Natural beauty is bountiful in the USA and there are 63 National Parks located here showcasing the best sites to take in. You may not know where to begin your adventure or which parks to click off first, so here is my comprehensive list of the top 10 National Parks to visit in the USA.
1. Yellowstone
Yellowstone is home to 2.2 million acres full of exploding geysers, thick, bubbling mudpots, colorful hot springs, majestic, travertine terraces, steaming fumaroles, and a large abundance of wildlife. I recommend starting at the west entrance and stopping at the Fountain Paint parking lot and completing the .5 mile loop to see a wide array of geothermal features. Afterwards, you must take pictures of the beautifully vibrant Grand Prismatic Spring and watch the performance of Old Faithful erupt up to 185 feet high.
The northwest entrance is home to the Artist Paintpots which is more colorful hot springs, mudpots, and tiny geysers. The stunner of the north is the Mammoth Hot Springs. The Mammoth Hot Springs display the intricate travertine terraces mentioned earlier.
The northeast section of the park encompasses Lamar Valley and it’s here that you can see the plethora of wildlife that Yellowstone offers. You may spot a herd of bison, a wolf pack, or a grizzly bear wandering this perimeter. Hence the reason it’s called the American Serengeti. Have your binoculars and camera ready.
2. Redwood National Park
This park contains the largest trees in the world. Take a hike through the many trails. Smell the coastal air, look for bright yellow banana slugs, and take it all in. The BigTree has a circumference of 68 feet and is a must stop for a photo op. Fern Canyon is a fun trail and makes you feel like you are in Jurassic Park.
3. Mt Rainier
One of the most picturesque parks. Mt Rainier is an active volcano with a beautiful glacier peak. The park is filled with colorful subalpine flowers and active wildlife. Trails range from wheelchair accessibility to great treks depending on your comfort zone.
4. Crater Lake
The deepest lake in the USA is situated in the lush pine forest that surrounds the area. The water is pristine and a rich hue of blue that beckons for you to take a dip into its pure, cold waters. There is one trail that allows lake access, and it is 2 miles long roundtrip. It’s called Cleetwood Cove Trail and once you walk down, you also have the opportunity to take a boat ride on the water.
5. Mesa Verde
Set in Colorado, these cliff dwellings of the Pueblo people are a glimpse into the past and their lives settled here. To get more up close and personal, there are two ranger guided tours. One is through the grand Cliff Palace that used to house over 100 residents and is an architectural marvel. On the other hand, for the more adventurous, there is the Balcony House. I chose the second and you must be able to climb several ladders including one that is 32 feet tall, and you be able to crawl through a tight tunnel. The tunnel you crawl through was an actual passage used by the Pueblo people over 800 years ago.
The Balcony House contains well preserved kivas, plazas, and rooms. The Cliff Palace is absolutely massive and contains 150 rooms along with 23 kivas also in spectacular condition. Trust me, out of all the parks, this one is my favorite for historical preservation and information.
6. Grand Canyon
Obviously, no list is complete without this magnificent marvel. There’s not much I can say about it, that hasn’t already been said. Just get there. The Canyon stretches over 270 miles long and is up to 18 miles wide. To reach the bottom, it is around a mile. Looking at the many multicolored sedimentary layers and the massiveness of the whole thing, I literally got dizzy and had to sit down. It was so much to take in, to put it simply, it was overwhelming.
7. Glacier National Park
Located in northern Montana, near the Canadian border, this park is full of Gatorade blue streams, glacier mountains and crisp, clear lakes, fresh smelling cedar trees, and alpine meadows full of vibrant wildflowers. There are many hiking trails to choose from and stunning roads to drive full of post card scenery around every curve. Going-to-the-Sun Road is well worth the hype as you cruise past fruity pebble-colored stones in Lake Macdonald, cascading waterfalls, intricately carved mountains, and more.
8. The Badlands
Fascinating, contrasting geological formations full of colorful sediments and home to rich fossil beds. Wild sunflowers grow from unlikely cracks in the dry ground and prairie dogs are abundant here. I pictured cowboys riding horses through the deep valleys down below the striking mountains. However, if you do decide to take a stroll, beware of rattlesnakes that may be camouflaged with the surrounding area.
9. Great Sand Dunes
The sand dunes are so massive here that I had felt like for a moment I had been placed in the Sahara. I recommend renting a sandboard and riding down the soft dunes. The hardest part will be walking back up, but it’s worth the ride.
10. Grand Tetons
I always wanted to spot a moose, and as soon as I arrived in this park, I saw a mother and her baby in a lake reaching their heads deep down to eat at the aquatic weeds. This park is also home to an abundant of other wildlife such as grizzlies, coyotes, herds of elk, wolves, and bison. Furthermore, if you are an avid biker, this is the park for you. The highlight is the glacier topped mountains and there are several lakes that will give you the perfect photographs revealing the mirrored image of the Tetons in the clear rippling waters.
I recommend getting an America the Beautiful pass if you will be traveling to multiple parks. The pass covers all of the entrance fees. Thank you for reading my list of the top 10 National Parks to visit in the USA and if you are interested in reading about my trip on rt 66 here is the link: