America's National Parks showcase the country's most incredible wilderness areas and geological wonders. Read on to discover the best features of each park in our collection of Insider's Guides.
Eastern Parks
Eastern parks span craggy coastlines, beautiful beaches, and mountainous woodlands. Outdoor enthusiasts love hiking, skiing, paddling, and camping in these parks. The Appalachian Trail passes through both the Smokies and Shenandoah, and the proximity of these parks to so many major metropolitan areas make them some of the most-frequented. In fact, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is by far the most-visited park in the country.
Midwestern National Parks span a variety of climates and boast a number of historical and cultural interest points, from fossil beds to a resort town built around natural hot springs. Often seen as little more than flyover territory, this region has some amazing secrets to reveal to travelers who take the time to visit.
The word "desert" strikes many as empty, dead and forbidding, but a little time and attention in these Southwestern parks can reveal an unseen world teeming with life. If you're lucky, you can catch the superbloom in Death Valley National Park, which comes around only about once a decade. Stay up at night in Saguaro and you might meet a number of species of lizards, as well as coyotes, fox, and snakes. You'd be lucky to see a bobcat or mountain lion, although they've probably seen you.
States just don't play fair when it comes to the outdoors. With six (or seven, depending on how you count the co-managed Sequoia and Kings Canyon) National Parks, California also has some of the most beautiful parks -- but don't ignore the Pacific Northwest, where there are plenty of amazing places to explore within NPS boundaries.
The park offers numerous recreational opportunities for hikers, kayakers, snorkelers, and more.John FellnerChannel Islands
With gems like Utah's "Mighty Five" as well as lesser-known parks like Mesa Verde, the Mountain West lays claim to some of the grandest and greatest destinations in the United States. In fact, there are two parks with "Great" and one "Grand" in the name.
Sometimes the continental parks get all the credit, but you won't want to miss these far-flung National Parks, from the Samoan islands to Alaska and Hawaii. Whether you're exploring beautiful beaches in the South Pacific or watching bears hunting for salmon, you'll love these parks.
