9 Best National Parks To Visit For An Adventure You’ll Never Forget

Since its inception in 1916, the National Park Service has helped managed and conserved Americas national parks and monuments. It is because of this that we are able to enjoy and explore some of natures best and most beautiful landscapes. 

Each park offers its own unique features and biomes including deserts, tundras, forests and more. In this list, we’ll look at 9 of the very best national parks in the US. While it’s worthwhile to visit as many of the current 63 protected areas, these 9 can give you a great place to start your journey!

1. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

Why not begin with the first and oldest national park. Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872 and signed into law by president Ulysses S. Grant. It was the catalyst for the preservation of all future parks in America and across the globe.

Yellowstone offers some of the most unique and well-known natural phenomenon including geysers, hot springs, and mudpots. It’s 2 million acres contain an incredible collection of mountains and wildlife to view. 

The park is a great location for many activities including hiking, camping, boating, skiing, snowshoeing, and much more. Sightseeing the famous geysers is the most popular recreation with the iconic Old Faithful that erupts every 44 minutes to two hours. 

2. Sequoia National Park, California 

Be amazed at some of the largest trees in the world in Sequoia National Park. They are not only the some of the biggest organisms, but also some of the oldest as well. These trees exist in a small pocket in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains where you can see for yourself their impressive and imposing size. 

It’s hard to comprehend how big these incredible giant sequoias are until you’re standing underneath them. Walking through the Giant Forest, you can experience over 2,000 of these sequoias, including five out of the ten largest trees in the world. 

The landscape is a beautiful 404,064 acres of preserved forest that resembles the southern Sierra Nevada’s before the country was settled. It also has a diverse range of plants and animals that thrive in its varied conditions. 

3. Zion National Park, Utah

The park is home to massive sandstone cliffs, narrow slot canyons, and flowing rivers that add to the charm and mysticism of this geological wonder. You can walk the same paths the ancient natives and pioneers walked and explore the unique landscape that earned Zion or ‘heavenly city’ its name. 

For over 10,000 years, people called the park home with remnants of this time still able to be seen today. There are also incredible hikes that cater to all skill levels–from short day hikes to long backpacking trips. While all of these require you to be prepared ahead of time, they offer incredibly rewarding scenery and panoramic vistas. 

The Narrows is Zion’s most famous feature allowing visitors to get their feet wet while hiking through the Virgin River. You can choose from just a day hike or complete the 16-mile through-hike from Chamberlains Ranch to the Temple of Sinawava. It’s a unique experience with memories that last a lifetime. 

4. Yosemite National Park, California 

Yosemite has been a national treasure for over 125 years with famed icons such as conservationist John Muir and legendary photographer Ansel Adams helping cement its legacy. It’s nearly 1,200 square miles of forest, valleys, meadows, and ancient sequoias to explore and enjoy. 

The park has been created by centuries of glacial activity carving and grinding down the granite into the mountains and valleys of the Sierra Nevada. 95% of Yosemite National Park is designated wilderness which gives you miles of pristine terrain to hike and backpack through. 

Half Dome is the parks most well known feature with millions flocking to view it each year. You can also climb up to the top on the challenging cables that take hikers the last 400 feet to the Domes summit. Just remember to plan ahead as this hike requires a permit to attempt. 

5. Olympic National Park, Washington

Home to a diverse range of ecosystems, the nearly one million acre Olympic National Park protects a vast and unique wilderness ready to be explored. Its lush forests and tranquil coastline offer stunning views of this beautiful, untouched landscape.

The park is home to the Hoh Rain Forest, one of the finest examples of a temperate rainforests in the United States. It’s a lush, green canopy of coniferous and deciduous species with a blanket of mosses and ferns covering every surface. There are many great trails to hike through including Mineral Creek Falls, Cedar Grove, and Five Mile Island that offer incredible views of this stunning forest. 

In addition to the rainforest, there are also great places to kayak, raft, mountain climb, backpack, and camp. You can visit the parks glacier-capped mountains and trek along the 73 miles of rugged coastline. Either way, there’s no shortage of activities to enjoy at this majestic national park. 

6. Arches National Park, Utah

This incredible desert terrain contains the highest concentration of natural arches with over 2,000 carved out of sandstone to view. Stand under the world-famous Delicate Arch and experience this stone icon, which at 65 feet, is the largest free-standing arch in the park. 

Some other famous arches in the park include the North Windows, Skyline Arch, Landscape Arch, and Broken Arch which can all be accessed through the parks numerous hiking trails. These range from easy to difficult allowing hikers of all skill levels to embark. 

Utah natives are proud of this park and after visiting you’ll see why. It’s one of the most unique desert landscapes on the planet that you won’t soon forget. 

7. Everglades National Park, Florida

The first East Coast national park on this list, the Everglades are an important wetland environment that protect rare and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and Florida panther. It’s one of the largest parks in the US covering over 1.5 million square acres. 

There are many activities the park offers for you to enjoy such as kayaking, hiking, biking, fishing, and camping. You can explore the diverse habitat on several trails including Anhinga Trail, Pinelands Trail, Snake Bight Trail, Coastal Prairie Trail and many more. 

If you’re looking for a really unique experience, you can try geocaching, a GPS-enabled real-world outdoor treasure hunt. It’s a fun game that uses your cellphone to help you locate the hidden geocaches while traveling throughout the park. 

8. Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

With its thousands of towering red-orange, sandstone spires, Bryce Canyon is one of the most memorable landscapes to see. These pillars, known as hoodoos, have been weathered by wind and water over millions of years. 

It’s a spectacular sight that can be explored while you hike the parks 37-mile circuit where you can watch the sunset or view millennia old Bristlecone pines. Canyoneering is also a popular activity that lets you explore and adventure through the many narrow slot canyons.  

Camping, off-roading, horseback riding and stargazing are other popular activities Bryce is known for. And don’t forget to bring your camera as this may be one of the most photogenic parks in the country!

9. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

More than 100 majestic peaks dot this expansive landscape rising thousands of feet in elevation above the sweeping valleys and abundant wildlife. There are 350 miles of trails, woodlands and tundra flowers spread throughout the park to explore as well as Trail Ridge Road, the highest paved road in the US. 

Rocky Mountain National Park has a wide range of hikes to chose from that range from beginner to advance. You can view beautiful lakes and waterfalls spread throughout the park by many modes of transportation including by foot or even horseback.   

For any climbing enthusiasts, the mountains are often cited as some of the most beautiful to scale. There are great introductory routes including the North Ridge of Spearhead, the Northeast Ridge on Sharkstooth and the East Gully on Sharkstooth. You can also try your hand at on the difficult Keyhole Route on Longs Peak that will have you crossing enormous vertical rock faces, narrow ledges, loose rocks and steep cliffs.