Heading deep into a park’s backcountry, setting up camp, exploring an unspoiled landscape, encountering wildlife,… Spending any number of nights backpacking in one of the national parks is something you’ll never forget.
I wholeheartedly believe that you can’t experience a national park to the fullest without spending the night there. As the saying goes, in many national parks “half the park is after dark.” So far, these are our all-time favorite national park campgrounds.
One of the best things about American national parks is their variety. From different landscapes to iconic wildlife to usually a historical aspect as well, there’s plenty to discover in these epitomes of nature conservation, especially if you have a car at your disposal.
The national parks are famous for their wildlife. However, oftentimes the focus is on the larger mammals, such as bears and bison, while birds remain out of the spotlight. Yet, there are some spectacular national park birds in America. From mighty bald eagles and cunning ravens to industrious hummingbirds and cute puffins, these are the most iconic birds in America’s national parks.
Arches National Park is home to the world’s densest concentration of natural rock arches and one of the most photogenic national parks in America. The park encompasses more than 2,000 catalogued rock arches. They range in size from three feet, which is the minimum required length of an arch, to almost three hundred feet.
Honoring one of America’s greatest ever Presidents, Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota is home to thousands of wild animals. Spread out over three different units—the South and North Units and Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch—, it’s a superb place for scenic drives and up-and-close wildlife encounters.
Home to huge sand dunes, panoramic vistas, rugged mountains, vast salt flats, colorful badlands and mysterious canyons, Death Valley National Park is a hiker’s paradise. In this post, I share my favorite Death Valley hikes, from easy strolls to strenuous loops.
Many national park visitors are worried about running into a bear or cougar on a trail, but each year more people are injured by moose than bears. Therefore, it’s important to know what to do if you encounter a moose while hiking. This blog post has useful tips and advice related to moose safety.
Wolves have always been a source of both fascination and fear among people. Once revered and respected… then hated and hunted… now both, wolves are a symbol of wildness arguably unlike any other animal in the world. In America, you can see gray wolves in the wild in these amazing national parks.
To really experience the beauty and depth of iconic Arches National Park, there’s no better way than hiking. The Arches trails I’ve selected in this blog post take you to, through and around several of the 2,000+ natural rock arches in the park, the greatest concentration of those rock formations on Earth.
The five national parks that offer the best brown or grizzly bear viewing opportunities are either in the northern Rocky Mountains or southern Alaska, places featuring rugged mountain ranges, wide river valleys and expansive meadows, pristine woodlands and lakes.
Have you always wanted to ascend an epic mountain pass? Or encircle a volcano rim? Maybe ride through a desert or along a historic trail? Perhaps even share the road with iconic wildlife? Luckily, you can find all that asphaltic amusement in the following best national parks for road cycling.
There are a number of Haleakala National Park trails in the park’s two tourist areas, from the desert-like Crater to the verdant Kipahulu rain forest, allowing you to explore each of them as you please. Feel like a challenging full-day hike? Or rather an easy coastal stroll? The hiking trails in Haleakala National Park are varied as its landscapes!
America’s national mammal, bison were once abundant, then almost extinct, and now protected in various parks and preserves. This includes several national parks, most notably Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Theodore Roosevelt, Badlands and Wind Cave National Parks.