Nature is a great way to get away from it all. And what better way to enjoy the great outdoors than by visiting one of the US National Parks this year? From mountain ranges and live volcanoes to amazing rock formations and bountiful fauna and wildlife, you are sure to enjoy an amazing vacation getaway at one of these national parks.
From world-famous and highly popular tourist attractions to the more remote and lesser-known ones, the United States has 63 national parks. We’ve listed the ten most popular. So, as you plan your national park trip, check out the following top national parks you’ll find across the United States. Then let Damon’s Getaways plan your trip for you. Contact us and tell us what park you would like to visit, and we will handle the details. To find out more about each park, click the title headers. Thank you, to the US National Parks Service, for contributing to this blog.
Yosemite, one of the nation’s most famous parks, is located within the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Covering 1,200 square miles, it’s renowned for its waterfalls and giant sequoia trees.
With more than 750 miles of trails ranging from very easy to more complex. There are mountains, valleys, and varying terrains to wander through by bike or on foot.
There is a wide range of public transport available too. Visitors can take their pick from free shuttles to tours. There are nineteen stops darted around Yosemite Valley. Visitors can hop on the shuttle at any of the stops. The shuttle buses run all year round but with shorter hours in the winter. They run every ten or twenty minutes, and they even access Highway 120 in summer. There are several not-to-miss geological rock formations to see, including El Capitan, Half Dome, Sentinal Dome and Taft Point. Best times to visit to avoid the crowds are May and September.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Another famous park is the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, located on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, with park entrances in both states. The Gatlinburg, TN, entrance is the most visited.
Visitors can enjoy various outdoor activities, including hiking, bicycling, visiting historic buildings, horseback riding and camping under the stars. Wildlife abounds, and you’ll see everything from black bears to elk, raccoons, turkeys, woodchucks, white-tailed deer, to Yellow Warblers and other native birds throughout the park.
This national park is great to visit anytime of the year. But, fall and spring are is when the park is at its peak beauty.
Considered one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon, spans over 1.2 million acres and is one of the most spectacular examples of erosion anywhere in the world with unmatched vistas.
There are two entrances on the north or south rim of the park. Most people enter through the south rim because the north rim is a little more rugged. The rock formations found in the park represent three of the four eras of geological time, offer a rich and diverse fossil record, a vast array of geologic features and rock types, and numerous caves containing extensive and significant geological, paleontological, archaeological and biological resources. There are also over 1,500 plant, 355 bird, 89 mammalian, 47 reptile, 9 amphibian, and 17 fish species found in the park.
There are several tour operators offering helicopter rides, donkey rides, walking tours and river rafting tours down the Colorado River through the canyon.
Other notable attractions within the park are Lipan Point, Mary Colter’s Lookout Studio, Mather Point, and Yavapai Observation Station.
This 2.2 million-acre park is one the most famous in the United States and is known for its geothermal areas and Old Faithful, the most well-known geyser in the country. This massive national park spans Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming.
Since it stretches through three states, there are several different ecosystems within the park. The South Central Rockies are home to black bears, grizzly bears, bison, elk, and wolves. The hiking trails in Yellowstone span varying terrains. Beautiful areas you won’t want to miss are Grand Prismatic Spring, Lamar Valley, Artist Point, where there are massive waterfalls, and Uncle Tom’s Trail. The best months to visit Yellowstone are April, September, and October.
If you’re heading to Utah, you won’t want to miss Zion National Park. This fantastic park is ideal for adventurers who enjoy hiking more challenging trails. Zion Canyon is the most notable thing about this park and is surrounded by the red cliffs.
You may want to consider a hike through The Narrows, which extends for ten miles through the thinnest area of Zion Canyon. Another great hike is Angels Landing, where you’ll follow a 1,500-foot natural staircase.
Even though the most famous hikes in the park are more challenging, less experienced, hikers can still enjoy the park. A favorite amongst tourists is driving the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, a 60-mile long route that takes you by almost all the park’s famous spots. The best time to visit is in the spring and fall. The temperatures are cooler than in the hot summer, the weather is warmer than in the cold winter months, and the crowds have lessened.
If you are visiting the Pacific Northwest, you won’t want to miss this beautiful park. Everything people enjoy about the Pacific Northwest can be seen in this park throughout its various ecosystems. Nestled on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State is Olympic National Park.
There are several park entrances throughout the peninsula, but some of the most popular places to visit are Hurricane Ridge, the Hoh Rainforest, Lake Crescent, and Rialto Beach. The hiking throughout the park is pretty easy unless you’re trying to hike up into the mountains.
The many vistas and views you’ll enjoy are the iconic Tree of Life on the coast, snow-capped mountains in Hurricane Ridge, a beautiful glacier lake, and plenty of waterfalls throughout the park.
Grand Teton National Park is another popular park in Wyoming. It has plenty of woodlands and mountains surrounding the valleys. The prominent peaks in the park are of course, the Grand Tetons.
With over 200 miles of hiking trails taking you throughout the park, you’ll enjoy the best views possible. Hiking Inspiration Point is popular for travelers. Besides meanandering the trails, tourists may enjoy heading to the various lakes for fishing, swimming, and other water activities.
Jenny Lake is an excellent area of the park for a scenic drive where you can appreciate the park’s beauty. Jackson Lake is another spot you need to check out if you’re visiting during the warm months. It’s famous for water sports and fishing.
The best time to visit Grand Teton National Park is from mid-May to late September when all the visitor centers, hiking trails and other park activities, including kayaking and fishing, are open and accessible. Beginning in October, winter blows through the park, shutting down most of its facilities and roads.
If you love trees, you’ll enjoy this world-famous national park in California, Redwood National Park. The smell of the redwood forest welcomes you, along with giant trees that seem to touch the sky.
The park is spread over 138,000 acres and features some of the most beautiful redwoods in the nation, but there is much more to see.
Redwoods National Park include the tide pools, prairie lands, meadows, and protected coastlines. You may also witness migrating whales off the coastline. Other wildlife includes black bears, seals, river otters, cougars, and coyotes.
Spring is the best time overall, especially from April through June. The woods are at their most lush and green until Memorial Day, the parks aren’t too crowded, and all the trails and roads are usually open. Huge pink rhododendron blooms appear in upland locations beginning in mid-May until as late as early July, depending on the location.
Summer is the most popular time to visit. The parks don’t get nearly as crowded as, say, Yosemite, but on a busy trail, you might see a group of people every few minutes, and you may have to park a 5-minute walk from the trailhead.
The Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado spans the famous Continental Divide and should be on your bucket list of parks to visit.
The Continental Divide includes protected mountains, alpine tundra, and forests that are untouched by man. The park features hundreds of miles of trails, with Trail Ridge Road and Old Fall River Road being the best ones.
Keyhole Route is a vertical rock that goes to Longs Peak, which is the tallest mountain in the park and a great fit for experienced climbers. If you want something easy, the trails along Bear Lake are ideal and still offer beautiful views.
November through April is the best time to avoid the summer and fall crowds in Rocky Mountain National Park. However, one must consider the snowfall and cold temperatures during these months.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
If are visiting the Hawaiian Islands you may want to hop over to the main island to view Hawaii Volcanoes National Park’s two active volcanoes, Mauna Loa and Kilauea.
Within the park is a world heritage site that showcases rare flora and fauna. However, sometimes parts of the park will close due to volcanic activity, but many areas remain open to tourists. You could opt for a scenic car ride along Crater Rim Drive, which passes steam vents and the famous Jaggar Museum that teaches you about volcanoes and the ones in the park.
The best time of year to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is November through March when most of the United States is cold for a warm, tropical getaway. Due to its proximity to the equator, Hawaii Volcanoes is relatively warm year-round.