Recipes Inspired by the National Parks

From iconic wildlife and outdoor adventures to epic landscapes and historic landmarks, America’s national parks attract tens of millions of visitors each year  for various reasons. An aspect of the parks that is, perhaps, a bit underrated is food. With my national parks recipes, I am trying to shine a light on regional cuisine associated with the national parks.

Whether it’s lobster in Maine’s Acadia National Park, wild game chili in Wyoming, key lime pie in the Dry Tortugas, berries in Alaska, mushrooms in the Appalachians, or salmon in the Pacific Northwest, many—if not most—of the national parks have a “signature” dish or, at the very least, a typical local ingredient.

Some of these recipes inspired by the national parks are traditional pioneer or homesteader meals, while others have their roots in Native American cuisine.

Recipes for a National Parks Experience at Home

You’ll find classic American dishes like hot dogs, chowder, and cream pies, as well as what I like to call “national parks fusion food”, which is a national parks-inspired twist on an international recipe.

So, if you’re looking for some ideas for dishes inspired by the national parks to cook at home, you’ll find the best national parks home cooking recipes below!

National Park Inspired Appetizers

Toasted Ravioli With Marinara Sauce

Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri

White Fish Gratin in Seashells

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Salmon Cakes With Garlic Aioli

Olympic National Park, Washington

Oven-Baked Squash Balls

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

National Park Inspired Soups & Chowders

Butternut Squash Soup With Popcorn (and Cornbread)

Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado

Ground Turkey Taco Soup

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Rubaboo (Split Pea Soup)

Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Paganens (Algonquin Hazelnut Soup)

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Three Sisters Soup

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Wild Salmon and Potato Chowder

Olympic National Park, Washington

New England Cod Chowder With Thyme Biscuits

Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts

U.S. Senate Bean Soup

National Mall and Memorial Parks, Washington, D.C.

National Park Inspired Main Courses

Fish & Seafood

Mahi Mahi Fish Taco Bowls With Mango Avocado Salsa

Biscayne National Park, Florida

Halibut and Scalloped Potatoes With Gremolata

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Seafood Lasagna

Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

BLT Salmon Burgers With Avocado Sauce

Olympic National Park, Washington

Sablefish With Celery Root Puree & Carrot Greens Pesto

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Sockeye Salmon Wellington

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska

Maine Lobster Rolls

Acadia National Park, Maine

Hazelnut Crusted Coho Salmon With Mushrooms & Mashed Potatoes

Redwood National and State Parks, California

Grilled Gulf Shrimp With Tropical Fruit Kabobs

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Cedar Plank Grilled Salmon With Roasted Potato Salad

North Cascades National Park, Washington

Fish Sticks With Broccoli Cranberry Salad

Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska

Meat

Bison Meatballs in Smoky Bell Pepper & Bean Sauce

Badlands National Park, North Dakota

Wild Rice & Bison Stuffed Acorn Squash

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Wild Game Chili

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

Hickory Smoked Pulled Turkey With Coleslaw

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina & Tennessee

Wild Western Spaghetti

Death Valley National Park, California

Chorizo Skillet With Black Beans and Roasted Bell Peppers

White Sands National Park, New Mexico

South Carolina Chicken Bog

Congaree National Park, South Carolina

Creamy Curried Chicken

Virgin Islands National Park, U.S. Virgin Islands

Huckleberry Bison Cheeseburgers

Yellowstone National Park, Idaho, Montana & Wyoming

Sonoran Hot Dogs

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Bourbon Barbecue Chicken Wings

Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky

Mount Rainier Hot Dogs

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Vegetarian

Three Sisters Tortilla Pizza

Saguaro National Park, Arizona

Three Cheese Pizza

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Mushroom Quiche

Mount Rainier National Park, Washington

Tex-Mex Veggie Quesadillas

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Caramelized Onion and Mushroom Mac & Cheese

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

National Park Inspired Desserts

Blueberry Cobbler

Denali National Park, Alaska

Key Lime Pie

Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cream Pie

Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Georgia to Maine

Buckeyes

Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio

Apricot Crumble Bars

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

National Park Inspired Breakfasts

Caribbean Banana Fritters

Virgin Islands National Park, U.S. Virgin Islands

New England Red Flannel Hash

Acadia National Park, Maine

French-Acadian Ployes

Acadia National Park, Maine

Buckwheat Pancakes

Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia & North Carolina

Hawaiian Acai Bowls

Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii

Wild Rice Pancakes With Blueberries and Maple Syrup

Isle Royale National Park, Michigan

Vegetarian Biscuits and Gravy

New River Gorge National Park, West Virginia

Spiced Pumpkin Waffles

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina & Tennessee

Note: This page is very much a work in progress. I regularly update it with new national park recipes that I come up with and enjoy myself, all tried and tested, perfected and delicious!