Experience an Amazing National Park Vacation in the US

We are so fortunate to live is a country with so many spectacular national parks, but very few of us have visited most of them. There are sixty-three parks that include the phrase, “national park”, in their name. However, did you know there are four hundred and twenty-nine national park sites throughout the US? Those four hundred plus sites encompass more than eighty-four million acres of land and many of these sites are national battlefields, national military parks, national monuments, and national historical parks. 

While you may not want to tackle the massive endeavor of visiting all the US National Parks, you are probably interested in visiting a few of the best national parks in the US, I want to encourage you to visit one or more of the these beautiful and mostly untouched parks.  Many of them are located on the west coast, but you will find others scattered around the country. Today, I am going to share which ones should be near the top of your list for your next national park vacation.

Glacier National Park         

Located in beautiful Montana, Glacier National Park is the best park to see glacier-capped mountain tops without traveling to Alaska. Start your journey here by driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road. You can stop at the numerous viewpoints throughout your drive. This road is normally open between July and the middle of October. However, it is dependent on the weather conditions. You will also discover more than seven hundred miles of hiking trails within this park. The hike to Avalanche Lake and the Hidden Lake Overlook are two of the best and easiest; you can reach those trailheads off the Going-to-the-Sun Road.

Denali National Park 

Is Alaska on your bucket list of travel destinations? Well, you can check this state off your list when you choose to visit Denali during your national park vacation!  This national park is known for its untouched wilderness, as well as the massive peaks and abundance of wildlife. Drive along Denali Park Road to try to capture a glimpse of Denali’s summit amongst the thick cloud cover plus you may also spot wolves, Dall sheep, moose, and grizzly bears. One of the best ways to make sure you don’t miss any of the beauty of Denali National Park is to take a guided tour. There are different tours to choose from, so you can pick the one that interests you the most. 

 Great Smoky Mountains National Park

If you live on the east coast, this may be a drivable park for you. Waterfalls are everywhere in the Great Smoky Mountains Park and are all part of this section of the Appalachian Mountains. 

You can easily drive to see Meigs Falls, the Sinks, and Place of a Thousand Drips. A hike will be required if you want to see Laurel Falls, Mouse Creek Falls, Rainbow Falls, Grotto Falls, and other waterfalls within the park. Other popular activities inside this park include exploring historical buildings and cemeteries, horseback riding, and touring Cades Cove. 

The Grand Circle

Okay, so I can’t always choose just a few of my favorite national parks in the US. Especially when it comes to the parks that are included within the Grand Circle. 

The national parks included in the Grand Circle include:

·         Zion - Hike The Narrows to see the sandstone towers and massive cliffs

• Bryce Canyon - See the hoodoos up close and watch the stunning sunset

• Capitol Reef - Explore the Fruita Rural Historic District

• Canyonlands - Explore all the canyons

• Arches - Take a selfie with the Delicate Arch and the other natural stone arches

• Black Canyon of the Gunnison - Experience sculpted rocks that seemingly reach the sky

• Mesa Verde - Explore a few of the almost five thousand archaeological sites

• Petrified Forest - Check out the petroglyphs and archaeological sites

• Grand Canyon - Hiking, whitewater rafting, and mule rides are great ways to experience this park

• Great Basin - Wander through the Lehman Caves and enjoy the solitude of the park

Exploring the Grand Circle is an excellent way to spend a month-long national park vacation in the US. Of course, you can visit one or two of these national parks and still get to experience the true beauty of this region. 

The photos below are of my trips to the Yellow Stone and the Grand Canyon National Parks.

Contact me at Lisa@customtravelbylisa.com or 717-676-6419 to explore our national parks