditions to make sure that the policy covers your needs. America’s National Parks – Ranked Best to Worst Most articles ranking America’s National Parks are based on other people’s impressions and not necessarily from the experience of the author. I know. Check in the NPS before setting off to explore. Best of luck on your USA national parks adventure! Hennessy camping hammock review – Quite possibly your new best travel mate. You don’t have to try hard to get away from America’s urbanity and the time-pressured stress that comes with city life. A visit to Yosemite is a must if you are visiting the California national parks, plain and simple. You might half expect a wooly mammoth to stumble out of the bush. It's also home to a bevy of colorful hot springs and, even more exciting, geysers. The alpine lakes and associated scenery are truly breathtaking. The distances within the USA can be huge, so plan accordingly when sorting out your national parks itinerary. Most people choose to just drive … The park is a sprawling 6 million acre wilderness home to towering mountain peaks, grizzly bears, pristine rivers, and stunning long valleys. They can be quite aggressive during the mating season. The crowds that do gather here have a different vibe as well. Expect blazing desert sunsets. First things first. You have made it to the northernmost national park in the USA. What to pack for this kind of a backpacking trip depends on several things. A little morbid maybe, but super interesting and entertaining. Closest towns are Whitefish and Kalispell, Montana. If ever there was a window into a different world, it can be found here. Experts estimate that when the “supervolcano” that Yellowstone National park sits on top of erupts, it will likely be the most devastating natural event in US history. They represent the finest that America has to offer. Alone on the Wall — Alone on the Wall recounts the seven most astonishing achievements of Alex Honnold’s extraordinary life and career, brimming with lessons on living fearlessly, taking risks, and maintaining focus even in the face of extreme danger. It might be a fair bet to say that more locals or at least Pacific Northwest locals visit Mt. 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. The park’s greatest attraction, the 275-foot-tall General Sherman tree, is the largest tree in the world. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. Such is life. The landscapes of Joshua Tree are dotted with massive granite boulders, rugged mountains, hidden oasis’, cactus, abandoned mine shafts, and desert-dwelling creatures. Towering pinnacles of sandstone jut up into an endless desert sky. 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. He is an advocate for off-beat responsible travel and the preservation of the world's wild places and spaces. Rocky Mountain National Park… Enjoy hundreds of miles of biking and hiking trails. Shenandoah National Park is located in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains: one of my favorite places in the whole country. As a UN World Heritage Site and international biosphere reserve, Mammoth Caves is one of the most unique national parks in the USA. Yellowstone (Wyoming) — Yellowstone is the first place to be called a “National Park” in the entire world. The landscapes found in Glacier Bay National Park, both on the coast and in the interior are simply mind-blowing. Enjoy what you do get to see and explore the places you connect with until your heart’s content. Many communities have been affected. The US is home to 58 national parks, all filled with breathtaking landscapes and rampant wildlife...so narrowing this list down to 10 was difficult. And since it sees quite a few visitors over the year, Rocky Mountain NP offers amazing places to stay at. 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. Wildlife, too, finds refuge in the wild lands in America’s national parks. If you come in the fall, you will see the world-famous colors of the leaves as they change on deciduous trees. Well there you have it friends… you have made it through my whirlwind tour of the 25 best national parks in the USA. At its heart are the Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. Love hiking and photography? The National Park inhabits numerous plant species, as well as, 289 species of birds, 75 mammals (including 19 species of bat), and 32 reptiles inhabit the park’s four life zones: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest. 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. Don’t know where to base yourself? America is an unfathomably vast and sprawling land. Meanwhile, the Snake River appeals to kayakers, rafters and those who simply fancy a float; historic districts like Menor’s Ferry and Mormon Row attract history buffs interested in the 19th-century past of this piece of Western Frontier. Best Time to Visit: All year round  (snow sports in Winter). Campers love the national parks. Be sure to consult with the NPS website and always carry a good map with you! Dry Tortugas National Park is part of the Everglades & Dry Tortugas Biosphere Reserve, established by UNESCO in 1976. Being a student is one of the most incredible experiences especially for learners in... Earth and world is a place where you can find different known and unknown facts of our planet Earth. Giant Sequoia trees. Plants like prickly pear cactus, Indian ricegrass, cheat grass, lichen, moss, liverworts, Utah juniper, Mormon tea, black brush, cliff rose, four-winged saltbrush, stemless woolly base, evening primrose, sand verbena, yucca, and sacred datura, dominate the dramatic arches, which makes Arches National Park one of the best in the US. From alligators and poisonous snakes to rare orchids and bizarre insects… Everglades NP is simply a nature lovers dream come true. Required fields are marked *. This is Glacier Bay. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming Yellowstone National Park is one of the most popular US national parks, one of our biggest tips for … The park itself is quite large, making up a total area of more than 500,000 acres of protected land. Save the world, one backpack at a time. This beauty is surrounded by the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert regions. Ranier National Park is one of the many gems of the Pacific Northwest region of the USA. The park is home to glaciers, forests, stunning wildflower explosions in the spring/summer, and plenty of activities for outdoor junkies. As a younger American man, I felt like I didn’t really know my own country until I started exploring the national parks. As of July 2018, the eruption of the Kilauea Volcano continues to dramatically change the landscape of the Big Island. There are no established trails in the backcountry FYI. The best places to experience the beauty of the U.S. are its national parks. I’d say that Everglades National Park is best explored by boat, as hiking in the “backcountry” here is not an easy endeavor. It was initially created as the Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916,However, later park was renamed Lafayette National Park in 1919, and was given its current name of Acadia in 1929. One of the most beautiful National Parks in the USA, Grand Canyon National Park acknowledged as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the year 1979, situated in northwestern Arizona. As the natural effects of erosion take over, more and more arches are toppling over every year. Grand Teton National Park home to Wyoming’s majestic Teton Mountains. For many of America's national parks, the winter season is the best time to visit, when cold temperatures bring a fresh look to our nation's most beautiful landscapes. The first Utah national park on my list is the epic Zion National Park. Spot sea turtles, sharks, manta rays, and a multitude of other wildlife creatures by day, and sip rum on the beach by night. Dry Tortugas National Park is an ecological wonder located at the very bottom of the Florida Keys. The trails weave through impressive slot canyons, hidden swimming holes, and jaw-dropping landscapes. Discover some of the best natural beauty the region has to offer as we take in spots including the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, America’s most visited park, and the awe-inspiring Mammoth Cave National … Denali is certainly a top pick on my best national parks in the USA list. For the sake of transparency, some of the links in our content are affiliate links. Close, Chris Lininger is a writer, photographer, and guide from California. Check out these convenient places to stay near the Grand Canyon. Thanks for your support. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. A vast network of sprawling limestone caves await. To name a few, bear, rattlesnake, deer, and bird populations are abundant. However, different nations used to designate their national parks differently but there lies a common idea of preserving wildlife for posterity. A visit to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is bound to be a mind-blowing experience. Lonely Planet National Parks USA — Always a good idea to have a Lonely Planet tucked inside your backpack. It is one of the most amazing national parks in the USA. These are the 10 best National parks in the USA. Your email address will not be published. Yosemite. Known for recreational activities like auto touring, backpacking, biking, camping, and hiking, some of which also require permits; astronomy is also popular in the park due to its dark skies. €” all of the many gems of Bryce are about and recharge in between your.! Schists, and Joshua Tree, is particularly popular among sightseers and hikers most legendary the of! The Mississippi River and really experience what the hidden geological gems of Bryce are about through my whirlwind tour the... Cherry blossoms around the Grand Canyon over 1 million acres and includes of. 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