National Parks in USA
ALASKA
Denali National Park
Discover North America’s tallest mountain
On a bus tour along Denali Park Road, count the number of animals visible from the safe, high confines of a comfortable coach seat. Driver guides know the best times and places on the Alaskan landscape to spot Dall sheep, moose and caribou. Elsewhere, the park warns visitors who are hiking to stay 25 yards away from animals (and make that 300 yards for grizzly or black bears). There is much to see and do in the first national park, established in 1917 as Mount McKinley National Park and renamed Denali National Park in 1980 as it tripled in size.
Most visitors come to Denali National Park to see the 6,200-meter-tall Mount McKinley, but it is far more than just a mountain. Denali National Park may be named after the tallest peak in North America, known by locals as Denali, meaning “the high one” in the Athabaskan languages of Alaskan Native American tribes. Located just north of Anchorage, Alaska, this National Park is the largest in the USA. It boasts more than 2.4 million hectares of tundra, mountains and glaciers, which contrast the area’s vast wetlands and verdant spruce forests.
One of the best ways to view this mountainous park is to take a fixed-wing or helicopter tour from Anchorage. On the ground, you’ll find a wealth of other activities to enjoy. In the warmer months, the park features opportunities to hike, bike, fish and camp, while the colder months bring the snow needed for skiing, snowshoeing and dogsledding. During the summer, spend your time hiking the park’s rugged mountain trails. Denali also offers an amazing chance to view wildlife such as grizzly bears, bald eagles, wolves and moose.
Glacier Bay National Park Alaska
Discover Alaska’s incredible glaciers and fjords
Where the southern tip of Alaska lies between the Pacific Ocean and Canada, the 5,000-square-kilometer Glacier National Park attracts the adventurous. Visitors can explore atop one of 175 mountains, with 3,190-meter Mount Cleveland being the tallest; fish in one of 762 lakes, including the 15-kilometer long Lake McDonald; and see 25 named glaciers. Etch those glaciers into memory while you can; experts predict warming trends will melt them away by 2030. Hike along the Grinnell Glacier or Iceberg Lake trails. Make the most of a visit with overnight stays in the park in a historic hotel, rustic cabin or backcountry chalet.
Featuring over 1.3 million hectares of rugged mountains, dynamic glaciers, wild coastlines and deep fjords, Glacier Bay National Park is a stunning place to experience the beauty of Alaska.
From summit to sea, Glacier Bay is home to an incredible variety of activities sure to awe and inspire you. To get there, you’ll need to take a boat or a sea plane from Alaska’s capital city, Juneau, which sits to the east of the park. Start your adventure in this UNESCO World Heritage Site with a visit to Bartlett Cove, where you can rent a sea kayak and paddle out to visit the beautiful McBride Glacier. You can also hop aboard a boat tour to Marble Island, where you can watch comical puffins and lazy sea lions lounging on the shores. Alternatively, take to the skies in an aerial tour of the park’s massive glaciers.
Katmai National Park Alaska
The best place to spot bears in the wild
Nature watchers armed with cameras and anglers toting fishing poles find plenty of targets within Katmai National Park and Preserve in southern Alaska on the Pacific Ocean. Wildlife here make their home in alpine tundra, forests, lakes, rivers and marshes. In addition to bears and salmon crowding the Brooks River, visitors at sites elsewhere in the park will spot moose, caribou, wolf, red fox, waterfowl, bald eagles, seals and whales. Reel in pike, pollock, cod or rainbow trout, among others. Explore by boat or foot, always keeping that camera poised to take an action shot.
First established in 1918 as Katmai National Monument, Katmai National Park and Preserve protects an active volcanic landscape, as well as an important habitat for salmon and the thousands of brown bears that feast on them.
When most people envision Katmai, they think of bears. The National Park is one of the best brown bear viewing areas in the world. More than 2,000 brown bears call Katmai home, many of them gathering at the Brooks Camp area of the park to fish for sockeye salmon in the Brooks River. A short hike will lead you to three wildlife-viewing platforms along the river where you can watch the bears dive for their dinner.
ARIZONA
Canyon de Chelly National Monument Arizona
A stunning example of ancient history
Just like the Pueblo and Hopi Indians thousands of years before them, the Navajos continue to live amid cliffs in a sacred Arizona mountain range, raising crops and livestock. Today, though, they work together with the National Park Service to manage the legacy and future of Canyon de Chelly, which became a national monument in 1931 to help preserve the archaeological site. In a learning activity disguised as fun, visiting children can become a Junior Ranger by completing a few fun activities that help them understand the park’s important cultural and natural resources.
Home to members of the Navajo Nation for nearly 5,000 years, Canyon de Chelly National Monument in northeast Arizona offers a one-of-a-kind look into the history of these tribes. Navajo people continue to live, work and raise their families in the rugged canyons surrounding the monument.
Before you head into the park, stop in at the visitor center and pick up a map of the archaeological sites and learn about their significance. Then, devote a good portion of your time to visiting the canyon’s impeccable cliff dwellings, carved by Ancient Puebloans thousands of years ago. Guided tours of the park are offered by U.S. Park Rangers and by private tour companies. In addition to exploring the ancient ruins, you can hike, bike or drive to the monument’s 10 overlooks, which offer expansive views of the surrounding canyons, gorges and valleys.
Grand Canyon National Park Arizona
Grand Canyon: Natural wonder worth a spot on a must-see list
Both breathtaking and overwhelming at the same time, the 1.6-kilometer deep and 16-kilometer wide Grand Canyon is a testament to 2,000 million years of geological history. Nearly as alluring as the canyon is the powerful Colorado River snaking its way through Grand Canyon National Park, beckoning visitors to take short guided boat trips or a multiday adventure. Sign up for a ranger-led program to learn about geologic history, majestic birds of prey, animals living in the extreme environment and the area’s early inhabitants. Continuing a tradition that began with the ancestral Puebloan people, several tribes still call the Grand Canyon home.
Powerful and inspiring, Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona is no doubt on every traveler’s must-see list. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is arguably one of the USA’s most famous landmarks and encompasses nearly 5,000 square kilometers of plummeting canyons, multicolored rocks, dramatic cliffs and stunning ravines.
There are plenty of overlooks from which you can admire the view, including Mather Point and the Toroweap Overlook. Even though the favorite activity at Grand Canyon is to stand on the edge and overlook the beautiful landscape, there are many other ways to enjoy the park’s natural splendor. Take a mule ride along the South Rim trail or take a white-water rafting trip down the Colorado River. Alternatively, you can admire the canyon from above on a helicopter tour.
Petrified Forest National Park Arizona
Walk through thousands of years of history at the Petrified National Park
Located deep in the remote backcountry of western Arizona’s wide expanses, Petrified Forest National Park’s 81,000 hectares encompass 225 million years of geological and cultural history. One of the lesser-visited parks in the U.S., its looming spires and ancient stones mesmerize those who bother to make the long trek out. Whether you tour by car or on foot (if you’re adventurous), the winding roads and rocky trails reveal a wonderland of craggy, colorful relics of Earth’s turbulent past and vivid markers of ancient civilizations. Adventurous types will enjoy the powerful landscapes sculpted by history that Petrified Forest National Park has in store.
Explore Ancient History in Petrified Forest National Park
Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona (about 180 kilometers east of Flagstaff) is a surprising place, offering far more than the world-renowned petrified logs for which it’s named. You can find fossils, buttes and mesas, ancient petroglyphs, wildlife and even wildflowers, depending on the time of year.
You can see the unique beauty of this sight easily from your car and a few stops at scenic overlooks. Imagine what you can see by walking one of the short maintained trails or even hiking into the backcountry. If you are craving some quiet solitude, the Painted Desert is perfect for hiking and contemplation. And for spectacular views, check out the Tiponi, Kachina, Whipple or Lacey scenic overlooks.
Saguaro National Park ARIZONA
The best views of the American Southwest
Though conditions in the blazing hot, dry Sonoran Desert may seem inhospitable to life, all manner of flora and fauna thrives there. Saguaro National Park is the best place to see not only its namesake plant, but also hundreds of other species of cacti, grasses, shrubs, flowers, trees, birds, mammals and reptiles. And the scenery isn’t shabby either; the plants and critters live amid a dramatic backdrop of terracotta-tinted mountains and endless blue sky. Come visit and experience the wild beauty of the desert.
The giant saguaro cactus is the universal symbol of the western USA, and Tucson, Arizona, is home to the nation’s largest cacti. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of the modern city of Tucson. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset.
There is so much to take in while visiting this beautiful park. Saguaro National Park has two districts: East and West. The park also encompasses numerous hiking trails that wind through the stunning desert scenery — all within easy reach of the restaurants, shops and galleries of Tucson.
Arkansas
Hot Springs National Park
Be soothed by Arkansas’ thermal waters
Take an hour, or an entire day, to visit an urban park, where American Indians some 14,000 years ago sought out the healing powers of pools of unusually cold and hot spring water. As exploration moved west, it was natural for a few cabins to be built around the bathing spots and, for the past 150 years, ornate bathhouses have drawn visitors to experience the 65-degree Celsius water flowing from Hot Springs Mountain. Tour the historic Fordyce Bathhouse, and stroll the Grand Promenade, which included a bandstand as early as 1901. If time permits, hike to the Mountain Tower. Don’t forget to test the water.
The first thing that attracted people to central Arkansas was water — specifically the thermal springs. And they have been coming here ever since to use these soothing thermal waters to heal and relax.
Today, Hot Springs National Park, which surrounds the north end of the city of Hot Springs, Arkansas, preserves both the hot springs and the cultural sites that sprung up around them. Within the 22-square-kilometer park, you can experience the hot springs for yourself with a rejuvenating spa day along Bathhouse Row at the heart of the park. Or, for a memorable view of Hot Springs, put on your hiking shoes and follow the West Mountain Trail for panoramic vistas.
California
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Hike, bike and enjoy breathtaking views
Golden Gate National Recreation Area is famous for its iconic structures, the largest collection of historic buildings in any national park and the 146 kilometers of San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean shoreline that gives a home to some of the 2,458 plants and animal species in the urban park. Visitors can learn about 200 years of history, join a guided tour, or take advantage of recreational and educational programs about marine and animal life that are offered by a number of partner organizations. Go on a horseback ride, try hang gliding or learn about migrating birds of prey.
Shasta-Trinity National Forest California
Explore five scenic and diverse wilderness areas
California’s largest national forest is a study in contrasts: Its elevation ranges from 300 to 4,300 meters, its terrain includes both volcanic mountains and placid waterways and it has off-the-grid wilderness, but it’s also dotted with charming small towns. Which is why everyone from skiers to climbers to fishermen can find their niche in this haven of solitude, fresh air and spectacular views wedged into the far northern reaches of the state.
Channel Islands National Park
Unique wilderness just outside the big city
Venture offshore to the well-preserved Channel Islands National Park, where the year-round destination yields opportunities for strolling a tranquil beach, hiking a mountain trail, viewing wildflowers and exploring a pristine marine environment as the ocean laps the shoreline. Camp overnight, look off a cliff, watch seals and their pups, or reel in a fish. To plot a trip, make the first stop the Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center at the northern tip of Ventura Beach on the California mainland. There, see exhibits featuring the character of each island in the park system.
Death Valley National Park
A landscape as extreme as the adventures in Death Valley
Silver miners and Twenty Mule Teams hauling borax in the late 1800s are long gone, but in their place are hordes of visitors from around the world eager to see the ghost towns and ranches they left behind. Among the desert, canyons and mountains of Death Valley National Park, many places are considered sacred to the native Timbisha Shoshone Indians. See a spring-fed waterfall, a miracle in the desert, at Darwin Falls, and marvel at the yuccas lining a valley at Lee Flat Joshua Tree. It’s no wonder that scores of TV shows and movies feature this famous park. Check out top things to see in Death Valley National Park during your visit.
Joshua Tree National Park California
The desert like you’ve never seen it before
Only in the Mojave Desert will one see a Joshua tree, the largest of the yuccas, that can grow 12 meters tall over 150 years. Named after the agave with dagger-like leaves, the 320,805-hectare Joshua Tree National Park attracts more than 2 million visitors a year, but they come to see more than the trees. Go beyond the desert to ascend the 1,773-meter Quail Mountain, the highest peak here. Visit Keys Ranch in a rocky canyon, where a family once lived and ran a mining operation, school and store. Tour the park by foot or mountain bike, guided or solo.
Yosemite National Park California
Awed by granite peaks and cascading waterfalls in Yosemite National Park
The jewel in the crown of California’s national parks, Yosemite National Park has been stunning visitors since the first two travelers laid eyes on it in 1855. Now, every year over 4 million people stand in awe of its unique natural treasures, which have been documented by everyone from early conservationist John Muir to legendary photographer Ansel Adams. Carved into the center of the Sierra Nevada Mountains by ancient geological forces, Yosemite’s splendor and biodiversity are so grand that it was even designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.
Redwood National and State Parks
Find sanctuary in this peaceful forest
Visitors are literally dwarfed by nature at Redwood National and State Parks, where ancient redwoods seem to touch the sky and 3-meter high ferns emerge from primeval, mist-shrouded groves. Spread over 53,000 hectares, the park was founded in 1968 to protect the majestic trees from the ravages of the logging industry and now serves to inspire amazement in the backpackers, hikers and dreamers who flock to its trails. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980, RNSP is a place to be humbled by nature.
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Stand in awe of the tallest trees on Earth
Adjacent to mighty Yosemite National Park, but no less majestic, the twin parks of Sequoia and Kings Canyon are a study in superlatives: Nature is at its deepest, tallest, strongest and widest here. Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental U.S., is found in Sequoia, while Kings River Canyon – which rivals the Grand Canyon in sheer size – is found in Kings. Whether you limit yourself to one park or the other or try to tackle both, you’ll need a couple of days minimum to take in the splendor. And you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find half as many visitors as at Yosemite.
COLORADO
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Witness awe-inspiring depths and dizzying views.
The star of this hidden gem near the town of Montrose is its dramatic, deep gorge that has been carved by the Gunnison River over the course of 1.7 billion years. The canyon walls, which plunge more than 600 meters into the earth below, are so tall that the bottom of the gorge receives only minutes of sunlight each day. Each year, as the river flows, the canyon grows deeper, but only by the width of a human hair. As you stare into these depths, it’s hard not to be overwhelmed. Still, visitors here should look up and take it all in, including mountain vistas, wildlife watching, hiking through the lush forest and gazing up at incredible night skies.
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
See the USA’s tallest sand dunes, and the singular landscape beyond.
Find yourself atop a sandy peak with vast reaches of dunes stretching out before you, take a deep breath and slide on down. It’s not just the child-like joy of sandsledding and the otherworldly landscape of North America’s tallest sand dunes that make this park a must-visit; the surrounding views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains are equally impressive. Located near Alamosa in southern Colorado, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve is a study in contrasts. Come for its monstrous sand dunes, but stay to hike diverse trails, splash in a disappearing creek, see a waterfall and watch for wildlife.
Mesa Verde National Park
Where history is forever carved into stone
Try to imagine what life was like 1,400 years ago for Ancestral Puebloan people who lived in dwellings carved into cliffs along a mountain range. That view becomes clearer with a visit to Mesa Verde National Park, where the ancient culture is celebrated and preserved. Start at the Chapin Mesa Archeological Museum to see a collection of artifacts, dioramas and displays. Drive nearly 10 kilometers on the Mesa Top Loop road, stopping to see a number of dwellings — at an elevation of 2,134 kilometers — and other sites, such as Petroglyph Point Trail to see carvings in rock and Sun Point Overlook for an unparalleled, picture-perfect canyon view.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Admire the USA’s most iconic mountains
Rejoice in the crisp air and panoramic vistas at the top of the world in Rocky Mountain National Park, which comprises 107,000 hectares of some of the most dramatic, high-altitude scenery on Earth. As its name suggests, this is a park of peaks – multiple 4,000-plus-meter peaks, in fact – linked by winding roads and 483 kilometers of trails and bisected by the Continental Divide. A favorite of mountaineers, skiers, hikers and ordinary day trippers, Rocky Mountain is rightfully one of the most popular parks in the National Park Service system.
FLORIDA
Biscayne National Park
Dive into an underwater wonderland in Biscayne National Park
In the far southeastern reaches of the U.S., at the tip of the Florida Keys, enlist a boat to cross clear, shallow waters to reach reefs and islands in Biscayne National Park. Before you go, though, start on the mainland at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center at the Convoy Point park headquarters in Homestead to learn about options for exploration. Visitors can kayak, watch seabirds and sea creatures, hike a narrow trail in a hardwood forest on a barrier island or listen to a tour guide explain 10,000 years of history and how the park was established.
Dry Tortugas National Park
History on land, colorful world under the sea
Preservation is key on the seven islands comprising Dry Tortugas National Park in the Gulf of Mexico. In and around park waters, visitors can see nesting seabirds, five species of turtles, nurse sharks and an occasional crocodile. Fish (some of them on the endangered species list) dart in and out of coral reef formations. Learn about habitats on a ranger-led ecological tour. For an immersive experience, plan ahead and reserve one of the few primitive campsites, then enjoy island serenity under a star-filled sky unspoiled by light pollution.
Everglades National Park
A unique collection of wildlife in a one-of-a-kind ecosystem
With more than 607,028 hectares of wild and scenic landscape inhabited by a bevy of plant and animal species, plan ahead to get the most out of a visit to the subtropical wilderness of Everglades National Park, which is a World Heritage Site. Learn about the park’s history and different ecosystems at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center Gallery. From the top of the 20-meter observation town in Shark Valley, gaze at points near and far, then decide how to best experience the park. Self-explorers can rent a bicycle or canoe. Others might want to join a tram or boat tour narrated by a naturalist.
