It’s National Park Week and in celebration the National Park Service is offering FREE admission to over 400 of their sites between Monday, April 22 and Friday, April 26th. Visiting all of them has been a personal bucket list item for quite a while. Going by the number of brochures I’ve saved and stamps in my National Park Passport, I can proudly say I’ve been to almost 50. Here’s a list of some of my favorites:
Yosemite- This one tops the list because it is the closest to my house. Majestic monoliths, a few of the world’s highest waterfalls, and an opportunity to get above it all with a trip to Glacier Point are a few other good reasons though . What more can I say? Yosemite is awesome! Just try not to visit on a weekend in the middle of Summer- the word is out and the valley can get a little crowded.
Glacier Point, Yosemite
Yellowstone- America’s First National Park and one of my favorites. We have family in Wyoming, so not counting nearby Grand Teton and trips in and out of JAC (the only commercial airport within a National Park), Yellowstone is my most-visited. While Old Faithful is the main attraction, make sure you also take time to visit other nearby geysers and pools- they are spectacular and you’d be shocked how many other people miss them. Yellowstone also has incredible wildlife viewing opportunities- don’t be surprised if you get stuck in a traffic jam while a tatonka decides to go lumbering right down the middle of the road.
Excelsior Geyser Crater, Yellowstone
Grand Canyon- This one completes the “Big 3″ when it comes to National Parks (along with Yosemite and Yellowstone). Simply put, it is the world’s largest hole in the ground. It is also very pretty. I’m guilty of only having made it to the South Rim viewing areas (along with the rest of the world), but further exploration of the North Rim, Toroweap, Havasu Falls, and maybe even an overnight to the Phantom Ranch are all on the list!
South Rim, Grand Canyon
Hawaii Volcanoes- As the name would suggest, there is a volcano here and over the past few years it has been incredibly active. While I’m not crazy about the less-than-perfect air quality and the amount of “vog” it creates, it was incredibly thrilling to get up close and personal with Pele (The Hawaiian goddess of fire) and see a little land building in action. Kilauea is a shield volcano, like much of the Hawaiian chain. Instead of exploding a la Mt. St. Helens, things here move at a slower pace (like a lot of stuff in Hawaii) allowing unparalleled, and surprisingly safe, volcano viewing opportunities.
Viewing Area South of Hilo, Hawaii Volcanoes
Haleakala- I admit I’m biased. This one makes the list because it is on Maui. While I’ve been to the island over 100 times in my life, I’m yet to make it here for the famous sunrise. I’m bad, I know. But hey, the sunsets here aren’t terrible either! The most visited part of the park is the 10,023 ft. summit overlooking the crater. Standing on top of Haleakala is the closest land-based experience I’ve had to flying in a plane. On a clear day I’ve been able to see as many as five neighboring islands, including Oahu.
Haleakala, Maui
Pu’uhonua O Honaunau- I already wrote about this one earlier in the week so I’ll spare you the rehash, but Pu’uhonua O Honaunau (maybe along with Pearl Harbor) is my favorite NPS administered site in the islands and all-time favorite historical park in the entire of the country.
Ki’i at Pu’uhonua O Honaunau a.k.a. The City of Refuge
Canyon de Chelly- The words “off the beaten track” do not begin to describe the mild PITA it is to get here. We’re talking like worse than Great Basin. However once you make it through the not-so-scenic town of Chinle, Arizona, you’ll be awarded with one of the most beautiful (and photogenic) canyons in all the Southwest. Make sure to take a Navajo-guided jeep tour or hike to the bottom and see the famous White House Ruins.
White House Ruin, Canyon de Chelly
Canyonlands- My favorite park of the Southwest. Period. From Mesa Arch at Sunrise to the more hidden and hard-to-get-to False Kiva, I can’t get enough of “Island in the Sky”. At 1,000 feet above the rest of the park, this district offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape and confluence area of the Colorado and Green Rivers. Of course, no trip to canyon country is complete without visiting nearby Arches.
Mesa Arch, Canyonlands
Mesa Verde- I’m a sucker for archeological wonders and there is no shortage of them here. Don’t miss a ranger guided tour of Cliff Palace or a picture of Square Tower House Ruin at sunset.
Square Tower House Ruin, Mesa Verde
Virgin Islands- Embrace your inner castaway and head to St. John for a day at the beach. Admittedly, I’ve explored more than my share of gorgeous stretches of sand around the world (I’m somewhat of a beach bum), but the crystal clear warm waters of Trunk Bay still managed to impress.
Trunk Bay, Virgin Islands
Honorable Mentions: Bryce, Zion, The USS Arizona Memorial, Everglades, Crater Lake, and pretty much everything in DC.
Still on the To-do List: Great Smokey Mountains, American Samoa, Carlsbad Caverns, and the entire state of Alaska.
How many National Parks have you visited? Which were your favorites?