With the number of national parks across the United States, you can be forgiven for not knowing which ones to visit. Many of us nature lovers mightn’t even know where to start if we were planning on visiting them all. However, there are a few that stand out from the crowd for a variety of reasons. This can make them some of the most obvious to visit first before moving on to another park; you can even use the likes of a National Parks Scratch Off Map to help keep track of the ones you visit over time.
Grand Teton
Set across 310,000 acres in Wyoming, the Grand Teton National Park has a considerable amount of history behind it. Some of the rocks date back nearly 2.7 billion years, while there is a variety of prehistoric flora and fauna can still be found. Alongside the wild buffalo that roam the area, there’s enough to keep almost anybody interested.
Kings Canyon
In Southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, lies Kings Canyon, home to a variety of different sights and views to enjoy. Carved out by glaciers in the last Ice Age, the Canyon offers both vast mountains and deep caves, alongside a considerable amount of giant sequoia groves. With guided mountain trails and cave explorations, you’ll be able to see all of the sights available, with Kings Canyon also being a great place for skiing, rock climbing, and camping.
Everglades
Located in Florida, the Everglades National Park is known for a few different things, other than it’s spectacular views. One of the most prominent of these is that it’s the largest subtropical wilderness in the country. With the variety of ecological sights on offer, there’s something to keep everyone interested. It’s also one of the few areas in the United States where crocodiles and alligators are known to live together.
Yosemite
Yosemite has been a popular national park for quite some time. Located in California, it’s well-known for a few different things. Chief among these are its ecological diversity, Giant Sequoia groves, and Granite cliffs. With the vast majority of the park is protected wilderness, you’ll be able to enjoy uninterrupted hiking and trail walking. This also makes it perfect for camping.
Acadia
Set across 47,000 acres in Maine, there’s quite a considerable number of sights to enjoy at Acadia. This includes woodlands, an ocean shoreline and a variety of lakes. This means that there are also a variety of different activities to enjoy alongside the views. Hiking, canoeing and guided tours make up some of the more interesting, while Cadillac Mountain – the largest mountain on America’s eastern coast – offers a challenge for many mountain climbers. This can be an amazing sight during both Winter and Summer.
While there’s a significant amount of national parks to visit across the United States, each of the above would make a great place to start. With the variety of sights and activities on offer, there’s a large amount of enjoyment to be had at each. What’s stopping you from starting on your national parks adventure?