Are you ready to swap out your dress shoes for hiking boots and add a backpack to your wedding day wardrobe? Elopements and small weddings in national parks have become increasingly popular recently. Check out the best national parks to elope to or get married at!

The coronavirus pandemic and related closures, restrictions and lockdowns caused a huge drop national park visitation numbers in 2020, a 28% decrease from 2019. Yet, some parks in the NPS system still set individual (seasonal) visitation records, as more people sought refuge in the great outdoors.

Already the busiest time of the year in Joshua Tree National Park, the 2021 spring season is expected to be even busier than usual, as more people continue to look to national parks for their annual spring holiday. The National Park Service shared its concerns about this and offers tips to make the best of your spring 2021 trip to Joshua Tree.

A sprawling area of forests, volcanoes, mountains and lakes south(west) of Bend, Oregon, Deschutes National Forest is a dream destination for hikers, kayakers, rock climbers, campers and other adventurists. Check out the top attractions in this spectacular national forest here.

The brand new “National Park Service” app is the Park Service’s official app. Created by National Park Service staff—the people who know the parks best—it provides information, guidance, tips and suggestions for all its 420+ sites, from historic sites and battlefields to national monuments and national parks. It’s a great tool for on-the-road planning and checking conditions.

The Cleveland-based organization See You At The Top (SYATT) aims to make outdoor spaces more accessible to people of color, while simultaneously creating joyful experiences in them. Consider supporting this month’s organization by donating to their cause and/or sharing their content and work on social media.

Watching a sunrise in Shenandoah National Park is one of the five absolute highlights in this magnificent park in central Virginia. It’s incredibly easy to do, too. Skyline Drive winds its way across the crest of the Blue Ridge, cutting across the park from north to south, lined with more than 70 overlooks. These are the best viewpoints and mountaintops to see the sunrise in Shenandoah.

There’s always been a close historical link between America’s presidents and its national parks, from the creation of Yellowstone National Park to the Antiquities Act and many national park sites related to the presidents themselves. There are over 30 presidential national parks, dedicated to presidents like Washington, Lincoln, both Roosevelts, JFK, Eisenhower and more.

One of the most iconic marine animals in the world, orcas (or killer whales) live in every ocean on the planet. In the United States, they’re a common sight along the West Coast, especially in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Check out these top national parks to see orcas in the wild.

From the five Utah national parks in the south to Rocky Mountain parks like Grand Teton and Yellowstone to the north, Salt Lake City is less than five hours from several epic parks. So, pack your camping and hiking gear, rent a car and go for a once-in-a-lifetime national parks road trip from Salt Lake City.

With January being the month that celebrates Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a national holiday honoring the life and legacy of one of the nation’s greatest civil rights leaders, we’re kicking off the new year featuring The Memorial Foundation, which promotes awareness of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in D.C.

On six days in 2021, from Martin Luther King Day to Veterans Day, you can visit all 423 National Park Service sites for free, including the more than 100 national parks that usually charge an entrance fee. Check out the days and parks here!

Decades of efforts to create a national park in West Virginia have finally come to fruition. America’s newest national park, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, will encompass more than 72,000 acres of densely forested hills and historic sites along the New River. Some 5,000 to 7,000 acres of that would be designated as “national park”, while the rest will be a “national preserve.”

Those who aren’t interested in gambling or partying all night long will still find plenty of fun things to do around Las Vegas. It’s actually one of America’s best places to visit (and live) if you’re into hiking and rock climbing. The many state and national parks near Las Vegas make it a dream destination for lovers of the outdoors.