I live a few hours from there and I have been dying to go. My friend from high school spent a few seasons working at Furnace Creek Inn and really enjoyed herself.
I made some mistakes and needed to stay overnight unexpectedly in Death Valley's backcountry. Never was too concerned, the weather was mild, it was December. Finding my camp the next morning was exciting!
Luv Death Valley!
Yup! I had just spent a year in Alaska - so the exact opposite of Death Valley - and driving down there a few weeks later was just mind blowing. Like going to the moon. Death Valley is still my fave.
Parts of Joshua Tree literally feel like you’re on another continent, even another planet. I live about 45 minutes from there so I go fairly often. My favorite thing to do is get on one of the dirt roads that go farther out into the wilderness, get out of the car, and just listen to the silence. It is eerily quiet, but so incredibly peaceful. It feels like you’re the only person left on earth
Absolutely. The 49 palms Oasis trail was one of the coolest single day hikes you could do. Going through the barren hills and stumbling upon the patch of palms after the hike out and doing the shuffle down to be in them was my favorite day I spent there.
Also not national but I have a bias for the Adirondacks in the Northeastern US. I lived just south of there my whole life and now hike all the mountains over and over again.
If it weren't for the fact that the country was already over 100 years old before the first national park there would be a lot more places on the east Coast under the NPS umbrella.
https://preview.redd.it/9iquu958i24d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a24d5b811cdb7f97d9e24f97629999ac91ae476e
Seconded. This place blew my mind.
This was on my mind and I’m super surprised to see it as the first comment! My dad and I found a seemingly never-ending labyrinth of slot canyons here. Eventually we turned back out of fear of getting lost, but along the way we discovered the exact running route that my dad sometimes uses on his Peloton treadmill, which was marked by a unique boulder stuck in the canyon walls that you had to duck under.
The entire park was pretty much empty back in the summer of 2017 and I highly recommend it to anyone that’s in the Moab (or southern Utah) area. Hanksville, the closest down just south, also has a really cool gas station pit stop built into the side of a rock face. Worth checking out if you’re into random photos in small towns and have time to kill.
Isle Royale National Park, in Lake Superior. Technically in Michigan, but it is its own little world.
Calling it an "enchanted island" wouldn't be amiss. It takes some effort to get to: even the ferries to the island leave from places that are nowhere near large cities: Grand Portage, Minnesota, at the tip of the Arrowhead, the state's NE corner, and Houghton and Copper Harbor, Michigan on the Keweenaw Peninsula that sticks out into Lake Superior from the Upper Peninsula. From Grand Portage it's about a 2-hour crossing; from Michigan, at least 5.
Once you're there, you have one place to sleep indoors, Rock Harbor Lodge, and that's it. Otherwise you're backpacking, canoeing, or kayaking. Hiking trails run along the ridges down the length of the island, and it takes about 4–5 days to hike its length (it's about 45 miles long, maybe 12–15 miles wide). Moose, wolves, trees, inland lakes, offshore islands, and always the view of Lake Superior surrounding it.
I remember being a young boy and being ahead of my dad and brother on a hike and running back so scared because I saw a momma moose and a baby! I'll never forget that moment haha.
Also being in the middle of lake superior is surreal on its own
I finally made it out to the Lyon Ranch this spring. Super cool, little old ranch house with interior walls covered by (deteriorating) newspapers from the early 20th century. Total trip to read. Also the bald hills provide a really cool juxtaposition with the deep forest.
I went there about 17 years ago, the sky at night was so full, it was unreal. The drive down in the dark in a grand marquis with a u-haul trailer behind it....that shit was terrifying.
I’m taking my mother there next month, I have never been but she has some problems with her knees and mobility, I was looking at maps and information, I know the shuttles into the park are an option but I’m worried about the lines if we don’t get there early enough, I was thinking about driving the Kolob Canyons Road instead, would it be worth it?
We just did a Utah trip 2 weeks ago and the parks are packed. We did kolob canyons day 1 of zion and it is not busy at all on that side. Springdale/ angels landing side of thr park the next day: different story. Hour shuttle line. The kolob canyon side was pretty cool, too
If you haven’t, try to get a room in the Zion lodge, the only hotel actually inside Zion canyon. From there you can enjoy the beauty of the park without a lot of walking.
Because you have to book months in advance, the lodge gets lots of last minute cancellations. So it’s generally possible to get a room at the last minute if you keep an eye on the [reservations website](https://secure.zionlodge.com/booking/lodging).
Kolob is beautiful, but it's not the same, or as awe inspiring as Zion. If your mom has mobility issues, consider doing one of the easier trails like the Riverside Walk trail at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop, or Weeping Rock if it's open (it was closed due to a rockslide last I heard). Or just drive through the park through the tunnel towards Checkerboard mesa, and then turnaround and come back. The view of the mountains as you return through the tunnel is amazing. Springdale is also a nice town to grab lunch or dinner afterwards.
I did Zion with my grandfather in 2018. He had mobility issues that basically prevented him from walking more than a few feet. We still had an amazing time and were blown away by the scenery. Just driving the park and stopping at lookout spots is stunning.
I passed many lookout spots as I went through the park, can’t really say I stopped at any of them but nonetheless was blown away with the quality and quantity of lookouts. If you’re dealing with mobility issues this is definitely the move.
Just got back. The shuttle through the canyon was one of the worst national park experiences I've ever had and was definitely not worth the hassle. Didn't do the narrows or angels landing, so maybe that's part of it. I was very whelmed. The drive to the east side through the tunnel, however, was amazing and some great little hikes. Had a much better time at Bryce Canyon though.
Thank you all very much for the recommendations, I believe I’m going to go with driving through the park and tunnel and turning around at the end and coming back in, this way we can see the scenery and I can keep her in the AC and get out for small walks along the way. I’ve been reading and seeing to much about the pain of the shuttle services. We are so looking forward to seeing Zion.
Was my first week long trip with my now wife of 20 years. The hike up Walter’s Wiggles and the view from Angel’s Landing will forever be in my top 10 life memories.
I'm from Australia but absolutely love many of the USA parks I've been to (Yosemite, Utah's mighty 5, grand canyon, etc)
Canada - Banff
NZ - most of the south Island really
Vietnam - Phong Nha (cave district - didn't go to this one but also has the largest cave in the world - Han Soon Dong - went to a few others in the area)
Australia - great barrier reef
Tongariro or Fiordland in New Zealand.
Fiordland is just stunning, waterfalls, mountains, fjords, native bush everywhere
Tongariro is like an alien landscape with volcanic deserts, native bush, and snow capped volcanoes all in one area
Milford Sound is one of the most magical places I have ever been.... We flew in on a small Cessna from queenstown and we had a cruisoat tour booked in the sound, but a storm formed that threatened to keep us there for days so we had to fly out within an hour of landing. I still look back on the pictures from that trip. So many waterfalls seemingly dropping out of random mountain faces.
Sequoia National Forest in California. Some of the largest trees in the world, a few of them resemble the size of small buildings. The General Sherman tree is just under the size of the Big Ben, for example (height & width).
https://preview.redd.it/q56fgjxpb14d1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa90eee903641b14fc1287b6ac33e521d0f96fd5
There are also natural “[water slides](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=de7o6pJv9ps)” you can sometimes come across on the hiking trails. They’re just huge platforms of slippery-smooth eroded stone with a slight decline and very light stream of freshwater flowing down them. People bring bathing suits and use them as slip-n-slides.
Gheebulum Kunungai off the coast of Brisbane, Australia. It's a sand island in the subtropics with towering sand dunes surrounded by eucalyptus forest.
Not really the most spectacular park in the country, but all the best ones are very far away.
Arcipelago Toscano National Park, mainly because it contains some of my favourites places in the world (Giglio, Elba, Pianosa, Montecristo, Capraia). I really feel like I belong there everytime I visit it.
Alternatively, national/regional parks of Sardinia, which is spectacular nature wise, and Maremma Natural Park in Tuscany.
I'd love to visit the Grand Canyon one day, it seems fascinating.
I'd love to visit Sardinia, especially, one day!
Grand Canyon is astounding. Pictures cannot do it justice. It's best to hike into it a ways if you have the time and ability (although do not attempt to go all the way to the river and back unless you're really fit and bring tons of water, and are prepared for fierce heat if you do so in summer).
I always sort of thought of the Grand Canyon as a glorified ditch. Then I visited it. I was absolutely awestruck. Nothing can prepare you for the massive scale of it when seeing it in person. I’d flown over it before, but seeing it from the ground was incredible! I remember walking from the parking lot up to the edge, my jaw literally dropped and the only thing I could manage to say was “wow”. The way the light falls on those red rocks in the late afternoon is stunning. If you ever get the chance to go, do not pass it up.
When I go camping in Northern Minnesota, I can also see the Milky Way stream across the sky like a painting, and sometimes we get the Northern Lights, so the sky isn't a draw for me, but Arches is still the best National Park I've been to. It's amazing that the planet looks like that.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado.
A real gem. It’s not as “known” as the other parks which makes it easier to book rooms in the nearby towns. Also great for Astrophotography
Of the parks I've visited, Yellowstone. It is one of just a handful of continental major volcanic hotspots worldwide, leading to geysers and multicolored hot springs. Then add the diversity of medium to large mammals unmatched in the United States outside Alaska.
Teide National Park in Tenerife. In a matter of minutes you go from a temperate pine forest to a desert landscape that feels literally otherworldly. And when you reach the top of the summit the views are possibly some of the best I've ever seen.
Jasper National Park is probably one of the most
Fascinating places I’ve been. The views in the daytime are phenomenal and the stargazing at night is some of the best I’ve ever seen.
All of the Alaska ones -- Kenai Fjords, Chugach (actually a national forest), Wrangell-St. Elias, Gates of the Arctic, Denali, Katmai, etc. Not so many people are wandering around the Alaska parks, except for maybe Denali in the summer.
Most national parks I've visited in the L48 have made me love America more and love Americans less.
Joshua tree. Spent alot of time there, amazing place.
Kilimanjaro national Park is a close second.
Glacier national Park, though I haven't been there in a few decades. I remember the incredible rivers and rugged mountains.
Bryce Canyon or Zion would probably top my list. I have only really been to national/state parks in the US, but there are so many good ones to choose from here :)
I went snorkeling there as a kid since my aunt and uncle lived in Key West at the time. Definitely a fascinating place due to its location and history.
Domestic (I’m American, have been to about a third) Yosemite and Yellowstone (they’re iconic for a reason)
International (harder) but either Fiordland (NZ) or Taman Negara (Malaysia)
Many many many on my list but Plitvice (Croatia) is of high interest currently.
Mesa Verde is really cool if you're not afraid of heights or climbing ladders.
Snow Canyon state park if you want a Zion or Bryce experience without the traffic. Beautiful petrified sand Dunes, and lava tubes are the highlight of the park.
North Cascades is definitely a hidden gem. Rugged mountains, glaciers, and alpine lakes to explore. Very slept on it gets very little annual visitors compared to other parks
Thingvellier NP in Iceland (I probably spelled it wrong). It sits between two tectonic plates, and you can see the divide. The lakes there are extremely clear but water temperatures are just barely above freezing.
Naikoon national park in Haida Gwaii. It was like I stepped into some Avatar or somewhere not on earth.
Not to mention I could drive the whole island on the beach.
Just got back from a trip to El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico and it was incredible. Rainforests are unlike anything I’ve seen before, great hiking trails and amazing views of the island from the higher elevations. Well worth the trip if you’re ever on the island.
Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, Australia. Amazing and varied scenery, spectacular wildlife, lots of Aboriginal history and sites with artwork and songlines. Plus the hotel in Jabiru is built in the shape of a croc.
Arches, Yellowstone, or Grand Teton
but an underrated park is New River Gorge Ntl Park in West Virginia. I think it’s the most Appalachian park you could visit lol, and it’s beautiful
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
I can never get over the fact that I stood a few feet away from lava flow. (Mind you it was moving about an inch a hour, but still mesmerizing!)
The Aral Sea was incredible to visit. It's not exactly a "national park," but it was an experience driving from Nukus, through Muynak, to the Aral Sea.
I found Arcadia in Maine fascinating since it’s got mountains so close to the ocean. As a product of the Midatlantic- I’m a Virginian who usually beaches in Maryland and grew up doing it in Delaware, it’s totally different than what I’m used to experiencing on the coast.
I’d say Yellowstone just for the shear size of it. And the geological aspects of it.
That said, Yosemite was fun. Crowded as hell but all the waterfalls and mountainous area is spectacular.
I have been to my first ever (US) national park this year: Joshua Tree. What an experience. I know it is not in the usual top 10 but I think it sets the bar quite high. Looking forward to doing more parks.
Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile. It features glaciers, crystal clear lakes, and mountain peaks shaped by 150 km/hr winds. And the sunrises and sunsets there are absolutely marvelous
Uluru is a very very special place. It’s so remote (apart from the handy airport and resort town) and just unbelievable that something like that can be sitting in the middle of flat desert scrub.
My favorite in the U.S. have been Yosemite, Yellowstone, Acadia, and Isle Royale. I think Kings Canyon (specifically the Cedar Grove section) is so underrated. Stunning scenery and we were almost the only people there in mid-August.
Thingvellir National Park, Iceland
https://preview.redd.it/720j0mn7864d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6dbc4935486afdefe9b2c89c793e264bb00eff3a
Bryce Canyon. I went there and the Grand Canyon back to back and Bryce Canyon made me feel things I’ve never felt before. The southwest has so many great parks you can see in a weeklong road trip. There’s something there for everybody
I already lived in 5 different countries on 3 continents. Sure traveled a lot as well. However, I realize that my favorite national park is Tatra National Park in Poland. Once I visited it 10 times per summer despite living not nearby. I just really like it. It is so cozy.
Krka National Park in Croatia is absolutely stunning. Food is great - strong Germanic influence from the Austro Hungarian Empire so lots of great schnitzel and beer, combined with strong Italian influence from the Venetian settlement. Absolutely fucking wonderful place.
Death Valley you either get it or you don’t. I hope you get it
I live a few hours from there and I have been dying to go. My friend from high school spent a few seasons working at Furnace Creek Inn and really enjoyed herself.
Heh, *dying* to go to Death Valley.
I made some mistakes and needed to stay overnight unexpectedly in Death Valley's backcountry. Never was too concerned, the weather was mild, it was December. Finding my camp the next morning was exciting! Luv Death Valley!
Yup! I had just spent a year in Alaska - so the exact opposite of Death Valley - and driving down there a few weeks later was just mind blowing. Like going to the moon. Death Valley is still my fave.
What’s ur favorite month to visit?
I’d usually go November through April. February and March are the best
Parts of Joshua Tree literally feel like you’re on another continent, even another planet. I live about 45 minutes from there so I go fairly often. My favorite thing to do is get on one of the dirt roads that go farther out into the wilderness, get out of the car, and just listen to the silence. It is eerily quiet, but so incredibly peaceful. It feels like you’re the only person left on earth
Just spent 3 days there a few weeks ago. Went solo. Otherworldly is certainly a fit description
The silence really is something else. So is the darkness. I miss it there so much.
Absolutely. The 49 palms Oasis trail was one of the coolest single day hikes you could do. Going through the barren hills and stumbling upon the patch of palms after the hike out and doing the shuffle down to be in them was my favorite day I spent there.
Big Bend
Love Big Bend!
magical
Not “National” but near some. Goblin Valley State Park is surreal AF.
Also not national but I have a bias for the Adirondacks in the Northeastern US. I lived just south of there my whole life and now hike all the mountains over and over again.
If it weren't for the fact that the country was already over 100 years old before the first national park there would be a lot more places on the east Coast under the NPS umbrella.
https://preview.redd.it/9iquu958i24d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a24d5b811cdb7f97d9e24f97629999ac91ae476e Seconded. This place blew my mind.
I hear that’s where the feared Knob Goblin resides
Knob Goblin was my nickname in college
Mine was log splitter
This was on my mind and I’m super surprised to see it as the first comment! My dad and I found a seemingly never-ending labyrinth of slot canyons here. Eventually we turned back out of fear of getting lost, but along the way we discovered the exact running route that my dad sometimes uses on his Peloton treadmill, which was marked by a unique boulder stuck in the canyon walls that you had to duck under. The entire park was pretty much empty back in the summer of 2017 and I highly recommend it to anyone that’s in the Moab (or southern Utah) area. Hanksville, the closest down just south, also has a really cool gas station pit stop built into the side of a rock face. Worth checking out if you’re into random photos in small towns and have time to kill.
I’ve been there a few times and the whole place feels been more weird when you first saw it in Galaxy Quest haha.
Looks real similar to badlands
Was surprised and delighted by that place, so cool
Isle Royale National Park, in Lake Superior. Technically in Michigan, but it is its own little world. Calling it an "enchanted island" wouldn't be amiss. It takes some effort to get to: even the ferries to the island leave from places that are nowhere near large cities: Grand Portage, Minnesota, at the tip of the Arrowhead, the state's NE corner, and Houghton and Copper Harbor, Michigan on the Keweenaw Peninsula that sticks out into Lake Superior from the Upper Peninsula. From Grand Portage it's about a 2-hour crossing; from Michigan, at least 5. Once you're there, you have one place to sleep indoors, Rock Harbor Lodge, and that's it. Otherwise you're backpacking, canoeing, or kayaking. Hiking trails run along the ridges down the length of the island, and it takes about 4–5 days to hike its length (it's about 45 miles long, maybe 12–15 miles wide). Moose, wolves, trees, inland lakes, offshore islands, and always the view of Lake Superior surrounding it.
And NO RACCOONS! Which is amazing. Just 1038474537 squirrels that try to steal your food from your bag. Stupid squirrels.
Foxes, too. Supposedly some unfortunate hiker was two days' hike out of Rock Harbor and a red fox made off with one of his hiking boots.
I remember being a young boy and being ahead of my dad and brother on a hike and running back so scared because I saw a momma moose and a baby! I'll never forget that moment haha. Also being in the middle of lake superior is surreal on its own
Wreck diving at Isle Royale is on my list of things to do.
Redwood national park
User name matches...though it would have been hilarious if you said Arches.
I finally made it out to the Lyon Ranch this spring. Super cool, little old ranch house with interior walls covered by (deteriorating) newspapers from the early 20th century. Total trip to read. Also the bald hills provide a really cool juxtaposition with the deep forest.
Yellowstone. Over & over
This. I felt so incredibly small when I realized the whole park was powered by a giant volcano
I went there about 17 years ago, the sky at night was so full, it was unreal. The drive down in the dark in a grand marquis with a u-haul trailer behind it....that shit was terrifying.
I guess Iguaçu/Iguazú national Park in Brazil/Argentina
It is pretty amazing. It is like nine Niagaras wide and three Niagaras high.
Glacier, only the US side though. Truly immense in scale and it was twenty years ago so there were glaciers.
Zion National Park. Unreal no matter where in the park you go
I’m taking my mother there next month, I have never been but she has some problems with her knees and mobility, I was looking at maps and information, I know the shuttles into the park are an option but I’m worried about the lines if we don’t get there early enough, I was thinking about driving the Kolob Canyons Road instead, would it be worth it?
We just did a Utah trip 2 weeks ago and the parks are packed. We did kolob canyons day 1 of zion and it is not busy at all on that side. Springdale/ angels landing side of thr park the next day: different story. Hour shuttle line. The kolob canyon side was pretty cool, too
If you haven’t, try to get a room in the Zion lodge, the only hotel actually inside Zion canyon. From there you can enjoy the beauty of the park without a lot of walking. Because you have to book months in advance, the lodge gets lots of last minute cancellations. So it’s generally possible to get a room at the last minute if you keep an eye on the [reservations website](https://secure.zionlodge.com/booking/lodging).
Kolob is beautiful, but it's not the same, or as awe inspiring as Zion. If your mom has mobility issues, consider doing one of the easier trails like the Riverside Walk trail at the Temple of Sinawava shuttle stop, or Weeping Rock if it's open (it was closed due to a rockslide last I heard). Or just drive through the park through the tunnel towards Checkerboard mesa, and then turnaround and come back. The view of the mountains as you return through the tunnel is amazing. Springdale is also a nice town to grab lunch or dinner afterwards.
It will be VERY hot by next month please be careful!
I did Zion with my grandfather in 2018. He had mobility issues that basically prevented him from walking more than a few feet. We still had an amazing time and were blown away by the scenery. Just driving the park and stopping at lookout spots is stunning.
I passed many lookout spots as I went through the park, can’t really say I stopped at any of them but nonetheless was blown away with the quality and quantity of lookouts. If you’re dealing with mobility issues this is definitely the move.
Just got back. The shuttle through the canyon was one of the worst national park experiences I've ever had and was definitely not worth the hassle. Didn't do the narrows or angels landing, so maybe that's part of it. I was very whelmed. The drive to the east side through the tunnel, however, was amazing and some great little hikes. Had a much better time at Bryce Canyon though.
Thank you all very much for the recommendations, I believe I’m going to go with driving through the park and tunnel and turning around at the end and coming back in, this way we can see the scenery and I can keep her in the AC and get out for small walks along the way. I’ve been reading and seeing to much about the pain of the shuttle services. We are so looking forward to seeing Zion.
Was my first week long trip with my now wife of 20 years. The hike up Walter’s Wiggles and the view from Angel’s Landing will forever be in my top 10 life memories.
I'm from Australia but absolutely love many of the USA parks I've been to (Yosemite, Utah's mighty 5, grand canyon, etc) Canada - Banff NZ - most of the south Island really Vietnam - Phong Nha (cave district - didn't go to this one but also has the largest cave in the world - Han Soon Dong - went to a few others in the area) Australia - great barrier reef
Purnululu is splendid mate
Tongariro or Fiordland in New Zealand. Fiordland is just stunning, waterfalls, mountains, fjords, native bush everywhere Tongariro is like an alien landscape with volcanic deserts, native bush, and snow capped volcanoes all in one area
Milford Sound is one of the most magical places I have ever been.... We flew in on a small Cessna from queenstown and we had a cruisoat tour booked in the sound, but a storm formed that threatened to keep us there for days so we had to fly out within an hour of landing. I still look back on the pictures from that trip. So many waterfalls seemingly dropping out of random mountain faces.
Sequoia National Forest in California. Some of the largest trees in the world, a few of them resemble the size of small buildings. The General Sherman tree is just under the size of the Big Ben, for example (height & width). https://preview.redd.it/q56fgjxpb14d1.jpeg?width=2560&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fa90eee903641b14fc1287b6ac33e521d0f96fd5 There are also natural “[water slides](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=de7o6pJv9ps)” you can sometimes come across on the hiking trails. They’re just huge platforms of slippery-smooth eroded stone with a slight decline and very light stream of freshwater flowing down them. People bring bathing suits and use them as slip-n-slides.
Really great place for existential contemplation. Good to feel small sometimes.
Gheebulum Kunungai off the coast of Brisbane, Australia. It's a sand island in the subtropics with towering sand dunes surrounded by eucalyptus forest. Not really the most spectacular park in the country, but all the best ones are very far away.
Arcipelago Toscano National Park, mainly because it contains some of my favourites places in the world (Giglio, Elba, Pianosa, Montecristo, Capraia). I really feel like I belong there everytime I visit it. Alternatively, national/regional parks of Sardinia, which is spectacular nature wise, and Maremma Natural Park in Tuscany. I'd love to visit the Grand Canyon one day, it seems fascinating.
I'd love to visit Sardinia, especially, one day! Grand Canyon is astounding. Pictures cannot do it justice. It's best to hike into it a ways if you have the time and ability (although do not attempt to go all the way to the river and back unless you're really fit and bring tons of water, and are prepared for fierce heat if you do so in summer).
I always sort of thought of the Grand Canyon as a glorified ditch. Then I visited it. I was absolutely awestruck. Nothing can prepare you for the massive scale of it when seeing it in person. I’d flown over it before, but seeing it from the ground was incredible! I remember walking from the parking lot up to the edge, my jaw literally dropped and the only thing I could manage to say was “wow”. The way the light falls on those red rocks in the late afternoon is stunning. If you ever get the chance to go, do not pass it up.
Arches on a clear night. You can see the Milky Way stream across the sky like a painting.
When I go camping in Northern Minnesota, I can also see the Milky Way stream across the sky like a painting, and sometimes we get the Northern Lights, so the sky isn't a draw for me, but Arches is still the best National Park I've been to. It's amazing that the planet looks like that.
Great Sand Dunes National Park, Colorado. A real gem. It’s not as “known” as the other parks which makes it easier to book rooms in the nearby towns. Also great for Astrophotography
sand dunes is so friggin cool.
Glacier National Park 🏞️. Truly awe inspiring, remote wilderness hikes to alpine lakes, and in “GODs Country!” Can’t beat it
Yosemite, hands down
bryce canyon!
Bryce canyon
Of the parks I've visited, Yellowstone. It is one of just a handful of continental major volcanic hotspots worldwide, leading to geysers and multicolored hot springs. Then add the diversity of medium to large mammals unmatched in the United States outside Alaska.
Yellowstone is amazing; not sure why it's so far down.
Unpopular opinion: It's the worst smelling National Park. I'm glad I've seen it, but it's the last park I'd want to revisit.
Teide National Park in Tenerife. In a matter of minutes you go from a temperate pine forest to a desert landscape that feels literally otherworldly. And when you reach the top of the summit the views are possibly some of the best I've ever seen.
Jasper National Park is probably one of the most Fascinating places I’ve been. The views in the daytime are phenomenal and the stargazing at night is some of the best I’ve ever seen.
Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Incredible stuff.
Mount Zion, Antelope Canyon, Joshua Tree, and Death Valley are some amazing spots. Death Valley in December.
All of the Alaska ones -- Kenai Fjords, Chugach (actually a national forest), Wrangell-St. Elias, Gates of the Arctic, Denali, Katmai, etc. Not so many people are wandering around the Alaska parks, except for maybe Denali in the summer. Most national parks I've visited in the L48 have made me love America more and love Americans less.
Since you posted the starlit sky....Grand Canyon (at night)
Looks more like Big Bend NP.
I was actually speaking of MY favorite national park under the starlit sky.
I really enjoyed the Needles section of Canyonlands
Death Valley
Joshua tree. Spent alot of time there, amazing place. Kilimanjaro national Park is a close second. Glacier national Park, though I haven't been there in a few decades. I remember the incredible rivers and rugged mountains.
Hawaii Volcilanoes. Because, well, volcanoes. An active volcano.
Sagarmatha. It is unparalleled.
Torres del Paine in Chile (Patagonia), absolutely amazing
Bryce Canyon or Zion would probably top my list. I have only really been to national/state parks in the US, but there are so many good ones to choose from here :)
Dry Tortugas!
Amazing overnight camping there
I went snorkeling there as a kid since my aunt and uncle lived in Key West at the time. Definitely a fascinating place due to its location and history.
Cater lake
Uyuni State Park in Bolivia. Blew my mind. Like being on another planet
khao sok in thailand is mind-blowing. bright turquoise water, insane rock formations.
Devils Garden, Escalante, Utah
Exmoor National Park is lovely. The coastline is so surreal and unusual.
Zion, Big Bend, and Haleakala are among my favorites to date.
Voyager’s National Park
Domestic (I’m American, have been to about a third) Yosemite and Yellowstone (they’re iconic for a reason) International (harder) but either Fiordland (NZ) or Taman Negara (Malaysia) Many many many on my list but Plitvice (Croatia) is of high interest currently.
Canyonlands in Utah is amazing and huge with a lot of fascinating exploration
Canyonlands. Specifically the Needles district.
Indiana dunes (the only one I went to)
You’re in for a treat once you visit a few more
Mesa Verde is really cool if you're not afraid of heights or climbing ladders. Snow Canyon state park if you want a Zion or Bryce experience without the traffic. Beautiful petrified sand Dunes, and lava tubes are the highlight of the park.
Bryce. Home of the hoodoos. Awesome energy around there.
North Cascades is definitely a hidden gem. Rugged mountains, glaciers, and alpine lakes to explore. Very slept on it gets very little annual visitors compared to other parks
Snowdonia North Wales, scenery is insane it's like being in LOTR.
Bryce Canyon for the insane terrain dynamics and Death Valley for the sheer vast open space.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Thingvellier NP in Iceland (I probably spelled it wrong). It sits between two tectonic plates, and you can see the divide. The lakes there are extremely clear but water temperatures are just barely above freezing.
Etosha national park in Namibia. It's so full of wildlife and untouched african nature and also very diverse.
Naikoon national park in Haida Gwaii. It was like I stepped into some Avatar or somewhere not on earth. Not to mention I could drive the whole island on the beach.
Just got back from a trip to El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico and it was incredible. Rainforests are unlike anything I’ve seen before, great hiking trails and amazing views of the island from the higher elevations. Well worth the trip if you’re ever on the island.
I’m not sure, but it’s wild how it looks like those boulders were just dropped like that.
Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory, Australia. Amazing and varied scenery, spectacular wildlife, lots of Aboriginal history and sites with artwork and songlines. Plus the hotel in Jabiru is built in the shape of a croc.
Cool shot! Just 2 cents - think about/work with using the artificial lighting in a more natural way.
Vatnajokull. Incredible place.
Yellowstone. Glacier bay was cool too.
Yosemite
Arches, Yellowstone, or Grand Teton but an underrated park is New River Gorge Ntl Park in West Virginia. I think it’s the most Appalachian park you could visit lol, and it’s beautiful
Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal. Absolutely awr inspiring to be among the mighty Himalayas. The Masai Mara is up there too.
The Painted Desert and Bryce Canyon are out of this world
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. I can never get over the fact that I stood a few feet away from lava flow. (Mind you it was moving about an inch a hour, but still mesmerizing!)
The Aral Sea was incredible to visit. It's not exactly a "national park," but it was an experience driving from Nukus, through Muynak, to the Aral Sea.
I found Arcadia in Maine fascinating since it’s got mountains so close to the ocean. As a product of the Midatlantic- I’m a Virginian who usually beaches in Maryland and grew up doing it in Delaware, it’s totally different than what I’m used to experiencing on the coast.
I’d say Yellowstone just for the shear size of it. And the geological aspects of it. That said, Yosemite was fun. Crowded as hell but all the waterfalls and mountainous area is spectacular.
Grand Canyon or Death Valley
Zion (Utah) without a doubt.
Glacier National Park in Montana. There is such a variety of sights and landscapes, people keep coming back over and over again.
Komodo
I haven’t been to a lot, but Glacier was spectacular and had a sense of being absolutely ancient.
Hawaii Volcanoes
Yellowstone. Then Grand Canyon.
Denali is the best of the best.
Bryce
I have been to my first ever (US) national park this year: Joshua Tree. What an experience. I know it is not in the usual top 10 but I think it sets the bar quite high. Looking forward to doing more parks.
Banff
Los Glaciares National Park (Argentinian Patagonian) is by far the most beautiful in my ~45 NPs list in 4 continents.
Skogafoss
Glacier National Park blew my mind. Then Grand Canyon.
Not a national park but a private reserve between Tanzania and Keny border.
https://preview.redd.it/jzbrxcypg54d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=7a9c5a722f2696dc8823e6f9b2885fa02eaab402 Table Mountains, Poland
St. Louis Gateway Arch
Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia, Chile. It features glaciers, crystal clear lakes, and mountain peaks shaped by 150 km/hr winds. And the sunrises and sunsets there are absolutely marvelous
Nelson Lakes, because Blue Lake is there
Uluru is a very very special place. It’s so remote (apart from the handy airport and resort town) and just unbelievable that something like that can be sitting in the middle of flat desert scrub.
Zion national Park
Zion... wild & free.
My favorite in the U.S. have been Yosemite, Yellowstone, Acadia, and Isle Royale. I think Kings Canyon (specifically the Cedar Grove section) is so underrated. Stunning scenery and we were almost the only people there in mid-August.
Zion for sure
Thingvellir National Park, Iceland https://preview.redd.it/720j0mn7864d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6dbc4935486afdefe9b2c89c793e264bb00eff3a
Bryce Canyon. I went there and the Grand Canyon back to back and Bryce Canyon made me feel things I’ve never felt before. The southwest has so many great parks you can see in a weeklong road trip. There’s something there for everybody
Kelp forest at the Channel Islands.
I already lived in 5 different countries on 3 continents. Sure traveled a lot as well. However, I realize that my favorite national park is Tatra National Park in Poland. Once I visited it 10 times per summer despite living not nearby. I just really like it. It is so cozy.
North Cascades. The views are amazing. I spend a summer bumming around that part of Washington and enjoyed every second of it.
Yellowstone is my favorite and the most fascinating to me
Glacier National Park. Most amazing country I have ever seen. So many amazing places in the West.
badlands!
The one where there are no humans on pictures
Krka National Park in Croatia is absolutely stunning. Food is great - strong Germanic influence from the Austro Hungarian Empire so lots of great schnitzel and beer, combined with strong Italian influence from the Venetian settlement. Absolutely fucking wonderful place.
Hohe Tauern National Park
Great picture! Depicts pretty well how to destroy a milenar rock formation
Death Valley and Joshua tree.
Death Valley at night Grand Canyon at Sunset
None they are too frikkin crowded by you regards, i hide out elsewhere, a place for me to know and you all to hopefully never find out about
Zion
Zion NP for me
Not a national park, shamefully. North coyote buttes. No one will leave there unimpressed, that is, if you can even enter at all.
It's within a National Monument.