When thinking about America’s national parks, the same five or six names always come to mind first. There are, however, numerous other parks that are basically just as spectacular, but receive only a fraction of the visitors.
Hiking in Zion National Park is the one and only way to explore this epic national park in Utah. And although there are a number of superb hiking trails in Zion, from easy walks on flat paved walkways to thigh-crunching climbs, there is one that stands out from the rest—the Observation Point Trail.
After a few hour’s drive through the rolling farmlands of central California’s Salinas Valley, the towering landscape of Pinnacles National Park seems out of place. And it literally is. The steep canyons, monumental monoliths and boulder-covered caves of the park are the remains of a twenty-million-year-old volcano.
From driving Skyline Drive to sunset hikes and stays at historic lodges, wonderful Shenandoah National Park has plenty to offer. What I haven’t talked about in greater detail, though, is the best waterfall hikes in Shenandoah National Park.
One of the largest cities in the United States, Houston is chock-full of attractions, from excellent eateries to historic parks to entertainment venues to the Houston Space Center. If you’re a fan of outdoor adventures, you can also use Houston as a base for some epic national park exploration.
Shenandoah National Park may be a popular day trip destination, but I strongly recommend that you spend one night and two days there, at least. If you’ve ever wondered where to stay in Shenandoah National Park, the answer is right here in this blog post.
One of the three amazing national parks in Washington State, Mount Rainier National Park lies less than two hours by car from Seattle, the region’s main hub. It’s exceptionally accessible, which is why Mount Rainier is one of the best Seattle day trips.
There are a few summits and overlooks that are downright spectacular, which made me rave about this national park’s potential before. And that was when I hadn’t even hiked up to Stony Man, which I now have to say is the best sunset hike in Shenandoah National Park.
The Doyles River-Jones Run Loop is easily my all-time favorite waterfall hikes in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. An occasionally strenuous circuit hike, this loop trail takes you past three large waterfalls and countless smaller ones.
Home to five amazing national parks, all lined up wonderfully along scenic roads in the southern part of the state, Utah is one of the world’s best adventure travel destinations. In this post, I’d like to keep the number of words to a minimum. I think the landscapes of Utah’s national parks speak for themselves.
A passing-through state at first, Kentucky became a great stopping point for us in the end. The reason was that, because we were on a national parks road trip, we figured it wouldn’t make sense if we just flew through Kentucky on the interstate, without visiting Mammoth Cave National Park.
Nothing can prepare you for your first view of the Grand Canyon. No matter how many pictures you’ve seen or documentaries you’ve watched, the immense scale of this place needs to be seen in 3D, not on paper or a screen.
If you’re after inspiring canyon landscapes, great campgrounds, and a challenging hike or two, Utah’s Zion National Park has your name written all over it. There’s obviously a reason for the park’s popularity: its truly magnificent scenery and accessible yet epic Zion National Park hiking trails.
Nowhere else in the world will you find landscapes quite like those that characterize southern Utah, northern Arizona and southwestern Colorado. Here, in the middle of the Colorado Plateau—and incidentally also at the top of the plateau—scattered woods alternate with high desert scenery.