Summer means road trips, camping, sunbathing and, of course, grilling, whether it’s in a national park or not!
Whether you’re looking for recipes to grill at a campground or ideas for a backyard cookout, I’ve got some spectacular Fourth of July grilling recipes inspired by the national parks below.
The Fourth of July is arguably America’s most “outdoorsy” holiday. Almost everyone spends it outside, hanging out on a lakeshore, in their neighborhood park, with friends in the garden, or at a campsite in a national park.
The following Fourth of July grilling recipes are all inspired by a particular national park.
Grilled shrimp from Dry Tortugas, bison cheeseburgers from Yellowstone, Sonoran hot dogs from Saguaro, and cedar plank salmon from the North Cascades,… Those are just a few mouthwatering examples.
All these national park-inspired Fourth of July grilling ideas are in at least one way associated with a specific park. There are regional specialties and dishes served at restaurants in a particular park, while others use ingredients that are native to a certain national park.
Enjoy and happy Fourth of July!
You might also like this long list of national park-inspired Thanksgiving recipes.
This list of national park inspired Fourth of July grilling recipes and ideas contains affiliate links. You can read more about our Terms of Use / Disclosure here.
Contents
- 8 National Park-Inspired Fourth of July Grilling Recipes
- 1. Bourbon Barbecue Chicken Wings
- 2. Sonoran Hot Dogs
- 3. Hickory Smoked Pulled Turkey And Coleslaw
- 4. Pacific Northwest Cedar Plank Salmon With Roasted Potato Salad
- 5. Huckleberry Bison Cheeseburgers
- 6. Grilled Gulf Shrimp With Tropical Fruit Kabobs
- 7. BLT Salmon Burgers With Avocado Sauce
- 8. Mount Rainier Hot Dogs
8 National Park-Inspired Fourth of July Grilling Recipes
1. Bourbon Barbecue Chicken Wings
Inspired by: Mammoth Cave National Park (Kentucky)
These Mammoth Cave National Park-inspired bourbon barbecue chicken wings will be the star of the show at your next backyard barbecue party.
While you can, of course, use any store-bought barbecue sauce, we’re upping this national park grilling recipe and are making our very own bourbon barbecue sauce. This is amazingly easy and doesn’t require any advanced cooking skills whatsoever.
Slather your homemade bourbon barbecue sauce on grilled wings and you’ve got a delicious, relatively quick, and easy grilled dinner inspired by the national parks!
2. Sonoran Hot Dogs
Inspired by: Saguaro National Park (Arizona)
Fancy Fourth of July hot dogs, anyone?
Honoring the desert landscapes of Saguaro National Park, this Sonoran hot dogs recipe features bacon-wrapped hot dogs, pinto beans, pico de gallo, and avocado in a classic bolillo bun.
Fun, delicious, and quite different from the classic American hot dog, this will 100% be a hit.
3. Hickory Smoked Pulled Turkey And Coleslaw
Inspired by: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (North Carolina and Tennessee)
This hickory smoked pulled turkey recipe has Great Smoky Mountains written all over it. Both turkeys and hickory trees are native to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Smoking the turkey on the grill is an obvious nod to the park’s name, while pulling it reflects the region’s vibrant barbecue scene.
Served with freshly made coleslaw on toasted brioche buns, this is absolute heaven. A delicious Fourth of July grilling idea inspired by the national parks.
4. Pacific Northwest Cedar Plank Salmon With Roasted Potato Salad
Inspired by: North Cascades National Park (Washington)
Cedar plank salmon on the grill is arguably the greatest culinary tradition of the Pacific Northwest. Native Americans have been using this technique for literally thousands of years—and still do.
This particular recipe is inspired by North Cascades National Park, which is home to “one of the few watersheds in the continental U.S. to have runs of all Pacific salmon species: chinook (king), coho, chum, pink and sockeye,” the National Park Service says.
This succulent salmon, which boasts a wonderful hint of cedar smoke, is amazing paired with an intricate Yukon gold potato salad.
If you’re hosting a party, this national park-inspired Fourth of July grilling recipe is certain to leave a lasting impression on your guests.
5. Huckleberry Bison Cheeseburgers
Inspired by: Yellowstone National Park (Idaho, Montana and Wyoming)
This awesome huckleberry cheeseburger recipe takes you on a culinary trip to the mountains and valleys of Yellowstone National Park.
Inspired by the park’s abundant fauna and flora, it combines sweet berries, game, melted cheese, and garlic aioli. Berries and bison might not seem like they’d be a good match, but I assure you they are!
6. Grilled Gulf Shrimp With Tropical Fruit Kabobs
Inspired by: Dry Tortugas National Park (Florida)
Looking for a healthy grilling idea inspired by a national park? Look no further than this light, tasty, and nutrient-packed grilled Gulf shrimp and tropical fruit kabobs recipe!
Inspired by the stunning tropical waters of Dry Tortugas National Park, this recipe highlights the amazing fishing opportunities of the Florida Keys, as well as the area’s delicious tropical fruits.
Gulf shrimp are native to the Dry Tortugas (and you can actually harvest them), while the rainbow colors of the fruit kabobs are another nod to the park’s tropical location.
7. BLT Salmon Burgers With Avocado Sauce
Inspired by: Olympic National Park (Washington)
Salmon is a staple on many menus throughout the Pacific Northwest, including, and especially, in western Washington.
You’ll find grilled salmon dinners in many of Olympic National Park’s restaurants, while BLT salmon burgers are a popular lunch option.
You can usually find BLT salmon burgers in places like the Singer Tavern Lounge at Lake Crescent Lodge, as well as in the Roosevelt Dining Room at Lake Quinault Lodge.
If you’re looking for a seafood grilling recipe inspired by a national park, look no further than these flavor-packed salmon burgers with avocado sauce!
8. Mount Rainier Hot Dogs
Inspired by: Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
This amazing Mount Rainier hot dogs recipe is chock-full of references to Mount Rainier and western Washington State.
Inspired by the mountain’s namesake national park, a regional beer, and Seattle-style hot dogs, this is a creative, and perhaps unusual, type of hot dog.
Once you accept the fact that there’s cream cheese on this hot dog, you’re in for a revelation. (I found myself wondering why I’d never thought about putting cream cheese on hot dogs before.)
Cream cheese and caramelized onions are the essential ingredients, but we’re also making a blackberry barbecue sauce—a nod to the abundant berries you can find in the national park.
On top of that, we simmer the hot dogs in Rainier beer before grilling them on the charcoal grill!