A major city in southern Arizona, Phoenix is a gateway to the national parks of the Southwest. On a road trip from the Arizona capital, you can visit several of America’s most famous parks, including Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree and Saguaro.
Home to giant glaciers, countless cascades, stunning lakes, jagged peaks and lots of wildlife, the North Cascades are a camper’s, hiker’s, backpacker’s and kayaker’s dream destination. These are the best things to do in this magnificent mountain wilderness in northern Washington State.
It’s impossible to exaggerate the magnificence and sheer vastness of Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Situated in the heart of the Colorado Plateau and bisected by both the Colorado and Green Rivers, this wild park protects literally hundreds of canyons, and countless spires, mesas, buttes and arches.
When hiking in Saguaro National Park, you get to see iconic saguaro cacti, the “sentinels of the desert”, from up close. You’ll walk among them, underneath them and past them, on the way admiring multi-armed saguaros, baby saguaros hiding in the shade of a nurse tree, and other regional desert flora.
One of America’s most diverse regions, the Pacific Northwest (PNW) is home to massive volcanoes, pristine temperate rain forests, high desert plains, sea stack-lined coasts and spectacular mountain ranges. In this post, I talk about the many must-visit Pacific Northwest national parks and offer a couple of suggested road trip itineraries.
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!
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.
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.
Although it’s impossible to see all of the 2,000+ arches in Arches National Park, there are several that are pretty easy to see, visit, touch, walk through and explore. This post features the most beautiful Arches National Park arches, all of which are accessible or visible via hiking trails from the scenic Park Road.
On a scenic road trip from Seattle to Sacramento, you can see, explore—and even climb—more than a dozen mighty Cascade Range Volcanoes in nine separate parks, from Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens to Mount Hood, Newberry Volcano, Crater Lake and Lassen Peak.
Lassen Volcanic National Park is a hiker’s paradise, offering everything from lakeshore strolls to summit hikes to backcountry adventures. On our visit, we did nearly a dozen hikes in this spectacular park. These are our favorites!