The National Park Service has been caring for millions of acres for over 100 years. Millions of visitors go to the 63 national parks in the US for education, enjoyment, and inspiration. There are many reasons to visit a national park. The abundance of options makes determining which ones to visit hard.
The Grand Canyon
Many visitors say that pictures of the Grand Canyon don’t do the natural wonder justice. The Grand Canyon is 18 by 277 miles, which offers many hiking opportunities. People can explore the North Rim for a less crowded experience. The hiking varies in degrees of difficulty and length. Visitors can also raft down the Colorado River or take a helicopter tour.
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a unique California park with towering sequoia trees. There are various wildlife visitors can see while hiking by the tall sequoia trees, meadows, and rivers. Visitors can see General Sherman, the largest tree by volume in the world. General Sherman is over 275 feet tall and has a diameter of more than 36 feet. The giant tree is why visitors visit the park, and it’s still growing. Other activities available in the park include horseback riding, fishing, and rock climbing.
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park includes two mountain ranges and more than 700 lakes in Montana. Visitors know the national park for its mountains and water and love to hike and stargaze. Hikers can hike famous trails like the Iceberg Lake Trail. The expansive park has plenty of ranger-led activities for visitors to do.
Yosemite
Yosemite is the most popular national park in California. Visitors have plenty of scenic hiking trails and camping spots. Visitors know Yosemite for its unique granite rock formations and waterfalls. Popular waterfalls include Bridalveil Fall and Vernal Fall. Half Dome is a popular granite rock formation. Visitors who travel to the Tunnel View Outlook have a panoramic view of Yosemite Valley.
Yellowstone
The Yellowstone National Park is 2.2 million acres and stretches into parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Visitors know Yellowstone for its diverse geography and unique natural attractions. Visitors have hot springs, geysers, mountains, valleys, and lakes to explore. The park has herds of bison, packs of wolves, bears, and more around the landscape.
When determining which parks are the best to visit, it’s important to listen to recent park visitors and travel experts. They are all unique in their own ways. The Hawaii Volcanoes National Park offers black landscapes with orange lava and sulfurous steam. The Mesa Verde National Park protects America’s cliff dwellings that have been there for over 700 years. The parks in this list are just a few of the great national parks around the US that visitors can explore.